Cogitator Feb 22, 2012

VISITING ROTARIANS
Real estate professional Mark McHugh joined us from the Warwick Club.  Also, Eric Creamer, North Kingstown Rotarian and District Director, Narragansett Council of Boy Scouts of America, was with us.

GUESTS
Coreen Gardner, manager of the East Greenwich office of Coleman Realty was a guest of Bill TenEyck.  

CLUB ANNIVERSARY
Past President Pat Lenihan was inducted into the Rotary Club of East Greenwich on February 25, 1998.  Happy 14th Rotary anniversary, Pat!

SCHOLARSHIP FUND NEWS
President Mike asked Dave Iannuccilli to pass on some incredible news he received last week.  Dave is President of the East Greenwich Rotary Scholarship Fund.  He announced that Amica Insurance, in honor of Andy Erickson's retirement after fifty years of dedicated service as both Amica's Executive Vice President and Director, will donate an incredibly generous sum...$50,000...to the East Greenwich's Scholarship Fund.  Dave said that the Scholarship Fund board will meet with Andy in the coming weeks to discuss ideas for a newly named scholarship.  Congratulations, and tremendous gratitude, goes out to Andy Erickson, from the Scholarship Fund and the club.  This $50,000 is a tremendous boost for the Scholarship Fund, and it will quickly be put to good use in local scholarships for high school students heading to college.

DAFFODIL DAYS
Time is running out!  Don't forget to see Lou Lepry and order your daffodils or 'bears and bunches' while supporting the American Cancer Society.  Orders must be in by March 2nd.  

ROTARY AFTER DARK II
Caprice Restaurant on Main Street was the setting for our club's second Rotary After Dark social event.  It was another hit--a great evening of cocktails, food, and Rotary spirit.  President Mike and 'the young guns' are already planning round three, probably to be held at Centro Restaurant in March.  Details will follow shortly...

ROTARACT
Mike Gemma also announced that $500 in 'seed money' has been officially approved by the board of directors, to continue Bill TenEyck's good work with the club's first ever Rotaract Club (in conjunction with New England Tech).  

TASTE OF THE TOWN/WINE TASTING
Pat Lenihan received the news from the town that we'll need to move the Taste of the Town event to somewhere besides Swift Community Center.  The town would, unfortunately, not approve a liquor license for this year's event.  But fear not, since Pat is already closing in on some good alternatives for the big night.  

CLEAN WATER FOR CAMBODIA
Alan Flynn reminded the club that the Clean Water for Cambodia annual fundraiser/dinner will be held on June 22nd, at the Newport Officers' Club.  It's a great cause, one in which Alan has been very involved for years, and the Officers' Club is a terrific venue for any occasion.  Please see Alan Flynn if you'd like to attend.

SPEAKER/PROGRAM

'Sea Scouts,' with Dave Pickering

Dave Pickering is founder and chairman of Preventure, a company specializing in comprehensive wellness strategies.  Dave is also an Eagle Scout, Scout Master, and Merchant Marine.  His real passion within Boy Scouts of America?  Sea Scouts. 

Dave maintains that Sea Scouts are the 'best kept secret' of Boy Scouts.  His Sea Scouts group, which sails out of Greenwich Cove, is made up of 12 young men and women aged fourteen to twenty-one.  He also has eight dedicated committee members who help teach about boating, seamanship, safety on the water, and navigation.  Beyond these, the group meets people from all over while learning valuable leadership skills.  

The local Sea Scouts group meets every first and third Tuesday of each month.  They operate out of the West Bay Yacht Club.  Most of the time, they are out on the water learning, and, having fun.  Sea Scouts also advance in rank as they attain more experience and skills.  They are able to progress from apprentice, to ordinary, to able, and finally to quartermaster.  

Two fine local boats were recently donated, a real blessing for Dave and his Scouts.  Westerly, Bristol, and East Greenwich are the three main locations for Sea Scouting in Rhode Island.

The cost?  Amazingly, it only costs $15 to join.  If you're currently in Scouting?  Well, then it's free.   

Dave sincerely thanked the Rotary Club of East Greenwich for a $500 contribution made back during their first days of formation.  This money which was 'stretched and put to very good use.'   

Finally, Dave noted that once you're at the end of the Sea Scouts program, you are probably 75% of the way along the path of being able to qualify for a captain's license.             

*Sea Scouting is a part of the Venturing program that the Boy Scouts of America offers for young men and women. Along with Cub Scouting for younger boys and Boy Scouting for older boys, Venturing and Sea Scouting provide a program for religious, fraternal, educational, and other community organizations to use for character, citizenship, and mental an personal fitness training for youth. As part of this training, Sea Scouts are expected to develop personal religious values, learn the principles of American Heritage and government, and acquire skills that will prepare them to become successful adults.

Sea Scouting is the BSA's implementation of the Sea Scout program, initially developed in 1910 by Warington Baden-Powell in England. The founders of Sea Scouting in the United States are Arthur A. Carey of Waltham, Massachusetts and Charles T. Longstreth of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Both leaders independently established Sea Scout groups in the summer of 1912. This accomplishment was recorded in the inaugural issue of Scouting.  (*From Wikipedia, via Facebook-) 

Sea Scout Captain Dave Pickering

http://www.seascout.org