Pledge: President Keith
Prayer: Gerri
Song: Andy
Brents Card Game Winner: Ed Pinn
Sergeants Report: Lee David
Welcome Guests: Joyce Metz, John Bubello
Raffle Winners: John (Guest), Gerri, David Wight
Happy Bucks: Successful Wine Tasting, Bob Hester was happy to accept a $600 donation from the Essex Rotary Club for the Shoreline Soup Kitchen, Charlie Norz was happy for another successful Dictionary distributing activity.
Announcements:
Keith announced that $1,725 was raised in the Liberty Bank Turkey Drive. Our club contributed money which was matched by the bank and the proceeds were used to purchase food gift cards. The cards ($25 each) were distributed by town Family Services to those in need.
Marty gave a preliminary report on the Wine Tasting. It was very successful and while all the money was not yet in, revenues were anticipated to be close to last year. Marty thanked the club members who worked at the event, those "hunters & gatherers" who brought in the auction items and those who bought and sold tickets to the event. This is truly a club activity the success of which is dependent on club participation.
Program: Joan Camire introduced Joyce Metz of Preferred Travel
There are new ways to arrange our travel plans these days as opposed to the past when travel agents were the only way to arrange for flights and plan trips. Joan Metz has been in this business for 30 years, 29 with Preferred Travel. Computers and the Internet have changed everything but necessarily for the better. Travel agents are not dinasaurs, there is so much information on the internet, people get confused and need guidance to be sure they get the most out their trip. Travel agents can often make arrangements for you at a price that is competitive to those large internet companies such as Travelocity and after all, local businesses support the local economy. It is fairly simple to make reservations but if plans change, it can be very difficult to make those changes on your own. Joan has been around the world 3 times and has experienced many cultures - in France, for example, you don't eat dinner, you dine and it isn't rushed.
The airlines are changing as well charging fees for things that used to be included in the price of a ticket, isle seats for example often incur a surcharge. There is a Coalition for Passenger Bill of Rights which protects the passenger from airline abuse. You can petition to get off a plane that is stuck waiting for take-off. Their website is www.flyersrights.org.
On Jan. 1, 2000, Joan was on a flight that flew over Mt. Everest, the highest point on earth aboard Buddha Air. Joan suggests that when you run into a problem on a trip, be nice and don't be short or irritable. You are more likely to get desired results that way - people are human after all including those who work at ticket counters. Check the aircraft you are traveling and be sure it is spaceous and not cramped - you don't want to fly several hours in discomfort. Joyce will come to your home and help you plan your trip. You can contact Joyce as follows:
Joyce E. Metz, CTC, ACC
Personal Travel Consultant
12 Plains Rd. #311, Essex CT 06426
Tel: 860-767-2658
Fax: 309-431-1874
Email: chuz2cruz@comcast.net
Website: www.chuz2cruz.com
