Weekly Meeting News - 17 Sept 2012

        Guests were Honorary members Bob Boughner and Joe Potter and Visiting Rotarians Linda Reilly of the Hammondsport NY Rotary Club and Jane Russell of the Bath NY Rotary Club.  Nine regular members were present and 14 members were absent.

   Visiting Rotarians Linda Reilly and Jane Russell with President Cal Lord exchanging banners.

         District Events Coming Up  -     Rotary Day of Success, 6 October  -  seminars covering Rotary Foundation, Membership, New Generations, and Public Image.  The District Board would like to see at least four members from each Club attending this event.   Providence Bruins Night, 2 November  -  Rotary Night at the Dunkin Donuts Center.

           24 September Speaker  -  Reforest the Tropics, Inc.    Located in Mystic, CT.  Invited by Dan Alvino, we hope that all members will plan to attend this meeting to hear about this organization.  Dan has prepared a District Grant application with the goal of having RTT work with Westerly Middle School on an educational program designed to teach students about the effects of carbon emissions on global warming and the environment.  Please make every effort to attend this important meeting.

          1 October Meeting  -  Board will meet at 4:00; however, instead of 5:30 dinner at Venice, members will meet for dinner at the Calabrese Club to lend our support to the Columbus Day Parade Committee and celebrate our very special Rayner family.  Ryan Quattromani, the 2012 RYLA student, was supposed to attend our meeting; he will be invited to join us at the Calabrese Club or visit with us another evening. 

         8 October  -  Columbus Day Holiday  -  NO meeting

         Foundation Moment  -  Tremendous efforts are being undertaken, led by the Pakistan government, in implementing a national polio emergency action plan to mobilize all government and civil society resources.  Says Robert S. Scott, chair of Rotary International's PolioPlus Committee, "There is strong evidence that implementation of the emergency plan is showing results, particularly in key reservoir areas such as Balochistan and Sindh."                            

              Program  -  Westerly Pawcatuck Downtown Business Association

Rotarian Christopher DiPaola is President and owner of WBLQ Radio and is also President of the Westerly Pawcatuck Downtown Business Association.  The Association's mission is to "foster economic growth, to promote and enhance the Westerly-Pawcatuck downtown area."  It is a non profit group with an elected slate of officers with 65 members covering businesses in the "downtown Westerly - Pawcatuck area.  Full members (downtown businesses) pay annual dues and have voting privileges; however, other nearby businesses or organizations can become Associate members but cannot vote.  Chris said that the organization works in conjunction with the Westerly-Pawcatuck Chamber of Commerce and encourages businesses to remain open during those events.  It also acts as a conduit between the town, police and local businesses on issues affecting the downtown area.