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Russell Hampton
ClubRunner
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Bulletin Editor
Arnie Goldman
Speakers
Feb 05, 2021
Tanzania Nursing Scholarship Program
Feb 12, 2021
Polio Plus
Feb 19, 2021
Building An Enclosure For Healing Meals: A Troop 274 Eagle Project
Feb 26, 2021
Katari Medical Services
Mar 05, 2021
Africa Education Pertnership
Mar 12, 2021
Reinventing Healthcare, One Systm At A Time
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
 
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
 
October 16, 2020
Exchange Student Influence
Kaitlin Muench, Hoff-Past Rotary Exchange Student
 
 
The meeting will be held on Zoom. 
Watch for an email from Alicia.
We are now using a recurring ID, etc.
 
Sergeant-at-Arms Report 
 
Members Present: 27
 
Visiting Rotarians: (2) Chris Heath, Rick Heath  
Guests: Courtney Bourns (Speaker)
Happy Dollars Moments: More valuable when they are shared
Raffle Winner: No Raffle. No Winners. No Losers.
 
Fines: None today.
 
Birthdays: Josh Gillooly
 
Josh Gillooly, whose birthday was last week, noted that Phil Worley's birthday is just 1 day before his, and he was sorry he missed celebrating it last week. Josh has been a Rotarian for 14 years, and served as president in 2009-2010. His best Rotary moments have been standing outside the IGA and later Shoprite with Paul raising funds for the Turkey Trot and ringing the bell. He has also found his involvment with with Taste-of-the-Valley event very rewarding.  He has missed seeing everyone since our in person meetings were discontinued, and he cant wait to see everyone in person again, one day soon.
 
Happy Moments
 
Gary Miller thanked Rollie Sterrett for calling him and inviting him to play a round of golf on him. Gary was with Brian O'Donnell, Phil Ferrari and Peter Vignati at the time, and so they were all hosted to a round by Rollie. Gary also managed an Eagle on the 5th hole, though he never saw the bear reported to be hanging around the course. [Sounds more like a wildlife expedition than a round of golf! - Ed.]
 
Phil Ferrari showed several thank you cards received from our pencil box recipients and read one aloud: "Dear A-C Rotary, thank you for the pencil box and everything that is in there. I like the markers and don't like the crayons. I like to draw a lot." [Sounds like our program is at least batting .500 with the kids! -Ed.]
 
Paul Mikkelson wished Josh Gillooly a happy birthday and thanked him for Josh' special regard for Paul's family. Paul explained that his son and wife Jen are buying a house in East Granby, and had asked Paul about mortgage options. Paul referred them to Josh and he set them up with a 2.8% rate! [Outstanding!-Ed.]
 
Alicia Canning had a biopsy on her right side which was benign which means only the left side situation remains to be clarified. She thanked the members for the many cards of encouragement she's received. [We are all praying for you Alicia! - Ed.]
 
Bob Cave finished 2 more houses to flip, now numbering 328 and 329. [Incredible!-Ed.]
 
Susan Mitchell's horse rescue organization's concert will be held tonight (October 9th) and all is close to ready. They have sold over 150 tickets, have the lawn marked with 10 x 10 squares and the Beatles' cover band Ticket to Ride will be playing. They are also forming a new corporation, the US Horse Rescue National Coalition for the purposes of advocacy.
 
Sue Budde's daughter's long-delayed wedding will take place in Georgia in 1 month, with only parents and siblings present. The kids just didn't want to wait any longer. [Can you blame them? Life must go on! - Ed.]
 
Joanne Santiago enjoyed being at Capri's the other night where Larry Sullivan received a Paul Harris plus 2 award for his golf tournament leadership and participation over the years. [Nice job, Larry!-Ed.]
 
Announcements
 
President Alicia Canning announced that Len Dunstan is going into the hospital on 10/12 for a cardiac ablation (Learn more here: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cardiac-ablation/about/pac-20384993). Regrettably he has also resigned from the Club for health reasons.
 
President Alicia thanked Salin, Larry, Christine, Robin  and Phil Ferrari for picking up the face masks last week. They will be distributed next week to food pantries and law enforcement agencies and possibly one or more nursing homes.
 
President Alicia announced a Rotary District "Groove Zoom" event. Training sessions will be 10/20-22. Past president Heather Pantano added that it's an online fundraising platform and the district will cover the cost while Clubs can use it.
 
President Alicia also announced a Club trivia night 12/17/2020,  7 - 8 pm. Further details will be forthcoming.
 
Mike Mezheritskiy spoke with Steve Morris regarding using the FAVARH building for Rotary events, but unsurprisingly we cannot at this time. We are going to set up a virtual tour in the near term. We can't host events due to state government regulatory mandates surrounding Connecticut's approach to the pandemic.
 
Josh Gillooly announced that planning for the 2021 TOTV event is underway, with meetings scheduled 5 pm each 2nd Tuesday of the month, each month. He expects to discuss pushing the event further into the spring, when an outdoor event is possible. Colleen Sullivan will partner with Josh to provide leadership. Josh noted that new options may need to be developed due to circumstances. He hopes to get input from Gary Miller, as the golf tournament was so successful.
 
President Alicia  announced that Avon Old Farms hotel has no plans to allow our meetings to return at this time and she also announced a Pub night at Kershwin's house in November. Details TBD.
 
Induction of New Members
None this week.
 

Awards
None this week.
 
Community and International Service Grants
None this week.
PRESENTATION

Partnering to Build Peace: Mediators Beyond Borders

Courtney Bourns

The below biography of Courtney Bourns was found on the Mediators Beyond Borders (MBB) website:

Mr. Bourns is a graduate of Tufts University and Duke University Law School, was a founding partner of the Hartford, CT law firm of Berman, Bourns, Aaron & Dembo, LLC, now Berman, Mickelson, Dembo & Jacobs. He retired in 2015 after 50 years in a general litigation and family practice, including 30 years as a divorce mediator. Following in the path of his father who was deeply engaged in civic activities and served a term as District Governor of Rotary in Ohio, Courtney has served on the boards of non-profit organizations in the Hartford area since 1970. His experience has extended from starting a small non-profit restaurant in downtown Hartford to being a board member of a $50 million/800 staff integrated health care organization. He enjoys fundraising — putting the “fun” back in it!Courtney loves connecting/engaging with people, along with tennis, traveling, and photography. He currently serves as MBBI’s Chair of the Resource Development Committee (RDC).

###
 
Bob Cave introduced Courtney Bourns, a leader in Mediators Beyond Borders (MBB), a program coordinated by Rotary International. Their goal is to bring community based solutions to international problems wherever conflict occurs around the world. An attorney, he's very involved in community affairs. His divorce practice taught him that mediation is quicker and cheaper than the adversarial process.
 
 
 
Following Bob's introduction, Mr. Bourns spoke of his father who, while he was growing up in Ohio, joined Kiwanis and later Rotary, serving as a District governor. While a senior in high school in Mansfield, OH, he became a junior Rotarian. MBB is important to him because they are devoted to empower, engage and equip community leaders to address and resolve conflict peacefully. Mr. Bourns then shared an introductory video of their work.
 
 
 
 
Mr. Bourns noted that agreements are 33% more likely to be reached when women are around the table. If we decide to become involved, our Club can partner with an international Club and the District will support that effort.
 
 
 
MBB can also work with Rotary Clubs themselves should they have conflict within them.
 
 
 
 
Mr. Bourns encouraged us to work with Mediators Beyond Borders in concert with Rotary International, and then asked for questions.
 
Q: Joanne Santiago asked if there are other Clubs we can approach to learn more about how they have worked with MBB. Mr. Bourns replied he will get that information to her. Joanne asked Gary Miller to work with her on this.
 
Q: Phil Ferrari asked for an example of a mediation that MBB has done. Mr. Bourns noted their involvement with 8 tribes in northern Kenya, all of which raise and sell their own cattle, but also had a history of stealing each other's cattle and killing each other over the thefts. MBB sent a team to seek a credible local partner and over a period of time worked with the tribes and ended the conflict.
 
Mr. Bourns described a "4-way test" of his own that he uses for deciding whether to become involved in charitable efforts. He first asks himself if he believes in the mission, then whether the organization sets a high bar for performance, whether he likes the people involved, and whether there is a role for him in it. [Sage advice for any of us - Ed.]
 
Mr. Bourns ended his presentation with the traditional Hindu salutation, "Namaste", which he first experienced in Bali on the one majority Hindu island.
####
 
 
 
We concluded with the 4-way test and adjournment.
 
Special Announcements
None this week.
 
Mail Bag
None this week.
 
Photo Credits
Scribe's screen grabs.
 
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?