September 1, 2023No Meeting on Friday
Join us at Lasalle Market & Deli
for the Lonely Rotarians Society at 7:30 AMMeeting will be held at FAVARThe meeting will be held both in person and via Zoom.
Watch for an email from the Club for Zoom access and
please note we use a recurring ID for your convenience.
Sergeant-at-Arms Report -
Rotarians Present: 27 in-person
Visiting Rotarians: None
Guests: Catherine Pellino (Prospective Member)
Happy Dollars: $26
Raffle Winner: No Winner
Birthdays: Heather Pantano - Aug 30 - Not present
Happy Dollars
Joanne Santiago reported that Joelle received her capstone for her Masters program. She has 2 more weeks before she graduates.
Gary Miller was enjoying his new EV car which he picked up on Saturday. The decision to go totally electric was a great choice for his local driving to/from Rotary and golf.
Yvonne Gardner is very excited for her daughter's wedding next Saturday at J. Timothy. Buffalo wings for everyone!
Phil Ferrari was happy to have his son and his fiancee visiting from California for a week.
Jolly Lux recently returned from three weeks in Uganda. She was pleased with the greenhouse project and has hooked up with a group that will buy and distribute the produce that they grow.
Bill Barnes was happy to be sitting next to Jolly Lux and Dick Kisiel. He also commented on the number of times Bob Cave has been quoted on the steeple project in West Hartford.
Bob Cave had a dollar for his fine. He said it took three attempts before he had the courage to climb all the way to the top of the steeple. He plans to do a presentation on the project at a future meeting.
President Luke Violette had $10 happy dollars. His wife took a new job and Luke assumes he'll be able to retire early now. Luke was also happy that his sister graduated with a Master's Degree recently. They are looking forward to celebrating his father's 70th birthday next week. Luke put a bid on some investment property in West Hartford but were outbid. He was thinking the higher bidder might be Bob Cave for another "flip" property. Luke received a phone call on Sunday, August 20th, from a Rotarian in India wishing him a Happy Anniversary on our club's 50th.
Sue Budde had an update on Bill's bone scan which was clear. He has an MRI today. Bill's son, Ryan, is coming to visit for a week to be with his Dad.
Announcements
Gary Miller reported that the club will be volunteering to help at the Veterans Basecamp again. He is hoping to start the Tuesday after the golf tournament on Tuesday and Wednesday, the 12th and 13th. Some additional work my be needed on Thursday. Anyone that would like to participate on any of the three days should contact Gary for more details and if you can help.
Larry Sullivan reminded everyone that the Annual Golf Tournament is only a couple of weeks away. We still need a few members to donate $100 toward the Air Cannon sponsorship.
Calendar
September 8, 2023 - FAVARH Gala at Simsbury Meadows.
September 9, 2023 - Habitat for Humanity Build (Contact President Luke if you can help)
September 11, 2023 - Annual Charity Golf Tournament (Non golfers can purchase dinner tickets online to join the fun.)
September 12-13 (14?) - Work crew at Veterans Base Camp - Finish the deck and other jobs (painting, staining, etc.)
October 19, 2023 - Club's 50th Anniversary Dinner
Induction of New Members
None this week.
Awards
None this week
Community and International Service Grants
None this week
Meet Our New Member - Loren Clarke
It was our privilege recently to welcome Loren Clarke as a new member of the Rotary Club of Avon-Canton. After being introduced to the club earlier in the year, she attended several meetings as an enthusiastic visitor before being received into full membership on June 16.
Loren is the Branch Manager of Northwest Bank in Avon, on Simsbury Road, Route 10. During her first year as manager, the Avon Branch won the Best Large Business award from the Chamber of Commerce.
Born in Brooklyn, NY, she lived in Massapequa NY (Long Island) and then in Avon from the age of 7. She graduated from Avon High School in '92 and currently resides in Simsbury with her 9-year-old son, Tyler (TJ) and husband, Matthew. "We have been married for 20 years," says Loren. "Matthew and I met when I was 11 years old at Simsbury Lanes, where we had a group of friends that has stayed together ever since, 6 marriages and 8 kids later. I have a wonderful, smart son that has CP but is a determined fighter and surprises us every day. We were told that we couldn’t have children and then 10 years later discovered that sometimes God has other plans."
Loren has earned two 2 Bachelor of Science Degrees, one in Business Marketing and the other in Merchandising. She also spent a semester in London and traveled all over Europe. She started her career in the fashion world as a buyer and was lucky enough to visit sites throughout Asia. "Unfortunately," says Loren, "I had to make a choice of what I wanted to do when Weathervane and Filenes closed. I spent some time in Real Estate, and then I decided to go into the Banking world. I am happy I did. As a banker I discovered that I can help people with one of the most important needs in someone's life, the assets they have spent a lifetime working for."
Loren is happy to have become a Rotarian because, she says, "I really enjoy and I am honored to help others."
We are delighted to have her as an enthusiastic fellow Rotarian.
Joanne Santiago called Michael Sherber up to receive a Paul Harris Fellow as the introduction to the today's presentation on the Rotary The Rotary Foundation.
Michael Sherber currently works for Wellair as their Vice President of Engineering. Wellair manufactures electronic air cleaners for commercial and residential applications. He has lived in Avon since 1992. He was born in New York City. He has two
younger sisters. He grew up in Edison, NJ a few miles from where Joanne Santiago grew up. He attended arid graduated from the same college, Princeton University, as those two famous Rotarians Paul Harris and Tom Voorhees. He later earned an MS in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech. Following Georgia Tech, he attended Columbia University Business School
and graduated with an MBA. While at Columbia he met his first wife, Stephanie on the NY subway. Upon graduating Columbia, he was hired by United Technologies Corporation into their management rotation program which brought him up to the Hartford area.
He first joined the Avon-Canton Rotary Club in 1998 and has been a member since then with three brief breaks for out-of-town jobs. He enjoys Rotary and was club president in 2011-12. That same year he was also president of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Most recently he was also president of the Stamford, CT Rotary Club on one of those out of town breaks. He is very active in ASHRAE at the national level and has chaired four national technical committees. He has received the ASHRAE Distinguished Service Award. He is a licensed mechanical professional engineer in 12 states and a LEED Accredited Professional. Following the passing of his first wife he met the woman who would later become his second wife, Angelica. Together they started the Dominican Republic Green Building Council which has taught sustainable building practices to about 100 building professionals (architects, engineers, contractors and building owners) in the Dominican Republic.
Joanne Santiago, our Foundation Chair, spoke about the award. The Paul Harris Fellowship is named for Paul Harris who founded Rotary with business associates in Chicago in 1905. The Fellowship was established in 1957 to express appreciation for a contribution of $1000 to the humanitarian and educational programs of the Rotary Foundation. Those programs include an array of projects that save and invigorate the lives of people around the world and enhance international friendship and understanding. Foundation programs provide educational opportunities--food, potable water, health care, immunization, and shelter for millions of people around the world. These activities are funded, implemented and managed by Rotarians and Rotary clubs around the globe. Rotarians also designate a Paul Harris Fellow to recognize another person whose life demonstrates a shared purpose with the objectives and mission of the Rotary Foundation to build world understanding and peace.
We move closer to a more peaceful world today as, Mike Sherber becomes a Paul Harris Fellow today. Therefore, it gives me great pleasure to present to you on behalf of the Trustees of the Rotary Foundation and our club members these three emblems of a Paul Harris Fellow: the certificate, a lapel pin, and a medallion.
For those who are newer to Rotary, a PHF is presented by self-funded donations that reach $1000, or donations that reach this amount made in your name as we do at our end of year installation, or having recognition points transferred from one member or our club to another that equal 1000 points. You can make your contribution by giving me a check made out to Rotary International and I will forward it for you, mail it in, or the easiest is to set it up online using TRF Direct. The suggested donation has been $100 per year. This amount has been the same for the time I have been a Rotarian the last 33 years! You can contribute monthly, quarterly, or annually. So, for example, if you want to contribute $25 every few months, you can set that up! To do this online set up your account by going to MyRotary.org. Set up an account if you don't already have one. Login to your account or click on the DONATE button.
Joanne mentioned that recognition points can be transferred. This is what we do for our community members that we honor. This year, the foundation committee will be choosing members who are not Rotarians. They must live or work in Avon or Canton. We are ready to take nominations now. Please send me information of whom you think is a good candidate. Please do not just give me their name, but give me their name, contact information, and why you think they deserve this recognition. Please keep this information private . When the committee decides, we will invite those chosen to be given a PHF from our Rotary to a meeting and present the award. It does two things, it gives them a chance to be presented to the membership and also allows them to understand who we are as civic organization. Who knows maybe they will become members! Please remember they must work in Avon or Canton.So, where do we stand as members in this? Our club had 39 members that have received a PHF. Of this we have8 Major Donors. However, we only have 6 that are using Rotary Direct to make auto-payments.
Joanne reminded everyone that the Foundation Brunch at the Artisan Restaurant in Blue Back Square will be on November 5th this year. In the past we have had two tables and have had members receiving awards at the event.
Special Announcements
None this week.
Mail Bag
None this week.
Photo Credits
Mike Mezheritskiy
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?
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