Pledge
Past President Mike Kelly led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Inspiration
Bob Watts gave the inspiration. Bob shared remembrances of a respected lawyer, Charles F. Tillinghast who served clients from all walks of life from 1830 to 1890 in Providence. He was admired for his valuable service to the community by performing his work faithfully, quietly, and authentically. Small shopkeepers and poor women went to him freely and were received with as much kindness and consideration as his wealthy and important clients. Mr. Tillinghast was frequently spoken of as THE HONEST Lawyer who embraced authenticity among everyone. If your message doesn’t have any life to it, your life doesn’t have a message. As Rotarians, when we do what we do in our community, we are touching the authenticity in ourselves and others.
Members on Zoom
Mary Cullen, Gabby Bello, Ben Hadsell, Barbara Harris, Barry Fain, and Sam New
Guest
Molly Kittler from RI Public Health Institute.
Announcements
President Kris welcomed everyone with reminders about the parking app and to kindly silence your phones.
Art Norwalk gave a report from the Literacy Committee announcing the upcoming Read to Kids at the Kizirian Elementary School in Mid-April. He is hoping that Rotarians will sign up.
There will be a Club Assembly initiated by incoming President Pete Brock on April 16 to get ready for July 1st!
Kris thanked Rob Black for his recent tent supper featuring food from Ghana. She also thanked other tent supper hosts. 30 Rotarians attended the tent suppers. The Global grant for Ghana was approved by Rotary International.
Kris also thanked everyone who attended the Bruins Hockey Game this past Sunday for Polio Plus.
Anthony Hollingshead spoke about the successful Membership Orientation attended by 13 Rotarians at Kris David’s house on Monday, March 25. Another orientation will be planned in the future.
There is a District Assembly is April 6th at New England Tech.
Anxela Elezaj has offered to chair the Rotary Day of Service on May 18.
On April 27th we will be doing an in-service project packaging food with The Metro Club in honor of Chris Spear, President Elect, who passed away on a business trip.
Happy Bucks
- Peter Brock said he decided to be happy today and he is happy that his heart is in rhythm.
- Anthony Landi gave 20 bucks for an amazing trip to Paris will his family and for Sharon Garland, Jan Feyler and Suzanne Cannon’s help with composing a letter that was sent from the Rotary Charities Foundation.
- Kris David gave a Happy Buck to let us know that she has ordered shirts for Rotary Day of Service. Please sign up for your shirt size.
- Liz Messier gave 10 Happy Bucks for being halfway done her radiation treatment for skin cancer. She expects 100% recovery.
- Bill Applegate gave 10 Happy Bucks for his and Holly’s nice, worldwind trip to New York City to St. Kitts and back to New York City to babysit our grandchildren.
Speaker
Pete Brock introduced our speaker, Dr. Amy Nunn, Executive Director of The RI Public Health Institute and Professor of Public Health and Medicine at Brown University. She has Master’s and Doctoral degrees from Harvard School of Public Health. She was a Fulbright Scholar and speaks Spanish and Portuguese.
Dr. Nunn gave special recognition to Barbara Harris who joined their Board and helped with legal advice dealing with no heat in their non-profit facility. She continued to help with other legal issues.
Dr Nunn mentioned several initiatives of the Public Health Institute over the last 12 years. She said her motto is “Go Big or Go Home.” So, she is proud of the state’s early expansion of Medicaid. We almost have universal health coverage with 96% of our residents are insured.
One missing part of health care was culturally tailored services, specifically a lack of LGBTQ services. In March 2020, they opened the Open Door Health facility. This clinic offer services to 7100 patients with an average age of 32 years old. The center has an innovative design with lots of color and artwork by local artists. They have focused on mental health which has affected so many people because of Covid. The depression and anxiety levels are very high for our LGBTQ patients. They also have a HIV prevention program, along with MPOX vaccinations.
She wrapped up her talk on food insecurity with their Food on the Move program, A Mobile Produce market. They are involved with a Eat Well, Be Well Rewards (Snap) program in collaboration with Stop and Shop and Walmart.
Dr. Nunn concluded her talk with a video, which you can see
here.
