Logo for: Rotary Old Saybrook

OS Rotary Meeting 12/09/20

Pledge: Gary McCauley
Prayer and Four Way Test: Gary McCauley

Happy Bucks:
Several for our guest speaker, many are happy for the day, happy for the development of the COVID
vaccine, happy for good health, Charlie N. is happy to have attended his 65th high school class reunion (ZOOM), and Joe is happy to be celebrating his 85th birthday.

President’s Update:
            The PPE pediatric and adult masks will be available in January. The club will be responsible for delivering them to schools and social services.

            Meals on Wheels sent a thank you for our money raised in the annual Turkey Drive. Liberty Bank is our partner during this Thanksgiving fundraiser.

            John G. has updated the club’s data for Rotary International.

Students of the Month for Social Studies: Lyme/Old Lyme: Riley Nelson; Old Saybrook: Grace Laskowski; Westbrook: Jesse McGannon.

            Received a thank you note for organizing the Thanksgiving Dinner donation to the Westbrook social services. This was made possible through a Grant from the Westbrook Foundation.

Program: Mary Seidner, Lyme Youth Services Bureau

            Mary explained that $100,000.00 was raised to help people/families affected by the COVID 19 virus. To date, over 90 families received help with food and rent. Help was also given to those needing advice in navigating the unemployment and food stamp application procedure. A summer lunch program for students was conducted. About 400 lunches were served on Tuesday/Thursday every week during last summer. This program was made possible through the cooperation of the Bureau and local restaurants. In addition, a mask drive was held in which a thousand masks, some handmade, were given out at a drive thru event or delivered by the police department. There are funds still available to help residents. Requests should be made on the Bureau’s Website.

            Mary announced that many of the programs have been changed from in person to on-line. She updated the data on the youth drug and alcohol surveys while stressing the rise of the vaping problem among the students. Mary reported that a Thanksgiving food drive helped 50 families while a Christmas Toy Drive will benefit 40 families. A moving video, produced by the Youth Advisory Council, focused on the “silver linings” each student found in this time of COVID. Thank you, Mary, for all that you and the Lyme Youth Service Bureau are able to accomplish during these difficult times.

Special Committees:
            Website development – meeting this week to determine a course of action.
            Nominating – positions needed to be filled: President-elect and Vice President.

Committee Reports:
             Future Speakers – Bill M. volunteered to present his favorite article from the Rotarian magazine at our next meeting. (I can hardly wait!)
            Pat DeVito explained the scope and purpose of the WASH Rotary Action Group. (WaSanitationHygiene)

Next Meeting 12/16/2020    ZOOM

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