President -elect Dave Brown inducting new member Marianne Powers (center) with sponsor Retta Schwartzstein to the left.
Retta being presented with Rotary mug for her presentation.
Paul Peacock reading Rev. Al Acer's Litany of Expectations
Retta Schwartzstein showing photo of her as a child actor.
Vice President Dave Brown opened the meeting.
Pledge - Al Pescoe, Invocation - Paul Peacock
*Marianne Powers was inducted into membership by Vice President Dave Brown. Sponsor Retta Schwartzstein presented Marianne with a Rotary pin and welcomed her to the Club.
Paul Peacock read the inspirational message for Rotary members written by deceased member Reverend Al Acer.
*Judy Syms, treasurer’s report - 10 people signed up for the Holiday Dinner on Dec. 6 @ Rooney’s. $10, 510.00 has been received for Jingle Bell Buddies. $2000 was received from the Wave of Hope Foundation from Frank Crupi. Fine Fare donated $250 in food. Monmouth University and Bill Donnelly pledged $200.
To date $325 was received for the November food drive. Checks for $350 were sent to each of the food banks on November 1. The money received in November will be added to the $350 for each food bank on December 1. Investors Bank had donated $5,000 which is being spread over 3 months.
*Ken Gittell - Ken announced that 9 people volunteered for the Wall Speedway event on November 26. The profits are divided as half to Sylvia’s Children and the remainder to the Rotary Club. The Holiday Dinner is December 6. You can sign up on line.
* Program - “Childhood Adventures in Show Biz”, Retta Schwartzstein speaking .
Highlights : World War II - Retta’s family move from Boston to the Maryland/Washington D.C. metro area for her father’s prominent position with a U.S. government war agency. At age 4 Retta is enrolled in a D.C. drama class and quickly becomes the for the leading actress in the programs. She also learns to tap dance. She performs on national radio. with the USO for the troops and for charity events. She showed everyone a photo of herself in the tap dancing costume and demonstrated a few tap steps. After the war the family moved to North Jersey to enable her father to commute to N.Y. for his work. While in grammar school Retta again is enrolled in drama and dancing lessons. She told the story of her audition and performance in the movie the Naked City which was filmed on location in New York City. Retta also shows everyone archival pictures and newspaper clippings of her scene in the film. Her professional name is Retta Coleman. She became a member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Radio and Television Artists. She related her meeting with Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis’ zany , funny greeting to her when she visited the film opening in N.Y. Retta shows photos and relates anecdotes about her other performances on TV such as the Perry Como show, I Remember Mama, etc. She continued to perform on national radio also throughout her college year. She learned dance at the American School of Ballet and studied art at the Art Student’s League in New York. She is a graduate. of Syracuse University.
Respectfully submitted, Retta Schwartzstein