Cogitator September 15, 2010

-Visiting Rotarians/None

-Guests

Deb Anderson, wife of Reverend Don, joined us for lunch (and a surprise).

-Birthdays/Anniversaries

Mike Neville's birthday is September 15th, and Don Anderson's 16th wedding anniversary is September 17th. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

A reminder that President Ed and the District Governor are counting on us to head into Providence on Friday, October 15th, for a great P-Bruins game and to support the District's Polio Eradication efforts.  Tickets are only $10, AND, half goes to Polio Plus.  

Also, President Ed is calling on everyone to join the upcoming Club Visioning Meeting, which will be held Wednesday, September 29th, from 5-9PM, at the East Greenwich Police Department's Community Room.  Past District Governor Terri Fitch will be joining us.  Erica Balsamo's Wild Harvest will be catering the meeting.  The mission is to 'help mold the future of our club.'  Most clubs in the district have had similar 'visioning' meetings and have found them to be very useful for exchanging new ideas and strengthening the existing club.    

George Popella announced that Bob Miller will be the final awardee from a Paul Harris Team. 

George also presented a first-time Paul Harris Fellowship Award to a surprised Deb Anderson.  Nice work, Don, in recognizing Deb for a spousal Paul Harris award, and, even better work coaxing her into coming to the meeting!  (Inside sources say it wasn't easy...)

HAPPY BUCKS

Mike Gemma thanked Soozie Sundlun for all her work doing great photography for the club, including the recent group photo. 

Don Anderson gave twenty happy bucks for his 16th wedding anniversary.  Deb Anderson followed gratefully with another $20 for her surprise Paul Harris award.

Ron Winde's wife's thyroid operation went well, and he was happy to survive having 20 family members over at his house. 

Richard Waterman reported that Gill Thorpe is doing well, recovering at South County Hospital from knee replacement surgery.

Chub Clement gave a happy buck honoring his 58th wedding anniversary (9/6) to (Saint) Florence. 

Vin Meola was happy to report spotting one of EG Rotary's founding members, Ralph Taylor, in the Providence Journal, peeking happily out of a WWII bomber up in Lincoln.  Vin also gave kudos to Rev. Don, who was also photographed in the ProJo this week, speaking to a crowd with a message of religious tolerance.

Wil Yoder gave a happy buck to say 'see you in the spring,' as he has taken on a Wednesday class at RISD that will prevent him from having lunch with us for a while. 

PROGRAM/SPEAKER

Winnie Brownell, Dean of URI College of Arts and Sciences, and Bill Euler, URI Chemistry Department Chair

Winnie Brownell discussed an upcoming bond referendum which will triple the capacity for URI's chemistry research: 

*On November 2, Rhode Islanders will be asked to vote on a $78 million higher education bond referendum (#2) that includes $61 million to finance a modern chemistry facility at URI. The new Center for Chemical and Forensic Sciences will replace the outmoded and nearly 60-year-old Pastore Hall, which opened in 1953 when 800 students took chemistry courses each year. Today more than 6,000 students take chemistry courses, and about 40 percent of all URI degree programs require at least one chemistry course.  (*Source-URI website.)

The old Pastore Building will still be used to for general URI classroom space.  But, the building cannot keep up with modern science's demands and cannot attract the best students in the field. 

It is also estimated that nearly 1000 jobs will be created in the next 3 years through the building of the new chemistry facility.  'These jobs will span the construction trades, and also include architecture, engineering, and management.' (Fact sheet) 

Winnie and Bill urge a 'Yes' vote on RI Bond Referendum 2 this November 2nd. 

'Chemistry is the foundation to practically every important area of endeavor, whether it's the health sciences, biotechnology, energy, the environment, pharmacy, nursing or high technology.  As Rhode Islanders who are interested in the education of their children and in the economic future of the state...we need to remember that chemistry is the building block, the bedrock foundation.'--URI President David M. Dooley

REMINDER--The 2010 Rotary Foundation Seminar will be held on Saturday, October 2 (8:30 am-noon), at White's of Westport (Mass.). It's a good way to familiarize yourself with the many aspects of our foundation, and learn where, when and how money is used and returned to the district. The registration fee of $25 will be paid by the club, and includes opening coffee/juice and mid-morning brunch. See John Wolcott for more information, and get the word to him by Sept. 20th if you plan to attend.