Early Riser Newsletter (Feb. 09, 2024)

Presentation

Community Paul Harris Awards

Joanne Santiago, Rotary Foundation Chair

Foundation chair Joanne Santiago introduced the history of the Paul Harris Fellowship, which is named for the founder of Rotary who first gathered with three business associates in Chicago in 1905. The Fellowship was established in 1957 to express appreciation for a contribution of $1,000 to the humanitarian and educational programs of the Rotary Foundation. There is a way to honor individuals as Paul Harris Fellows by transferring points that our club has accumulated through its donations to the Rotary Foundation. Donors can thus honor others whose lives demonstrate a shared purpose with the objectives and mission of the Rotary Foundation to build world understanding and peace, as we are doing today.

Programs of the Rotary Foundation provide educational opportunities, food, potable water, health car, 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.

The introductions of the recipients help to make it clear how each honoree's life exemplifies Rotary's motto of Service above Self.

Sue Budde introducted her husband Bill:

I am so thrilled to be introducing the morning’s first community Paul Harris Fellowship recipient, my husband, Bill Budde.

Bill was born in Chicago and raised in Tennessee & Florida before returning to Chicago in his late teens. He attended Northwestern University, triple-majoring in Political Science, Geography and Urban Studies, and graduating with honors. After graduation, Bill took a job with Zurich Insurance in their actuarial department. He subsequently came to CT in 1995 to work for USF&G Insurance as their CIO.

Once in CT, Bill became involved at our church - West Avon Congregational - here in Avon. Over the past 28 Years, he has been a Sunday school teacher & has chaired both the personnel & long-range planning committees. He has been assistant moderator, and has served as moderator twice, the first time in 2007/2008 and again in 2018/2019. It was during his tenure as moderator in 2008 that West Avon Congregational Church committed to declaring itself “Open & Affirming”, something Bill is very proud to have facilitated. Currently Bill is chair of the finance committee, overseeing all financial functions at the church. He also volunteered for & was named to the board of directors at Interval House from 2004 – 2006, following a family tragedy.

Bill is probably the smartest person I know. I have yet to find a topic that he doesn’t have knowledge of. I often tease him about being a font of useless information, but he is a great partner to have in a trivia contest or at a cocktail party. He can literally talk to anyone about anything! In fact, just a few months ago, when our club had a guest speaker back out at the last minute, he put together a presentation on AI in under an hour and presented it to us the next morning.

Bill is also the kindest & most generous person I know, always willing to give his time and talent to help others. He has mastered the ideal of “Happy Wife, Happy Life”. No matter what cockamamie plan I come up with, he can be counted on to smile benevolently, say “If it makes you happy, sweetie”, and then jump in with both feet. For example, in 2014, I got involved with a group of friends who decided to start a dog rescue. Bill jumped in immediately with tech support, helping us find appropriate software & securing a domain name and Dog Star Rescue was born!

Last year, my latest cockamamie plan involved my becoming a board member of this club. As many of you know, it’s a 5-year commitment of time & energy and really involves the buy-in of your significant other. We talked about it and yes, cue the benevolent smile and the “If it makes you happy, sweetie”, and here we are. In fact, throughout my nearly 12 years with this club he has been supportive through countless committee meetings, golf tournaments, silent auctions, fundraisers, service projects, and more. Even just this morning, he was a little late arriving because the job of dropping off our puppy, Willow, at daycare has now fallen to him since I need to be here before the daycare opens.

Bill and I have been married for 21 years and have 2 children, Jessica, 34 & Ryan, 31, and 2 grandchildren, Noah, 4 & Benjamin,2. Bill has recently retired from CGI as Sector Vice President of Insurance and while facing medical challenges, he continues to volunteer, stay active and be as supportive as he can to our church, this club and me.

Ladies & Gentlemen, please help me congratulate Community Paul Harris Fellow recipient & the love of my life, Bill Budde!

Peter Vignati introduced Jean Frey:

It is my pleasure to introduce Jean Frey as a Paul Harris Fellow this morning. As you know Jean, our Club contributes $1000 to the Rotary Foundation on your behalf as we recognize your outstanding service and commitment in our community.

Just a little detail on Jean:

She was born in a little town called “Kinderhook” NY, pretty close to Albany and about half the population of her current residence of Avon. Kinderhook is most noteworthy for its native son, Martin Van Buren, the 8^th President of the United States. Jean lived here until about age 12 when her family moved to Manchester, CT as her Father took a job with Pratt & Whitney. She later met her husband to be, Hank Frey, and they purchased a home together and established their family in Avon where she has resided ever since. She has 2 boys, Greg and David who are both with us this morning.

Jean’s service work can be split into 3 different areas:

1)Work, 2)School/community, and 3)Church.

As many of you know, Jean worked at the Avon Town Hall for over 25 years. Her work involved the Health Dept, the Social Services Dept, and the Inland Wetlands Commission. It was through these work experiences that she really got to know the people of Avon and their needs. Especially through the Social Services area where she could help town residents with things such as “Dial a Ride” and their basic needs such as food and energy.

Jean was a member of the PTO and School Board as her two boys were going through the Avon School system. Along with her husband, Hank, she was actively involved in building the handicap accessible playground at Roaring Brook School and doing some much needed painting on the inside of Roaring Brook. Jean also assisted Hank when he Coached Little League baseball by running some drills with the players and scoring all the games. She and Hank were a formidable team!

Jean’s Catholic faith has always been central in her life and she has been very active at St Ann’s in Avon over the years. In addition to being a Eucharistic Minister she was a CCD teacher as well. She is very involved with fund raising at the Church through 3 separate events: the Clothing, Book, and Perennial plant sales, all very successful over the years providing scholarships to local Catholic Schools for those students in need. Jean was also the editor of the Church newsletter, “The Nexus”, for many years.

As many of you remember, even though not an official member, Jean was an active participant in some of our local activities with our Rotary club. For many years, each December she stood with Hank in front of Wal-Mart “ringing the bell” soliciting funds for the Salvation Army. She also was part of the group of Rotarians(including Hank), that went in to the Hartford Schools each week throughout the school year to tutor and mentor young students. She told me she really enjoyed that experience.

Although not a Rotarian(yet!), Jean lives her life of service with the Rotary 4 way test in mind and her Catholic faith guiding her along the way. Thank you for all your service in our Avon community, keep up the great work!

Congratulations Jean!

Gary Miller introduced Karen Berger of Canton:

As a gardener and foe of invasive species, Karen has led the charge to eradicate Japanese knotweed, bittersweet and other diabolical species. The Pollen Trail in Collinsville was the site of early skirmishes that started in October 2019 and enlisted the local neighbors, the Cherry Brook Garden Club, Boy Scouts, Canton Land Conservation Trust members, UCONN Extension Master Gardeners, and Town of Canton Public Works staff. Anyone that walks or rides along the Allen Place section of the Farmington River Trail in Collinsville has certainly marveled at the labor and persistence of Karen’s army. The volunteers devoted many hours planting and watering new plants, shrubs and trees. Rain barrels are still positioned along Allen Place to provide extra water when needed.

Many casual observers have wondered whether these eager volunteers are crazy in their attempt to deter the survival of Japanese knotweed that grows in abundance along the Rattlesnake Brook system and elsewhere in our area. The fruits of their efforts are clearly visible. We can all hope that they will prevail.

Karen is a UCONN-certified Advanced Master Gardener. She is also a member of the Cherry Brook Garden Club and the Canton Land Conservation Trust Board.

Now that Allen Place has been cleared and replanted with a variety of native species, Karen has continued her campaign to the portion of Mills Pond Park directly in front of our home. Where we have been able to observe the incredible transformation happening first-hand. Debbie and I have created our own portion of the Pollen Trail in deference to the work going around us. Karen and her team of volunteers, including Debbie, have cleared the knotweed, bittersweet vines and other invasive plants near the tennis courts at Mills Pond .

Karen Berger’s efforts to transform our environment while enlisting the aid of many eager volunteers, ala Tom Sawyer, has shown her to exemplify our motto of Service Above Self.

Josh Gillooly introduced Karen Moulton of Avon:

Karen is the only volunteer at Farmington Valley Lost Pet Recovery which she began in 2014. In the early 2000’s Karen was a search and rescue canine handler and one of the founders of the volunteer canine search group Disaster and Wilderness Ground Searchers. Later she became aware of the need for knowledgeable help in preventing pets from going missing and finding missing pets. She built on her extensive human search training with courses and research about missing pet prevention and recovery and worked with mentors. She began volunteering to help recover missing dogs and cats.

Karen offers extensive information about preventing your dog from going missing as well as recovery strategies for dogs and indoor cats via her website and Facebook page. She offers onsite assistance for missing dogs and indoor only cats in the Valley.

When working to recover a missing pet, Karen advises owners on best practices, notifies the public, and designs a poster. She makes herself available 24/7 while also setting up and monitoring cameras and traps 24/7.

Notable recoveries are:

In August,a dog named Stella vanished for 11 days from Simsbury.She was last seen on RT 44 on the Canton/Avon line.After that no sightings were reported for 10 days.Stella appeared to have disappeared.On day 10, Karen heard howling up on the cliffs above Secret Lake from her house and was positive Stella was trapped on the cliffs.Karen went with Stella’s owner, and they found Stella trapped 75 feet up on the rocks on the cliff at Secret Lake.They couldn’t reach her, so they called Avon Police for help.The Avon Fire Department carried the emaciated and dehydrated dog down off the rocks.Stella had been trapped up there in the hot sun and severe thunderstorms for about 10 days.Had Karen not heard her, Stella would have died up there.Local people thought the howling was a coyote traveling the rocks, so no one reported it.

Also, in August during the same two weeks, Karen trapped Stitch a missing dog after he spent 16 days running between Canton and Simsbury. Stitch never stopped moving for 16 days. He was seen in a yard in Canton where Karen set a trap and within 3 hours Stitch was safely captured.

In addition to her volunteer work, Karen is a dog trainer operating as Secret Lake Dog Training and offers in-home training in the Farmington Valley. She lives in Avon with her 4 dogs, 2 cats and 5 birds.

After the honorees were introduced, they were presented with three emblems of a Paul Harris Fellow: The certificate, a lapel pin, and a medallion.

Club members stood and applauded the recipients. They recited the Four-Way Test before adjourning the meeting.