Cogitator Oct 2, 2013

Posted by George Cooper 
on Oct 02, 2013
 

Teny Gross, from The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence

 

 

VISITING ROTARIANS/GUESTS

None.

BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES

Warm happy birthday wishes from the entire club go out this week to Past President Robert Allen Greene on October 5th.   

Happy 18th wedding anniversary this week to Judy (and Jon) Pratt.  Judy and Jon were high school sweethearts at Toll Gate before walking down the aisle on October 8th, 1995.

ROTARY ANNIVERSARIES

Three Rotarians celebrate their induction day this week:  President Jodi Gladstone (re)joined the club 6 years ago on October 3rd; Immediate Past President Ken Colaluca was sworn in on October 4th, 13 years ago; and Judy Pratt was welcomed into Rotary 9 years ago on October 8th. 

MUMS WRAP UP

Sue Dorne mentioned that Treasurer Ed Neff should have a final profit tally from our Mums Fundraiser next week.  Extra mums were made available for Rotarians visiting phonebook customers, and, for the United Methodist Church (which played a big role in mum sales). 

Meanwhile, Bill TenEyck added that he’s glad to at last be out of the mums transportation business(!), adding that extras will also go to restaurants supporting our Taste of the Town event.

ROTARACT NEWS

The New England Tech Rotaract Club, under Bill TenEyck’s leadership, took part in two successful events recently, ‘Boulderdash’ at the Trudeau Center and a Street Painting Festival.

PHONEBOOK UPDATE

Bill urged everyone that ‘you’ve gotta make the effort’ on last minute Phonebook ad sales, especially with remaining renewals which amount to nearly $8,000.  These renewals are critical to making our goal this year, but they are even more critical to having necessary Project/Charity Funds for the remainder of the Rotary year.

LINDSAY ANN BURKE MEMORIAL EVENT

The Lindsay Ann Burke Memorial Fund’s Imagine Dinner will be held on Thursday, October 17th, at the Atlantic Beach Club in Middletown.  Chuck Sauer reminded us that there are still 6 seats remaining, purchased by the board and available on a first come first serve basis.  Please see Chuck or Bonnie Sauer if you plan to attend.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

T’s Restaurant will host this month’s board of directors meeting on Friday, October 11th.  The meeting will commence at 7:30am sharp.  All are invited; board members and committee chairs are reminded.

HAPPY BUCKS

-Bob Sloan takes off for the Far East in three weeks.  He and wife Cathi will visit Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. 

-The Toll Gate Lady Titans tennis team is still undefeated!  They are 9 and 0 this year, led by Bill TenEyck’s two daughters. 

-Bonnie Sauer cheered on Sue Dorne for her outstanding leadership in our Mums Fundraiser. 

-Vin Meola cheered on the Red Sox and needled his friend Dave Iannuccilli who was again absent.  Dave was actually at a real estate sale rally in…Boston…surrounded by throngs of Red Sox Nation faithful. 

-Ron Winde thanked goodness that his wife Loretta is now home resting comfortably after suffering some serious post-hip-surgery complications. 

-Bob Greene was happy to hand over his birthday buck(s).

-Karen Taylor announced a tentative date, Wednesday October 16th, for the Literacy Committee’s book delivery to London Bridge Child Care Center.  Also, her daughter-in-law is coming to town for a visit, all the way from Germany. 

-Judy Pratt gave a happy 18th anniversary buck for her junior prom date and now hubby, Jon.  She also thanked John Wolcott for inviting her to Rotary 9 years ago.  And, she’s looking forward to a great evening at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet on Thursday, October 10th (6:30-9:30pm).  The Toll Gate Lady Titans hockey team will host a fundraiser for equipment and uniforms.  Tickets are only $35 and are still available! 

 

SPEAKER/PROGRAM

 

Teny Gross, Executive Director, The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence

Teny Gross was, not long ago, an Israeli soldier serving in Gaza.  He ‘saw clearly who his enemies were,’ and he wouldn’t hesitate to shoot.  Teny was also well educated as an Israeli student, able to study and train in fine arts, classical books, and classical music. 

His mother is a Christian Serb, his dad is a Croatian Jew who also served in the Israeli Army, and his grandmother likely died in Auschwitz.  After Teny completed his army service, he first traveled to England and later settled in America.   

His deeply felt ‘duality of man,’ and humility that we all come from varied backgrounds, helped lead him to his current position as Executive Director of The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence.

He joked that when he came to America he vowed ‘to stay out of your business in the world.’  But that promise didn’t last long.  He was moved by the non-violence movements born in the South during the days of Martin Luther King, Jr.  In Boston, he befriended a Pentecostal minister who waged a non-violent battle of his own against local gangs and drug dealers.  Working alongside his friend, Teny had found his calling in America.

Teny told us of how his group’s creative efforts, in concert with the Boston Police Department, led to the number of homicides in Boston dropping from 152 to 31 in a few short years.  Their secret was creating a ‘business plan’ to attack the problem, and, to confront the most powerful gang leaders. 

He also mentioned the turnaround story of Sal Monteiro, a murder convict who now teaches at the ACI.  Since Sal’s work began at the prison, reported violence in maximum security has dropped a full fifty percent. 

‘We can’t say, with failure all around us in society, that it’s not our business.  You must take part!  You must fight,’ Teny implored Rotarians.  ‘I’m an archaeologist figuring out why this great society has forgotten about its kids.’ 

Teny passionately spoke of the need to ‘recycle human capital,’ rather than ‘throwing gang members and criminals away.’  His argument was that once someone travels down the wrong path, a terrible tailspin begins when the community won’t take that person back into its midst. 

He concluded, ‘There needs to be a new calculus, as if we’re running a business.  It’s too expensive for society, and utterly useless, to keep on jailing and rejecting people forever, especially since we’re dealing with an environmental problem which goes well beyond terrible personal choices of young kids.’

Please visit the Institute’s website at:  http://www.nonviolenceinstitute.org/

 

Teny Gross discussing his important work