Newsletter for October 10, 2021 (Oct 10, 2021)

Providence Rotary Newsletter

Meeting Date: October 5, 2021

Reporter: Liz Messier

Pledge

Jim Gilcreast led us in the Pledge of Allegiance

Inspiration

Offered by Steve Hug

Since 1988, Rotary’s efforts to eradicate polio has reduced polio cases by 99.9%, with just two countries continuing to report cases: Afghanistan and Pakistan. 19.4 million people who would otherwise have been paralyzed are walking and more than 1.5 million people are alive who would otherwise have died. It is inspiring to know that the infrastructure we helped build to end polio is also being used to treat and prevent other diseases including COVID-19.

Announcements

October Birthdays

Wendy Marcus led us in sending Happy Birthday wishes to:

Rob Black

Ralph Barlow

Kevin Kiernan

Lisa Hill

Randy Dittmar

Maury Ryan

Ben Hadsell

Gala Update

Thank you to the following new sponsors:

Center of Obstetrics – Conference Sponsor

Pats Foundation

Pats Alumni

Currently we have $46,000 in sponsorships.

Jim Gilcreast reminded everyone to think EXPERIENCE for larger auction items. Would love someone to sponsor two airline tickets to complete one of the larger packages. Small raffle items are needed as well.

Reading Rally

Malcolm Mitchell’s Reading Rally program for the Harry Kizirian School has been funded thanks to a Rotary District Grant, a Rhode Island Foundation grant, and the Providence Rotary Charities Fund. It will be the day before the Gala and Malcolm will be joining us for the evening event.

Diversity Statement

The Board of managers approved and President Holly read it to the meeting. It is displayed on our website. Read it here.

Take a Book, Leave a Book

Little Library Rotary project

Wendy Marcus introduced a new project that the environmental committee is organizing. Rotary will sponsor one of the

“Take a book, Leave a book” little standalone Libraries. We will stock the box initially and Wendy is asking for donations of children’s books. Our own Rotary artist, Past President Barbara Harris, created this wonderful design and will paint it on one side of the box. A Rotary emblem will have a spot on the box as well. Our Little Library will be located at Brown Street Park, located behind Hope High School.

Purple Pinkie Day

Alex David joined us from Rotaract to introduce us to “Purple Pinkie Day” – encouraging us to get our pinkie finger painted purple by making a donation to Polio Plus. “Purple Pinkie Day” symbolizes how the children have their pinkie finger dyed purple when they receive their polio inoculation.

PC Friars Game

Save the date! Anthony Landi and Rotary After Dark will be organizing an outing to the PC Friars on November 11th against Sacred Heart. Tickets are $15. See Rob Black to sign up and purchase your tickets.

Happy Bucks

Margaret Kane is happy because the Red Sox made the playoffs!

Steve Hug gave a “not so happy” buck for re-living the trauma of Bucky Dent. When he was 22 years old he was the assistant park announcer for that game.

Walter Adamowicz is happy to have celebrated his 65th reunion from PC, for his 65th wedding anniversary and for good remembrances of Stanley Sorentino while he was watching the Patriots game.

Jim Gilcreast is happy! (in honor of Cy Weiss)

Wendy Marcus is happy that her pen pal at Inspiring Minds turned in 20 book reports – the most ever received by Inspiring Minds

Rob Black was happy to celebrate his birthday!

Cap Willey celebrated his daughter’s 49th birthday and is happy that it’s cranberry picking time and a tip of the hat to Bill Bellicheck and Matt Jones!

Kris David is happy to present the Polio Plus Drive and encourages all Rotarians to pledge $100 a year.

Holly Applegate is happy that she and Bill have both gotten their booster shots!

Speaker

Rocky Jacobs – End Polio Now

Coordinator from Region 40

Kris David introduced Rocky Jacobs who is currently the End Polio Now coordinator for Region 40. Rocky was a past district governor in the 90’s and has earned the prestigious Service above Self award.

His goal in talking with us today was to encourage all Rotarians to support our number one humanitarian project, the eradication of polio worldwide. Although we are in the home stretch, with only two countries reporting cases of Polio – Afghanistan and Pakistan, we are not done yet and must continue our efforts until there are ZERO cases of reported polio. October 24th is “World Polio Day” and each club is encouraged to continue the fight by raising awareness and raising funds to support ongoing efforts. Each of us can support the continuation of this work by pledging to the Polio Plus Drive which began today. Often considered Rotary’s legacy, we must finish what we began. Consider pledging $100 a year to the Polio Plus drive to share in Rotary’s efforts to eradicate Polio worldwide. As Rocky plainly spells out, the success of this humanitarian project is in our hands.