President Ted and Asst Governor Bob Cruz and Distr Governor Billy Roberts

 

It was a real pleasure to have Billy and Bob join us Monday evening to celebrate our Students.  DG Billy decided to hand-deliver the District certificates that the Club was to receive at the District Conference.  It was really very special that he would come all the way down to Westerly to deliver the following awards:

     Longevity Member Awards to Vinny Gaccione - 62 years, Joseph Nigrelli - 54 years, and Doug Rayner - 51 years.

     Presidential Award for Leadership Excellence

     International Service Award for our projects - Water & Sanitation in Guatemala, Education in Chikumbuso, Reforest the Tropics in Costa Rica, and

       Mexico Child welfare efforts

     Vibrant Club & significant Achievement Award - featuring our efforts during Chorus of Westerly Summer Pops

     District 7950 Public Image Award

and then Governor Billy added one of his own - Unsung Heroes Award - presented to Rose.  This was such a surprise - an awesome surprise - and much appreciated award. 

In spite of Covid we have accomplished much in this fiscal year.  Be proud.  Look forward.  We have to get ready to make Steve's year just as accomplished and successful.

 

    

Random Act of RotaryCovid Aid Goes On....News from Cal Lord - Central Baptist Church is planning a mission trip to Kentucky first week in June.  If anyone is interested in participating, get in touch with Cal at calstigers@gmail.com.  Board has approved a $250 donation to defray their costs.  The Mission Team is planning a Chowder Supper on May 14 - dine in or to go.Note from Rona and Dora

At our meeting of Monday, 4 April 2022, the Rotary Club of Westerly voted to establish a Peace and Justice Committee.

 

Our Vision:  We seek to create, locally and globally, a culture of peace in which the inherent worth and dignity of every living being is honored and respected and conflicts are resolved nonviolently.

 

Our Mission:  To create activities, programs and projects focused on creating a culture of peace as well as working with other community groups and organizations engaged in similar endeavors.

Kathryn at dedication of our Peace Pole at Rotary Park in 2019 - "May Peace Prevail on Earth"

 

Possible Projects:  fostering the planting of peace poles in our community, encouraging neighboring Rotary Clubs to take the leadership to have their town/city become an International City of Peace, offering workshops on Nonviolence for Daily Living, offering our physical, financial and emotional support to community activities involved in creating a culture of peace.

 

Your generous contributions to The Rotary Foundation are essential to securing and growing Rotary programs throughout the world. We recognize donors to express our gratitude for your commitment, offering individual and club recognition as well as naming opportunities that enable you to honor a friend or family member with a named or endowed gift.

Membership received a surprise visit from Lisa Konicki, Chamber President, and Maria Pucci, Chamber Board Chairwoman, at our May 2 Monday evening meeting to present our very own Cal Lord with a basket full of goodies to celebrate his selection as Chamber Citizen of the Year. 

Rona wrote the following:  "It seems that every time there's a cause, an event, or a want of any kind in our area, Cal Lord is there.  He's not there because he's an ordained minister, he's there because he's a human being and realizes that life is a privilege, and as humans we must continue our whole lives to pay for that privilege.  Not sure I'll be able to encapsulate all he's done, but for starters:  He has been Pastor of Central Baptist Church since 2011, having come from First Baptist Church in Norwich where he was the longest standing Pastor of that church.  He immediately dove in and immersed himself into our shared communities where he is Past President of the Rotary Club of Westerly, a member of the Chamber, Past President of the Clergy Association, co-chair of the Community Easter Sunrise Service at the beach, and one of the two originators of the Annual First Responders Recognition Celebration.  He also serves as Chaplain to both the Stonington Police and the Watch Hill Fire Departments and is constantly on-call.  He is on the Board of the Jonnycake Center, is actively working at the Westerly Senior Center as a facilitator for the Vaccine Distribution Program, has been a major player in the Rotary/Lions annual Pasta Dinner to benefit Jonnycake's annual Heating Assistance Fund, and was just named as Vice-President of ABCORI (American Baptist Churches of Rhode Island) Churches, a statewide position.  [He is also a past member of the Norwich Rotary Club]  He writes a weekly column in The Westerly Sun on faith and adapting it to day's stressful pace; he is a substitute radio hose on WBLQ, has participated in community theatre, and according to his wife, 'is incapable of ever saying no.'  There is not one community activity he has ever turned down when asked and never, ever complains.  Here is a man who gives not just money, but his heart, soul, and total being into everything he does.

As a Good Citizen Cal does a lot more than obey the laws and pay the taxes.  He obeys God, gives to all, and pays it back...every day of his life.  Many can 'throw money' at a cause, Cal always throws his heart."

"Harriet is an accomplished writer of non-fiction and fiction having published academic papers, been a columnist for a woman's monthly as well as writing a column on small business for a newspaper syndicate.  Under the pen name Anastasia Goodman, she writes the Sasha Perlov Mystery Series.  She has been host/producer of the public access TV show 'Community Culture Showcase' taped in Groton, CT and seen worldwide on You Tube.  The TV show promotes the arts and culture of Southern New England.  Harriet was educated at Queens College in Flushing, NY, New York University's Wagner School and the University of Denver."  Harriet has also written a novel called Rockaway Riptides based on true events during the 1960s in the Rockaways of Long Island.  But Monday evening, we heard the story of Harriet's Grandfather Goldie.  In her newest book, The Accidental Gangster, Harriet tells his story.  Goldie was a fisherman, hired by Dutch Schultz at the start of Prohibition to take his boat up to Canada to bring the "pure Canadian booze" to somewhere in the Rockaways.  Harriet's books are available at www.amazon.com and www.oceanbreezepress.net.  You can also write Harriet at graysonharriet@gmail.com.

 

Tim Gray receives a children's library book from President Ted.  It was a pleasure to welcome Tim Monday evening.  He produced his first WWII film in 2004 and is working on his 30th one currently.  He does his filming at WWII actual sites and all narration is provided by celebrities like Dan Rather, Gary Sinese, Tom Brokaw, Tom Selleck, David McCallum.  Through the years he collected so many artifacts, over 5,000,  that he opened the Museum in 2018. 

The organization's mission "is to develop an awareness and appreciation of the contributions and sacrifices made by the men and women of the Allied Forces during World War II.  The Foundation's objective is to educate current and future generations about the role those heroes played in ensuring the basic freedoms we enjoy today.  The Foundation dedicates itself to this education mission in order to install and inspire in today's Americans, through the example of the World War II generation, the values of unity of purpose, personal courage and shared sacrifice that they embodied - the Best of America."

 

Tim's work has gained him many awards, among them American Public TV's prestigious National Programming Excellence Award.  The museum is located at 344 Main Street, Wakefield.  Check out the Foundation's website at wwiifoundation.org.  For more information you can call 401.862.3030 or info@wwiifoundation.org.