Weekly Meeting News - 18 Mar 2013

 Attendance  10

Guests included Chef Jaime Finkelstein from the Westerly High School Culinary Department and Alan Peck who is the Wilcox Park Manager.  

No Birthdays or Anniversaries to announce.

The following report comes from President Cal:

Hello all,

I walked away from last Monday night's Rotary meeting with my eyes opened.  I knew that the Westerly Public Library and Wilcox Park are local treasures but I never imagined just how special they are.  It is funny how you take the things you know for granted.

Alan Peck, of the Westerly Library [Wilcox Park], was with us on Monday and he shared some facts and photos about our park and noted how it has some of the finest samples of trees in the state.  He talked about the overall plan and how the park has been carefully cultivated over the years to become what it is today.  Most of us know its beauty but we don't appreciate the thoughtful work that goes on behind the scenes to make it what it is.

    Alan is showing the group one of the Park's Champion Trees

Our own Kathryn Taylor followed with a bit of what she does as an advocate of the Westerly Library and libraries across the state.  Not only does she do a great job ensuring that our library is a vital community resource able to meet the needs of our residents, she also works to advocate on behalf of all our public and private libraries with the state legislature.  Recently she got them to drop a bill which would have devastated libraries like ours who rely on public funding and private gifts to make ends meet.  Kathryn also spoke about the changing aspects of the collections to meet the technological needs of the day.  I think we all learned at least one thing we didn't know before.

   Kathryn [as we usually do, a book was donated to the Westerly Library in her name]

We also had Chef Jamie, who heads the Westerly High School Culinary Arts Program, with us.  He shared his vision for the CFhowder Cook-off.  He and his students will be doing all the "leg work" this year and helping us to resurrect the event on Saturday, May 4 from Noon to 3:00 pm at the Venice Restaurant [ballroom].  We are working on the logistics of how the judging will take place now and getting tickets prepared.  We hope to have them available very soon.

Two other things to note from the meeting:  1)We will be hosting the incoming GSE team from France on Monday, May 13.  Volunteers are needed to spend part or all of the day with our guests. 2) The District Convention will be in Plymouth this year from May 17 to 19.  To register or get more information to to http://www.clubrunner.ca/Portal/SitePages/SitePage.aspx?did=7950&pid=85276