Pledge, 4-Way Test: President Alan Schwarz
Prayer: John Donnelly
Guests and prospective members: Maryann Colwick, Bill Casale
Card Game Winner: Sheila Brown
Raffle Winners: Nancy, Sheila, Maryann
Happy Bucks: PZ 2 bucks for our 2 guests; TW for the New Year; CR happy Gary and John A are here; JW for the snow on its way; NM, MD for our guests, JA for the New Year and Joan's violin performance; SB for winning twice; BC for wife having fun in Florida; GF for everyone here tonight
New Member Orientation: Nancy has organized this for Monday, Jan 8 at the Acton Library 3:30-5pm. The various websites at our disposal will be discussed and shown as well as other topics.
Nancy led a discussion of the Rotary Student Exchange Program. We discussed the feasibility of our club taking this on. There is a student from Colchester wishing to take part but Colchester no longer has a club and one of the requirements you must meet if sending a student is you must host a student. Does our club want to do this? John Donnelly talked about what needs to happen. You must line up 3 host families which must be thoroughly vetted so it takes time to gain approvals. Its a great program but a lot of work. Tara said a German student was recently taken in. There are organizations other than Rotary that do this. The feeling is that while this is a worthwhile program, there isn't enough time to pull it together for the next term in June.
Sheila Brown talked about the Commodities Exchange. The town has recently hired Bill Claffey who will be involved with the Transfer Station and has assured Sheila that issues will be addressed. People are randomly dropping things off which gives it a disorganized look that could be hazardous for some trying to make their way through. The area needs signage and more attention than it gets currently. Sheila and Jan T have been frequent visitors, straightening out and throwing some things away to the bins but it reverts soon after they leave. Transfer Station employees are under the impression that Rotary will maintain it which is not the case. Many thanks to Sheila and Jan T for their hard work on this.
The grant from GSB will be done by Alan and submitted by Friday. We are applying for a $1000 grant/ad for our upcoming Wine Tasting.
The Wine & Beer Tasting and Silent Auction is April 12, 2024. We will begin ramping up with the printing of tickets, flyers, posters and more. For a successful event, we need full club participation. Selling tickets, getting sponsors, and obtaining items for the auction and raffle are the keys.
Summer Concert Series: Alan says we will re-commit as a sponsor
New Member Orientation: Nancy has organized a new member orientation workshop. Its at the Acton Public Library this Monday Jan. 8 from 3:30 to 5pm. If you are new to Rotary its highly recommended. Learn about 3 websites - ours, districts and Rotary International. Look for the announcement and rsvp Nancy.
Next week's meeting is our Student of the Month breakfast meeting at Saybrook Point Resort & Marina. Please let Nancy know if plan to attend. The cost is $25pp.
Social Meeting: We have a 5th Wednesday this month and Nancy would like to know your opinion. Please let her know your thoughts on place, time and food preferences.
The OS Chamber of Commerce is having their awards night Jan 11 at the Kate from 5:30 to 8pm. $50 admission fee, cash bar
Community Outreach: Tara took in a request for $1,000 from SOS Trees (Save our Shade Trees) an organization dedicated to saving and planting and preserving our trees. See minutes of the October meeting for more information. The committee approved the request. A vote approving the funds was taken and passed.
Shred Day: John has a date, April 20 at the OS High School. Different vendor, lower price.
