February 20, 2009 Meeting

Pledge, Song & Invocation

After President David Lindsay guided us through the Pledge of Allegiance, songstress Marie Stultz managed to coax three verses of "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" out of us. Rev-in-training Peter Caruso recognized the many blessings of Rotary and we were off to a good start in a nicely crowded meeting room.

Club Business

President David read a thank you note from past speaker Rachel Williams reminding us to keep reading for the young in the forefront of our missions.

David requested volunteers to guide vocational visits for our incoming Group Study Exchange. Contact David if you are willing to share the secrets of your success to visitors from another land.

The Annual Andover Fund for Education Spelling Bee is scheduled for April 4, and chair Jim Greeley is seeking those who can spell or who are willing to give it the old college try. We need to have at least one team, and some of the regular stand-bys won't be available this year, so step up the plate and make us proud! It's really a fun night and helps with the many extras so needed in the schools' curricula these days.

Jim boasted proudly about the fun-and-fundraising activities of the Merrimack College Rotaract Club. This year they have already raised $6,562 for the Lazarus House House for Hope. One of the teams is planning a Relay for Life Marathon, and Jim has pledged to match every dollar they raise. Jim bragged that in six years the group has raised over $24,000 for charity. Thanks, and well done, Jimbo!

Upcoming programs where your help is needed: STOP Reading program and Citizens Who Care, the former to read to a class once a month, and the latter for recommendations for nominees. Mark will bring CWC nomination forms to next week's meeting.

Enough members signified interest in attending a Lowell Devils hockey game so that a date and sign-up sheet will be available soon.

Guests & Visitors

Among the several guests today were Richard Harrington from the Lawrence club; Dawn, Caroline and Kathleen Buck, from the Bill Buck family; Paula Evans' grandson, Robert; and speaker Ambassador Scholar Christine Cloonan. Gale Ross made up in North Reading.

Raffle

With a possible $76 available for the Ace of Hearts, Kathleen Buck drew a 2 of clubs. Kerry Ellen Enright took the $10 second prize with a 6. The pot is growing and ready for a winner! Be prepared for a slight change in rules and odds in the coming weeks.

Sergeant-at-Arms

Jim Greeley is always good for a healthy collection of fines and happy dollars. He began by welcoming back Deedee O'Brien after a long absence, and that cost her a buck. Mark had some unknown infraction that cost him. Jim fined Cheryl Callahan for her good work for the club and the community by collecting over 100 winter coats and for all else she does for the club. She gave a couple more for becoming an aunt for the first time and for how much she likes being a part of the club.

Richard Harrington also likes our club, but so far he still hangs his name tag in Lawrence. Dave Sollars knows he's late when Deedee gets here before he does, but he loves sharing his table with beautiful women, and Kerry Ellen was glad to hear him say that, as was Gale. Bill was glad Dawn could join him today.

Peter Caruso bragged that his Porsche made it up the icy hill today and that his wife Gayle has an art opening tomorrow at PA. Eagles fan John Colbert was excited with their win (as excited as John ever gets). Jim Sutton gave up a few in honor of our guest speaker, for Paula's guest, Robert, and for her Rotaplast mission to Colombia. Our speaker Christine thanked us for having her; Proud papa Steve Druth's daughter got the part of Cosette in the Manchester, NH production of Les Miz.

The ever-beneficent Jim Greeley had a happy $20 for Paula and Cal Mutti on the Rotaplast mission beginning on Sunday. Helene Michel reported on a thank you card from Felipe. While none of Matt Gold's kids has as yet received the Nobel Prize, they are doing well and it won't be long! Patroness-of-the-Arts Marie praised the upcoming art exhibits at BU and PA. Helen Nicolopoulos wished the mission good luck; Deedee had thanks for a warm welcome back.

President David finished up with a welcome for Deedee and the children, the Scholar's talk, Foundation at work, for his upcoming skiing/meeting, and for everyone's good work!

Guest Speaker

Today we welcomed our outgoing Ambassadorial Scholar, Christine Cloonan. Christine is a graduate of Bowdoin College with master's from Middlebury. She is currently teaching at Phillips Academy. Her destination is Argentina.

Christine became interested in Argentina after learning of their economic crisis in 2001, and of the "Dirty War," where thousands just disappeared. She wanted to learn more about another culture while pursuing a Master's degree in Finance. She will spend 10 months studying in Buenos Aires. Her goal is to learn if she wants to switch from teaching to working in the finance field. The evening program will give her the opportunity to learn more about Rotary's work in that area. She said that an experience living in Spain while in college helped her to get hired in the law firm where she worked for awhile.

Christine answered a number of questions from the group and proved that she will be an outstanding representative for Rotary to Argentina. Who knows, maybe she will even meet up with Felipe!