There were several items for this week's Rotary meeting. Most importantly, the club celebrated Bob Anthony's upcoming birthday with a tradition Irish meal and carrot cake, Bob's choice of dessert (or is it an appetizer?). He did take some time to thank everybody for the birthday celebration. He spoke about how he initially could not join the Salem Rotary when he moved to the city because of the attendance rule, a rule that had changed by the time he did join in 2004. Bob also reminisced about the cakes he has received in his years as a member of Rotary, specifically a cake with the face of Tricky Dick Nixon with the saying "From One Outgoing President to Another." Bob at that time was a former President of his previous club and Nixon was, well, in the middle of Watergate.
There was a Board of Directors meeting just before the full club met, and some committees did give updates on the last month. Funds Allocation approved two donations; one to the NAGLY Red Party and another to the North Shore Concert Band. The Auction Committee placed fliers for sponsors on the tables, and informed the club of a digital form on the website for the May 20 event. According to the Fun and Fellowship Committee, we are going bowling with the Peabody club. The tentative date is April 26 and presents a possible fundraising opportunity. Speaking of fundraising, President Joe Amico asked the club to consider potential alternative fundraising ideas for the calendar. Additionally, a new committee is being created to review the policies and procedures for the disbursement of scholarship funds.
Finally, the Membership Committee led a group discussion on growing the club and maintaining membership. The bulk of the discussion centered on the positives and perceived negatives of joining a club such as Rotary. They will then use this feedback to guide recruitment and retention.
Scene from Bob Anthony's Birthday Celebration
The four way test
Randy Burba was absent today so we have no summary...
The Polar Plunge which will be taking place on April 2 at 11 am at Long Beach in Gloucester. We fully expect more plungers than usual due to the later plunging date. It is a flamingo themed event, so plungers should where their best flamingo hat, towel, or flotation device. . Sign up sheets for both plunging and donating continue to be passed around at Rotary. Feel free to contact Liz Bradt if needed.
Additionally, the Next Lifebridge Dinner is coming up in May. Many thanks to those that volunteered at the March dinner. A reminder that food insecurity is increasing due to recent economic changes.
SERVE TO CHANGE LIVES
ROTARIAN NEWS
Robb Lutts was excited to report back about his recent trip to Sarasota with Rachel. They went to the Van Gogh Experience, which is a digital art exhibit, which Rob found very impressive.
Gerrit Bradley gave the bird report from his recent trip to Florida's Gulf Coast, specifically Siesta Key. While he did see some local turkeys, the highlight was a marsh hen. He also encouraged Rotarians to follow Liz's Instagram account @thisgirlsnapped
Jason Consalvo was still seeking sympathy for his recent broken ribs when he reported that he used the Peloton for the first time since the injury
Bob Anthony got a sneak preview of the new pirate museum opening soon in the city. He was very impressed.
Rich Eisner is excited for his upcoming trip to DC where he will be serving as a delegate and chair of Credentials Committee.
Bruce Whear was ecstatic with the success of his recent show, which was sold out for 5 of the 8 shows. He also attended the Citizens Inn Gala on Friday. Fundraising is back!
Joe Amico reported his research on why we wear green on St. Patrick's Day, which is in recognition of the green part of the Irish flag representing the Catholics living in Ireland. The orange is for Protestants, as most people know. Joe pointed out the lesser know fact- that the white represents peace.
Upcoming events
Dutch Drinks
April 18, 2022
Opus
Dutch Drinks are back! Come join us on Friday starting at 5 pm.
Bowling with the Peabody Club
April 26
MetroBowl
The date is tentative and time is TBD. That being said, put this in your calendar and practice your game. No mercy for Peabody!
Rotary Auction
May 20, 2022
Hawthorne Hotel
Please make note of the date change. The hope is that the later date will increase attendance. Sponsorship forms were handed out at Rotary this week and will be done again in the future.
Click the link below to log into the weekly club meeting via Zoom.
At Rotary, we understand that cultivating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture is essential to realizing our vision of a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change.
We value diversity and celebrate the contributions of people of all backgrounds, across age, ethnicity, race, color, disability, learning style, religion, faith, socioeconomic status, culture, marital status, languages spoken, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity as well as differences in ideas, thoughts, values, and beliefs.
Recognizing that individuals from certain groups have historically experienced barriers to membership, participation, and leadership, we commit to advancing equity in all aspects of Rotary, including in our community partnerships, so that each person has the necessary access to resources, opportunities, networks, and support to thrive.
We believe that all people hold visible and invisible qualities that inherently make them unique, and we strive to create an inclusive culture where each person knows they are valued and belong.
In line with our value of integrity, we are committed to being honest and transparent about where we are in our DEI journey as an organization, and to continuing to learn and do better.
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
Drinks
Bowling with the Peabody Club
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