August 8, 2008 Meeting

Pledge, Song & Invocation

It was not raining this morning and that is saying something this week. President-Elect Peter Cotch was filling in for our wandering President David Lindsay. Peter led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and then called upon Len Wilson to give an invocation. The assembly did not seem too disappointed that the usual vocal music segment was omitted due to Marie Stult's absence.

Guests & Visitors

Guests welcomed today were Kathleen and Caroline Buck, old standbys by now, and our guest speaker, Diane Caraviello. There was another guest whose name this editor failed to write down.

Club Business

Peter Cotch announced that he has secured a date and a venue for the club's fall fundraiser. Our "Endless Summer" event is scheduled for Friday, October 24, at the Andover Town House (old town hall), which will accommodate just over 200. A group called the BaHa Brothers Band www.bahabrothers.com will entertain. The town will allow us a full liquor license and "finger food," which must be catered.

Peter announced that since he and his wife will also be vacationing next week, and David will still be roaming around Argentina, the meeting will be chaired by Joan Johnson.

Raffle

After the pot was cleaned out last week, there was only the consolation prize left, so we need to ante up lots of happy dollars to refill the coffers.

Sergeant-at-Arms

Today's finemeister, Peter Caruso, started off by rather tritely fining those who did not wear their pins (an old trick of his to shame the shameless). Showing a little more creativity, he fined those wearing shorts. He also hit up people who were not sitting at their usual seats, although they should be commended.

He accepted five Happy Dollars from Paul Brown who welcomed back John Colbert to the fold. Caroline Buck was happy because of her family's visit to the Children's Museum where her favorite activity was the bubbles. Her Dad's favorite part was the Japanese house. John Colbert threw in five plus dollars and was happy to be back and happy about the various trips he has recently taken.

David Sollars gave some dollars to note his granddaughter Sydney's birthday and the start of the football season. Helene and Alan Michel's photo in the recent District 7930 newsletter was celebrated. Mark Spencer announced that he is hanging up his camera and returning to the more mentally challenging world of science by registering at MIT for a refresher course. Guess the public finally got to him! Kerry Ellen Enright gave a contribution to ask that we all consider making a donation of blood at the Andover Town House on Thursday, August 14 from noon to 7 p.m. Your blood is urgently needed.

Guest Speaker

Joan Johnson introduced one of the recipients of the recent "Citizens Who Care" awards, Diane Caraviello. A kindergarten teacher, Diane spoke about Bancroft's Family-to-Family program. While working on a Master's program in social work, Diane worked with Mary Wesson from New Horizons for Youth at Andover's Memorial Circle housing complex to be begin Family-to-Family, a program whose mission is "...to help students and families access school and community opportunities through communication, transportation, and funding."

Diane spoke about how her son, now a freshman at Andover High School, was in the fourth grade when he came to her and said, "There's a girl in our class who's really good at basketball -- can she be on our team?" Diane realized that many talented kids who lived at Memorial Circle had no access, due to family circumstances, to outside activities. And that is how Family-to-Family evolved, one student at a time.

Diane approached Andover Junior Football League and other sports groups, asking if they would be willing to waive their fees to take some kids on their teams, which they did willingly. By the summer of 2005, families at Bancroft raised funds to send some of the kids to the drop-in playground programs. Because she had access to the kids at school, Diane was able to learn the kids' needs, and she organized volunteers to help with registration and provide equipment, babysitting and rides.

In 2006, Family-to-Family became a Bancroft School project, with its mission to include all students in school and community activities, such as pizza nights, science fair, and arts and crafts programs. Through the diligent efforts of one determined, energetic and enthusiastic teacher, the Bancroft community has learned well how to meet the needs of a different and grateful population.

Andover Rotary has supported Family-to-Family through donations, especially through its support of the summer youth camperships.