The Prez started the meeting at 12:16 PM and Bill S. said a prayer…asking for kindness and wisdom for all Rotarians.

 

Music:  Teddie said she left her music home, but wow!  Did she do a great job extemporaneously, which included Les Miserables, Fantom of the Opera, You’ll Never Walk Alone, and If I Loved You, among a host of other musical gems.

 

Food:  We were served a delicious Greek salad, roasted chicken breast, rice and squash, cheese cake, coffee and tea.

 

Guests:  none

 

Fines:  Charles Parton for borrowing something from Jim; No pin- Tony, Liz; Not late but usually late – Mike T, Rob, Tony, Liz, Al; Joe, for coming to today’s meeting; Lou for getting a sun tan; Warren & Rhonda for talking; Harriet & Don, for no reason; Mike D – not starting meeting on time and for leaving early.

 

Happy Dollars:  For Charles Parton being our speaker today – Rob, Horton, Robin, Joe; Rob for Davos symposium; Liz- good weekend with granddaughter; Jon – saw his mother for the first time in a year; Robin- good trip and son got job; Harriet- sun shining; Rhonda – no reason; Gloria – being here today and her grandson visited her; Charles for being here; Mike T- for golf (?).

 

 Birthdays & Anniversaries – Lou – January 25^th.  Happy birthday, Lou, and many more.

 

Joke – Gloria told us a superb one…with the punch line being that, “…he still has his Florida driver’s license…”  Best one in years!

 

Announcements:

 

1)This week – Denise is collecting “socks for the needy”; they can be used or new, just as long as in good condition.

2)This week – letters going out to all Food & Wine vendors.

3)January 31^st – Saturday-AM- mid-year District Assembly at La Bove Grande Banquet and Circle Landmark Restaurant, Lakehurst, NJ  www.labovegrande.net, which includes continental breakfast and lunch.  The meeting will be focused on membership.

4)March 5^th – Lombardi Dinner – Sheraton Hotel, Eatontown – Addie asked that baskets be donated for this event.

5)March 8^th – Rumson St. Patrick’s Day march.

6)April 20^th – Food & Wine Event – proceeds of which will go to Lunch Break

7)May 1-3, 2015 – District Conference, Mystic, Connecticut

8)Reminders –

a.Use Rotary business/thank you cards when patronizing restaurants and other businesses and club supporters in the area

9)Mike DeNofa asked that if you know of any speakers, to please let him know.  It would be helpful if you would let him know if we have any comments, positive or negative, about the speakers.

10) If anybody has ideas for a Community Service project, please send them to any Board member.  Thank you.

 

Speaker:  Charles Parton, did his annual financial overview.  He said the economy is good and will continue because:

1.Growth increase 3%.

2.Consumer more confident – credit still available and more jobs

3.We have smart phones and credit cards – we can buy anything in the world any time and in any place

4.Strong dollar and strongest in the world

5.Low interest rates

6.Oil price down with an abundance of oil and lower demand

7.Low inflation – less than 2%

He also mentioned the following factors that can hurt us:

1.Putin

2.Cyberterrorism

3.National debt

4.Congressional gridlock

5.Social security system

6.Factors in New Jersey that could go against:

a.A financial disaster caused by a deficit in public pension fund

b.Large migration of  NJ residents to Florida

c.There are 512 municipalities and same number of school boards

d.Urgent infrastructure work needed

 

50/50 $20 went to Tony

 

Meeting ended at 1:35 PM

22 members attended today’s meeting

 

– Mahatma Ghandi

 

______________________________________________________________________

Any comments concerning information published in this newsletter would greatly be appreciated.  Please email to alphapromo@aol.com

The Prez started the meeting at 12:14 PM and Bill S. said a prayer asking to keep us safe, optimistic, realistic and growing all the time, and for all who feed Rotarians.

 

Music:  All My Love, As Time Goes By, Pennies From Heaven and Once In A While

 

Food:  Mixed greens (goat cheese, walnuts, cranberries, raspberry vinaigrette - delicious!), grilled Flat Iron Steak, green beans, potatoes, Chocolate Truffle Tort, coffee & tea.

 

Guests: (none)

 

Fines:  Jim’s back – uh oh!!!

Larry-welcome back; Chuck- doing great job while Jim away; Linda Rose- EAMCC; Tom Zapcic- for being here; Mike T-no watch or Rotary pin; No Rotary pin - Don, Tony, Liz, Rob, Larry; Ken D- came to meeting and said nothing; Jim’s table- all fined for making fun of him; Dave Legg-for being today’s speaker; Al C- not saying anything; Horton & Harriet- for being so quiet/not saying anything; Jim- wearing orange sweater and giving Liz too much change.

 

Happy Dollars:  Mike Toscano-for granddaughter’s birthday; Linda for Jim on EMACC board; Steve for outpouring at his dad’s funeral; Ken D-for grandparent in 2014 and being gone; Horton-20 happy years of marriage during past 29 years being married; Liz-granddaughter’s birthday; Dave L- happy to be here today (and glad to have you!); Warren- 2 sad $’s: Steve’s dad’s passing and Je Suis Charlie terrorism in Paris. (Correction from last week:  Mike T’s wife’s name is spelled Ginny instead of Jinny…per Mike).

 

 Birthdays & Anniversaries

            Mike DeNofa – 12/15

            Teddie – 1/21

            Bill Mullin – 1/28

            Horton’s anniversary – 1/19

 

Announcements:

 

Speaker:  Dave Legg - Water Project/Foundation/Grants.  Tony gave a tremendous introduction to Dave, suggesting that the benefits are not just for individuals, but rather that water projects affect people all over the world and increase life expectancy.  Thanks, Tony for such eloquent words. 

 

Dave spoke about 4 topics: 

 

(1) The Rotary Foundation - The Foundation helps fund our humanitarian actives and it is important for all Rotarians to support the Foundation.  Fifty percent comes back to the district and remainder goes to Rotary world projects, and is used to fund other Foundation programs like Global Grants.   Please consider an annual donation to the Foundation.

 

(2) WASRAG (Water And Sanitation Rotary Action Group) – www.wasrag.org - what Rotary does around the world with water and sanitation Clean water and proper sanitation saves lives and we should support clean water projects.  Children in Lima, Peru have clean water today because of Rotary’s past support for the biosand filter project. 

 

 (3) Grant management – April 30^th final report deadline for 2014-2015 district grant project; May 15^th is the deadline for filing district grant application for 2015-2016.  District Grants can support local or international project.

 

(4) Briefing on his African (Kenya) water project – Nairobi East Rotary Club is sponsoring a village to install a [water] well.  There are three issues at hand; first problem is installing a toilet with biodegradable ability.  The second is to teach people to wash their hands often after using the bathroom, and third is to set up bathrooms.  They are currently getting bids which are in excess of $60K.  The Rotary Foundation is matching donations. More money will be needed if cost is greater than $60K; if we can’t get more donations, will have to cut back on project. 

If anybody wishes to give a contribution that goes directly to the project, make a check payable to Red Bank Rotary Foundation and label it for Dave’s Water Project in Kenya.

 

50/50 of $20.00 went to Horton

 

Meeting ended at 1:26 PM

 

The Prez started the meeting at 12:15 and Bill S said a prayer asking for guidance for the New Year, and blessings for the hands that feed us.

 

Music:  Blue Moon, Me and My Shadow, 5 & 10¢ Store, Smile, I Can’t Give You Anything But Love.    Ed.- several weeks ago Teddie asked me about any Chanukah songs…of which I didn’t know any…so she researched Jewish writers and came up with the following Christmas songs written by Jewish composers:

            White Christmas – Irving Berlin

            Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer – Johnny Marks

            Let It Snow, Let It Snow – Julie Styne & Sammy Cahn

            Silver Bells - Jay Livingston (Jacob Levinson) & Ray Evans

            Christmas Song – Chestnuts on Open Fire – Mel Torme & Robert Wells

            Sleigh Ride – lyrics by Mitchell Parish (Hyman Pashelinsky)

 

Food:  Salad, Tilapia Francaise with rice and vegetables, carrot cake, coffee & tea

 

Guests:  (none)

 

Fines:  Since Jim was out today Chuck took over.  Fines were imposed on all Rotarians not wearing pins; Late: Harry, Jon & Mike Toscano; Bill Donnelly for wearing brown; Don – socks match but shoes don’t.

 

 

Happy Dollars:  Tony- happy new year to all; Dave- all kids and grandchildren home for Christmas; Horton- granddaughter with Horton for Christmas; Barbara Mullen- granddaughter at Skydome; Liz- all healthy and happy; Barbara Nevius- back to Rotary; Linda- granddaughter is OK; Jon- now living in new home in Sea Bright but with no hot water; Bill S.- saw both Schwartz brothers on TV with their pants on; Warren- gave $72 (Chai in Hebrew) in honor of his 72^nd birthday on the 5^th.

 

 Birthdays & Anniversaries

            Warren – 5^th

            Harry – 9^th

            Sue Donnelly – last month

            Jim Fitzmaurice – 10^th

            Jinny Toscano – 25^th

Announcements:

1)January 31^st – Saturday-AM- mid-year District Assembly at La Bove Grande Banquet and Circle Landmark Restaurant, Lakehurst, NJ  www.labovegrande.net, which includes continental breakfast and lunch.  The meeting will be focused on membership.

2)March 8^th – Rumson St. Patrick’s Day march.

3)April 20^th – Food & Wine Event – proceeds of which will go to Lunch Break

4)May 1-3, 2015 – District Conference, Mystic, Connecticut

5)Reminders –

a.Use Rotary business/thank you cards when patronizing restaurants and other businesses and club supporters in the area

6)Mike DeNofa asked that if you know of any speakers, to please let him know.  It would be helpful if you would let him know if we have any comments, positive or negative, about the speakers.

7) If anybody has ideas for a Community Service project, please send them to any Board member.  Thank you.

 

 

Speaker:

            Mary Eileen Fouratt & Jim Hickey, representing Monmouth County Arts Council & Monmouth Arts Corridor visited with us today.  Jim did a wonderful job of speaking about the MoCo (Monmouth County) Arts Corridor.   MoCo is an initiative of Monmouth Arts Council, in that Monmouth County is blessed with all types of art.  Their mission is to make the Jersey Shore a destination of cultural art.  Their goal is to create jobs, increase neighborhoods, and to enjoy the arts in the neighborhoods.  MoCo has many partners who have expressed interest in being part of the initiative.  MoCo is meeting with governments, businesses, municipalities, non-profits, etc., to join and become MoCo partners.  In addition, they are developing a website, www.moconj.org where more information can be obtained, including videos telling “stories of the corridor”.  Finally, they are planning a countywide arts project, Art & Motion.

 

 

50/50 of $25.00 went to Barbara Mullen (should have gone to Bill Donnelly who produced the original winning ticket that got stuck in his pocket).

 

 

Meeting ended at 1:30 PM

 

– Ben Franklin

 

_____________________________________________________________________________

Any comments concerning information published in this newsletter would greatly be appreciated.  Please email to alphapromo@aol.com