Early Riser Newsletter (Apr 28, 2017)

Salin Low
(If you have any comments or questions, please contact the editor)

Jun 23, 2017

Andrew Jones-The Hearts At Large Foundation

Heart Transplant Recipient

Jun 30, 2017

Ben Savelkoul

The American Military Cemetery at Margraten: The Dutch People Remember & Honor American Sacrifice

Jul 07, 2017

Representative Derek Slap

State Legislature

Jul 14, 2017

Lisa Hatton

Interact

Jul 21, 2017

Susan Pribyson, Executive Director

Farms to Family, Gifts of Love

Jul 28, 2017

Sandy Bali

"The Healthcare Challenge - A Pharmacist's Perspective"

View entire list

President

Don Bonner

Immediate Past President

Gary Miller

Treasurer

Gary Hyde

Secretary

Michael Mezheritskiy

Sergeant-at-Arms

Heather Pantano

Rotary Foundation Chair

Joanne Santiago

Board Member-at-Large

Craig Buhrendorf

Board Member-at-Large

Robin DiNicola

Asst Treasurer

Paul Cioffari

Rotary Club of Avon-Canton - Founded 1973

Service above Self

We meet Fridays at 7:30 AM

Avon Old Farms Hotel

279 Avon Mountain Rd.
Avon, CT 06001
United States

District Site

Venue Map

April 28

Craig Buhrendorf

"Photos from Ecuador and the Galapagos”

Sergeant-at-Arms Report

April 21, 2017
Members	41
Make-Ups	1
Guests	Ronelle Cipolla and Amanda Conrad (FAVARH); Tim LeGeyt, Brenda Sullivan (Larry's wife who almost wasn't introduced supposedly due to baby brain.
Visiting Rotarians	Bill Neagus and Augusto Russel, both of the Farmington club and involved with FAVARH
Happy Dollars	$ 37.00
Fines	none
Raffle	$20.00 - Larry Sullivan

Birthdays

Actually we all got older but nobody was willing to admit it.

Happy Dollars

Hank Frey gave a Happy Dollar in honor of Steve Harris. Hank has sold Steve's mother's house.

Paul Mikkelson gave some Happy Dollars to announce a bike ride with Augusto Russel to Providence and the district conference. This is to raise funds for the FAVARH initiative. He hopes to cover the 115 miles in one day and to get donations from each club represented to support the initiative. He will also be collecting Happy Dollars for the effort. Bill Neagus gave a Happy Dollar in support.

Larry Haber was planning to go to Boston to babysit for grandchildren who are in school.

Dale Bronson's granddaughter Bella who is seven is now involved in baseball hit a line drive on her first at bat. Must be due to her personal coach. Then he told a joke about a man in a gorilla suit and a cop.

Craig Buhrendorf was sorry that Bill Barnes wasn't there to help remind the club of the greatest rivalry in sport being renewed this weekend. (Yankees at RedSox for the uninformed or the uninterested.)

Bob Cave was happy that his grandson has been accepted to four colleges. If he chooses UCONN, he may move in with Bob.

Nancy Nation gave thanks for all the thoughts and prayers for her recovery. She acknowledged that she and husband Craig are facing their greatest challenge. But when she can't find the strength to pray, she knows others are praying for them. Jolly Lux was happy to see Nancy (as were we all).

Phil Worley gave a Happy Dollar, which he said should be $20, because the Lonely Rotarian Society had its biggest meeting ever on April 14.

Announcements

Amber Alert will be held on the afternoon of April 29th at the Granby Y. There will also be a session at Roaring Brook on May 7 from 12:30 - 3:00 p.m. Please see Tom Voorhees to sign up. There is on the job training, so spouses and high schoolers can also help. Tom cannot do it alone.

There will be a meeting of the FAVARH Initiative committee after the club meeting on Friday, April 28

The Community Service Committee will meet on May 5.

Steve Harris announced that Celebrate Avon (fka Avon Day) will be held on September 23. Stay tuned for details.

The Golf Committee will meet on April 26 at 4:30 at the Avon Library. Members should have received an email outlined the decision to be made about the dinner location for the tournament. All members are welcome to come to the meeting and/or to be a member of the committee. (Speak to Larry Sullivan with ideas or concerns.)

Devra Sisitsky spoke about the Makerspace event on Friday, May 5, from 6:30 until 10:00 in the Colt Building in Hartford. There will be refreshments, music, and tours, as well as a silent auction.

May is End Polio Month. In honor of that there is a Rotary Family Night at the New Britain Bees on Saturday, May 13. See Gary Miller for details. Happy Dollars during May will go to the effort to end polio and will be matched by the club. The district hopes we contribute $30 per member.

Awards, Donations, etc.

None this week

Presentation

Fran & Lauren Traceski

FAVARH from a client's perspective

Steve Morris introduced our speakers to let us get a better understanding of the involvement of clients and their families. Lauren Traceski is a client of FAVARH and is a client advocate on FAVARH's board. Her dad Fran has also served on the board.

First we heard from Lauren:

She told us some of what she has done with FAVARH. FAVARH helps clients find jobs. Lauren works at Michael's putting up frames and displays to help the store. She said it was scary when she came out of the transition program, because this was a new learning experience for her. She talked about the apartments that some clients have and said she wants to be in one of these soon. FAVARH is planning to build 18 more apartments in Canton, which would be just right for her, since her parents live in Canton. FAVARH has all sorts of activities such as cooking, hiking, and bowling.

Lauren's special interest is in theater. She is involved in the production of Shrek the Musical, which will be presented in June There are 40 people involved in the production. It is challenging to learn the lines and the choreography. One benefit is that it helps participants to gain confidence. Most of them want to be active in the community in some way. The clients have different abilities, and the challenge is to play to their strengths.

Lauren has tried to help people. She testified at the state capitol about the new handicap symbol in the "Change the Sign" initiative. Governor Malloy came for the signing. Lauren thought that was awesome. she got a picture and a pen - didn't know there were so many pens. She tells us that her disability doesn't stop her from doing many things, including having a boyfriend who is involved in sport.

Lauren is truly impressive. "And now here's my dad."

Fran told us that when you reach out to FAVARH and its clients, you'll come away smiling. They do so much to make all people as valuable. They also help people to live as they want to live, which they want for all their clients. They are creative and forward thinking in their planning. They use smart tech in their apartments. They have many projects in the works of which Rotary is involved in only one. Fran encoured us to come see the love and support shown to the clients by the staff and shown by the clients to one another.

The Traceskis have been involved about eight years, since Lauren was 16. They are amazed at all the things she is able to do because of FAVARH. We were amazed just to hear her for a few minutes.

Special Announcements

Mail Bag

Photo Credits

Club meeting photographs courtesy of Phil Worley, unless otherwise indicated.

Editors Notes

Submission Deadline: Members are kindly encouraged to submit all materials for each week's Early Riser as quickly as possible. Please note that some editions may be published and distributed as early as the Saturday following our meetings, and during those weeks further contributions to the Early Riser will be included in the subsequent week's edition.