Pledge: Pres. Keith Wescovich
Prayer: Gerri Lewis
Song: Andy Anderson
Brents Card Game Winner: Joan Camire
Sergeants Report: Lee David
Raffle Winners: Ed Pinn, John Donnelly, Bill O'Shaughnessy
Happy Bucks: Great sunrise, Happy Birthday Gerri, Al Lindquist is back, Bill Burnhart is recovering from surgery, Lee's new badge (its bright red and says Seargeant at Arms on it)
Announcements:
Bill Tucker, a past president of the club, passed away last week. Andy made some remarks about Bill, a very devoted and generous man.
John Donnelly: We are still in need of drivers for Clement's swim practice car pool.
Bill Suits: Bill has lined up a special evening program but it has to be on a Thursday night. The club was fine with that. The program is really entertainment, a Barbershop Quartet and the meeting will be in March.
Bob Hester: There is an opening on the Foundation Board due to the resignation of Peter Manley. Anyone with an interest in financial matters should speak to Bob. The FB meets about 4 times a year.
Pres. Keith: The club will be participating in the annual Chile contest sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. Matt Vogt will lead the way and volunteers are welcome. Mark the Chef will prepare our entry. Also, Keith informed us that our district will be sending monetary donations directly to sister clubs in Haiti.
Program: Gerri introduced Patty Dowling, Exec Director of the Shoreline Soup Kitchens since 2003
Patty started by saying that the economy has had a big impact on the Soup Kitchens over the last year and a half. Here are some numbers:
In 2005 the total number of meals served was 356,000 - in 2009 the number is 873,000. In Old Saybrook, the number of people registered was 347 in 2008, it has grown to 654 in 2009.
The Soup Kitchen was started in 1989 in Essex when people were observed dumpster diving behind the Griswold Inn. The Essex Babtist Church started this organization and it has grown to what it is today - 8 meal sites with 800 volunteers including food movers and a limited staff. Its mission is to provide meals and fellowship to all in need. Besides providing sites for having prepared meals, the Soup Kitchens also provide microwaveable meals to take home. People donate money and produce from their vegetable gardens and food is purchased at wholesale from the Food Bank. Overhead is very low - 90% of donations go to food and every dollar yields 4 meals.
The economy has challenged the Soup Kitchens, there are simply too many people. They are seeing about 100 new people a month but somehow, extra room is made at the table. They are not typical of people seen in the past - they are middle class who have lost jobs or suffered a devasting illness in the family and suddenly find themselves in poverty. There are some federal and state assistance programs planned in 2010 such as food stamps housing assistance and mobile services.
md
