Newsletter Date: March 24
Meeting Date: March 18
Reporter: Sharon Garland
INSPIRATION
In the spirit of the Irish ballad, When Irish Eyes are Smiling, Rev. Ralph Barlow shared the impact that one Irish immigrant, the second pastor of Beneficent Church, had on another group of immigrants who arrived in America at the end of the 18th century. The pastor welcomed Chinese immigrants arriving in Providence by helping them find housing and teaching English to their children. Eventually they became members of the Beneficent congregation and their descendants remain a significant constituency to this day. Rev. Barbie asked that we remember that at one time we were all immigrants.
ANNOUNCEMENTS, Etc.
President Art provided an update on the Rotary International Foundation annual fundraising campaign. Currently there are 15 donors. Please consider making a gift. All gifts are appreciated. If you could make a $100 gift ($8.33 per month) that would be a significant boost to the campaign. If you donate online at
www.rotary.org/donate you will be asked for our club number: it’s 6699.
He also thanked Holly Applegate for organizing last week’s Barker Players fundraiser to benefit the club operations. Holly reported 25 members and guests attended.
On April 25 the Foxboro Club will host a presentation on human trafficking.
District 7950 annual conference will be held on May 3
rd and 4
th. Details on both events available on the District website:
www.Rotary7950.com
Pete Brock reported on the fundraising event this Fall to benefit the Providence Rotary Charities Foundation. Sue Kearney, Honorary Rotarian, has agreed to chair this new event. The success of the event depends on the involvement of all club members; please let Pete know you’d like to help.
Mike Kelly said Jackie Gourd is doing well after heart surgery. She’s in rehab at Saint Elizabeth Home (One Saint Elizabeth Way, East Greenwich, 02818) cards or visits are welcomed.
HAPPY BUCKS
Margaret Kane is back! She’s grateful to Pete for handling Happy Bucks while she was in Florida.
Irish comedian Jim Gilcreast shared Irish jokes!
Pete Brock for Margaret’s return and Jim’s jokes.
Wendy Marcus for Kevin Kernan’s help with a very messy situation in her basement.
Kris David for delivering dictionaries with her daughter who happened to have attended the third grade in the same school.
Anthony Hollingshead welcomed guest, Amy Manchester, who will soon become new member. Amy’s mother is a 20 year member of the Londonderry, NH Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow.
Liz Messier for upsizing with her daughter into a 4,000 sq. foot home in Lincoln – many thanks to Kevin Kernan for his moving her 36 years of stuff!
Kevin Kernan for two more happy customers, Wendy and Liz.
PRESERVING 17TH CENTURY
LOCAL HISTORY
Dr. David Weed of the Sowams Heritage Area Project gave an overview of the indigenous people and colonizing settlers who inhabited the Sowams area that reached from Providence to Bristol. The project focuses on the identification and preservation of 17
th century locations and expanding recognition of the the cultural exchanges between these groups.
Sowams was a pristine area of rich soil for farming, abundant wildlife for hunting and access to fishing along the Providence, Barrington, Kickemuit and Palmer Rivers originally inhabited by native tribes. Thanks to a treaty between the Puritans and the Pokanoket Tribe signed by Chief Massasoit in 1621, the two groups lived in peace with each other for 50 years. The relationship seemed initially beneficial to both groups, with the settlers receiving land and the tribes receiving tools and guns supplied by the English.
By 1675 the Pokanoket, Narragansett and Nipmuc tribes realized that they had allowed the colonists to settle on too much land and the native populations were being devastated by disease brought by the English. The tribes banded together and burnt colonial villages in an attempt to make the colonist flee the area. The King Philip War ended the following year as the colonial armies were able to win control of the land. Eventually the native population was moved to reservations or enslaved.
The Sowams Heritage Area Project has identified 51 sites throughout the East Bay and Providence that reflect the 17th century lives of the indigenous people who originally settled this area.
