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Russell Hampton
ClubRunner
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Bulletin Editor
Gary Miller
Speakers
Aug 27, 2021
Opening Canton Schools in 2021-2022
Sep 03, 2021
Sep 10, 2021
Recent Legislative Session
Sep 17, 2021
Sep 24, 2021
Footwear With Care
Oct 01, 2021
Hartford Artisans Weaving Center
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Executives & Directors
President
 
President Elect
 
Immediate Past President
 
Secretary
 
Treasurer
 
Membership
 
Sergeant-at-Arms
 
Foundation Chair
 
Board Member-at-Large
 
Board Member-at-Large
 
Interact Chair
 
Club Information
Rotary of Avon-Canton - Founded 1973
Avon-Canton
Service above Self
Fridays at 7:30 AM
Golf Club of Avon
160 Country Club Road
Avon, CT 06001
United States of America
Fax:
(860) 760-6364
In person starting July 9, 2021. Zoom will also be available for those unable to attend in person.
DistrictSiteIcon
District Site
VenueMap
Venue Map
 
No regular meeting
June 18, 2021
President's Installation Dinner
at Golf Club of Avon
160 Country Club Road
at 6:00 PM
 
The next in-person meeting will be held on
July 25, 2021
at the
Rotary of Avon-Canton Building at FAVARH
100 Commerce Drive in Canton
 
Sergeant-at-Arms Report 
 
Members Present: 32
 
Visiting Rotarians: None  
Guests: Derek Slap (Speaker)
Happy Dollars Moments: More valuable when they are shared
Raffle Winner: No Raffle. No Winners. No Losers.
 
Fines: None today.
 
Birthdays:
Colleen Grasso - not present
 
 
Happy Moments
 
Linda Pendergast visited Phil Ferrari and was pleased to report that his recovery is progressing to the point where the entry ramp to his home has been removed. He is getting around with a walker. Linda and Paul recently visited family in Maine and was happy that their grandson was a member of the Interact Club at his high school.
 
Mike Mezheritskiy reported that Sabrina Wagar had a baby boy on May 21st. She is opening a new office in Avon on West Avon Road. She would love to get text messages from friends.
 
Bill Barnes reminded us that our last meeting was on a Friday the 13th over a year ago which was also the end of any Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra performances. The FVSO is starting up again and will perform on Saturday at 6PM for about 45 minutes playing a variety of favorites on the lawn of the First Church in Farmington.
 
Gary Roman and his wife, Angie, were celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary today.
 
Joanne Santiago said that the Paul Harris community awards were not held this past year due to COVID-19. We plan to celebrate our community awardees in September. She also reminded all Paul Harris Fellows to wear their medallions at the President's Installation Dinner this Friday night.
 
President Alicia Canning announced that she would be leaving the meeting early in order to catch a flight to Atlanta to see her grandchildren for the first time in 18 months.
 
Salin Low and John were having brunch at Abigails when the familiar couple of Bill and Pat Barnes arrived.
 
Larry Sullivan and Brenda will celebrate their 57th wedding anniversary on Sunday.
 
Announcements
 
The President's Installation Dinner will held this coming Friday, the 18th, so no regular morning meeting.
 
Our first in-person breakfast meeting and Alicia's last as President will be held Friday, the 25th, at the Rotary of Avon-Canton Building at 100 Commerce Drive in Canton. Breakfast sandwiches, fruit salad and coffee service will be catered by BeanZ & Co. Please order your breakfast sandwiches by Wednesday, the 23rd -- Order Breakfast Here
 
The District 7890 Governor's Installation Dinner is Thursday, the 24th, at the Aqua-Turf in Southington. Sign up via the District 7890 website.
 
End Polio Night at Dunkin' Stadium with the Yard Goats will be July 31st. To order tickets, click here.
 
 
Induction of New Members
 
David Ivanoudis will be inducted at our first in-person meeting on Friday, the 25th.
 
 
Awards
None this week.
 
Community and International Service Grants
None this week.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PRESENTATION
 
Derek Slap, VP for Advancement

Derek has spoken to us previously when represented the 5th state senate district in Connecticut’s general assembly. He teaches political science at Yale University and crisis communications at Sacred Heart University. He earned his master’s degree in business administration from UConn and his undergraduate degree from Syracuse University.

Derek currently oversees development, communications and marketing and works to ensure that staff, donors, volunteers, partners and the Greater Hartford community understand who we are, what we do and how they can work alongside us to help vulnerable children, adults and families. He also oversees The Village’s brand adherence and core brand promise, and works to develop strategies that increase awareness of our work, market specific programs and enhance employee communications.

Derek served as the President & CEO of the Connecticut Technology Council (CTC), where he focused on stewarding its members and engaging local business leaders. He has also served as the Vice President of Marketing & Communications at the UConn Foundation and has 10 years of broadcast journalism experience.

Derek said he was happy to be back with us after a long and tough year. Prior to joining The Village, he didn't know much about it until he started working with them. Like many of us he often drove by the facility at 1680 Albany Avenue. The Village, under several names, has been aiding children and families for 200 years. Over the years, the Society merged with organizations such as the Hartford Orphan Asylum, Connecticut Children’s Aid Society and Children’s Services of Connecticut. Derek said that on average the children have experienced five childhood traumas. Three main facilities now service the community. One of them is the former trolley building and museum across from Bulkeley High School on Wethersfield Avenue.

40 children live at the Albany Avenue site and receive a wide range of educational, nutritional and mental health services. The Village provides voluntary tax assistance and teaches financial literacy to parents. The goals is to break the cycle. They provide mentoring for fathers who never had a father along with foster care services for children. The children who live on campus receive a nutritional diet with primarily fresh foods provided by a contract catering business. The children learn about nutrition and healthy foods.

The Village has 500 employees and is partially financed by state and federal grants including Medicaid. They receive all sorts of donated goods and services. They are especially in need of luggage for the children who move frequently as family and foster care situations change. Donated duffel bags preclude using trash bags.

The integrated care provided puts families in touch with medical and mental health services they might not be able to access on their own.

The diversity of clients has changed dramatically over the years. The services were mainly provided to Hartford, but Hartford now only receives about 35% of the services. The other clients are from towns that surround Hartford. The Village is the largest provider of mental health services in CT. 

Bill Barnes was pleased to say they he and Pat adopted their three children through CT Child & Family Services nearly 50 years ago. Their children are now grown and in their fifties with families of their own. Greg Demanche said that his mother was the pastry chef at the facility years ago. Kershwin Singh asked about how we could volunteer as a group or individually. Derek said he would forward information to share. Rollie Sterrett asked about donating duffle bags or other easily used luggage. Jolly Lux asked about how food is outsourced. Derek talked about their marvelous catering service which operates out of a donated kitchen.

For more information on the history of The Village, the wide range of services and volunteer opportunities, go their website at: https://thevillage.org/overview/

 

 
Special Announcements
None this week.
 
Mail Bag
The Avon PTO sent a Thank You note for the $250 donation made to Project Graduation.
 
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?