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Service Above Self
every first and third Thursday of the month from 12:00 to 1:30pm
The Forman School
The Forman School
12 Norfolk Road
Litchfield, CT 06759
United States
Litchfield, CT 06759
United States
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Annual Holiday Party
LaCupola RistoranteDec 13, 2018
5:30 PM – 9:00 PM -
Club Assembly
The Forman SchoolJan 03, 2019
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM -
Club Meeting
The Forman School-Peirce Dining HallJan 03, 2019
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM -
Club Meeting
The Forman School - Peirce Dining HallJan 17, 2019
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM -
Club Meeting
The Forman School-Peirce Dining HallFeb 07, 2019
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Litchfield-Morris Rotary Speaker announcement: Oct. 4, Joan Lownds: New Kennedy Book "Dogs of Camelot" Reveals Never Before Published Photos and Stories will be speaking at our meeting. The meeting starts at 12:00 in the Senior Lounge located in the Peirce Dining Hall at The Forman School! Join us for lunch and this exciting speaker:
Before that tragic day on November 22, 1963, the Kennedy years were filled with hope and promise. As the White House gardener put it, they were also filled with children and dogs. The Dogs of Camelot illuminates the inside story of the Kennedys’ lifelong love of dogs and the unparalleled canine corps they brought to the White House, with as many as nine dogs before JFK was killed. The American public only saw glimpses of the many Kennedy pets because of the zealous way Jackie Kennedy guarded her family’s privacy. Through cooperation with the Kennedy Library, we have obtained access to rare and previously unpublished photos and stories that present a fascinating new angle about the Kennedys that is deeply revealing about their character and compassion.
Because the Kennedy pets were so intertwined with their lives, they were inextricably linked to the history of the Kennedy presidency. For example, JFK called for Charlie, his beloved Welsh terrier, before making a decision on the Cuban Missile Crisis. Also, Jacqueline Kennedy so thoroughly charmed Soviet Premier Nikita Krushchev at the height of the Cold War, that he sent the Kennedys a puppy named Pushinka, who was the daughter of Strelka, the Soviet space dog. (one of the first creatures sent into space) This was an act of true diplomacy at a time of extreme tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Pushinka and Charlie had a bit of a Cold War romance and produced a litter of puppies, who also lived at the White House. These are just two examples of the many fascinating stories in the book. Our foreword was written by Clint Hill, the Kennedys' Secret Service agent.
I wrote this book with Dr. Margaret Reed, a nationally acclaimed animal training professional. I have attached the book jacket, and will also send you an email with some of our stunning rare and previously unpublished photos.
We have been getting a lot of publicity for the book, including local Connecticut TV appearances on the ABC affiliate's "Good Morning Connecticut," and an appearance on the CBS affiliate's "Better Connecticut." Fortunately, we also received a favorable review from Publisher's Weekly. (link below) Parade.com also featured a story about the book. We are doing major upcoming events at the JFK Hyannis Museum and the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston.
Joan Keyes Lownds
Early Praise….
“You don't need to be a dog lover or a history aficionado to enjoy The Dogs of Camelot: Stories of the Kennedy Canines. But be warned. Reading this charming, well-researched, and fascinating book by Dr. Margaret Reed and Joan Lownds might transform you into both.” – Mary Sharnick, author of Orla’s Canvas
“An interesting treasury of anecdotal stories that will captivate the reader.” – Nancy Tuckerman, former Kennedy White House social secretary
“The Dogs of Camelot is a miraculous book, providing an unlikely yet endearing portrait of an almost mythic family whose humanity might be best shown through their profound connections with their beloved animals.” – Tommy Hays, author of The Pleasure Was Mine
“The authors' appreciation for the boundless enthusiasm and unselfish love that dogs ---no matter their personality or pedigree ---can provide to a family --- no matter its station in life ---is captured in this historic compilation of tender stories of the several animals that befriended John Kennedy and his family during his presidency and of the deep affection the pets were given in return” – Senator Paul G. Kirk, (MA – Ret.)
About the Authors:
“An interesting treasury of anecdotal stories that will captivate the reader.” – Nancy Tuckerman, former Kennedy White House social secretary
“The Dogs of Camelot is a miraculous book, providing an unlikely yet endearing portrait of an almost mythic family whose humanity might be best shown through their profound connections with their beloved animals.” – Tommy Hays, author of The Pleasure Was Mine
“The authors' appreciation for the boundless enthusiasm and unselfish love that dogs ---no matter their personality or pedigree ---can provide to a family --- no matter its station in life ---is captured in this historic compilation of tender stories of the several animals that befriended John Kennedy and his family during his presidency and of the deep affection the pets were given in return” – Senator Paul G. Kirk, (MA – Ret.)
About the Authors:
Dr. Margaret Reed, a nationally acclaimed animal training professional, met President Kennedy and his dogs when she was a little girl on vacation in Hyannis Port. After her moving and unforgettable encounter with them, Dr. Reed found her calling. She also sits on the board of the Kennedy Library.
Joan Lownds is the author of Man Overboard: Inside the Honeymoon Cruise Murder. She has been an award-winning writer and reporter for several Connecticut newspapers and magazines, including The Waterbury Republican-American, The New Haven Advocate, The Wilton Bulletin, Wilton Magazine and Fairfield Magazine.
Biography submitted by Judge Charles Gill
Judge Gill graduated from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law in Washington, D.C. He was named a distinguished alumnus of that University along with Governor Robert Casey of Pennsylvania and Robert Craves, the co-founder of Costco. Fresh out of law school, his Yale professor friends hired him to be the first neighborhood legal services lawyer in the country, a Ford Foundation project. U. S. Supreme Court Justice Arthur Goldberg presided over the grand opening of that publicized event in an inner-city neighborhood in New Haven.
His legal career as a trial lawyer was in a myriad of spheres, from criminal to corporate that eventually led him to become a Connecticut Superior Court Judge. He has presided over literally thousands of cases, including, for examples, a corporate dispute that resulted in more than 100 million dollars in damages, as well as a dozen murder cases that resulted in life imprisonments, one of which is the subject of a popular novel by the famous New York trial lawyer, Louis Nizer, entitled “Catspaw”.
The Judge has keynoted at over 300 multi-professional conferences and conventions in more than forty states, Canada, Europe, and Asia. He has been joined by noted columnists George Will, Molly, Ivins, and Thomas Sowell, as well as Tom Selleck, Susan Saint James, General Colin Powell, Rob Reiner and U. S. Senators Bill Bradley and Chris Dodd. He has appeared in the national media, with John Stossel on 20/20, Good Morning American with Diane Sawyer and Charlie Gibson, and Nightline with Ted Koppel where he debated then U. S. Attorney General Janet Reno on the fate of the Cuban boy Elian Gonzalez. (According to Koppel, the Judge won the debate as the entire audience, equally divided pro and con, gave him a standing ovation at the end of the show for his thoughtful solution).
The Judge comes from a diverse background that includes sports, business, politics, and media. He did a radio call in show out of New York called “The Judge and Mrs. Jones”. A TV version of that was marketed to combat what he views as the unreality shows such as “Judge Judy”.
He has addressed the U.N. General Assembly where he was honored on the occasion of International Earth Day for his work on behalf of abused children. He also spoke at an international U.N. Convention on Domestic Violence. He has testified in Congress on two occasions on these issues and received three honorary degrees, one along with U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young, in recognition of his efforts.
His list of awards can perhaps be best summarized by the fact that two Presidents of both political parties honored him in the White House. President George H. Bush had him in the Oval Office to receive the U.S. Attorney General’s Annual Crime Victim’s Award. President William Clinton invited him to the Rose Garden for a ceremony decrying violence against Children.
“Judge Gill presents a compelling insider’s guide of how our courts really work. I have testified over 1,000 times around the world including in Judge Gill’s courtroom. He runs his court with a unique combination of toughness, compassion and humor, He shares his years of experience and makes his presentations
not only interesting but, exciting as well." Dr. Henry Lee, Forensic Criminologist
WORDS TO PONDER
Today I bent the truth to be kind, and I have no regret,
for I am far surer of what is kind than I am of what is true.
~Robert Brault~
Compassion is language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
~Mark Twain~
Kindness is in our power even when fondness is not.
~Henry James~
Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you,
not because they are nice but because you are.
Never look down on anyone unless you are helping them up.
A good character is the best tombstone.
Those who loved you will remember.
Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.
Today, give a stranger one of your smiles.
It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.
Never miss an opportunity to make others happy,
even if you have to leave them alone in order to do it.
Love your enemies - it will confuse them greatly.
Don't wait for people to be friendly, show them how.
~Henry James~
By swallowing evil words unsaid, no one has ever harmed his stomach.
~Winston Churchill
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