We think of Rotary as synonymous with RI (Rotary International), but, of course, it was not an international organization until it had its first club from a country other than the U.S.A. That first club from outside the United States was Winnipeg, Canada, which established a Rotary Club in November 1910. That may be the date on which Rotary became international, but as Paul Harris noted, Rotary was thinking international long before then.
Paul Harris wrote: It takes more than one swallow to make a summer. But one Canadian Rotary club sufficed to internationalize Rotary. In fact, the fever was at the time running so high that it is questionable whether even the inclusion of Winnipeg was necessary. Rotary simply had to become international somehow.” (Paul Harris, The Rotarian Age, page 86)
On Zoom
Sam New, Richard Applebaum
Guests
Bill Efthimiades, Director of Finance, Swan Point Cemetery; Simone Fargiorgio both of whom will be inducted as new Rotary members next week; Don Saracen’s wife Cherie and son Scott, Deputy Director, Rhode Island Film and TV Office. Rotarian Tammy DeBarros of the Fall River Club.
New Members Induction
Pete Peterson, Co-Founder & Board Member, myhomecourt.org, and CEO of Merit 2.0; Allison Mascolo and Michael Semper of Merit 2.0
Announcements
- November 17 Rotary International Foundation Luncheon
- Rotarians voted to cancel meetings scheduled for December 24 and 31, 2024
- The committee to select and elect (in January) a slate of officers and Board members will convene under the leadership of Sharon Garland. Rotarians who would like to join that committee please contact Sharon (sgarland49@gmail.com)
- December Rotary meetings:
Sharon Johnson, District Governor attending our meeting on December 3.
Annual Luncheon with the students of San Miguel School, December 10
Happy Bucks
- Bill Applegate celebrating new members, and glad to see Barry Fain at the meeting.
- Tammy DeBarros welcome new members to Providence Rotary Club
- Alex David celebrating his sister’s new baby boy Austin Joseph and his addition to their family
- Barry Fain, so glad to attend this meeting in person with his wife Elaine
- Pete Brock, celebrating a renewed interest in Patriots football with recent wins
- Bill Efthimiades celebrating his son’s recent engagement
- Zoomer Richard Applebaum celebrating Merit 2.0 as new members and the new addition to the David family
Speaker
Don Saracen introduced Steven Feinberg, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Film & TV Office for the past 20 years with this resume.
"As Executive Director, Steven has brought some of the most iconic and celebrated productions to our Ocean State as follows: The Emmy Award nominated series The Gilded Age currently in its third season; Disney movie Hocus Pocus 2, and Ella McCay starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Woody Harrelson, Emma MacKay and other actors under the direction of James L. Brooks, to name a few. It is said that no one loves Rhode Island and movies more than Steven. You can love them as much as him, but not more than him."
Steven treated us to an engaging film tour of Rhode Island, a Powerpoint presentation of the Rhode Island Film & TV Office’s major contributions to our state’s communities, a brief Q&A, and a strong finish where he posed five trivia questions that select Rotarians were able to answer.
Under the umbrella title Smallest State Greatest Backlot Steven shared some perhaps unknown facts:
- Native Rhode Islanders include Oscar-winner Viola Davis and film director of The Green Book, screenwriter, producer and novelist Peter Farrelly;
- and the following contributions to Rhode Island residents, organizations, and the state’s economy and workforce:
- Set-Jetting to boost tourism to RI-based film locations;
- providing career advice to college and university students;
- set visits for elementary school children, delivering weekly Virtual Education Panels--Double Features that include interviews with people in the industry;
- and providing access to local film festivals.
Over its 20 years the Rhode Island Film & TV Office has brought in $850 million of revenue and offering diverse workforce opportunities.
