Newsletter 9-15-15

Posted by Kathy Whitney 
on Sep 15, 2015
 
Rotary Club of Needham
Newsletter 
Tuesday:  September 15, 2015
 
Pledge of Allegiance: Rich Forte
Song:  God Bless America; Led By: Karen Wetmore
Prayer: Led by Darrell Minnich
 
Guests: - John Kitchen, speaker
 
Announcements:
. Rich showed us the new banners which will be put up on Chapel St during the month of October.  GREAT JOB!!  He also passed around the stickers that will be going into the Dictionaries prior to next Tuesday’s meeting at 11:30.
. Darrell’s backpack project raised $603 directly from members; board funding the balance; Karen and Darrell are working on rebate from the District.
. Marty agreed to host a couple for Bandy Heffler.
. Visionary event will be Tuesday, Oct. 27 – there will be no lunch meeting that day
. No one responded to Rich’s request for a chairperson for the Pancake Breakfast.  However, Ryan stepped up to be Point Person and will contact us for our involvement.
. Ted gave update on two Gift of Life recipients.  21 year old, Dom, from Jamaica has been placed at MGH for CAT scan.  He needs visas for himself and his mother.  21 month old, Amadu, is also due if she and mother can get their visas.
. Karen’s Bandy Heffler guests will be joining us at the Reality Fair; she will also ask them to tell us about Rotary in England at Oct. 6th meeting
.Reminder, come early Tuesday at 11:30am so we can put the stickers in the Dictionaries, so they can be distributed!!!
. Anthony Guardia may not be here much longer – he worked himself out of his fund raising job at BID Needham.  He hopes to transfer to Wakefield Rotary and will transfer to a corporate attorney.  We will need a new speaker chairman.  Ted will get speakers for Nov.; we will need someone to take over after that.
 
 
Happy dollars: Louise: happy to see some Rotarians at VNA fund raiser on Sept. 25th;  George: for weekend, lunch with John Kitchen and looks like our house sold; Andy: happy for speaker, bike ride and beautiful day; Roz: vacation; Kathy: family cruise/honeymoon next week; Erica: beautiful weather; John: Pats and invitation to speak; Chuck, Charles and Paula: to be here; Darrell: thanks to Rotary members; Doug: only $1 left; Ron/Lois, Tom: happy new year; Libby: Rotary; Jim: delighted Roz has joined Newsletter committee; Ted: hoping visas granted for Amadu and Habin from Ghana trying to come into Boston for GOUNE open heart surgery; ?: happy Rich got moved and can now focus on Rotary and thanks Dan, a great Rotarian.
 
50/50 drawing: $338 in pot; Marty had number (third time in a  month!) but did not pull the lucky 10 of spades
 
Humor: 
A blind guy on a bar stool shouts to the bartender, "Wanna hear a blonde joke?" In a hushed voice, the guy next to him says, “Before you tell that joke, you should know something. Our bartender is blonde, the bouncer is blonde. I’m a six foot tall, 200 lb black belt. The guy sitting next to me is six foot two, weighs 225, and he’s a rugby player. The fella to your right is six foot five, pushing 300, and he’s a wrestler. Each one of us is blonde. Think about it, Mister. Do you still wanna tell that joke?" The blind guy says, “Nah, not if I’m gonna have to explain it five times."
 
Presidential minute: Person is a current presidential candidate; born Sept. 15, 1951; an author who was brought up in poverty by single parent; graduated from Yale and Johns Hopkins; successfully operated on conjoined twins, joined at head.  Answer: Ben Carson
 
5 minute Rotarian: None today
 
 
Guest Speaker:  John Kitchen, Three Squares New England.  This is an all-volunteer group that provides funding for 14 non-profit food centered agencies.  This is the largest single source of funds for many of these agencies.  They will hold bike rides of various lengths on Sept. 20th; this is the 4th year with 300 riders and plans on collecting $300,000.  The Needham Community Council/Food Pantry is one of the recipients of the funds.  The solvable problem is to end hunger and food uncertainly; distribution and organization is the biggest dilemma.  They strive to provide “good food” not just food.  John also stressed that businesses should be involved in “Cause” marketing where your business takes part in doing good things.  This also gives you content for social media.  John also reminded us that it is not too late to donate for this year’s ride – threesquaresne.org.
 
Next meeting: Tuesday, September 22, 2015 at 11:30 at Needham Sheraton so we can prepare Dictionaries!