Newsletter 2-19-13

                          Rotary Club of Needham
                         Tuesday: February 19, 2013
                          Location: Needham Sheraton

Pledge of Allegiance: Presidential Wannabe Glen Davis
Song: Bob Cocks led us in ?God Bless America?
Invocation: Karen Wetmore

Announcements:
* **Next Weeks Meeting is at the Needham Community Council at 570 Hillside Ave., at the bottom near the lake**
* There was a Social Media discussion at Jim Brown?s office last Friday. This group is looking for any club members who would like to serve on this committee, to help develop the club?s social media from the website and a Face Book page, to something which has a stronger impact on potential guests and members. See Glen Davis for details.
* A number of folks have been meeting with the Needham Little league, which Bill Paulson reported. They are working to enable the Little League to sell tickets to both their raffle and the pancake breakfast, thus increasing ticket sales. The money would be split between the two clubs. . Target date is May 11.
* Gift of Life update: Zamu, the 7 month old from the Dominican Republic, had successful heart surgery at Children?s hospital and he returned home yesterday. GOL is anticipating two new arrivals from the DR on March 2nd, who will be operated on at Maine Medical Center.
* Our Rotary District is receiving a GSE (Group Study Exchange) team fro Brazil in April. Karen is looking for folks to host one of these folks for several days in their home. It is a wonderful opportunity to meet and get to know young professionals from Brazil. See Karen if you would like to be involved.
* The idea of a Carnival run by our club (not our normal meeting) to raise funds.
* We are still looking for a host family for a foreign exchange student for the school year starting in August 2013. The host family does NOT have to be a Rotarian. Spread the word to see who may have interest The other slots have been filled. Maria Cronin from NHS will be going to France. Her Mom was a Rotary Exchange student as well.
Pedro Garcia Lopez will be our inbound student from Brazil. Bill Paulson will be our club ?Student Exchange person, responsible for both outgoing and incoming students. Darrell will be the incoming student counselor; Charles will be the outgoing coordinator.

Guests: Carol Riken, ?the Moving Maven?, a friend of Roz; Stefan Bijor, the Rotary Scholar from Cologne Germany, and Milton, his Rotary sponsor from Westborough Rotary; Jackie Cronin and her daughter Maria. Maria will be out outgoing Rotary Exchange student from NHS going to France this August through next June. Mother Jackie was also an exchange student through Rotary back in Wisconsin when she went to Denmark; Bill Paulson?s daughter Ellen.

Happy $$$: Tom Savino for his comments ending up in Forbes Magazine. His PR firm seems to be doing quite a job! George Hoffmeister was feeling lucky about his chances with the 50/50: sorry George! Doug George for business picking up; A bunch of HTBH; Scotti for another trip to Florida; Chris Teachout-training for the Boston Marathon; Melissa for successful heart surgery performed by her best friend; a lot for all of our guests!

50:50: Chuck Buyer had the winning ticket, but did not pull the winning card. The pot stands at $625!

Humor: (Anyone who has ever dressed a child will love this)
The teacher was helping one of her pupils put on his boots.
He asked for help and she could see why.
Even with her pulling, and him pushing, the little boots still didn't want to go on.
By the time they got the second boot on, she had worked up a sweat.
She almost cried when the little boy said,
'Teacher, they're on the wrong feet.'
She looked, and sure enough, they were.
Unfortunately, it wasn't any easier pulling the boots off,
than it was putting them on.
She managed to keep her cool as, together, they worked to get the boots back on,
this time on the correct feet.
He then announced, 'These aren't my boots.'
She bit her tongue, rather than get right in his face and scream,
'Why didn't you say so?'
like she wanted to.
Once again, she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off his little feet.
No sooner had they got the boots off when he said,
'They're my brother's boots. But my Mom made me wear 'em today.'
Now she didn't know if she should laugh or cry.
But she mustered up what grace and courage she had left to
wrestle the boots BACK onto his feet again.
Helping him into his coat, she asked,
'Now, where are your mittens?'
He said, 'I stuffed 'em in the toes of my boots.'
She'll be eligible for parole in three years

Guest Speaker: Stefian Bijor graduated from the University of Cologne in 2002, and Clerked for a Justice in Germany after that. In Germany, you have to get your PhD in law, which he did, and in 2010 he passed the Bar in Germany, and then worked for a German law firm. He is studying law at BU and living in Brookline. He came to tell us and show us pictures of Cologne Germany, the 4th largest city in Germany. It is one of the oldest cities in the world, dating back to the time before Christ Jesus, and it has the 3rd largest cathedral in the world. He showed us pictures of their ?Carnival? celebration with its famous parade.

He exchanged flags with Glen, and had his picture taken with Glen as well. Another quality student from abroad which can?t help make you feel proud for what Rotary does with it?s scholars who are sent to other countries to promote world peace and understanding. Gret job Stefian!