Granite Chips September 26, 2012
It was several minutes into the meeting when your deputy assistant interim acting cub reporter noted that no one was on hand to take notes of today’s club assembly meeting, so if there are any omissions, errors, inaccuracies, or simply false statements…well, too bad!
Claire got the ball rolling (34 minutes into our lunch) by offering a happy dollar for having received the recipe for President Jim’s sausage/bowtie pasta soup that was served by said chief executive at his home last night during the Presidential Development Committee meeting. Bill added a happy dollar in thanks for Jim remembering (after the fact) to include the bowtie pasta in the soup.
Sue gave the secretary’s report, noting that Sandy Rousse has submitted her formal application for membership and the announcement serves as the second publication of Sandy’s name. Visiting Rotarian Marcia Hoffman (assistant governor), from the Northfield club was introduced. Sue also mentioned a free flu shot clinic to be held on Oct. 1st, but I missed her announcement of where this event is taking place (possibly at CV Home Health???). Club member John Gardner was welcomed back after a long absence.
President Jim moved on to discussion of the club’s charities budget. Copies were distributed and Sue mentioned that she would like to add a donation to the CV Adult Basic Education, which received $250 last year. She suggested a $100 donation, to which John Gardner noted that he would like to give a happy $100 (yes, $100) to celebrate his return, and that it be used to fund the donation to CVABE. Somehow, Tom Babic was roped into giving a matching $100 donation (I’m still not clear how that happened!) so CVABE will be receiving $200 this coming year due to the generosity of John and Tom! There was no further discussion of the charities budget and it was approved on motion of Joe Preddy seconded by John Gardner, with only one dissenting vote.
President Jim noted that $155 from the Rotary park improvement fund went to Nicholas Hebert, an Eagle Scout candidate who is re-finishing the picnic tables at Rotary Park. Karen Lane asked for volunteers from the club (hopefully 6-8) to assist on Oct. 6th in putting identifying stencils on new tables and chairs at the Labor Hall. The project will take place at the Labor Hall. Club members available to assist on Oct. 6th should contact Karen to coordinate.
Jim also updated the membership on the Golf Ball drop for next summer (we need a chair); Give A Gallon heating assistance project (to start in mid-October this year); fund raising to pay for a “shelter box” which provides temporary emergency shelter and other necessities for those displaced in natural or other disasters. Claire and Jim are spearheading this effort to raise $1,000 and are seeking anyone else who may be interested in helping. Jim reported that the Homebuilders and Remodelers are interested in starting their own home show in 2014 and the Rotary board of directors are in discussions with the group to determine how we could partner with them as a fund raiser (areas such as purchase of our vendor mailing list, rental and set up of our partitions, staffing a food concession, etc.). More discussions with the Homebuilders and Remodelers will be held in the coming months.
Following today’s meeting Karl Rinker was leading a tour of the old Blanchard Block (the Lash Building) which will be re-developed soon by local entrepreneurs. Karl hopes to do a “before and after” with the “after” portion coming in a year or so when the building is ready for occupancy.