Six sophomores selected from our areas high schools were sent to RYLA  for the weekend to experience "Service Above Self'" and gain leadership skills.

The Installation Dinner to formally install the new co-presidents and officers of

the  Club  was held on June 21st at the Framingham Country Club.  Dick Manelis and Tom Sturiale were installed as Co-Presidents. 

 

In addition several other awards were given out:

Eight members received Paul Harris awards in addition to the two honorary Paul Harris awards.

 

 

 

 

 

Rick McPherson accepted the Organization of the Year award on behalf of the Framingham YMCA. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bob Schecter received the Framingham Rotary's Rotarian of the Year award

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edgar Kalinda was named the Citizen of the Year in honor of his Service Above Self acts in the community including the most self-less act of all - volunteering to donate one of his kidneys to help his mentor, and our club co-president, Tom, with a much needed organ transplant. 

 

Once again the Duck Pluck was a hit for the younger ones - netting a duck and receiving a gift. The Pluck was supported by 8 Interact high school kids who did most of the work with visitors to the pavilion.

Our Rotary Club enjoyed a bit of fellowship with a picnic at Simpson Park on the Sudbury River.  Box lunches, conversation and games ruled the lunch hour in place of our normal lunch time meeting.  Sun filled day with great camaraderie.

 

Our meeting today was largely focused on the 2018 Accommodation Awards handed out by the MWOC to companies who demonstrated a commitment to employing persons with disabilities in our community.   Rutty Guzdar kicked off the session with a brief overview of the origins of the MWOC many years ago when it grew out of a Jobs Fair event targeted on helping disabled persons with job placement assistance. She introduced MWOC's Mary Jane Kunycky, Employment Services Manager, Programs for People, who moderated the Program.

State Representatives Carmen Gentile and Jack Lewis presided over the presentation of the 2018 Accommodation Awards to representatives from four employers in the area: Pet Supplies Plus in Ashland, TJX / Homesense, Stop and Shop (Wayland) and the Boys and Girls Club of Assabet Valley. The Awards were given "In recognition of demonstrated commitment to hiring and accommodating individuals with disabilities."

 

Susan Wilkins, Director of Education at the International Museum of WWII in Natick was our speaker.  This museum is the only international museum of WWII in the world and has the been made a reality through the passion and work of Ken Rendell to collect over 500,000 total artifacts since 1959. Susan provided a great overview of the museum's attractions which included various weapons, uniforms, Enigma Machines, various personal items from major figures and artifacts from WWII. But what was unique was the amazing set of documents that exist no where else in the world such as a Flyer for the Treaty of Versailles with Hitlers handwritten notes,  a signed version of the actual Treaty of Versailles of 1919 and a 1938 working draft of the Munich Agreement with handwritten edits.

Check out their website for information on hours of operation and tours.

Sam was one of 21 Super Heroes that were honored and their stories of Service Above Self were inspiring.  Service work is how members of the community get to know what Rotary does and attracts more members to contribute more community service work. Distric Governor Karin Gaffney presented Sam with the award, his pin and a Super Hero T-Shirt.  Congratulations Sam!

4 new members from the Framingham Police department were installed last Monday by Rotary District Governor Karin Gaffney, Club Co-president Dick Manelis and Chairperson Kevin Webber.

Mark Contois, Director of Libraries for the city of Framingham, and Ruth Winett, Chair of the Library Foundation, attended the meeting on March 19th and provided an overview of the library services and the new initiative to put a Bookmobile back on the streets of Framingham. Mark shared a graphic showing the huge variety and volume (over 1,500,000) points of services the library provides. He described the unique programs offered including special programs for high school seniors and FSU; summer reading, visiting authors, adult reading, concerts and movies and a wide array of print and electronic resources.  Mark and Ruth discussed the initiative to get a bookmobile to be able to once again bridge  the library to different parts of the community where getting to the main facilities is not as easy or convenient. They currently have about 2/3rds of the money needed. Donations from individuals and organizations are welcome.  Currently there is a matching program for individual donations.

Several Framingham Rotary Club members and their spouses gathering for an annual Fireside Dinner at the Wayside Inn.

 

Dick Manelis (on right) presented Jim Snyder, Manager of Framingham Parks and Recreation with a check for $17,000 that represented the completion of Phase II of the renovation of Butterworth Park.  Phase I was the playground and Phase III will be a commemorative walkway and jogging path.

Puppy HARRIS and his client are part of the NEADS Spring 2018 Service Dog Graduation ceremony on Sunday, April 29^th, 2-4 pm at Montachusett Regional Vocational High School, 1050 Westminster St, Fitchburg, MA 01420. Framingham Rotary began this service project with the NEADS: World Class Service Dogs organization back in April 2016, sponsoring a puppy to begin service dog training.  Harris received training at MCI Framingham as well as on the NEADS campus and with weekend puppy raisers for socialization experiences. With his soon to be graduation Harris is now a four-footed embodiment of Service Above Self.

Three new members were inducted this week.  They include Paul Landers, Jay Adrian and Ed Sieh.   AG Judy Merriman kicked off the induction with a few welcoming words and then the new membership materials were presented to the inductees by Dick Manelis and Tom Sturiale.