Cogitator May 23, 2012

Posted by George Cooper 
on May 23, 2012
 

Pat O'Leary and Judy Fortier, from Easter Seals Rhode Island

 

VISITING ROTARIANS

Judy Fortier, our speaker from Easter Seals and Wakefield Rotarian, joined us for lunch.

BIRTHDAYS AND NON-ANNIVERSARIES

Warm happy birthday wishes go out from the club this week to three Rotarians: Steve Lombardi on May 23rd; Beth DeGerlia on May 29th; and, Walter Monroe on May 29th. 

Janet and Jim Essex will not be celebrating their wedding anniversary on May 25th this year.  Nope, they already did that on March 25th!  (Changes duly made in Club Runner, Jim and Janet.  We’ll get it right in 2013, promise!)

CLUB ANNIVERSARY

Jonathan TerMeer has a big Rotary anniversary this week—his first!  Jon came into the Club on May 25th, 2011. 

TASTE OF THE TOWN

Congratulations to Pat Lenihan and her committee in pulling off a fantastic night Friday, May 18th, at St. Francis de Sales.  Pat graciously thanked everyone who pitched in to make this year’s Taste of the Town a smashing success.  The food was delicious, the wines were fine, and the spirit of Rotary was on display for all guests.  The night also featured a very special moment in the history of our club.  Amica Insurance presented $50,000 to the East Greenwich Rotary Scholarship Fund on behalf of Andy Erickson’s fifty years of dedication to Amica, and, to the Rhode Island community. 

All in all, Taste of the Town was a ‘real team event’ with scores of volunteers from the club as well as the New England Tech Rotaract Club.  Pat thanked especially Jim Essex for his emcee work, as well as Jane Boynton and Gill Thorpe for their non-stop energy over the past weeks.  Finally, it looks like we raised some good money, too.   So far, Pat reports that we have collected $9,000 in revenues, and we raised $3,300 for Polio Eradication. 

INSTALLATION NIGHT

Betsy DePrimo is chairing our Annual Installation of Officers dinner, which will be held on Tuesday, June 19th, at Quidnessett County Club.  Come celebrate an incredible year under President Mike Gemma’s energetic and inspirational leadership, and help raise a glass to Ken Colaluca as he takes the Rotary presidential baton into the 2012-2013 year.  Tickets are $40 per person, and couples are $75.  Please see or contact Betsy to sign up as soon as possible.  Betsy’s email is JohnBetsy@cox.net. 

ROTARY FOUNDATION MOMENT

John Wolcott, our Rotary Foundation Chairperson, presented a brief ‘Doing Good in the World’ video showing Foundation efforts in ravaged Haiti.  A specialized medical Jeep and twelve volunteers travel through different parts of Haiti giving much needed assistance to pregnant women who otherwise receive little to no medical help.

HAPPY BUCKS

-Dave Iannuccilli thanked his dear Yankees for finally winning a ballgame.

-Steve Lombardi had a very solid birthday plan for today—golf, pizza, and a Celtics game.

-Jane Boynton gave a plucky buck for Pat Lenihan’s fighting through setbacks in the early going and managing to pull off a phenomenal Taste of the Town. 

-Bob Miller was touched by Bill Foster’s kids, who along with Bob spoke at Bill’s memorial service last Saturday at East Greenwich Baptist Church.  Bill’s legacy in our club includes being there in the middle of things during the beginning of our club’s citrus, phonebook, and scholarship campaigns.  Bill will always be remembered by those around him for his good humor and cheer, his friendship, his wisdom, and his many years of Rotary leadership.      

-Richard Waterman reported that we’re 20% there on phonebook sales, with 80% to go. 

-Chuck Sauer gave an ‘oops…!’ buck for dropping a chair and making a racket in St. Francis’s parish hall while setting up for Taste of the Town. 

-Vin Meola was down in Cape May birding with Holly last weekend.  Vin also shared a funny story about Bill Foster, ever the keen copy editor, volunteering to help Vin craft an ad for Bill’s upcoming open house.  Bill’s assistance went something like this, ‘Open house, nude sunbathing, Sunday.’  (Did that make it in?  If so, I wonder, did the house sell that Sunday?)

-Betsy DePrimo paid for forgetting her keys and Rotary pin, and was glad to hear Taste of the Town was such a great hit. 

-Lou Lepry made it out to the Cape and played one of the best par-three courses in the country. 

-Kathy Brown’s daughter just graduated from Boston College, and Kathy pleasantly noted how ‘B.C.’ demands that its kids give back to the community. 

 

SPEAKER/PROGRAM 

Champion Pages 

Easter Seals of Rhode Island

The organization that would become Easter Seals was founded by Edgar Allen, an Ohio businessman who lost his son in a streetcar crash.  The lack of adequate medical services available to save his son prompted Allen to sell his business and begin a fund-raising campaign to build Gates Hospital in his hometown of Elyia, Ohio.  That hospital continues to operate today as Elyria Memorial Hospital.  After the hospital was built, Allen learned that children with disabilities were often hidden from public view. Inspired by this discovery, in 1919 he founded what would become the National Society for Crippled Children, the first organization of its kind.  In time, this organization would become known as Easter Seals. --(web sources)

Judy Fortier, soon to be Secretary of the Wakefield Rotary Club, enjoys her work in the non-profit world.  She is Director of Development for Easter Seals Rhode Island, connecting local families with wonderful help for hundreds of children with special-needs and disabilities. 

Judy and her associate who joined us, pediatric supervisor Pat O’Leary, work out of their 213 Robinson Street, Wakefield, RI location.

Together, Judy and Pat presented a touching You Tube video showing Easter Seals’ at work with adorable little Graciela Nieves and her family.  Graciela is a surviving twin who has cerebral palsy and developmental disorders.  Pat’s specialization is early intervention therapy for kids from birth to three years of age (like Graciela). 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNXnDFVJ6HU 

Also, the Easter Seals outpatient clinic in Wakefield provides physical and occupational therapy for special-needs kids up to the age 21.  The outpatient clinic helps kids become more independent, develop new skills, and play with their peers.    

Judy and Pat do receive federal and state funding, but they are always engaged in fundraising.  On Saturday, June 9th, they will be hosting ‘Walk With Me, Providence 2012,’ a 5K fun walk at Roger Williams Park.    

http://ri.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=RIDR_homepage