Peter Vignati and his wife Susanne recently returned from a trip to the Lake Champlain area, where they enjoyed magnificent views of both the Adirondack mountains of New York and the Green mountains of Vermont, as well as the Island Line Trail. Today Peter & Susanne leave for a road trip to Falling Water, a famous Frank Lloyd Wright home on a waterfront near Pittburgh, PA which Susanne has long wanted to see. On their way home they plan to visit Longwood Gardens, a famous garden and fountain landscape also in Pennsylvania.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Larry Sullivan reported that with just two weeks to go as of this coming Monday, we have exceeded last year's number of golfers, and thanked Steve Morris for an additional foursome he had signed up just today. As we go to press we have 166 golfers signed up while in 2016 just 127 golfers played.

 

[Educator Kim Daly with Rotarian and past president Tom Voorhees]

 

Kim Daly, an educator from Hartford, was on hand to accept a donation of 24 Kindle Fire tablet computers from the Club. Thanking Tom and the Club, Kim said: "Thank you so much. For the entire 24 years of my teaching career, the Rotary Club of Avon-Canton has been with me on my journey. The work you support is truly inspiring and truly makes a difference. I thank you also for your assistance with our classroom library. Thank you."

 

 

 

[Rotarian & club president Don Bonner, Yvonne Gardner, Lauren Gardner and Rotarian Gary Roman.]

 

Rotarian Gary Roman introduced Yvonne and Lauren Gardner, who together operate the Fresh Start School and its unique Special Education program, which was recently certified by the Connecticut Department of Education. The school and program serves students between the ages of 11 and 18-years-old who are on the autism spectrum. While despite their autism many of their students are high functioning, many also struggle in a regular school environment, come from low income families and have no access to the internet at home. A $3000.00 donation to the Fresh Start School was presented to Yvonne and Lauren and the funds will be used to purchase iPads for the student's use.

 

 

 

[Rotarian & club president Don Bonner, Jay Kaplan, Katelyn Strysek and Rotarian Peter Vignati.]

 

Rotarian Peter Vignati introduced Jay Kaplan and Katelyn Strysek of the Roaring Brook Nature Center in Canton, and presented them with a $1200.00 donation towards the ongoing Roaring Brook Nature Center rebuilding project. In accepting the gift, Nature Center director Jay Kaplan recounted the "longstanding relationship Roaring Brook Nature Center has had with Rotary", noting a 2011 construction project ably assisted by late Rotarian John Horsey and our own Ted Cowles. In continuing, Mr. Kaplan said: "Your donation is necessary and timely and will facilitate our programming. Thank you for your ongoing support." Ms. Strysek added: "Your donation will also assist us in building our new "clinic"  which will allow the public to view the treatments and rehabilitation procedures we perform daily. This clinic will include an intensive care chamber and a nebulizer."  Continuing she said: "If the animals could smile, they would smile at you today."

 

[Sign posted at Roaring Brook Nature Center after the 2011 improvements funded in part by Rotary.]

 

 

 

 

 

Diana Goode of Foodshare was introduced by Steve Morris, and opened her presentation with a short film portraying Foodshare's work.  The summary message of the film was this: "Hunger is big. We believe the Foodshare community is bigger."

 

Foodshare, a food bank,  has been in existence for 35 years and today provides 11.5 million meals per year to needy people in the greater Hartford area. In 2016, over 14 million pounds of food were distributed to people in Hartford and Tolland counties through 296 partner agencies that work directly with Foodshare. Gifts of Love, one such local agency, was also Ms. Goode's previous employer.

 

The national effort too feed the hungry is overseen by "Feeding America" which supports over 200 associated food banks across the country. In turn these food banks support local "food pantries" which may provide the food to those in need directly. Foodshare serves as the food bank for the greater Hartford area. Organizations supported by Foodshare include FAVARH, Avon Social Services & Canton Social Services, as well as Gifts of Love.

 

In addition there is "mobile food share" which distributes perishable food directly from food donor to recipient. In our area, 4.2 million pounds of perishable food is distributed at 71 sites twice monthly. This direct distrubution mechanism allows timely distribution of perishable food, avoiding spoilage and the loss of this valuable resource.

 

Remarkably, 4700 volunteers donated 44,068 hours in 2016, which is equal to 22 full time equivalent employees! 137 volunteers a day are working with us at our warehouse in Bloomfield, sorting and checking the food. We also staff space at the Regional Market, in two shifts Monday through Saturday. Our "Retail Pickup Volunteers" go to stores and pickup donated food and deliver it to partner organizations.

 

 

 

There is also a "Retail Pickup Program" organized in collaboration with local grocers, including our own Chuck Joseph, in which meats close to their sell-by date

are flash frozen before being picked up by Foodshare volunteers for distribution at local food pantries.

 

In Hartford & Tolland counties, 127,000 (1 in 8) people  are "food insecure", including 36,000 children! 40% of these people are just over the maximum income level necessary for them to qualify for federal food support programs and therefore they rely on Foodshare. Recipients can sign up on the Foodshare website but ultimately their eligibility is determined according to the individual food pantries' needs determination. In the Farmington Valley during 2016, Gifts of Love distributed 160,000 pounds of food, 110,000 pounds of which originated with Foodshare. There are other agencies also doing similar work locally.  Foodshare is primarily supported by private donations.

 

 

"Foodshare is committed to our community - providing food for today and hope for tomorrow - until every person has access to the food they need to live a happy, healthy life."

"Success will be measured as fewer needing our help", said Ms. Goode.

 

 

 

President Don Bonner introduced Bob Cave, who shared the details of a letter he received from Hank Frey, who has been in and out of the hospital for an illness that included pneumonia. Hank is under strict doctor's orders to stay away from crowds and groups, and especially from this crowd, for two full weeks! (And in the words of the late Dean Martin during a roast of Don Rickles: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdPcjIrSvcs] "Oh, he's a lucky guy! " )

A card expressing our best wishes to Hank was passed around for all to sign!