Rotateller Rotary Club of Owego, NY
Tuesday, April 22, 2008 Gary Williams, Editor

A good example has twice the value of good advice. Unknown (but similar to the quote from Ben Franklin used by Fran)

VISITORS AND GUESTS:

• Mia Gatto, Interact
• Rebecca Hernandez, guest of Terry
• Kristen Luce, guest of Susan’s
• Joe Palladino
• Russ Nicosia

MUSIC:

“R-O-T-A-R-Y” led by Carl and Carolyn

FINES:

Alice fined tables based on our ignorance of Rotary information.

Highlights: Owego Rotary board of directors meeting April 17, 2008

• March attendance: 66%; 100% attendance: 19 members; 59 members at end of March
• Approved donation of $100 toward the activity day for youth this summer at Marvin Park. The VFW and American Legion jointly sponsor Tioga County Youth Day, which will take place August 2, 2008 from 12-4 p.m. A representative will come to a meeting to receive the donation and tell members about the project.
• Approved request for Relay for Life luminarias to be sold during meetings to Rotarians once more this year.
• Approved tuition for a fourth very highly qualified student to attend the leadership-training seminar, RYLA.
• Announcements:
• Maria Dixson has become unable to move to president-elect on July 1, 2008 because she cannot attend Tuesday meetings due to job requirements. Discussion will continue concerning the leadership chain.
• There will be a second 2008-2009 inbound Youth Exchange student, a boy from France who will attend Newark Valley High School.

Next meeting Thursday, May 15, 2008 at 7:30 a.m. at Owego Treadway Inn. All members may attend.

ROAD CLEAN-UP AND FLOWER BED PREPARATION THIS SATURDAY MORNING.

INDUCTION:

Judy inducted Kristen Luce, who works with Susan. She is the 13th new member this year and our 26th female member. A welcome addition!

CLOCK TOWER:

We were in Charleston, SC this past week and there was a beautiful clock tower on a corner as we have previously seen in Mobile, AL. There were also plagues about Rotary. It was very attractive, but perhaps not the most useful way for us to spend out money.

INTERACT:

Mia Gatto reported that Interact is looking to send an animal to a needy family in Africa (?)

PROGRAM:

Matt introduced Fran Angeline. There is no summary which will give his talk justice, but it was most enjoyable. He made many connections to Owego, had accolades for many Owego natives including Joe Palladino, shared some of what he put in his book, and also shared some of his favorite quotes. Coincidentally, he used a quote from Teddy Roosevelt which I had just decided not to put in the bulletin. He changed my mind. The following is quoted in When Trumpets Call by Patricia O’Toole and is about Roosevelt’s life after the presidency. I recommend it.

Also, on p. 38, it reads: “J. Alden Loring of Owego, New York, had sandy hair and a surprisingly boyish face for a man of thirty-eight.” Loring accompanied Roosevelt on his safari to Africa right after he left office in 1909.

READING:

One of the problems of recommending books is that we assume that everyone will be interested in what interests us. Here are a few others.

American Creation by Joseph J. Ellis tells the story about the years from Lexington and Concord to the Louisiana Purchase. We are still living with the consequences of those times and decisions. It is very readable and concise.

The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb is a little heavy, but is about those unexpected things in life which have significant effects (which we then explain as if we expected them). I am buying if for family members!

The Judgment of Paris: The Revolutionary Decade that Gave the World Impressionism by Ross King. I know that this will not be of general interest, but it works into the story what is going on in France under the reign of Napolean III (which includes putting Maximillian on the throne in Mexico during our Civil War). At this time, Paris and macadam streets, 200 miles of underground sewers, and the first subway.

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