Cogitator 09/12/23

Merry Christmas, Robert the Red Nose Rotarian kicked off the meeting, adding a Santa hat to compliment his red nose, which was flashing as usual.   He says he walks around in a fog most of the time and the red nose is a big help.  With Santa in attendance and several members claiming to be elves, it was a festive meeting. 
















The season  is even more special for several members.  Ken Colaluca and his wife celebrate an anniversary on December 28^th,  and Janet Essex celebrates a birthday on the 23^rd.   Being born close to Christmas has its' drawbacks according to Janet, who told of the year she got one roller skate for her birthday and the other the next day for Christmas.  She says this has affected her to this day, and when she buys shoes in December she buys one and then goes back and buys the second one the next day. 

Citrus Chairman Mike Balsamo reports we delivered 28 cases of fruit to the RI Community Food Bank and 35 boxes are still to be picked up.  That leaves us with 30 cases, apparently mostly mixed, which are now available for $25.00 each.   Let him know if you would like 10 or 15 more cases.

The good stuff.   Every year some of our money goes to help at risk kids at EG High School.  This year we helped 30 kids.  Bob Miller put thank you notes from the kids at each table.  Most were simply a nice note, but the one at Vin Meola's table read:  Thanks for giving me my first good day in four years.   Bob told how the program, dubbed "NYPUM" started a number of years back.  At risk kids are provided with the clothing they need to "fit in", at school.   The budget currently has another $400 or so available for 7 or 8 kids who may need some additional encouragement.   We have been told about one kid a few years back who went from the bottom of the class to the top when he got a helping hand. 

Our other good stuff story came from Chuck Sauer, who reported that Santa would be taking gifts to our "holiday family",  and their  3 year old and two year and a half olds would be having a Christmas.  Until we got involved the holiday had looked pretty bleak.  You can't help everybody, but you can help some.

Bonus Bucks.  The Post Office Café gave us a $50 gift certificate, which we auctioned off.  Bob Miller, who has always been poor in math, paid $60. 

Off and running.   Judy Pratt, who never stops working on the Scott Carlson Memorial Race for ALS, has signed up Flood Ford as a key sponsor.  Flood will contribute $2,500 from each of his three dealerships, for a total of $7,500.   Bob Miller drove Judy to the meeting with Mike Flood in his Mustang.  While she was waiting to hear if the sponsorship would come through, Judy bought a new car.   We suspect Flood Ford came out ahead on this deal.   Judy has been challenged to raise $50,000 this year.  It could happen!

George Popella is unable to be with us until next year, but continues to carry out his work for the Rotary Foundation.   Usually he conducts the drawings for his foundation groups during a meeting.  However since he couldn't attend a meeting and wanted to get the drawing concluded in the calendar year, he did the drawing himself.   Our newest Paul Harris Fellow is Don Anderson.

What a program!  We learned the history of the East Greenwich Interfaith Clergy Association.    Apparently ministers and Rabbis have a lot of free time, so to look busy they invented the Association, so they could be out of the office looking busy at least one day a month.   Rev. Jonathon Malone and Rabbi Amy Levin called out the big guns, and brought in Rev. Craig Burlington to detail the history of the group.   As it turns out, the clergy were the brains of the group, but most of the real work was done by lay people.

 


 

And, the program concluded with "the history of Santa Claus",  directly from Santa Claus, who is a member of our club.

It turns out that many years ago a space ship full of aliens crashed at the North Pole, where it was trapped under the ice until freed by global warming.   Once the ice melted far enough, a man in a red suit and his crew, wearing green uniforms, emerged onto the ice.   For years the man in the red suit has been delivering mind control devices, disguised as toys, to the homes of children everywhere.  In 2012, when the Mayan calender ends,  the final pieces will be delivered and Santa and his elves will take over the world.  We won't know the full plan until then.




And, as is our tradition, we presented the crack staff at the Post Office Cafe with a special thank you for their good service during the year.  They give us a great meal and great service every week.