Bulletin for March 4, 2016

Chris Parkinson gave the invocation with Gale Kenison presiding as club president.
 

Later, Chris announced that there were 40 Bow Rotarians, one visiting Rotarian and a guest speaker present for a total of 41 Rotarians in attendance.

Announcements

Gale led off with a reminder that a board meeting will be held 8 Mar at Robert Louf’s house.

Dean Cascadden announced that today is Bow Rotary Career Day at the middle school and discussed the various presenters who appeared. 
He also added that the 4-Way Speech Contest is 14 Mar at White Rock @ 1900.

Harry Judd announced that Rotary Park Cleanup will commence at 0800 on 16 Apr.

Gerry Carrier and Dave Gazaway announced that the Car Show is currently scheduled for 14 May. 
Sponsors are already lining up.

Eric Anderson announced that the Town Report is now available at the usual spots around town. 
He provided several copies for members to review.

 

Sgt at Arms, Bryant Stevener

Collected fines and the following Happy Bucks.  There were no member birthdays this week.

Gerry Carrier happily urged everyone to adopt R2D2 as a presidential candidate.

Chris Parkinson is happy that his 18 month old “grand twins” are butchering his name, calling him “Chi-chi.”

Judy Goodnow is happy that she’s reducing her work hours and plans to learn how to swim more efficiently in the coming Summer months.

Steve DeStefano was happy to see a Garth Brooks concert and enjoyed it just as much as when he saw Garth 19 years ago.

Chuck Reinhardt enjoyed seeing his son play in a basketball tournament organized by Mark Lavalle.  He was also happy that his daughter-in-law’s recent surgery was wholly successful.

Dean Cascadden was happy to have won at poker on Thursday night and expressed heartfelt appreciation for how good the town has been to him.

David Gazaway learned a great deal about concussions due to his son experiencing one.  He also had high praise for the basketball tournament run by Mark Lavalle.

Karen Wadsworth expressed appreciation for the happiness she experienced with a close friend who passed recently.

Mark Lavalle happily reported on the basketball tournament and individual award winners.

Jeanne Gerulskis was happy to celebrate the long, active life of a good friend who passed away at 79 years of age recently.  She felt her friend’s spirit when a waiter dumped a tray of mimosa’s on her during the celebration.  She also was happy about having a great time spending an evening with another friend.

Bryant Stevener was happy that Mark Lavalle will cover for him while he’s skiing out west.

 

Linda Lorden won the raffle but didn’t pull the joker.

 

Karen Wadsworth then introduced the guest speaker, Van McLeod.

Van is leading an effort to erect a memorial to former NH Governor, John Gilbert Winant.  Van gave a historical summary of Winant’s arrival in NH and schooling at St. Paul’s.    Van recounted Winant’s strengths – which were many – and his weaknesses.  His wonderful people skills and generosity offset his lack of accounting/money/administrative skills.  As the first administrator of Social Security, Winant turned down the opportunity to have the first Social Security number.  Country came before party and self for Winant.   Winant held many duties under President Franklin D. Roosevelt but is most remembered – especially by Brits – for his exemplary role as US Ambassador to Great Britain.  Unfortunately, when FDR died and Truman took over, Winant was displaced and largely forgotten in the US.  He slipped into obscurity and committed suicide in 1947.

Van is raising funds to erect a memorial in which a statue of Winant is politely offering the onlooker a seat at a bench.  It’ll be a particularly important tourist attraction for Brits who loved his dedication to them and their country (unlike his predecessor, Joe Kennedy).  Dedication ceremonies could be as early as Spring of 2017.

For more information and donation instructions see www.WinantMemorial.org.

 

Gale closed the meeting with reminders that next week is club assembly and Rob Werner will be Greeter.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Andrew Costen