Fellowship News - Current  Mar 4, 2010

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Rotary Club of Cambridge, Mass.   Editors: Mark Orent and Dan O'Neill Photos by Jack Rummel  Send Comments and Suggestions to mddorent@comcast.net

Last Week's Meeting 

President Dave Reed opened the meeting with....

On This Day - Today's Highlights in History

• 1678 -Italian composer and violinist Antonio Vivaldi  was born. 
• 1681 -  England's King Charles II granted a charter to William Penn for an area of land that later became Pennsylvania. 
• 1861 -  Abraham Lincoln took the oath of office as the 16th president. 
• 1902-  The American Automobile Association was founded in Chicago.
• 1917 -  Republican Jeanette Rankin of Montana took her seat as the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
• 1933 - Frances Perkins became the first woman to serve in the Cabinet when she took over as secretary of labor.
• 2005 - Martha Stewart left federal prison after serving five months for her role in a stock scandal.

Visiting Rotarians and Guests    Susan Lapierre presented her guest, Nicholas Brofman, from Chile.  He is an international student staying at Susan's house.  He is currently working on a Strategic Risk study at MIT.   Michael Simon's guest, his cousin Bob Snyder.

 Nicholas Brofman spoke about the earthquake in Chile, and how he has been working with his team in Chile through the internet by use of scup camera.  Four years ago his team was developed to educate people on what to do in case of an emergency.  His team is working with the government in Chile to better educate the people for emergency situations.  The majority of people that died recently were due to the Tsunami not the earthquake, and this was due mostly to the lack of timely communication by the government to warn people.  The army has recently taken over and communications are getting better.

Nicholas Bronfman(center) with Susan Lapierre and Dave Reed

                                                                                                          Photo by Jack Rummel

Romain Meyer was happy to share with the group a piece of material from the oldest Solar System called ALLENDE; it is billions of years old.

Barry Seidman was happy for his 40 years of marriage.

Louise Olson thanked everyone for their support for the Mardi Gras, and there are still tickets available.

Dan O'Neill great to be back, had the coldest month of February in Florida.

Mallory Slate is thankful for Dan being back.

Mike Simon was happy to see everyone's happy faces.

Susan Lapierre is thankful for the safety of all friends and families in Chile.

Thank you to Barry Simon for his birthday check.   Upcoming Programs   March 23rd- Evening Social at Cord Don Blue in Cambridge, special guest Nicholas Bronfman. March 18th- Mt. Auburn Hospital, Men's Prostate Cancer. March 11th- Cambridge History Society, Woman of Harvard Square.

Program

Chalk on the Walk

Alice McCarter

Alice McCarter, President-Elect

            Photo by Jack Rummel

Alice McCarter, Chair of this year's Chalk on the Walk reported that there are six possibly seven Major Supporters of Chalk on the Walk.  Anyone interested in becoming a Major Supporter will have to contact Alice McCarter no later that Wednesday, March 10, 2010 by 5:00 PM.  Contact Alice directly at amccarter@windsorhouse.org with your information.

This year's goal for Chalk on the Walk is to raise $18,000.  All sign-up forms for squares and Major Supporters are posted on our club's website in the Chalk on the Walk section.  The success of this year's Chalk on the Walk hinges on every member lining up sponsors for squares and volunteering at the event on Sunday, May 2, 2010. 

Alice distributed Chalk on the Walk Volunteer sheets with descriptions of activities and responsibilities on Chalk day.  Several members submitted their sheets, but she hopes to have participation at 100%.

This year we will enhance the Children's Chalk Drawing area, and emphasize our involvement in Polio Plus and the R.I. goal of Eradication of Polio Worldwide.  Both of these added points of emphasis to Chalk on the Walk have the potential to enhance our results, but it will require dedicated volunteers, too.

Amy Croot our seasoned chairperson of Artists will again be responsible for Artist Registration and will work primarily in the weeks ahead.  Amy would benefit from an assistant who can commit to being in charge on May 2. 

Member packets to sign up squares will be distributed in March.  There will be an interesting graphic to monitor our ‘square sign-up success' throughout the month of April and challenge each one of us to make Chalk on the Walk a great event...with fellowship between Rotarians,  raising funds for Polio Eradication Worldwide and our Cambridge Charitable Projects.  

Alice deviated from her topic of Chalk on the Walk to explain a Rotary International survey that is being done by Presidents Elect in district 7930 at the PETS which she will attend on March 11th.

Randy Lindell will post the survey on our website and members are encouraged to go through the survey and contact Alice at amccarter@windsorhouse.org with any comments or concerns.   

We'll See You This Week at Rotary!