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Russell Hampton
National Awards Services Inc.
ClubRunner
Bulletin Editor
Larry Haber
Speakers
Mar 15, 2019
AFRICA EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP in Nigeria
Mar 22, 2019
Beanz, an inclusive coffee cafe'
Mar 29, 2019
KATERI MEDICAL SERVICES in Nigeria
Apr 05, 2019
Watkinson School-project with the Good Samaritan Hospital in La Romana Dominican Republic
Apr 12, 2019
Using Outdoors to Connect to Youth
Apr 19, 2019
View entire list
Executives & Directors
President
 
President Elect
 
Immediate Past President
 
Treasurer
 
Secretary
 
Sergeant-at-Arms
 
Foundation Chair
 
Membership
 
Board Member-at-Large
 
Board Member-at-Large
 
Asst Treasurer
 
Interact Chair
 
EarlyRiser Presentations
The Annotated Guide to Ending Polio
GLO Fall 2017 Mission Trip
Eastern Europe Trip to Vienna and Prague Presentation
Avon Village Center Project Presentation
Club Information
Rotary of Avon-Canton - Founded 1973
Avon-Canton
Service above Self
We meet Fridays at 7:30 AM
Avon Old Farms Hotel
279 Avon Mountain Rd.
Avon, CT  06001
United States of America
DistrictSiteIcon District Site
VenueMap Venue Map
Upcoming Meeting Speaker
Rachelle Harper
CAVE - Canton Youth Group
Sergeant-at-Arms Report
January 4, 2019
 
Members Present: 47
 
Make-Ups: None  
Guests:
Eric Bergenn (Rauf Majidian's guest)
Kristi Larson (Gary Roman’s guest)
Visiting Rotarians:
Happy Dollars: $68
Raffle Winner: Robin DeNicola
 
Birthdays


 
 
Bob Cave, for his birthday, gives a dollar for every year that he has been a Rotarian.  This year it is $46!.  Last week, Gary Hyde, talked about how great Rotary is and Bob indicated that rather than repeat what Gary said, he would just agree with everything.  He also spoke about how much benefit he has received from Rotary in terms of all of the folks in the club who help him with his business.  He also noted how much the club does for others locally and internationally.  He also wanted to thank the club's board of director's and officers for how hard they work. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                                                                                           Ed Queirolo has been a member for 10 or 11 years, has made a lot of friends and says thank you!.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Happy Dollars
 
 
Craig Buhrendorf gave a match wardrobe dollar as he and Ike Eickenhorst showed up this morning wearing the same shirt.
 
Hank Frey wanted to thank everybody because this was the most successful year ever for ringing the bell for the Salvation Army with over $11,000 raised.  
 
Jim Gordon wanted to say thanks on behalf of the Salvation Army for our generosity in the kettles and in the WTIC Holiday Store.  The Army raised over $233,000 this holiday season.
 
Alicia Canning was pleased to report that her daughter Sarah's treatments seem to be working as she went for an ultrasound the other day and her tumors are shrinking.
 
Richard Heath reported that he has just gotten back from Florida.  His wife, Christine, is recovering nicely from the surgery that she had on December 13.  She had the stitches out last Friday and now has a hard cast on.  Everyone is calling her "scooter" now as she zips around the house.  She is mending.  (Editors Note:  I am sure she would appreciated some get well wishes from her fellow Rotarians.  She can be reached at Chris Heath, 271 Front Door Lane, St. Augustine, FL, 32095)
 
Eleni Degraw has been participating with the Farmington Valley American Muslim Center which does a meal packing event every Martin Luther King Day Weekend.  So she is inviting the Rotarians to come on Saturday the 19, between 9 - 10 AM  They could use about 5 to 10 volunteers.  The food stays in our community.  Last year our club gave an $800 donation to support this effort.  
 
Announcements
 
Steve Morris reported on the progress of the Avon-Canton Rotary Building which is coming along nicely.  They have started on the interior work with the wall and electrical work going in.  Thanks to Collinsville Savings Society the new energy efficient windows will be coming in.  He also announced that the campus will be expanding as they have just been notified of a government grant, which will allow them to build another building which will be accessible for recreation and a day program. 
 
Calendar of Upcoming Events
 
Tastes of the Valley CommitteeTuesday, January 15, at 5 pm at Dish & Dat in Canton. Anyone interested in participating in planning for the March 30 event is welcome to attend.
 
Rotary Pub Night, Wednesday January 16 at Season's in the Avon Old Farm Hotel from 4 - 6 PM.
 
Taste of the Valley will be held Saturday, March 30 at 6 PM.  More information to come, but we will need some new restaurants as several of our past contributors are no longer in business. 
 
Induction of New Members
 
None this week.
 
 

 
Awards and Community/International Service Grants
 
 
 
Kristi Larson accepted a check for $800 on behalf of the CdLS Foundation (Cornelia de Lange Syndrome).  They will use the money towards a newsletter to serve the Spanish speaking community.  CdLS is a genetic disorder affecting 1 in 10,000 births and this locally based foundation is the only one in the country serving this population.

 
Presentation
Kevin Farmer and Cynthia Vee
 
ITNCentralCT
 
  Kevin is Executive Director of ITNCentralCT for 4 years. Prior to that he practiced environmental engineering for 34 years.    
 
 Cynthia Yee is an ordained minister who is being served by ITNCenteralCT by transporting her to homebound congregants.  She shared with us how important ITNCentralCT was to her when in allowing her to keep her ministry going when her eyesight became too poor to drive.
 
ITNCentral CT is a 501(c)3 not for profit transportation network serving seniors (60 and over) and visually challenged adults (18 and over) by providing friendly, affordable rides, any time, for any reason. Their services allow transportation­ limited folks the freedom and mobility of those able to drive readily. The group offers peace of mind for riders' families.  Rides are provided by volunteers using their own automobiles. The organization provides a $1 million liability insurance policy backing up the driver's policies. ITNCentralCT provides services for the residents of 15 central CT towns, including Avon. We have both riders and drivers in Avon.  The organization has been serving central CT since April 2009. They are looking forward to celebrating their tenth anniversary this coming April. They have been supported by over 100 individuals, businesses, foundations, and community groups. This support is vital, as it allows us to provide rides to individuals at affordable rates that are below market value, while also paying for the infrastructure needed.  Past funders include the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving and the Rotary Club of West Hartford.  ITN Centra/CT is part of a national organization, ITNAmerica which provides marketing and infrastructure support.
 
According to Kevin, What do you do when it's time for mom or dad to cut back on driving or stop driving altogether? Similarly, what do you do when a daughter or son or friend or other loved one with visual challenges needs to get around? It's a question many of us have faced, are facing, or will face, at some point. There are various transportation options available. Each has limitations, or serves limited populations. We at ITN Central CT offer an option that is friendly, flexible, helpful, and affordable. Our mission is to build a community-based transportation network serving seniors and adults with visual challenges, thereby preserving and promoting independence, and safety. We provide friendly, affordable rides, any time, for any reason. We are helpful, providing literal door-to-door service. Our drivers, if requested, will accompany riders to waiting rooms. We serve our riders as a son or daughter or friend would. As importantly, we serve families and friends of riders, by providing peace of mind that their loved one is being treated appropriately. We are part of a web of solutions allowing seniors to age in place.
 
ITNCentralCT has been on a journey to sustainability. We have more than doubled our group of volunteer drivers. We now have two dozen drivers. We had six board members in 2014. We now have nine board members, representing five communities. Our ride volume continues to increase. We had our largest ride volume ever in 2018, with 2,134 rides. In FY16, which ended June 30, 2016, we had an operating deficit of about $9,000, and in FY17, we had an operating deficit of $2,000. For FY18, we had an operating surplus of over $10,000. We are working to build our reserve funds, so we can continue to serve the community in the years ahead.   
 
How have we reached this point? As FY15 started, we had six individual donors, our board members, and a recent infusion from two foundations. Over the past several years, we have worked to expand our donor base. We now have financial support from over a hundred sources, representing more than a ten-fold increase in financial supporters. To be sustainable, we must retain existing supporters and continue to expand our donor base. With the support of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, we developed a Strategic Plan in 2016, which we are currently implementing. We continue to partner with the Hartford Foundation, and seek to expand our capacity, in part with their assistance. We have grown and become more sustainable without raising our rates. In fact, we reduced rates by eliminating previous higher rates for nighttime driving and rates for waiting. Our rates are simple, each rider pays an annual membership fee of $40 for an individual, and $65 for a family, plus we grant a $5 credit on each rider's birthday. There is a $3 pickup fee for each ride, and we charge $1.50 a mile. There is no tipping and no cash is exchanged in automobiles. We bill monthly through the US Mail. Our rates are about half of commercial rates. We offer free rides in three situations. First, with the generous support of pharmaceutical manufacturer Regeneron, we provide members free rides for eye-care appointments. Second, with the generous support of the Rotary Club of West Hartford, we provide free rides for low-income residents of West Hartford. Third, members of Mandell JCC in West Hartford are provided rides to and from JCC events, with funding provided by a JCC supporter. Our lifeblood is our friendly, helpful group of volunteer drivers. It's a great and rewarding gig. Please consider joining us as individuals or refer others who might be available and interested. 
 
 

 
Mail Bag
 
The club received a note from Sean Blacker thanking us for our Christmas gift.
 
Photo Credits 
Photographs courtesy of Phil Worley, unless otherwise indicated.
 
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?