Newsletter Date: September 3
Meeting Date: August 28
Reporter: Nondas Voll

Enjoy Labor Day Monday.
Come to Rotary on Tuesday!

INSPIRATION
Marc Harris quoted the late Mother Teresa as saying: “If you can’t feed one hundred people, just feed one.”

ANNOUNCEMENTS, Etc.
President Don Saracen rang the ancient Rotary bell and thanked guest Barnaby Evans for having it repaired. He also thanked Mary Cullen for serving as greeter.

Pres. Don thanks Barnaby Evans, left, for
fixing the bell, and welcomes our speaker,
Saul Kaplan, right (story below).

He reported that District Governor Steve Certa will email Rotarians as to how they might best respond to the current hurricane and flood crisis in Texas.

Next the president asked for a moment of silence to commemorate Rotarian and former club president Michael Marra, who passed away last week.

PP Bill DiBiasio announced that the annual United Nations Day for Rotary will be held in Geneva for the first time, not New York City, during the first weekend of November. Bill did not offer to fly members to Geneva.

Mary Brewster thanked those who helped last Saturday with mounting the students’ 22-foot mural in the main lobby at Kizirian Elementary School. President Don said that a new principal is being appointed to the school and Rotarian James Scott is transferring to Gilbert Stuart Middle School.

Maxine and Avram Cohen appreciated the 40 Rotarians, Interactors and friends who attended the annual Paw Sox game last week.

Kris David, Chair of the Street Painting Festival, reported that major sponsors are being sought for the project. She urged members to publicize the Saturday, October 14, event on their Facebook accounts.

Pres. Don welcomed George Babcock back after undergoing treatments and said Ken Conde is recovering from two knee surgeries.

HAPPY BUCKS
Margaret Kane led off with a typically humorous tale, this one about Beethoven.

George Burman encouraged Rotarians to attend an event honoring Jim Alexander on September 22 at the Renaissance Hotel sponsored by Higher Ground International.

Mary Brewster appreciated those who worked together at Kizirian School and mentioned that “New England Home” magazine has published an article about her.

Kris David expressed her concern for a cousin in Houston.

Wendy, who also has relatives in Houston, thanked Mary Brewster for her leadership and Art Norwalk for his involvement in the Kizirian project.

Maxine and Avram Cohen spoke about the great weather at the Paw Sox game and thanked those who supported it.

Jim Gilcreast said he focused upon Service Above Self by holding a door open for his wife as she brought in the groceries.

Peter Brock mentioned an iPad, announcing at UMass games, and welcomed his friend George Babcock back.

George Babcock is happy to have completed half of his chemo treatment.

Anthony Landi celebrated his daughter’s eleventh birthday.

PP Anthony Hollingshead was impressed by the Interact students who were engaging and polite during the Paw Sox game.

President-elect Art Norwalk was pleased to have Tony Mendez back.

President Don Saracen reported on recent successes of his grandson’s Johnny-blue-eyes and Jack.

Geoff Gaunt celebrated his daughter’s first year at Wellesley.

TRY BOLDER THINGS
THROUGH INNOVATION
Guest speaker Saul Kaplan, founder and chief catalyst of the Business Innovation Factory, calls himself an innovation junkie. He hailed Italian sculptor Michelangelo for his incredible, iconic art that included painting, architecture and poetry. His last words before dying at age 88, were: “I am still learning.”

As we’re living in a time that screams for reinvention, Kaplan warns not to learn from current institutions, schools, friends or colleagues. Instead make reinvention a lifeskill. Today companies and organizations need to repurpose and to innovate

Kaplan divides leaders into into share-takers versus market-makers. The former protect their shares by staying the same. The latter define a market as no one else has; they reinvent and act as hotbeds of innovation.

The Business Innovation Factory is the catalyst for strengthening systems, such as health care, education, government, and the economy. Kaplan urges Rhode Islanders to try bolder things, to start small.