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Bulletin Editor
Salin Low
Speakers
Jan 24, 2025
“The Effects of Apartment Construction in Canton”
Jan 31, 2025
Feb 07, 2025
CHOKAICO, Riverdale Farms, AVON
Feb 14, 2025
Feb 21, 2025
Habitat for Humanity
Feb 28, 2025
View entire list
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Membership
 
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Board Member-at-Large
 
Interact Chair
 
Club Information
Rotary of Avon-Canton - Founded 1973
Avon-Canton
Service above Self
Fridays at 7:30 a.m.
Golf Club of Avon
160 Country Club Road
Avon, CT 06001
United States of America
Fax:
(860) 760-6364
All meetings are hybrid both in-person and Zoom available
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November 15, 2024

Philippines - My Journey
How we can help
Cheri Morris
 
Sergeant-at-Arms Report   
 
Special Invocation
 
 
Gary Miller shared a personal story about growing up with a military father and the significance of Veterans Day. He reflected on wearing a POW bracelet to honor a pilot who was shot down during the Vietnam War (and survived) and recited a Veterans Day prayer to honor all who have served.
Rotarians Present: 31 (including Robin DiNicola on Zoom)
 
Visiting Rotarians: DG Vin Marinaro (Speaker); ADG Dave Tedeschi; Jennifer Diederich (Potential Transfer from Farmington)
 
Guests: Ingrid Koerner (potential member)
Happy Dollars: $75
Raffle Winner:  Brian O'Donnell ($40
 
Birthdays:  None Today
 
 
Happy Dollars
 
Joanne Santiago was happy about the members who attended the Foundation Brunch
 
Yvonne Gardner is happy to be a grandmother to Lauren’s baby Camille. Mother and baby are doing well and appreciated all the messages. She thanked Johnny Guillot for fixing a door at Focus – no charge! And Chris Lamadrid welcomes Yvonne to the grandmother’s club.
 
Jennifer Dieterich was thankful for the veterans including her father, her brother, and others in her family. She recently made a presentation in Hawaii to a dental group.
 
Cal Miller-Stevens thanked Rotary for donations to their company’s turkey drive and thanked the veterans for their service.
 
Dave Tedeschi was happy to be with our club again and was happy to see members at the Foundation Brunch. He congratulated Joanne Santiago for her new office as District Foundation Chair. He also thanked the veterans for their service.
 
Gary Miller was wearing a sweatshirt honoring Quilts of Valor. He and wife Debby have now made 700 quilts for that organization.
 
President Debbie Stanwood remembered her father and son who were veterans. She was just happy to be at the meeting.
 
DG Vin Marinaro remembered the 1970 draft lottery. His number was 366 – supposedly the last to be drafted – but he still had to serve. Phil Ferrari’s number was 165, and he went into the reserves.
 
Tom Voorhees appreciated the meal than Cal Miller-Stevens had prepared for the veterans. He was not happy that wife Maryellen had Covid.
 
Ann Clark was happy to be alive after four weeks of hell – new extended voting hours. She will be retiring at the end of December. She read a thank you note from Cal.
 
Sue Budde was happy to be back from a wonderful cruise. However, husband Bill was having trouble with his blood chemistry and was in Hartford Hospital. We all hope he is back home by now.
 
Announcements & Upcoming Events
 
Peter Vignati is organizing our club's participation in the Turkey Trot - collecting food and money for Food Share. This year's event will be on November 20 at the ShopRite in Canton. We will be responsible for one door, and the Lions will cover the other door. We we have 10 volunteers covering this. Come by and donate a turkey, canned goods, or some money, all of which will go to FoodShare.
 
Cherie Morris reminded us of the FAVARH party that we’re hosting with the Simsbury-Granby club on December 10 at 4-8. She still needs help with secret Santa gifts and has a list.  If members sign up to bring a gift, please gift wrap it with a tag indicating recipient’s name and residence.
Speaker
District Governor Vin Marinaro
District Priorities
 
District Governor Vin Marino had a long drive from Pittsfield, MA to get to Avon by 7:30. We're glad he was willing to make the effort. He also attended our 50th anniversary dinner last year and helped on our recent Habitat for Humanity Day. That's terrific support.
 
Vin began his presentation by encouraging our stories. Several stories reminded us of past members such as Hank Frey, Nancy Nation, Phil Worley, and Ted Cowles. They set great examples of service for us. There were also examples for today: working on the Habitat for Humanity project; the club's resilience when Covid hit; supporting one another.
 
Vin discussed the importance of membership growth and retention. He outlined a "Net2" goal where clubs aim to increase membership by 2 each year and encouraged members to share their Rotary stories to attract new members through enthusiasm and passion.
 
Vin highlighted the impact of the Rotary Foundation, which supports initiatives in areas like maternal and child health, polio eradication, clean water, education, and economic development. He encouraged members to consider donating to the Foundation to further its global humanitarian work.
 
Vin discussed Rotary's youth programs, including RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards), Interact, and Youth Exchange. He shared inspiring stories from these programs and emphasized the importance of empowering and engaging youth as partners in service.
 
Vin spoke about the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in Rotary, describing it as the "four-way test on steroids." He shared personal experiences that highlighted the value of welcoming all and ensuring accessibility for members.
 
In closing, Vin summarized the key focus areas he discussed - membership growth, the Rotary Foundation, youth programs, and diversity/inclusion - and encouraged the club to embrace these priorities with enthusiasm and a commitment to service.
 
 
 
Photo Credits
Photos by Scott Nardozzi
 
Technology Credits
Zoom platform management expertise by Mike Mezheritskiy.
 
Editor's Notes
Submission Deadline: Members are kindly encouraged to submit all materials for each week's Early Riser as early 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.
“The FOUR-WAY TEST of the things we think, say or do”:

1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all Concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?