Cogitator Mar 30, 2011

GUESTS

Jerry Meyer, the one and only, former member and hopefully member someday once again, Rotarian of the Year, and Hall of Fame Cogitator editor, joined us for lunch!  Welcome back Jerry...

BIRTHDAYS

Sally Russell was an April Fool's baby some 39 (or so) years ago.  Happy birthday, Sally...

CLUB ANNIVERSARIES

Happy Rotary Club Anniversary this week to two veteran East Greenwich Rotarians, Joyce Phipps (20 years) and Alan Flynn (35 years).  A hearty thanks from all of us for your many years of active service and leadership!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

There will be a meeting of the Leadership Committee next Wednesday the 6th, led by President Ed.  

Bonnie Sauer passed out food bags for Rotarians to load up and bring to next week's meeting, as the club chips in for the Feinstein Food Challenge.  If you do bring a full bag back, Bonnie will embroider your name on that bag.  Nice work, Bonnie!  

Laura Krohn has 'volunteered' to lead the Citrus Drive charge next year.  Or, she has been pressed into service...I can't tell.  Either way, the Citrus Committee will be meeting earlier than usual this year to get off to a good start and implement some good new ideas.

Mike Gemma and Judy Pratt gave a positive update on the Scott Carlson ALS 5K race, coming up on April 23rd.  It's only 3 weeks away!  Some 80+ people are already signed up, and the numbers are starting to take shape.  We're still looking for last minute sponsors as well as runners/walkers.  The new race timer will provide live streaming results, which should be a major improvement for serious runners.  And please one and all, make sure to sign up as a volunteer for one of the many jobs on Saturday the 23rd.       

HAPPY BUCKS (our last week of March Happy Bucks for the Rotary Foundation)

Sally Russell gave 50 happy bucks for her birthday, noting she doesn't like counting beyond that point.  

Chub Clement was glad to see Jerry Meyer.  (Hear, hear.)

Bill McHale was happy to report on a beautiful 8 weeks in Florida with wife, Marie.

Judy Pratt thanked Jerry Meyer for all his help he has provided to the ALS Committee, despite his 'retirement.'

Bonnie Sauer reported on a new family member in the Sauer home--'Queenie.'  She's a Sheltie-mix, all the way from Tennessee.  

Vin Meola was happy to see Jerry, too, and wondered if the Sauers' new dog barks with a Southern accent.  

And the winner of the 50/50 raffle, with 50% of the proceeds also going to the Rotary Foundation...Jane Boynton!  I believe the winnings were nearly $70.  Congratulations, Jane, and here's to a good month for the Foundation as well.

PROGRAM/SPEAKER(S)

Bill Anderson and Mark Silva, East Greenwich Little League 

The Rotary Club of East Greenwich has pleadged $10,000, from next year's Citrus Campaign, toward the $55,000 needed to light up Cragen Field.  The East Greenwich Little League will now be able to play at night!  

Bill Anderson called the mission of putting up lights at Cragen Field 'The Impossible Dream,' and recalled the same theme from the 1967 Red Sox.  Cragen Field was first opened for baseball in 1962.  Since then, all games were played during the day.  The same goes for Academy Field.  

Baseball and softball have been doing a great job competing with soccer, basketball, lacrosse, and other sports.  The East Greenwich Little League has recently seen a huge jump in participation.  At present, 575 boys and girls are signed up for little league, way up from 420 only a few years ago. 

League officers were well received when they went door to door in the surrounding neighborhood talking about the possibilty of putting up lights for night games.  Mark Silva noted that local kids and parents began discussing how convenient it would be to play night games, never mind staying right here in town for post-season tournaments.  And having a field usable at night also helps East Greenwich compete for those tournaments, which is good for our local kids and good for the town.  Lighting Cragen has been discussed for years, but these current officers made it happen.  

Bill, Mark, and others presented proposals to the East Greenwich town manager, Bill Sequino, as well as the Town Council.  They also surveyed the local neighbors.  With everyone in town regarding the project, they were well received, and in the end, the project was fully approved.  However, the apprpoval included zero taxpayer dollars, so the campaign began for funds to complete the project.  The Rotary Club of East Greenwich was the first major donor to step forward, with a pledge of $10,000.  Most of the $55,000 was financed, beyond initial donors and pledges. 

The lights will be 60 feet high, the cost of electricity will only be $5/hour, and the concessions will easily be able to pay for the cost of night games.  The East Greenwich Cemetary Corporation, owners of this land, maintains a $1 per year lease with the town each year, and they have been 'great to work with.'   

Opening Day will be April 30th this year, and they will hold the first little league night game shortly after that, perhaps sometime in mid-May when more comfortable night time temperatures would be expected. 

Nice work, Bill and Mark!     

Our local Red Sox squad

EGLL throughout the years...