Cogitator May 18, 2011

GUESTS

Jonathan TerMeer, Bob MacKenzie's future son-in-law, joined us for lunch.  Jon was recently approved by the board for membership and will be inducted next week.   

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY 

Dave (and Tina) Caldwell celebrates his 9th wedding anniversary on May 18th.  Bill (and Daphne) TenEyck celebrates his 21st anniversary on May 19th. 

CLUB ANNIVERSARY

Happy East Greenwich Rotary anniversary to Charlie Winkler.  Charlie has been in the East Greenwich club for 34 years this week.  However, he also has another significant anniversary coming up.  This October Charlie will have been in Rotary for 60 years.  Charlie started out in the Westfield, MA club, moved over to the Easthampton Club and became president, and finally came to the East Greenwich Club 34 years ago.  God bless you, Charlie, for so many years of Service Above Self. 

TASTE OF THE TOWN

Jane Boynton is thrilled that it's finally here, 228 people are signed up at this point, and Taste of the Town promises to be a great event at the Swift Community Center on Friday.   

COMMUNITY SERVICE DISTRIBUTION

Community Service Director Chuck Sauer reported that the board approved two $750 'camperships,' one for the East Greenwich Parks and Recreation Department and the other for the Kent County YMCA.   

NEW GENERATIONS

Bill Ten Eyck reported on the fifth Avenue of Service, New Generations, in which Rotary reaches out to younger people in the hope of demonstrating what Rotary means to a community, and in so doing perhaps recruiting a new generation of future Rotarians.  Bill mentioned that our club has done well reaching out to youth by sponsoring a young woman for RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership), getting kids to volunteer for the ALS 5K, and bringing in youth art work for the Taste of the Town.  Bill's daughter Skyler and her friend Maggie, both 8th graders at Winman Junior High School, were present and they shared with the club their recent award winning power-point presentation on Prohibition of the 1920's.  Skyler and Maggie's production, part of a National History Month contest for Winman, was outstanding.  

MILLION DOLLAR MEAL

Wednesday, June 1st will be our second Million Dollar Meal, held at Cole Junior High School.  

INSTALLATION DINNER

Wednesday June 15th will be the official changing of the guard for officers, as we hold our annual installation dinner.  This year's will be at the EG Fireman's Hall, as Mike Gemma is sworn in.  President Ed Neff will be happily puffing on a year-end cigar on the back deck overlooking Greenwich Cove, while President-Elect Mike Gemma...will be the guy with the big bottle of scotch nearby.  It will be a great night of fellowship while honoring Ed's Rotary year, while also swearing in a new President and Rotary officers.  Please see Secretary Betsy DePrimo for tickets.

PROGRAM/SPEAKER

Matt Maren, East Greenwich School District's Strategic Support Mentoring 

"I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore there be any kindness I can show...let me do it now."
— William Penn

Nina Mackta founded the Strategic Support Mentoring Program in 1999.  It is school based (East Greenwich), there are currently 70 mentors, and the program is part of a larger statewide group known as RI Mentoring Partnerships (RIMP).  All six schools in East Greenwich participate, from kindergarten through 12th grade.  There is still today a tremendous need for mentoring volunteers.         

Young Matt Maren, who offered the quote above and is a descendent of William Penn, follows in Nina's footsteps today as a mentor and as a leader within Strategic Support Mentoring.  Mentors impact lives and help build communities.  They teach, the learn new ideas, they grow personally, and they play a huge role in the lives of struggling students.  Mentors need an open mind, good listening skills, wisdom, patience, and mentors must be reliable. 

Students in the program gain self-esteem, improve their attendance and academic performance, and interestingly have a high rate of abstention from alcohol and drugs.  Mentoring works, period...in one-on-one settings, group mentoring, homework clubs, and kids' clubs.  

Who volunteers?  Business people, older students, parents, and members of various religious groups.  How does one volunteer?  Fairly simply.  There is an application to complete, and interview process with Nina Mackta, and BCI background check, and from there you meet your student(s).  

Matt implored the club to volunteer.  'One hour a week, that's all it takes.'  

(Obi-Wan Kenobi, Matt's favorite mentor )