Pledge, 4-Way Test: President Alan Schwarz
Prayer: John Aforismo
Card Game winner: Alan
Raffle Winners: John, Nancy, Joan W, Gary
Happy Bucks: PZ wife going back to work part-time; CR: new member David Condren joining today; KC: being here; BQ: the holidays; TW: new member David, Maui relief fund; EP: new member David; JA: 11/18 party; GM: Maui fund; CN: new member; NM: new member David; MD: UCONN basketball; AS: new member David; RS: ice cream from John!
Induction of David Condren
Following his induction into the club, David spoke. He and his wife Karen are from Long Island and moved to Avon, Connecticut in 1985 where they lived for about 10 years before relocating to Old Saybrook. David has 2 sons (both UCONN grads) and 2 grandchildren. David retired from The Travelers where he ran the IT department for one of their divisions and joined Rotary to give back to the community and build new friendships. Welcome David!
Torchlight Parade - this Saturday!
Marty gave an overview of the parade and our involvement. This will be our 35th year hosting the hospitality tent. We will be preparing the hot chocolate, gathering various baked items from area bakeries, stores and businesses and serving them in the tent located at the end of the parade route. Its a great community service project with high visibility that is open to the marchers and attendees of the parade. Gary will be coordinating the food donations, John Gianinni will lead the kitchen crew making the hot chocolate and other club volunteers will serve in the tent. The parade starts at 6pm. The hot chocolate crew will meet at 3:30 at the Estuary and everyone else will meet at the tent at 5pm.
Grants: Alan would like to have a committee to obtain grants and leverage the power of Rotary to do more for both community and internationally. Alan would like to see more water projects done similar to the most recent project in Uganda in February this year. Nancy said our assistance to the Ukrainian family in Old Lyme is another example of international projects. For grants there is preliminary work to do.
Commodities Exchange: there was recently a bit of commotion when a regular tag sale grabber was confronted. This person is not from town and has been seen regularly taking items that he then sells. This was not the intent of the CE. It is up to the town to enforce this by checking resident stickers and keeping a watchful eye out for this activity.
Meetings: Beginning January, the first meeting of the month will be an evening meeting instead of breakfast. The plan is to have the meeting at 6PM at the VFW Hall. Please be sure to let Nancy know if you will be attending so the appropriate amount of food is ordered.
Shredding Event: John Aforismo heads this up. We voted to do it again this year. Details need to be worked out but the date is set for April 20. Jan will make sure that date works at the high school. It runs 9am to 12pm and we charge $10 -box (copy paper size box)
Nancy announced Wreaths Across America is coming soon and they need volunteers to lay wreaths on Dec. 16. We made a $650 donation earlier this year.
Outreach: Tara received a request from a veterans organization seeking a sponsorship at their golf tournament in Spring of 2024 at the Norwich Golf Course. This was voted on and approved
Membership: Joan Winters reports some new people are interested in joining and is following up with them. Skye Belote was in attendance today.
Nancy announced there will be a Rotary sponsored speech contest at the high school. This is a district event and the topic is The Four Way Test of the things we think, say or do. The cost to enter is $150 which the club will pay. The winner goes to the district level contest with prizes awarded to top finishers.
Website: Marty added the picture of the big check to the Maui relief page. Jan Peruccio volunteered to be one of the scribes to take minutes at the meetings joining Marty, Bill McLaughlin and Charlie Renshaw. Thank you Jan!
Next week's meeting: 7AM, Saybrook Point Resort & Marina, Student of the Month for Social Studies
December 20: 12PM at the VFW Hall, Joan Winters will play holiday songs on her violin - a special treat from Joan!
