1. 2009-2010 District No. 7910
ROTARY CLUB OF NEWTON Club No. 6580
719 WASHINGTON STREET BOX MS295
NEWTONVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS 02460
MEETS TUESDAYS; 12:15 P.M. BRAE BURN COUNTRY CLUB, 326 FULLER STREET, NEWTON, MA
President Vice President Treasurer Sergeant-at-Arms Director Director
Marie Presti Laurisa Neuwirth Peter Mahler Bill Garr Dick Bowen Justin Sallaway
617-620-6948 617-291-0572 617-630-5289 617-969-5906 x116 617-969-9134 617-244-0065
President-Elect Past President Recording Secretary Newsletter Editor Director Director
Jeff Tucker Marc Epstein John Hurney Scott Lewis Jeff Chin Tony Bibbo
617-340-1263 617-244-1212 617-332-7412 617-293-6371 617-965-1988 781-237-1144
THE SERVICE GEAR
Volume LXXXVI No. 25 January 13, 2010
E verybody can be great. Because anybody
can serve. You don’t have to have a college
MEETING GREETERS NEXT MEETING:
January 20: Jeff Chin and Daniela Proia
degree to serve. You don’t have to make your
subject and your verb agree to serve. You don’t
have to know the second theory of thermodynam-
ics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full
of grace - Martin Luther King Jr.
So quoted President Marie Presti to start
today’s meeting. She called upon John Hurney
to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Tom
Keery offered an invocation, and Susanne
McInerney led the Club in a chorus of America
the Beautiful.
Marie appreciated that four tables were full
of Rotarians, and thanked today’s Club Greeters,
Bill Garr and Jeff Tucker assisted by Marc
Epstein.
Bill Garr stands with some of the Zervas Elementary third
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS
graders, proudly holding their new dictionaries.
Bill Garr announced that 20 members were
present today, and acknowledged our guests.
Student of the Month Molly Weinstein was
CONTENTS Page
accompanied by her father, Al Weinstein, mother
ANNOUNCEMENTS 2
Julie Levinson, grandmother Phyllis Levinson,
SERGEANT-at-ARMS 1
and Newton South guidance counselor Sue
THIS WEEK’S JOKE 2
Batler.
STUDENT of the MONTH 3
HAPPY DOLLARS 4
RAFFLE 6
c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 1
2. ANNOUNCED FROM THE PODIUM
3rd Grade Humor Dictionaries: Bill Garr noted that so far
this week about half of Newton’s third grade
As a service to Rotarians handing out students had been given Dictionaries by our Club
dictionaries to third grade students, we offer volunteers. He himself helped out at the Zervas
the following warm-up jokes for your Elementary School, where one thoughtful student
presentations: asked “Aren’t you the guys that build rotaries?”
Bill Lowery reported how much he enjoyed
Why don’t elephants like playing cards in the distributing the books at Ward Elementary
jungle? Because of all the cheetahs! School, where every student enthusiastically
What do you call a elephant that never wanted to help out. Paul Kerrissey added that
washes? A smellyphant! every student-recipient at one Burr School class
wanted to personally say “thank you.”
Teacher: “Where would you find an Scott Lewis, who helped Paul at Burr and
elephant? “Pupil:”You don’t have to find Williams Elementary Schools, recruited his 5th
them, they’re too big to lose!” grade daughter Celia to help hand out dictionar-
ies. As it happens, Celia was part of a Science &
What do you call an elephant with a carrot in Engineering Week presentation before the same
each ear? Anything you want as he can’t hear third graders the very next day. She reported that
you! teachers had trouble getting the students to put
away their dictionaries.
Teacher: “To which family does the elephant
belong?” Pupil: “I don’t know, nobody I
Paula Kirrane first asked that Club mem-
know owns one!”
bers sign a Get Well card to send with our best
How do you spell elephant? E-l-l-e-e-f-a-n-t wishes to Terri Greco’s husband, Tony, who is
That’s not how the dictionary spells it. You fighting kidney failure.
didn’t ask me how the dictionary spelt it!”
Death by Chocolate: Paula brought a stack
Teacher: “Name six wild animals” Pupil: of posters and fliers for members to distribute.
“Four elephants and two lions!” She also circulated sign-up sheets for volunteers
to help during specific time slots, including the
What do you call an elephant that lies across
night before the event. She noted that sponsor-
the middle of a tennis court? Annette!
ship income is up this year, but silent auction
Bill: “My homework is really difficult items are still needed, including Lottery scratch
tonight, I have to write an essay on an tickets for the “Scratch Ticket Tree.”
elephant.” Bert: “Well, for a start, your
going to need a big ladder. New Spring Event: Jeff Tucker reported
that we have not been able to secure a suitable
Why do elephants do well in school? venue for a Spring Home Show. He, along with
Because they have a lot of grey matter! Tom Keery and Ed Casavant, have looked into
the feasibility of a Club-sponsored Spring Golf
Tournament to take place at Brae Burn Country
Club in June. ...continued Page 5
c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 2
3. YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND
The 42nd Annual
Martin Luther King Jr.
Newton Community Celebration
Monday, January 18, 2010, 10:00 a.m.
Our Lady Help of Christians
573 Washington Street
Newton, MA. 02458
Honored Guests:
Congressman Barney Frank
Mayor Setti Warren
Dr. James Marini, Superintendent of Schools
Reflections by Newton School Students
Musical Selections by:
Newton All City Honors Chorus
Newton South Harambee Gospel Choir
Myrtle Baptist Church’s The Love Tones
PLEASE BRING non-perishable food items, which are being
collected for donation to the Newton Food Pantry.
Co-sponsored by the City of Newton, Newton Interfaith Clergy
Association, The Newton School Department, and the Foundation for
Racial, Ethnic &Religious Harmony
******************************************
4. Student of the Month
Molly Weinstein, Newton South High School
Dr. Bob Staulo invited guidance counse-
lor Susan Batler to say a few words about
Student of the Month Molly Weinstein. Ms.
Batler had phrases like “zest for life,” “confi-
dence within herself,” and “bright and ener-
getic” to descibe Molly.
Molly’s activities, mentioned by both
Ms. Batler and herself, have included her
involvement with the Global Citizens’ Corp
Club, run by the Mercy Corp. to fight global
hunger, and the Community Service Club.
She has worked on Project Ruanda, and
traveled to Nicuragua.
More locally she has mentored freshman Presiden Marie Presti and Jeff Tucker on either side of
field hockey teammates. She is herself an Student of the Month Molly Weinstein, who received a
accomplished field hockey and lacrosse savings account from The Village Bank.
athlete, and long-time school newspaper
See also group photo on Page 6.
editor.
PAUL M. KERRISSEY
Attorney at Law
277 Auburn Street
Suite B
Auburndale, MA 02466
Office: (617) 964-5800
Fax: (617) 969-9850
c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 3
5. HAPPY DOLLARS
Bill Garr was happy to collect Happy note while watching Jeopardy. Jeff Tucker was
Dollars, starting with his own pleasure to be happy to have joined Susanne McInerney for
part of handing out dictionaries to Newton’s skating on the Frog Pond. Peter Mahler was
3rd Graders. Michelle Desimone was happy to happy to have handed out dictionaries to 3rd
extend her perfect 2010 attendance record. Graders at the Mason Rice Elementary School,
Dick Bowen was happy to acknowledge the his first elementary school experience in forty
good work of so many Club committee chairs. years.
Paula Kirrane was sad to recall the Peggy Lepore was happy to meet our
Patriots football game, Tony Greco’s ill health, Student of the Month; for Tony Bibbo’s help
and the recent loss of her aunt. But Paula was scheduling Club Greeters, and for the two new
happy to see Bert Martinson back, and she was members soon to be inducted. Susanne
happily looking forward to Death by Choco- McInerney was happy to share hopeful
late. thoughts for Terri and Tony Greco.
Bert Martinson was happy to be back Tony Bibbo was happy for our Student of
from visiting his younger brother in California, the Month; that 120 volunteers were planning
who was honored by members of the film to help out with the MLK celebration next
industry; happy to report that his son will week; and to salute the only other Newton
soon go back to Africa to serve Doctors South varsity athletes in the room, including
without Boarders in Ethiopia; and happy to Bob Staulo.
have joined Jim Means at a Boston Bruins Tom Keery was happy for our Student of
hockey game. the Month. He was also happy to be considering
Paul Kerrissey had praise for the Dictio- a new career as a personal trainer, starting with
nary project and pride in announcing that his first client, a Rotarian. He declined to
daughter Michaela will remain in Boston to identify the client, however, to avoid any
work for Bridgespan,a non-profit consulting embarassment to Mr. Kerrissey - oops!
organization. Marie Presti was happy to hear that our
Marc Epstein was happy that son Daniel Student of the Month would be attending the
will attend Bay State College. He was also University of Michigan. She was also delighted
happy to be under consideration to star in the that son Brendon no longer needs diapers - most
Robin Hood Rally reality TV show. of the time!
$2 Bill Lowery was happy to have
correctly identified the face on the two-dollar
c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 4
6. ANNOUNCED FROM THE PODIUM UPCOMING...
New Spring Event...continued from Page 3 January 20, 2010: WEDNESDAY Meetings
continue at Brae Burn
The Spring Golf Tournament , approved
at last night Board of Directors meeting, is January 31, 2010: DEATH by CHOCOLATE
planned for Thursday, June 3. The rather unique Fundraiser at the Crown Plaza Hotel
format will call for nine holes of golf commenc-
ing at 4:00 PM, followed by a reception in the
clubhouse for golfers and non-players alike. In-
terested members are invited to get involved with
this event - just contact Jeff Tucker.
Gift of Life: With few hard details avail-
able, Marc Epstein explained that our Club may
be invited to participate in another Gift of Life
program, this time involving a baby girl from PAULA KIRRANE
Panama. Club members would be asked to help
with logistics for the visiting family, but the Club Uniquely Designed Cakes
would not have to shoulder the kind of financial 230 Adams Street
support required to aid Jhon Garcia, last year’s Newton, MA 02458
Tel.: (617) 969-1830
beneficiary from Ecuador. This new project may
fax: (617) 969-5852
happen within a matter of weeks.
www.theicingonthecake.com
SCOTT LEWIS HOME DESIGN
ADDITIONS
RENOVATIONS
NEW HOMES
HISTORIC RESTORATION
12 Bencliffe Circle
Auburndale, MA 02466
(617) 293-6371
c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 5
7. Student of the Month and her entourage. Molly Weinstein (second from left) is surrounded by,
from left, her grandmother Phyllis Levinson, father Al Weinstein, mother Julie Levinson,
President Marie Presti, and NSHS guidance counselor Susan Batler.
RAFFLE
Today’s raffle jackpot grew past the $500
mark, with only 31 cards in the diminishing
deck of cards. Student of the Month Molly
Weinstein selected ticket #882 from the glass
bowl, claimed by Treasurer Peter Mahler,
hoping to save the club 44 cents by not
needing to mail out the check.
Alas, Peter found only the Ten of Dia-
monds! So next week there will remain only
30 cards as the jackpot approaches $550.
c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 6
8. Dying for chocolate? Come to the 9th Annual
Taste and judge the best chocolate creations from local chefs
Taste and judge the best chocolate creations from local chefs
1:00 – 4:00 pm Sunday, January 31, 2010
Crowne Plaza Hotel • 320 Washington Street, Newton, MA
Admission $15.00 per person • $5.00 for children under 12 FREE PARKING
Plus a great Silent Auction and a Kids’ Raffle! www.judgechocolate.com
Sponsored by:
All proceeds to benefit local charities including The Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs,
The Salvation Army, The YMCA, Scholarships for Students, and many more!