Pledge: Kathy Callinan
Prayer: Gerri Lewis
Song: Andy Anderson
Brents Card Game Winner: David Wight
Sergeants Report: Pete Zucco
Raffle Winners: Kathy Callinan, Pete Zucco, Brent Taylor
Happy Bucks: Spring is coming early!, the melting snow, Charlie Renshaw was happy for his wifes birthday this Friday, Jan was just happy, Ken is happy to be Irish, happy bucks for ADG Paul Indorf.
Announcements:
Gerri: Read a thank you letter from a scholarship recipient.
Gerri: We received a donation of $720 for the Dictionary Project. This has taken off on a statewide level, under the direction of Charlie Norz, we were the first club to initiate this program that has now benefitted over 1 million students!
Gerri: We have a large contingent going to the district assembly, April 18 in Meriden.
Brent: So far for the HEAT project, there has been no money requested from social services.
Kathy: Warm the Children is still going and will probably extend into April. $26K has been paid out, donations are still coming in.
Brent: Golf Tournament is May 21 at Portland CC. Same price, $150 per golfer
Kathy Callinan just attended PETS (President Elect Training Seminar). There were 600 Rotarians in attendance. They were organized into smaller groups and they talked about goals for the incoming presidents. Membership is at the top of the list and strategies were discussed to increase club membership including mentoring new members and being more flexible. Other topics included the district foundation and matching grants. The time is now to start thinking about club projects that would include district help thru matching grants. Mentoring students was also a topic, keeping kids busy and active after school especially in cases where there is no parent at home. Also discussed were ideas for fundraising and ways to increase the effectiveness of fundraisers. Jan had an idea to have bring back past scholarship winners who have had some success and celebrating long time Rotary members like Andy who has been a member for 58 years.
Kathy closed by saying she is looking forward to her year as President and asked for everyone's help.
The new Assistant District Governor is Paul Indorf from the Chester club. He retired from the Navy in 1992 and went to work with his brother in a privately owned business that sold and appraised jewelry. Paul has been active in Rotary, having run the popular road race and other activities. The road race is July 4. Paul went down a list of happenings in the near future which includes a 'Meet & Greet' next Tuesday at the Brainerd Library in Haddam for the new startup club, March 31 'Meet & Greet' by the Deep River club at the Red House Restaurant, and more.
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