Cogitator July 17, 2013

Posted by George Cooper 
on Jul 17, 2013
 

District 7950 Governor, Dietrich Bilger

 

VISITING ROTARIANS

District Governor Dietrich Bilger and Assistant District Governor Rona Mann were with us today.

ANNIVERSARIES

Happy wedding anniversary wishes this week go out to: Bob (and Cathi) Sloan, married 29 years on July 21st; Corey (and Kelly) Guglietti, married 2 years as of July 23rd; and, Chuck and Bonnie Sauer, married 30 years on July 23rd. 

NEW ROTARIAN INDUCTION

Welcome aboard, Kathy McMahon!  Kathy transferred to our club from Cortland, New York after researching Rhode Island clubs, speaking with Bonnie Sauer, and visiting several times.  She had the honor today of being officially inducted as an East Greenwich Rotarian by District Governor, Dietrich Bilger.   

 

Kathy was a YWCA development director before moving to Rhode Island with her husband, Paul.  They moved here in order to be close to Paul’s family when he became ill.  She and Paul have been married for four years, but they’ve been together for forty!  They now reside in Cowesett. 

ROTARACT INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS

Bill TenEyck reminded us that a ‘great slate’ of new Rotaract officers will be installed at New England Tech on Saturday, August 17th.  The event will begin at 3pm, and a Caribbean buffet will follow.  Please see Bill if you’d like to attend. 

LITERACY COMMITTEE

Karen Taylor has agreed to take the lead in one of President Jodi Gladstone’s 2013-2014 initiatives, our new Literacy Committee.  Karen and her committee, along with help from the East Greenwich Library, will begin a pilot project supporting the London Bridge Childcare Center.  The mission is to provide the Center books, and to get a district grant to help the many kids, infants to pre-schoolers, who attend London Bridge.       

PHONEBOOK COMMITTEE UPDATE

‘Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose’—the 2013 phonebook campaign is under way. 

Committee Chairman Matt D’Agenais couldn’t be with us today, but he reminded everyone to keep up the good work in contacting the businesses on our individual lists, and, to reach out to local advertisers for new business.  One of Matt’s goals is for each of us to bring in at least one new phonebook advertisement.

In fact, Matt has led the way bringing in the very first ad of the season from his own workplace, Pawtucket Credit Union (PCU).  Matt was granted approval from management for a PCU ‘dress down day,’ and, for the day’s proceeds to be used toward the Phonebook.  (Great idea!)  His fellow employees donated over $390, and our first ad was booked.  Nice work in leading the charge, Matt! 

HAPPY BUCKS

-Vin Meola was happy to report, just in case the club’s Yanks fans hadn’t noticed, the Red Sox went into the All Star break solidly in first place in the American League East. 

-Bill TenEyck was looking forward to his upcoming Cape Cod vacation.

-Kathy McMahon was glad to be inducted and ‘now part of a great club!’

-Ron Winde was able to travel to Washington, DC for a church conference and visited monuments and sites on his one day off last Friday.  Ron was also thrilled to announce that his daughter is expecting, and another grandchild is on the way! 

-Richard Waterman welcomed Kathy McMahon, and he offered her praise for already bringing in a new phonebook ad! 

-Jane Boynton was able to enjoy time in Martha’s Vineyard last week.

-Pat Lenihan had a great time with her Coldwell Banker agents cooking out at Goddard Park on a hot and sultry day last week.  

-Yours truly was fined $5 by President Jodi for my cell phone ringing last week during our speaker’s presentation.  (Mea culpa.  Fine paid.  And word to the wise…phones on silent or vibrate!  Or else…$5.)

-Assistant District Governor Rona Mann, who also hails from Cortland, New York, welcomed new member Kathy McMahon.  Rona also presented Jodi Gladstone with a bottle of ‘Service Above Self Chianti’ and wished Jodi success in her year ahead as club president. 

 

-District Governor Dietrich Bilger was happy to be in East Greenwich, and he was especially grateful for the air conditioning at Chianti’s on yet another muggy summer day…

 

PROGRAM/SPEAKER

District 7950 Governor Dietrich Bilger

 District Governor Dietrich Bilger actually met President Jodi at the Rotary International Convention in Lisbon, Portugal last month, and together they had the bonne fortune of conversing in French with a group of Rotarians from Africa!   

Governor Bilger mentioned that it’s a privilege and a joy, rather than a chore, to visit each club in the district and offer help in any way. 

He congratulated and thanked both Jodi Gladstone and Rona Mann for volunteering to serve locally.  Governor Bilger also enjoyed meeting with our club’s board of directors prior to lunch, during which time he was able to review 2013-2014 goals for East Greenwich and the district.     

Governor Bilger was previously very involved in the district’s membership efforts.  Membership is certainly in focus at the district level and internationally.  ‘Rotary needs to grow.’ 

He discussed attendance rules recently adopted by Rotary International which are far more lenient than ever before.  Committee and charity project work will count towards attendance, for example.  This is ‘pretty revolutionary’ according to Governor Bilger, and it met significant resistance from senior Rotarians worried about the potential erosion of the weekly community meeting. 

However, the goal is to maintain proper respect for the weekly meeting, while also extending a ‘welcoming hand’ to potential future Rotarians who may have a tough time committing to a full year of weekly meetings.  Lastly, he mentioned that there may eventually be a ‘minimum commitment time’ of perhaps 12 hours of involvement each quarter.  More details will follow in the months ahead. 

The goal for our district is 5% membership growth.  This is a very reachable mark, but as always, it depends on individual Rotarians pitching in and lending a hand. 

There are currently approximately 2,300 Rotarians in District 7950, which encompasses all of Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts (from the South Shore to the Cape, as well as Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket). 

Good luck this year, Governor Bilger!  (And thanks for your service...)

 

Governor Bilger with Jane Boynton