Providence Rotary - Read Our Newsletter

OFFICERS
President
Richard B. Applebaum

President-elect
Cynthia Leonard

1st Vice President
Barry W. Fain

2nd Vice President
Barbara Harris

Secretary
Susan Johnson

Treasurer
Richard A. Kaplan

Asst. Treasurer
Peter M. Loescher

Sergeant-at-arms
Kevin M. Oates

Past-President
John A. Daluz

Directors to
June 30, 2010:
James Alexander
Richard P. Leone, Sr.
Jenny Miller
Arthur Norwalk
Kathleen A. Swann

Directors to
June 30, 2011:
Holly Applegate
Paul Borrelli
Patricia Germani
Steven M. Rotondo
James C. Scanlan

Sponsor Tony Mendez pins
newly inducted Rotarian
Wascar Montilla.

Jenny Miller is so happy her basement is finally dry.

Jim Scanlan is proud that his wife will soon receive her doctorate.

Cynthia Leonard was pleased to learn that Anthony Hollingshead had extra time to scan the state's lists of unclaimed properties.

Walter Adamowicz is proud his grandson was accepted into the US Naval Academy.

Deepak Vishnu said he felt so lucky his basement didn't flood but then he was called by National Grid and worked three days straight-out because of the flood.

Ken Conde reminded everyone that FEMA has tables set up in Warwick for people with questions and claims. They can also start the process on the web site www.FEMA.gov

Richard Kaplan was thankful that he just made it to the airport Tuesday morning before all the access roads were closed. He enjoyed Florida which was hot and dry.

Jerry Cannon had water in his basement but was prepared so it didn't cause much damage; he had a great Easter; and welcomed new Rotary member Wascar Montilla.

Wascar Montillia said he was so grateful that he has a good friend like Tony Mendez and a lovely and wonderful wife, Wendy.

Wendy Marcus announced that her son was in the New York Times' wedding section in a picture from the wedding they had all attended. She also wanted to point out that the Providence Rotary's water project was mentioned in the Rotary International magazine.

Don Saracen's son had packed for a trip but when it started to flood, instead of moving the bag up higher he left it low where all his clothes in the bag could get wet.

District Assembly this Saturday, April 10, at Johnson & Wales Inn, Seekonk.

Click here to see all events or go to: www.providencerotary.org/Calendar.cfm

Foundation chair Ron Hoak, ShelterBox representative
PP Bill DiBiasio and President Richard Applebaum
celebrate the successful conclusion of our
$25,000 Matching Gift Campaign for Haiti earthquake relief.

Newport Again A Destination

Reported by Terri Adelman

Evan Smith, president and CEO of the Newport & Bristol County Convention & Visitors Bureau, is responsible for promoting Newport as a premiere destination for travel and events. In his 20 years with the bureau he has witnessed great positive changes.

Newport has successfully totally rebuilt its economy from reliance on the military to a world renowned tourist attraction by optimizing all the beauty that is there. Until 9/11 when everyone cut back travel it did very well. It took 8 years for Newport to recover.

But good times were short lived. The national and local fiscal crisis again took its toll on Newport and they are still struggling. Logically, families and businesses cut back on vacation and event dollars when dollars are limited. To make the crisis worse, it rained almost every day in June and July of 2009. A rainy day weekend can translate into a 11% loss in lodging and a 17% loss in food and beverages.

Evan explained that tourism has seven sectors: Lodging, dining, transportation (which includes cruise ships), shopping, special events, attractions, and gaming (this section is larger than all the other sections combined). Fortunately the economy is doing better. They have 155 cruise ships coming this fall, 1,200 weddings scheduled, more meetings and conventions booked, that bring in 40% of the tourism revenue.

The recent weather certainly demonstrates what living in New England is all about. For those of you who enjoy beach and heat, here's my wish that we haven't experienced the warmest day of the ‘summer' yet.

Aside from the warm breezes, I'm very excited about our contingent's now planned trip to Esperanza, D.R. May 19-23. I can't say enough about how gratified and pleased I am that members of our Club, myself included, will join with a member from Woonsocket to help install clean water filtration systems and provide Spanish-English dictionaries to the needy in that town. Again, great thanks go to Barbara Harris, Tony Mendez, Kris David, and other members of the Clean Water Committee, with significant financial contribution from our Foundation and the District (grant).

Cynthia is already working on putting her committee chairs in place, and I applaud her for getting such an early start on this endeavor. Remember, one of the unofficial Rotary mottos is Just Say Yes. (I think it may actually be Don't Say No). I have complete confidence that next year's officers, directors, and committee chairs will help lead us all through a wonderful centennial year.

Don't forget to bring peanut butter!

The Club assembly Monday will feature a webinar - our technology committee will walk us through use of our new website and answer questions.

On April 26, the GSE team from Uruguay will visit and share international information and impressions with us. I have always found that GSE team presentations are a must attend event.

Talking about attending, our attendees will briefly talk about their experience at the District Assembly during Monday's meeting. And finally, do attend ‘A Little Night Music' at Barker Playhouse May 13. Holly has tickets and will be performing, along with fellow members Liz Messier and Walter Cotter.

Have a great Weekend.

Richard

Phyllis Fern reported for the Get Well Committee that all members are well. However, Ken Conde added that he ran into Past President Al St. Peter who looked frail but expressed a desire to visit Rotary again. Ken offered to give him a ride.

Peanut Butter Drive is going well but it would be good to collect more peanut butter before the drive ends the end of April.

District Conference will be held Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, May 14-16 at Cape Codder Inn and Resort in Falmouth.

Barker Players Theater is reserved solely for Rotary members on the evening of May 13 for the production of A Little Night Music and a social after. Tickets are $35 each. When members attend this fun event you support a Rotary fundraiser. Three Providence Rotarians are in the cast, Holly Applegate, Liz Messier and Walter Cotter.

The Group Study Exchange team from Uruguay is arriving April 26^th to visit our District.

Ron Hoak and PP Bill DiBiasio announced that with member donations and the Foundation's match, the Providence Rotary can send a check for $25,000 to the Shelter Box USA initiative.

Rotarians in Korea are Making a Difference

Korean Rotarians were active in a wide range of projects last year that helped advance the mission of The Rotary Foundation, including helping to turn remnants of the Korean War into a lasting symbol of peace.

Several Korean clubs collected empty gun cartridges to be melted down and used to make a 37.5-ton bell that is now the central feature of the World Peace Bell Park in Hwacheon-gun. Cartridges from conflicts in 29 other countries, including Ethiopia, Israel, and the Philippines, were also used in the bell.

The park, near the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, was dedicated during a ceremony in May attended by former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. Learn more here.