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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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October 25, 2024

Club Day
Note: We will meet at FAVARH
 
Sergeant-at-Arms Report 
        
 
Still waiting for that baby!
 
Rotarians Present: 29 (including Robin DiNicola on Zoom)
 
Visiting Rotarians: None
 
Guests: Rachel Gnatowski with dancers (Speaker); Peter Sevino (Potential Member
Happy Dollars: $73 (for hurricane relief)
Raffle Winner:  Ike Eickenhorst
 
Fines: None
 
Birthdays:  None Today
 
 
Happy Dollars - Supporting Hurricane Helene Relief
 
Lauren Gardner was happy to be at the meeting, although she’s ready for the baby to arrive.
Wondered if she should pay for a guest. She had a scare with vision changes, but all is good.
 
Bill Barnes was happy to see the super moon the night before the meeting. He also encouraged members to attend the next concert of the Farmington Valley Symphony on November 2 and 3:00 p.m. at the University of St. Joseph. Three short silent pictures will be accompanied by new music, which should be interesting.
 
Phil Ferrari gave a donation for hurricane relief.
 
Peter Vignati was happy to get his season tickets for UCONN basketball – men and women!
 
Gary Miller admitted that his procrastination led to no Early Riser last week. He considered his happy dollars to be a fine.
 
Tom Voorhees was sad about the death of past district governor Frank Wargo (uncle of Heather Pantano). He was the most Rotarian person Tom knew. He was especially involved with Polio Plus. Tom also reported that wife Mary Ellen fell down stairs when she tripped over the dog. She is doing fine, but she looks like she’s wearing a Halloween mask.
 
Salin Low was happy about helping with the club’s monthly service Loaves & Fishes – lunch served at Immanuel Congregational Church in Hartford. We have a good crew, and there is always room for more help. Speak to Bob Cave if you are interested.
 
Sue Budde was happy to be on a cruise with husband Bill. They will return to Rotary on November 8. She was also happy to announce that the 2024 Golf Tournament netted $61,600, only $1,400 less than 2023. Fewer golfers, but also lower expenses.
 
Announcements & Upcoming Events
 
Annual  Foundation Recognition Brunch on November 3 at Noon at the Delmar Hotel in West Hartford. Click on the link below to register:  
https://www.crsadmin.com/EventPortal/Registrations/PublicFill/EventPublicFill.aspx?evtid=16427b9a-2524-4f23-bb82-269ed3d8990b See Joanne Santiago for additional information. She also announced that the Foundation Committee is receiving names of community individuals (must live or work in either Avon or Canton) who are good candidates to receive a Paul Harris award. The presentation will be in March. Club members who are receiving a Paul Harris award will be recognized at the President's Dinner.
 
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 need 10 volunteers to cover this. Contact Peter.
 
President Debbie reminded members to put plastic bottles and aluminum foil in a separate bin. She will recycle these items.
 
Induction of New Members
None this week.
Awards
None this week.
Community and International Service Grants
None this week.
 
 
 
 
Speaker
Rachel Gnatowski
New England Ballet Theater
 
 
Originally from Frederick, Maryland, Rachael Gnatowski began her dance training under the direction of Joyce Morrison at the Frederick School of Classical Ballet. She furthered her dance training attending summer intensives at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, North Carolina School for the Arts, Kansas City Ballet School, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Rachael graduated from Mercyhurst University with a BA in Dance, and has danced professionally with Ballet Fleming, Fort Wayne Ballet, and Ballet Hartford. Additionally, she has performed as a guest artist with Albany Berkshire Ballet, Deos Contemporary Ballet, Three Rivers Dance, Lake Erie Ballet, and Blacksburg Ballet. In January 2020, Rachael co-founded New England Ballet Theatre where she serves as Artistic & Executive Director. Rachael is committed to making ballet accessible and welcoming to new audience members. Over the past four years, the New England Ballet Theatre team has produced seven original full-length
ballets, commissioned six new works by renowned and emerging choreographers, and reached hundreds of patrons across New England
 
Rachel, the executive director of New England Ballet Theatre, introduces the company and provides an overview of its three main areas of focus: professional performances, a school/training program, and community engagement initiatives. She highlights the company's mission to provide high-quality dance performances, inspire through educational programs, and cultivate an appreciation for dance in the community.
 
Rachel outlines the company's 5th anniversary season, which includes 5 major productions: the world premiere of "The Long Black Veil", the holiday ballet "The Fantastic Toy Shop", a student choreography showcase, an "Emerging Works" program featuring new choreography, and the classical ballet "La Sylphide". She also discusses the company's plans to incorporate live music, quilts, and other unique elements into the productions.
 
Rachel extends an invitation to the Rotary club members to attend the invited dress rehearsal for "The Long Black Veil" production on Saturday at 5pm, noting that it will feature live music and other special elements.
 
Rachel discusses the company's relationship with the nearby Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, noting that one of their dancers is a graduate of Nutmeg. She also mentions collaborations with other local organizations like the Greater Hartford Quilt Guild and the Miracle League for an adaptive dance program called "Everybody Dance Now".
 
The meeting concludes with a brief Q&A session, where Rachel answers questions about the company's use of in-house versus outsourced costume design, as well as the challenges of recruiting and retaining male dancers. She also mentions plans to potentially start a dance program for athletes in the future.
 

Special Announcements

None this week.
 
Mail Bag Ann Clark read a thank you note from Lauren Gardner and husband Justin Lipe. They appreciated the shower and the generous gift and have used it to buy a stroller and a bassinet. The stroller will allow them to take a walk with the baby and their dog.
 
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.
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