Cogitator May 2, 2012

VISITING ROTARIANS/GUESTS--None

BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES--None

ANNOUNCEMENTS

EG LITTLE LEAGUE

-President Mike Gemma reported that East Greenwich Little League kicked off the 2012 baseball season, and our new East Greenwich Rotary advertisement looks great in this year’s Little League program.

ROTARY AFTER DARK

-Ritrovo Italian Pub and Grille will be the site of this month’s Rotary After Dark.  Head to ‘the old Jolly Jon’s’ (1050 Main Street), said President Mike, Wednesday, May 16^th, from 5:30pm to 7 (or whenever) for another great installation of this year’s monthly socials.

A TASTE OF THE TOWN

-Pat Lenihan reminded everyone that the big day for Taste of the Town is quickly approaching.

There’s not much time left as Friday, May 18^th approaches, so please help Pat and her committee make this year’s event a smash hit with:

1)      A business sponsorship ($25)

2)      Selling tickets to family and friends

3)      And, don’t forget…the basket challenge!  Simply select the elements of your basket, send it on to Pat, and a prize will be awarded to the creative Rotarian responsible for the basket garnering the highest silent auction bid! 

EVENING OF HOPE

The RI Chapter of ALSA will host its annual Evening of Hope on Saturday, May 12^th, at the Newport Hyatt Regency on Goat Island.  Dr. Judy Pratt will receive this year’s Spirit of Lou Gehrig Award, presented annually to someone who stands head and shoulders above the crowd in dedication to fighting ALS and supporting local RI families afflicted with the dreaded disease.  Of course, we will also that night present our record breaking check from the 2012 Scott Carlson Memorial ALS 5K! 

For those who’d like to attend, please see President Mike.  Tickets for Rotarians will be only $40 per person, half the regular price at the door. 

BILL FOSTER MEMORIAL SERVICE

Dr. Bob Miller was selected to speak on behalf of the Rotary Club of East Greenwich at Bill Foster’s memorial service, which will be held Saturday, May 19^th, 1pm, at the East Greenwich Baptist Church.  Those who remember Bill remember him as not only a past president, leader of phonebook and citrus campaigns, or editor of the East Greenwich Pendulum.  They remember him as a friend, a good family man, and a Rotarian who truly exemplified Service Above Self.

http://eastgreenwich.patch.com/articles/remembering-bill-foster-longtime-pendulum-publisher

RON WINDE FOR PRESIDENT 

…of the East Greenwich Baptist Church, that is.  Ron will begin his official duties in July.  Congratulations, Ron! 

HAPPY BUCKS

Bob Sloan brought to the meeting and shared with us a recent Amica Insurance shareholder report which contained a wonderful article highlighting Andy Erickson’s 50 years of dedicated service to Amica, Rotary, Boy Scouts, and, the Rhode Island community.  (Hear, hear!)

Sue Dorne was happy to announce her youngest daughter’s graduation from the University of Connecticut. 

Gill Thorpe announced that his roof is going up on his new home next week.

Jodi Gladstone proudly noted that her track star son, Caleb, set a school record for the 400 last week.  Nice work Caleb! 

Bob Miller had a chance to visit Charlie Winkler at Roberts Health Center in North Kingstown.  Charlie, at 95, looked great, sent his regards to the club, and he can’t wait to get back to a Rotary meeting.  Bob also spoke of the great honor in being asked to speak for Rotary at Bill Foster’s upcoming memorial service.  ‘He was a great man, and a great citizen of our town.’

Chub Clement thanked Doctor Bob (Miller) for helping a family member in need last week.

Kathy Brown gave credit to Pawtucket Credit Union, and branch manager Matt D’Agenais, for sending in the first advertisement of the 2012 Rotary Phonebook. 

Ron Winde has had a lot of good family news to report this year.  First, one of his daughters was married and is now an expectant mom, due to deliver in August.  Now, as Ron and family await grandchild number one, his second daughter just announced her engagement!

Florence Clement is doing well after a fall from the Clement’s front steps.  Everything turned out okay, but we send our best wishes to Chub’s better half.  

Corey Guglietti’s son is finally sleeping for 6 straight hours every night.  (Nice!)

SPEAKER/PROGRAM

Matt D’Agenais, Classification Talk

President-Elect Ken Colaluca gave a tip of the hat to President Mike Gemma for a stellar job in bringing aboard a truly fine crop of new Rotarians this year, including today’s speaker, Matt D’Agenais.

Matt manages Pawtucket Credit Union’s newest branch here in East Greenwich.  Matt, a graduate of St. Raphael Academy, today lives in the Darlington section of Pawtucket with wife Sheri and their two young children (5 and 6 years old).  Sheri calls him affectionately ‘the man with the PCU bobble-head smile.’

Matt calls himself a perfectionist, someone who always strives to be the best at everything he does.  As a child, he was a huge sports fan, following the Patriots, Celtics, and the Red Sox.  Wade Boggs, the Sox’ famous hitting machine, gold glove third baseman, and himself quite the perfectionist, was Matt’s favorite sports figure back then.

Matt talked of several ‘turning points’ in his life.  First was his job at Kentucky Fried Chicken.  It was ‘the best job ever.’  The food was free, and he learned invaluable lessons relating to hard work and knowing how to do various jobs in the same business.  Most importantly, it was where he met his sweetheart and future bride, Sheri. 

Another was during a high school baseball game.  Matt broke his tibia sliding into third base.  His baseball career was now over.  But, Matt decided to lose weight and take up tennis.  He went on to become St. Ray’s top singles player in his senior year.     

Yet another ‘turning point’ occurred on September 11^th, 2001.  Matt lost a friend on that unforgettable day, Sean Nassaney, who was traveling to Hawaii when the plane he was on was hijacked and flown into the World Trade Center.  Sean and Matt graduated high school together in 1994.  ‘It put into perspective how brief and precious life really is,’ noted Matt.

Matt also gave credit to a high school English teacher who helped bring him out of his shell of youthful shyness and pushed him to new levels of self-confidence. 

Finally, Matt spoke of a layoff in 2001.  This layoff turned out to be a blessing, however, since it brought him into banking and into Pawtucket Credit Union.  Matt soon became PCU’s youngest branch manager, and, he is now an assistant vice president. 

Matt thanked several Rotarians: first, Mike Gemma, for sponsoring him into Rotary; secondly, Gill Thorpe, for spending time with him and passing on ‘helpful insight;’ and finally, Kathy Brown, for her confidence in giving him a ‘captainship’ in the 2012 Rotary Phonebook campaign.  ‘Joining Rotary means giving back to the community in a fulfilling and productive way,’ Matt added.  ‘It means for me being part of something truly big.’ 

‘Being the best of the best’ is Matt’s mantra.  And the movie Top Gun has become a bit of a happy obsession for him since it hit the theaters in 1986.  ‘It’s a movie about life, instinct, commitment, love, loss, being human, and not compromising who you are.’ 

Amen, Matt!  And nice work…