08/21/15 BITS & PIECES
Posted by John Marr
on Aug 25, 2015
A well-attended meeting was commenced by President Bowen Depke who invited Alan Nye to give the invocation. Alan helped us all to give thanks for the many good things, grand and less significant, that make our lives special and are worthy of our thanks. Russ Burleigh took to the key board and lead us in our melodic patriotic proclamation.
Our visitors were but two....we had DGE Dennis McLean visiting from Virginia and soon to become the District Governor in his District, along with Russ Burleigh and Kathy Grammer's guest Jean Murachanian, who is an art historian.
Rusty Atwood took on the task of presenting an historical look at Rotary's year 1925-26. Being in the midst of the “Roaring Twenties” didn’t seem like much to the Club at the time. Nothing salacious was mentioned in the notes and our investigator didn’t dig up any dirt.....after all, this is Rotary we are discussing.....just a bunch of interesting tid bits during this age of being 'Cool with Coolidge.' It was the year of the Scopes trial and the writing of Mein Kampf by the dastardly dictator to be, Hitler. On a much brighter and longer lasting note, Mount Rushmore was completed, while the 40-hour work week was introduced. A fellow by the name of Gannett was prominent in the year and canning of seafood was part of the dining. My how times change, but some things don’t! Our lucky pluckee was Julie L’Heureux, but she decided being a maven of the journalistic arts was enough. She left the Queen of Hearts behind and the $400+ pot keeps growing to make it more interesting for others. Anyone who knows Julie knows that she is the consummate Rotarian and a most generous soul, so if she had won, she would be in a quandary as to what to do with her new-found riches, despite what husband Richard might want.
Keeping in touch with the 'Twenties' theme, we were enticed by Kathy Grammer and Janelle LoSciuto to follow their beautiful voices and try to make the song “Five Foot Two” something more than a ditty for the baby. Alas, they might be of perfect voice, but are surrounded by many who are in need of lessons. We never made it through the second attempt!
However, there was some good music to be heard when Loretta (for Gus Karlsen) announced that the Club once again came through for the MS Society and raised $1000 to sponsor a couple of sail boats for the MS Regatta. We’ve been doing this for many years and it still feels as good as the first time! One of our boats came in second place behind the boat that was sponsored by the Falmouth Rotary Club.
Kris Rosado and many fellow Rotarians served up burgers at the Boys and Girls Club 'Steak and Burger Dinner' fundraiser on Thursday, August 20th. Bob Clark and his great team at the B-G Club sincerely appreciate the generous support we provide. Boys Club alumni, John Marr, learned that his Charlestown club is reputed by the Boston Duck Tour narrator to be the first club in the nation, or at least the oldest club, still in existence.