INSPIRATION
Anthony Landi said we should all be inspired during this holiday season with wishes to all for joy and love in the year to come.     

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS, Etc.
President Art

 

Randy Dittmar reported that dictionary distribution to Providence school children will start in January thanks to Anthony Landi providing storage space.

 

 

An induction ceremony was held to welcome returning member Phil Gossel to the club. Phil is a former Rotarian in New Hamphshire and Providence. He retired from the US Navy and now works at Brown University.

 

Wendy Marcus announced the December birthdays: Arthur Robbins, Bryan Cook, Richard Applebaum and Kim Dumpson. 

 

Videographer Don Coyne captures a third grade student reading one of the more than 700 classroom library books we donated to the Harry Kizirian Elementary School. Don is putting together a presentation on the club’s new childhood literacy initiative.

 

HAPPY BUCKS
Peter Brock started with a buck for the Patriots Alumni Association successful fund raiser held at Gilette Stadium on December 9 with a viewing of the game from Miami. Despite the disappointing ending of the game the positive element was that the Association's youth camp programs received the needed funding.

 

Maxine Cohen for great acting performance in the play Butter Fingers Angel at Barker Playhouse by Steve Hug.

 

Bob Murphy for the assistance from club members in his function as coordinator of the Holiday Party for San Miguel students and staff on December 2 - also for the nice thank you note from San Miguel he received on behalf of the Club.

 

Anthony Hollingshead thanking Bob Murphy for organizing the party.

 

Barbara Harris for her upcoming extended stay in Miami Beach. 

 

HOW RHODE ISLAND BENEFITS
FROM THE BLUE ECONOMY
Tobias "Toby" Stapleton, Dean of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education Programs at Salve Regina University in Newport, spoke on the concept of the "Blue Economy" which refers to the economic activity in the areas of fishing, aquaculture, wind power and marine technology. About 5% of the Rhode Island economy is linked to the ocean.

 

URI and Brown University are conducting wave technology research and the first offshore wind farm in the U.S. is in RI waters. The Southern New England coastal area is known as the "Silicon Valley" of marine technology.

 

The main challenge now in this area is to coordinate the efforts of the several states that comprise the above area so that the maximum benefit can be derived from the multifaceted Blue Economy.