THE WHEEL - Monday, October 16, 2017 newsletter (Oct 16, 2017)

RITUALS

Greeter: Martin Vincent

Pledge and 4-Way Test: Pam Ancheta

Prayer: Harv Whitley

Song: Pam Ancheta

VISITING ROTARIAN AND GUEST INTRODUCTIONS

Bob Horrocks handled today's introductions. Joe Picano from the Cranston Cliub and long-time "honorary" member of our club was in attendance.

ROTARY MINUTE

President Pam Ancheta presented this week's Rotary Minute:

She quickly highlighted the latest Rotary Magazine (November 2017) cover story about a Rotary District's prescient decision to address improving structures to withstand earthquake prone areas in rural Italy and encourage young adults to stay and support these hometown communities; there is also a related story about Rotary Scholars. Also there is a profile of Deborah Walters & Safe Passage the nonprofit organization in Guatemala that our District Governor Steve Certa supports.

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

--Monday, October 23rd -- please bring to next week's regular meeting personal hygiene items for the VA Hospital in Providence (see COMMITTEE REPORTS in this newsletter)

--Wednesday, October 25th -- 5:30pm -- Wakefield Rotary Board of Director's meeting @ Navatek conference room (1080 Kingstown Road, Building 5, Peace Dale, RI 02879). BOD meetings are typically held on the last Wednesday of the month.

--Saturday, October 28th -- URI/ROTARACT EVENT: Rock, Spook and Skate! It’s from 8pm to 10pm at the Boss Ice Arena. Its $5 per person for the entrance fee and $5 to rent skates. This event is benefiting shelter box. Get excited and wear a costume! For more Rotaract events click here.

--Friday, November 3rd -- 3:30pm -- thank-you gathering for OLLI volunteers who helped at this year's Balloon Festival @ The Coast Guard House (40 Ocean Rd, Narragansett, RI 028820). Contact Beth Leconte for further information.

--Monday, November 6th -- NO MEETING...INSTEAD...2ND WEDNESDAY SOCIAL ON Nov. 8th

--WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH - 5:00 - 7:00PM -- TBD "Second-Wednesday Social" location announcement soon!

--Thursday, November 9th -- Rotary Foundation Dinner @ at the Venus de Milo restaurant (75 Grand Army Highway, Swansea, MA 02777). Cocktails 5:30-6:45pm. Dinner 7:00pm. Master of Ceremonies will Be our own Russ Bertrand. The featured speaker will be District Rotarian Razia Jan an inspiring role model who opened a girls school in Afghanistan. Registration for the dinner is $46.50 per person / $465 for a table of 10. Click here for event flyer.

--Tuesday, November 14th -- 6:00pm -- Balloon Festival Committee meeting @ Navatek conference room (1080 Kingstown Road, Building 5, Peace Dale, RI 02879)

MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

Sunset Colors: During the meeting Betsy Wisehart reminded us all about the importance of appreciating the things that happen in the present moment -- she ask those in attendance to observe the bright colors gracing the sky during the evening's setting sun. Thanks, Betsy, for the moment of "oohs" & "ahs."

UPDATE--location selection for new regular meeting: At today's meeting, menu options for Holiday Inn for Thursday lunch (the newly determined regular meeting time) were distributed--click here for the details. The menu options for the other location finalist, Arturo Joe's (140 Point Judith Rd, Narragansett, RI 02882), were made available after the meeting--click here. After another, but final, meeting to review venue details, the committee of three board directors (Jay Shartenberg, Tom Tarzwell, Bob Cruz) assigned to select the new meeting location will announce a decision, soon. Likely at the regular meeting next week, October 23rd. So until the announced date of the Thursday noontime-meetings, our club will continue to meet on Monday nights at the Holiday Inn on Route 1.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

PRESIDENT'S NOTE -- Toiletry Collection for Veterans' Hospital Patients at meetings:

It's that time of year, again.....our Betsy Wisehart is collecting unopened/new containers of hair & body cleansers, conditioners and lotions; as well as all types of oral hygiene products. Donations may also include shaving products for both men & women. All product portion sizes are welcome for donation--from hotel-size, to travel-size, to family size. All donations should be brought to the next regular club meetings: October 16, 23, and 30. The donations will be delivered to:

Providence VA Medical Center

830 Chalkstone Avenue
Providence, RI 02908
401-273-7100 | 866-363-4486

Social Committee -- Second Wednesday Socials:

So the first of Wednesday socials took place on October 11 @ Whalers Brewing Company, 5:00 – 7:00pm. Twenty (20) Wakefield Rotarians and four guests imbibed in drink and the stuff of friendly, casual conversation. Some chose not to drink beer and some did play games including turns at the pool table. Next Social will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 8, which means NO MEETING Monday, Nov. 6.

Details for November's social will be announced very soon!

Charitable Committee: Just prior to tonight's meeting, the charitable committee held a meeting to review donation requests. Also the committee's GRANT APPLICATION FORM is available as a downloadable pdf on the club's website homepage. Completed forms can be mailed to the club's address on the form or sent as an email attachment to the current committee co-chair Harv Whitley: harvwhitley@gmail.com or hlwhitley@aol.com.

IS THIS STILL A "THING," BETSY? -- Treasurers' Mystery Deposits: Betsy Wisehart is asking club members for help in identifying "mystery deposits". So if you can help her out, Betsy's email is <betsy@wisehart.biz>. Here are the four (4) deposit amounts:

July 12th - $310

July 26th - $80

August 14th - $1380

August 29th - $297.58

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS REPORT

Posted by Gene Corl & Kathy Lindvall

number of members present: 28 /number of visiting Rotarians: 1 /number of guests: 0

MEMBER NEWS

Martin Vincent and Herb Mansfield owned up to having a birthday this month. Russ Bertrand happily announced that he and Karen recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary.

HAPPY BUCKS

Elizabeth Candas - Sends thanks from Sezgin Candas, he loves the emails & cards wishing him good health; and a story was told about how a kitten was named after Sezgin

Betsy Wisehart - expressed her joy over the end of the "extended tax season"

Chris Hart - Attended Jeremy Osborn's wedding over the weekend and Russ & Karen Bertrand attended, too. The wedding was held in an area along the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Chris commented on how Jeremy seemed to have emceed his own wedding although a DJ/host was hired...Jeremy can't seem to stay away from his job. Best wishes to the newlyweds & a lifetime of happiness in their new home in New Jersey. Thanks to Jeremy for all he's done as a Wakefield Rotary member.

Sandy Cutting -- like Betsy, she also expressed gratitude for the end of the "extended tax season"; and she attended her high-school reunion.

Yan Sun -- apologized for missing the last two meetings

Pam Ancheta -- excited about her daughter Nicky's fall break-time spent at home...after tonight's meeting she'll be picking Nicky up from the MBTA commuter rail.

TODAY'S PRESENTATION - Water & Sanitation Projects in Guatemala - UPDATE

Posted by Sandy Cutting & Pam Ancheta

Rick Lawrence - Water & Sanitation Projects in Guatemala - UPDATE

Rick Lawrence and his wife Elin, from Manchester, CT, Rotary Club reported the latest finished and proposed Rotary International Global Grant Initiatives for THE CLEAN WATER PROJECT in Guatemala in which our Wakefield Club has been supporting since 2008. Click here for more background on Rick.

Rich showed slides of the work in progress along with the increasing contributions and matching gifts from several clubs.

This project is much needed as 30,000 die each day due to water related illness. 90% are under the age of 5.

Before this work began in 2008 women and children would have to walk 20 minutes each way to get water. They repeated this trip 4-6 times per day.

Now kids can play and go to school not having to spend all day carrying water.

Nine villages have been given water systems within the past 10 years and the work continues to reach out to more villages. Click here for the latest project details and click here for a history of Water Project stats since 2006-07.

ADJOURNMENT

NEXT MEETING: Monday, October 23, 2017

REMINDER: Regular Club meetings will continue to be Monday nights 5:30pm at the Holiday Inn on Route 1 until the date of the new meeting location/ no meeting Monday, Nov. 6 / next Second Wednesday Social Nov. 8...location & time to be announced soon!

Second Wednesday Social

To Be Determined -- LOCATON ANNOUNCEMENT COMING SOON!

Nov 08, 2017
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Rotary Foundation Dinner

Venus de Milo

Nov 09, 2017 5:30 PM

Pam Ancheta
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