Posted by Leigh Carpenter on Mar 08, 2018
Comedian Jerry Caruso brought laughs to our Club on its 6th birthday!
    Opening remarks from the President
    • Mary toasted to our Clubs 6th birthday and accomplishments: 5 global Grants, District Grants, for ending Polio, for supporting seniors, high school students & veterans.  To many more years!
    Happy/Sad
    • Mary couldn’t be happier to be a part of our Club
    • Sarlah is looking forward to Spring & happy that case management program is starting March 1st
    • Rich is happy for yesterday’s weather, sad for today’s weather.  Overall very proud of our Club not in a selfish way but for all the people around the world we are assisting in Malawi, Afghanistan, Dominica Republic, Puerto Rico, Kenya and closer to home
    • Karin happy for 6 amazing years
    • Carl proud as well
    • Steve is sad just came home from Costa Rica and there’s cold weather
    • Chris shared that Laura is at the Ayer Club, happy to have biked 15 miles yesterday and could ski today
    • Dana looking forward to ski tomorrow
    • Carol sad it was 35 degrees colder but also proud of Mary who checked in on Zone Conference and cheered her on!  Proud of how many from our District attended.
    • Jacky had a chuckle at kids learning to ski at Wachusett with so little snow
    • Bob happy for 5 Global Grants, had no idea that we would become one of the most outstanding clubs in the country.  We are small but might.  Very proud!
    • Nanci happy for our 6th birthday and excited to see daughter in Philadelphia
    • Don happy birthday – shared that he tried to confirm a meeting in Westfield, got dressed up, drove out there but had the wrong meeting date!
    • Ray happy birthday to our Club, happy there was an article in Boston Globe about Razia’s Ray of Hope

    Updates
    • District Grant change: Jacky shared that proposals must now be in by June 1st but rough draft needs to be in by March 10th.  Grants are now not limited to 1/year and no longer limited to $1,500.  Criteria will be changing slightly with the biggest change is that grants are no longer sent on a rolling basis but at the same time - decisions based on best use of funds.  Examples from the past include videos for Healing Garden, Nature Connection & Cultivate Care build.  Please share ideas with Jacky as soon as possible (ideas submitted so far include RFK School and Habitat For Humanity). 
    • To continue tradition of Global Grants every year, please share ideas with Mary.  All ideas from all members are welcome
    • Dogs2Vets (April 29th, 11am-3pm): Energy is great!  Lots of activities planned (disc throwing, obstacle courses, and more).  Radio stations are looking for six, $10,000 sponsors for us.  Volunteer lists being put together now to fill in, maybe Interact, Lions and Boy Scouts could help.
    • Service Day (Saturday, February 24th): some members are participating in Habitat For Humanity Dedication in Fitchburg and others going to Watertown Boys & Girls Club and can choose between 6 projects.  May 12th will be a Service Day in Framingham
    • Pizza Night Membership Recruitment (March 6th) at Slaters. 
    • Reality Fair (April 6th) is a great tradition of ours.  Chris passed around a sign up sheet.
    • Red Sox Opening Day (April 5th) is another fun day for us to watch the game & have a cookout with senior citizens in Stow
    • Carl shared work happening in Worcester for urban planning with help from professionals on how to define space that he is involved.  The concept is being moved into neighborhoods – cleaning up the land, replace a barrier wall with more appropriate elements, and a community garden.  One other main aspect is putting a neighbor-to-neighbor support system to support one another.  Interested in helping?  Contact Carl or Steve for more details
    • Applications for RYLA are being accepted now (a total of 3 available).  If you know a sophomore please get them an application, we don’t want anyone to say “I didn’t know about that.”  See Bob for details.
    • Ray share that Repair Café is looking for facilitators to help Stow, who has already run a few, and Lancaster who has expressed interest. 
    Guest Speaker - Jerry Caruso, Comedian 
    Need some laughs?  Watch Jerry Caruso starting around 42 minutes into the video.  https://www.facebook.com/NashobaRotary/videos/1587219441367451/