Pledge: President Bill O'Shaughnessy
Prayer: Gerri Lewis
Song: Bill McLaughlin
Brents Card Game Winner: Bob Antoniac
Sergeants Report: Kathy Callinan
Raffle Winners: Guest, Guest Jay White, Guest Rich Sullivan
Happy Bucks: Many for the 3 students presenting RYLA today, Charlie Renshaw who spent the last 5 days with his grandchildren and another for the plane leaving next day, happy bucks for guests especially former club president Rich Sullivan,Rich was happy to be here, Maurice Raymond (visiting Rotarian) was happy he sold his boat, 4 visiting Rotarians in attendance, Peter Zucca - guest of Glen and prospective member was happy to be here.
Announcements:
Bill McLaughlin announced Andy Anderson has taken over Meals on Wheels. Bill also mentioned he is the person to talk to about programs and he can use some.
Bill O'Shaughnessy: Mark your calendar, Aug. 6 the newly installed District Governor, Mukund Nori, is visiting our club.
Bob Antoniac: Sign up sheet going around for the food booth which we are hosting at the Arts & Crafts Show this weekend. Slots to cover the booth are open especially Sunday.
Program: RYLA, Glen Anderson
R.Y.L.A. stands for Rotary Youth Leadership Awards and is a unique to Rotary program our club has participated in for years. This year, RYLA took place at Camp Hazen in Chester, CT..It was a 3 day weekend of team building and leadership training attended by area high school seniors. Meghan Sullivan (Old Saybrook), Hugh Cipparone (Lyme-Old Lyme) and Lisa Nicoll (Westbrook) presented a slide presentation and talked about their activities which included the egg competition, canoe races, the alpine tower, lifting people and passing them down a line, and more. They left RYLA with a different perspective on people and themselves. The students bonded and got close in the 3 days together. There were about 40 attendees all from Connecticut. There was a tee shirt theme, "unknown at the start, unforgettable at the finish". Meghan, Hugh and Lisa were thankful for the opportunity and came away with new friends and experiences they won't soon forget.
Following the RYLA presentation, Dave Walker, candidate for Lieutenant Governor spoke. He has a long resume of government service including appointments by Presidents Reagan, Bush and Clinton. He is a CPA, member of the Sons of the American Revolution and a Rotarian. He has written books including, Come Back America, in which he talks about regaining economic prosperity. Dave wants to turn CT around saying we are close to the tipping point. The gap between the haves (who are leaving the state) and the have nots (who are coming into the state) is widening. CT is last in the nation in economic growth and job creation. Dave said that we must grow the economy and create jobs or other things won't matter. We are over taxed and over regulated, He'd like to see the income tax lowered to lessen the burden and restructure pensions. The people must be represented at the bargaining table and currently they are not.
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