Rotary Log for Meeting of June 6, 2019
President Cleo called the meeting to order with only a few more weeks to go until the “Changing of the Guard.” Al Lantinen started the song and Bob Smith guided us through the Four-Way Test. John Rice recited a portion of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s D-Day prayer in honor of the 75thanniversary of the Normandy invasion.
Guests
Tom Decker brought his wife Dr. Anne Decker who also happened to be today’s speaker. Tom’s other guests were Audrey Decker and Degen Miller. Richard Lyons invited his son Daniel Lyons. Donna Abisi, visiting from the Hampton club, was Marie Brownell’s guest.
Announcements
There were many June birthdays and anniversaries. If you happen to see one of these Rotarians wish them a Happy Birthday!
Cleo Villaflores, June 3
Dennis Moulton, June 5
John Tabor, June 5
Moe Sullivan, June 8
Dick Seery, June 9
Aileen Dugan, June 10
Paul Lucy, June 16
Ian Oneail, June 20
Patricia Cummings, June 23
Stephen Zadravec, June 23
Wayne Semprini, June 28
Cliff Taylor, June 28
Cleo also ran through a list of Rotary anniversaries for a total combined 268 years of service. Josiah Babcok went on 7-day notice. We also were fortunate to welcome two new members into the club. Susan Gold sponsored Nicole Scarneo. Nicole is an Area Manager for Bangor Savings Bank and enjoys spending time outdoors. John Bohenko sponsored John Madden. John M has lived in the seacoast area for 18 years and currently resides in Rye. John’s wife Jen is also in Rotary. They have three kids one of which is currently in college. Next year he will have two kids in college and the year after all three.
John Pappas won the raffle of $45 and the bonus for $100. Perhaps he should share some of the pot with John Madden to help pay for three kids in college!
A Titanic-Like Experience
Dr. Anne Decker was our speaker, sharing her “vacation” from hell aboard the MS Viking Sky. Dr. Anne had everyone on the edge of their seats during her account of a 27-hour rescue. On March 23, 2019, she and her friend from back in 7thgrade went on a vacation cruise. They were hoping to see the Northern Lights but instead had a Titanic-like experience.
Anne’s #1 advice to anyone going on a cruise is pay attention to the muster station drills. Those drills might come in handy as they did for her. The forecast called for 70-plus mph winds and 60-plus foot waves. No other ships left port that morning except the Viking Sky.
The incident began as a day like any other. Then a code was sent over the loud speaker which made the crew’s faces all go white. The code was quickly followed by the muster station signal. At that moment, Anne’s heart dropped. She and her friend ran to their muster station which was in the ship’s dining room.
Suddenly, a tsunami-like wave came through an open window of the muster station. Anne found herself swimming in the ice-cold Nordic water. She held on tight to a grill, the only piece of furniture stabilized to keep from going overboard. Meanwhile, Anne’s fellow cruise ship mates were being pinned under tables and chairs.
Thinking that this was the end, Anne managed to get a text message out to her family. “Thank you for a blessed life. I love you,” she wrote.
The crew managed to get Anne and the others at the muster station to a safer location. Anne was treated for hypothermia. People around them gave the dry shirts off their back to help. Meanwhile, the ship began to evacuate passengers. First the injured, then the handicapped, followed by people who were hysterically yelling, “The ship is sinking!”
At midnight the captain in his thick Norwegian accent announced: “Tugboats are very far from the ship. You will soon be evacuated. You will be able to continue with your vacation.”
“Vacation?!” thought Anne. As this horrifying experience was far from her idea of a vacation. Later, her friend grabbed her face and explained, “He’s saying EVACUATION not vacation.”
The ship was able to evacuate 400 people. Anne and her friend safely made it back to port. The engineers told the duo that they had witnessed “the Face of God” today. Anne looked up the meaning of “Face of God.” It’s what you see when you are about to die. Anne and everyone on the MS Viking Sky that day barely escaped death.
When Anne disembarked, the chair of the company was in port with several men in black suits. Lawyers seems to be the most likely the explanation for who these guys were. As compensation for their troubles, Anne received a free cruise with the chair of the company. Anne felt comforted knowing that he would be on the boat.
Meanwhile, Anne’s husband Tom was on a March Madness trip to Vegas. As soon as he received Anne’s text message, he packed his bags and boarded a flight. He missed most of the basketball games he’d planned to watch. But more importantly, he saw Anne and her friend arrive home safely with only a few bruises.
Dr. Anne’s story was one of the most remarkable tales I’ve ever heard. She was lucky to not only escape with her life, but with her positive spirit still intact. On another note, I’m never going on a cruise.
Respectfully submitted, Madeline Warren
