Pledge/Prayer: Gerri Lewis
Song: Bill McLaughlin
Brents Card Game Winner: Bob Antoniac
Welcome Guests: Kirby Kloter, Heather McNeill, Maurice (Visiting Rotarian)
Sergeants Report: Peter Zucco
Raffle Winners: John, Maurice, Kathy
Happy Bucks: Peter for his upcoming benefit book sale next Wed, Glen for collecting $68 for the Turkey Fund from his business, John for selling raffle tickets for the Old Lyme VFW (just $20/book), David is happy his wife is rehabbing at Gladeview and doing well, Joan is happy her husband is doing well after surgery, Rick is happy Kirby is here, Kirby is happy to be here, Bob is happy to be out of rehab, bucks for our guests and Maurice had a buck for heading back to his home in Florida.
Announcements:
Our Turkey Drive has begun, from now to Thanksgiving, happy dollars collected go to the Liberty Bank Turkey Fund which provides a Thanksgiving Meal for those in need.
Meals on Wheels: Kathy Callinan
Program: Jan Perruccio introduced our speaker Heather McNeill
Heather spoke about her organization Youth & Family Services of Old Saybrook. Through the years our club has worked with this town agency on many projects to help the disadvantaged in our area. They have been working to strengthen families which supports the children allowing them to succeed in school and life. The goal this year has been to improve parent involvement. They have been compiling data to provide direction on where developmental assets should be provided for adolescents (age 12-18). The data has helped identify areas of improvement such as in-school counseling, teenage advocacy and parent workshops.
YFS sponsored a block party in May so that neighbors can get to know each other and strengthen the sense of community. The survey showed that kids feel less safe and that is being addressed because kids can't learn of they don't feel safe. There are language barriers that need to be overcome and child care when both parents work. Heather is busy writing grants for state and federal funding as well as United Way.
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