Bill’s inspiration is about getting involved. Cap Willey would like to step down after organizing inspirations for our meetings for quite some time. Bill asked if anyone in the club would like to take on organizing inspirations every week. Tracy Boothman volunteered!! Thank you!
Mary Brewster suggested that we give a round of applause for Cap for doing such a great job as our ‘Inspiration” volunteer!
That is the rotary Spirit!
Members on zoom
Richard Applebaum, Paula Jagemann, Lou Hassel, Rob Brewster
Guests
Tom May, Seth Kurn, Elaine Fain, Nishat Siddiqi, Lisa Caperton, and Paula Jagemann (on Zoom)
Announcements
Don’t forget the Gold with funds contributing to Rotary International.
Holly Applegate spoke about The Legends for Literacy Gala on October 29, 2026. A Save the Date notice was in our recent newsletter. She explained a new format for speakers at the event. There will be a Legends Panel with a Children’s Author, an Athlete, and Teacher of the year, and moderator. She announced that our featured Children’s Author on our legends panel is Karyn Parsons, an American Actress, children’s author and publisher. She is best known for her role as Hillary Banks in the very popular sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. She has had a prolific career in television and film. She is also an author of children’s books as well as a founder of the Sweet Blackberry Foundation which produces animated films and books about unsung Black heroes. She has ties to Rhode Island, residing in Providence, part of the year. She is delighted to join us for the Gala. She thanked Jane Berkowicz and Cristina Iannarino for suggesting Karyn and reaching out to her.
Tracy Boothman announced a project with the Providence Parks Department. This is the Station Meadow project across the street from the Providence Train Station to fix 14 Native flower beds. She is looking for volunteers to join the parks department and Environmental class to work on the flower beds in June. She will let us know when.
Happy Bucks
- Pete Brock is happy about his recent graduation. He opened his diploma and there was only a folder. He called the school to make sure they weren’t withholding his diploma because of unpaid parking ticket or library book fine. He was happy that there were no unexpected charges and that his diploma is forthcoming. He is also is happy for his wife, Emily who just retired from a 15-year career in accounting.
- Jenny Miller Koehler gave 10 Happy bucks for her daughter’s return from a semester in Italy. She is adjusting to being home after visiting 12 different countries. She also gave another 10 Happy Bucks for her other daughter, Lucy who is graduating from Tulane University in New Orleans this coming weekend.
- Anthony Hollingshead gave 1 Happy Buck for Tom May who has his membership application in and will be our 18th New member this year!
- Paula Jagemann gave 20 Happy Bucks to suggest that we look into having a Book Mobile parked outside the Marriott to support our literacy efforts.
- Barbara Harris gave 5 Happy Bucks to celebrate her return to Providence after spending the winter in Miami Beach, Florida with her husband, Seth. She is thrilled about Tracy’s efforts in supporting the Station Meadow project as a wonderful way to welcome visitors arriving by train to Providence. She is happy to see Barry and Elaine and Jenny Miller Koehler who was President after her.
- Don Saracen gave a Happy Buck for his Johnny Blue Eyes, his youngest, twelve year old Grandson who just achieved an Apprentice Black Belt. He is also on a leadership track.
- Yani Hernandes gave 2 Happy Bucks for anyone who celebrated Mother’s Day this past Sunday!
- Our guest, Lisa Caperton gave 20 Happy Bucks for coming to her first Rotary meeting.
- Tom May gave 5 Happy Bucks because he is excited about joining our Rotary Club and for driving by Ina Garten’s very modest, but beautiful home in East Hampton, New York.
- Art Norwalk gave 20 Happy Bucks for 8 Rotarians plus a children’s author who have volunteered for Reading Week to read to children at George J. West Elementary School.
- Matt Schmitz gave Happy Bucks to pay off his debt for past Happy bucks.
- Bill gave 3 Happy Bucks because last week he gave 2 Sourdough Bread bags to Pete Brock for a graduation present and he returned one of the bags with a freshly baked sourdough loaf! He also is happy to see so many Rotarians at our meeting.
Speaker
Don Saracen introduced our speaker
John Kostrzewa
Walking Rhode Island
John Kostrzewa worked for 42 years in the newspaper industry, including the last 29 at The Providence Journal as a business reporter, columnist, business editor, and assistant managing editor. He retired from the Journal in 2017 and spent three years as an adjunct professor at Bryant University. Since launching a hiking column called “Walking Rhode Island” in The Providence Journal in 2021, he has written more than 200 columns. He recently published a compilation of his hikes into a book, Walking Rhode Island 40 hikes for Nature and History Lovers with Pictures, GPS Coordinates and Trail Maps.
His talk and slide show will include where he has hiked and what he has learned. He’ll share his observations about the history, geological features, vegetation and wildlife he has found along the trails.
A College of the Holy Cross graduate, Kostrzewa resides in Cranston with his wife Carol.
We were treated to many wonderful stories and pictures of his favorite RI hikes. He shared why hiking was important to him and how he first focused on the destination. Now he has chosen to slow down and take in all the surroundings, the wildlife and find out the history of the trail blazers. Who built these amazing trails.
