Rob Brewster shared how grateful he is for the many blessings in his life. He has challenged himself to expand his giving this year by having dollars readily available to respond to spontaneous requests for help, like those from Salvation Army bell ringers.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS, Etc.
Christy Clausen encouraged members to attend the next alternative Rotary meeting on Thursday, December 6, from 5:30 – 7:30 at Federal Hill Pizza, 1039 Chalkstone Ave., Providence. The cost is $10 which includes delicious pizza and a cash bar will be available. Enjoy the company and hear about “Chefs Feeding Kids,” a program developed by the owner and chef, William Manzo, Jr.

 

All past presidents of our club are invited to a meeting of the Presidents’ Council at 11 am Monday, Dec. 3, in the Lincoln Room, behind the Front Desk off the lobby at the Marriott. Discussion will focus on new initiatives and long-range planning.

 

Pete Brock for the Pats win over the Jets! and the honor of serving as emcee for several Massachusetts high school football celebrations.

 

Jim Gilcreast was happy that Santa’s pants will be secured by new suspenders and a belt – no wardrobe malfunctions expected at the San Miguel holiday party this year!

 

Major Stoops for the 3,000 families that received food and 3,000 more that will receive toys thanks to the Salvation Army’s Bell Ringing program (he very candidly admitted the program logistics drives him crazy!)

 

Wendy Marcus for the 19-hour drive from Charleston, SC and for Richard Leone’s help with her car repair.

 

Rev. Ralph Barlow is proud to be an American, a citizen of the first new nation. A photo of refugees on the Mexican/American border reminded him that we all came from somewhere else.

 

Save the Bay’s director of advocacy, Topher Hamblett, gave an overview of the agency’s work to protect Narragansett Bay since its founding 50 years ago. What started with a small group of volunteers in Tiverton working to prevent the building of an oil refinery in their community has evolved into an organization that has made significant progress in protecting 1700 square miles of the Narragansett Bay watershed.

 

The agency sued the City of Providence to stop the dumping of raw sewage and urban pollutants into the upper bay and spearheaded efforts to upgrade Providence’s sewer treatment facilities. On the east side of the Bay, they worked to stop the Brayton Point power plant in Somerset from using millions of gallons of bay water for cooling and then releasing the 95 degree water back into the bay.

 

The Bay is fragile and requires constant monitoring by professionals and volunteers. High on the list of priorities today is addressing the impact of climate change. Rising sea levels affect the coastline, rivers that feed into Bay and salt marshes. In Warwick the sewer treatment plant on the Pawtuxet River was totally under water after a 2010 storm. Salt marshes that are critical for filtering water and protecting wildlife are sinking because of elevated water levels.

 

Much has been accomplished with bluefish and bass back in the Providence River, coastal clean-up in East Providence allowing for responsible commercial development, and most recently, the passage of a $47 million bond initiative to continue to improve Narragansett Bay.