**Rotary Minutes for meeting held on August 4th, 2015**
 
The meeting was opened by President Rich Forte with the ‘Pledge of Allegiance’,  Bob Cocks led us in ‘God Bless America’ , and  Reverend Darrell Minnich led us in prayer.
 
GUESTS:  Our guest speaker and District Gov. Jim Fusco; our Asst. District Governor and District Governor Nominee, Karen Gaffney.
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
-August 18th will be our preview of what the ‘Rotary Visioning Program’ will be all about. Rich is in the process of selecting a Tuesday night date in October for our 5:00pm to 9:00 pm actual ‘Visioning’ event.
-Thanks to Bill Paulson, Dan Tibma, Greg Cronin and Roz for moving the 6 ft tall Rotary Wheel for the parade to Avery Manor for safe keeping.
-The club is looking for a company to spend $1500 to sponsor our fall Dictionary handout to all Needham 3rd Graders.
-Our newest member Anthony Guardia, is jumping right in and is heading up the ‘Speakers’ Committee. If you want to join him, or, have ideas for guest speakers, please let him know.
-Bill Paulson received the plaque/picture or our Rotary Little League team. They are a 3rd and 4th grade travel team known as the ‘Navy Heat’.
-Ted mentioned that 3 year old Eliot returned to his home in Panama after his GOL surgery. Pictured below is Eliot and his family and friends welcoming him home.
 
On the flight home, they got bumped up to first class, where they sat next to the former President of Panama,  Mireya Mosoco!:  What a thrill!! Pictured above are Eliot, jis parents, grandparents, and a new fried who helped them on the flight.
 
 
PRESIDENTAL MOMENT:  Lois talked about the 31st President of the U.S. who is the only Quaker to be elected President, on August 10th, 1874: Herbert Hoover.
 
50/50:  Winning ticket was held by Ted but didn’t pick the ten of spades.
Pot is at $235. He would have donated it all to the Gift of Life.
 
HAPPY DOLLARS:  The ‘Happy happy table’ all pitched in $5 for a total of 238 years of marriage at the table. This includes Chuck, Bill, Tom, Lois and Ron! Ted Shaughnessy for GOL success with Eliot; Kathy for being back from sailing; Andy because he loves the heat; Rick Davis welcoming Anthony as a new member; Many HTBH and welcoming the DG and ADG.
DOUG’S HUMOR:  A lawyer runs a stop sign and gets pulled over by a sheriff. He thinks he's smarter being a big shot lawyer from New York and has a better education than an sheriff from West Virginia. The sheriff asks for license and registration. The lawyer asks, "What for?" The sheriff responds, "You didn't come to a complete stop at the stop sign." The lawyer says, "I slowed down and no one was coming." "You still didn't come to a complete stop. License and registration please," say the sheriff impatiently. The lawyer says, "If you can show me the legal difference between slow down and stop, I'll give you my license and registration and you can give me the ticket. If not, you let me go and don't give me the ticket." The sheriff says, "That sounds fair, please exit your vehicle." The lawyer steps out and the sheriff takes out his nightstick and starts beating the lawyer with it. The sheriff says, "Do you want me to stop or just slow down?"
 
GUEST SPEAKER:
ADG Karen Gaffney introduced our District Governor Jim Fusco. Jim has been in Rotary for 13 years, and his wife Karen has been a member even longer ! They are known in the District as ‘Mr. and Mrs. Rotary”!
Jim talked about the goals for Rotary International, including hopefully completing the Polio Plus program of eradicating Polio and 5 other childhood disease from the face of the earth. This program was started in 1985, and only two countries remain: Pakistan and Afghanistan. It will be wonderful when this is complete.
The President of RI’s theme this year is ‘Be a gift to the world!”. That is quite an assignment, one we should strive for every day.
Jim detailed how while Rotary membership continues to climb outside the United States, it is diminishing in the U.S. Our goal at Needham Rotary is to add a net of 3 new members. Who can you bring as a guest/potential member?
Jim’s final message was about the District Conference which will be held in Plymouth MA this year at the Radisson hotel. So, lock in the dates of Friday May 20 thru Sunday May 22 as the dates. At a minimum, we should all try to attend at least one event.
After such a great presentation, we know that our District is in good hands! The District website is www.rotary7910.org.