Rotary Log July 21, 2011 (Louis Salome)

Posted by Richard Seery 
on Jul 26, 2011
 

 Lou with Moose

Log by Dick Seery

Photos by Leo Gagon

CLICK HERE FOR SLIDE SHOW

 
 
Thursday,  July 21, 2011 – Portsmouth, NH Rotary (a.k.a. The Lunch Club)  
  
The honorable and esteemed Anthony Delyani presided and stirred-up the group in attendance with a swift change in his agenda.  At 12:40, just as everyone sat down to enjoy their meal, Tony announced our speaker, to be introduced by Lynn-Del, would start his address.  Pretty crafty – Tony, giving not just any speaker more time to talk, talk, talk.

Newspaper man, reporter, then journalist and author, Louis Salome, caught everyone’s attention, standing out in front of the podium, greeting everyone with his message of international communications.  The “roots” he discovered as a foreign correspondent between Belfast, Kabul, Bosnia, Somalia – England, Europe, Central Asia and Africa – this guy travelled big time, … evolved from tribalism and stories of ordinary people.  Eating was the common thread to meet extended families in Syria - a 4 hour sitting under tents, and the five women train passengers who shared their basket lunch while smuggling 10 layers of sweaters over the border and back to Leningrad, the former Soviet Union.

 

  Lou in Front

 

“Mr. Lou” a graduate of Holy Cross in Worcester, MA began his career in Florida moving from The Miami News after 17 years, to Cox Newspapers for 9 years, and other editorial stops at The Palm Beach Post and Worcester Telegram & Gazette.  With his Rhode Island accent, his Syrian ancestry and the ability to speak French, Arabic and English, Mr. Sal entertained his listeners with stories of how the world works among simple people on a grand scale.  His book Violence, Veils and Bloodlines is a memoir of his travels.  It talks about tribalism, religion, war and the largest division of all, gender (copies available at River Run Book Store).  Imagine, twenty minutes after he started talking, Lynn-Del gave him the hook!  The meeting was on schedule with Tony at the helm.

 

 Audience Shot

 

And distinguished personalities …
Visiting Rotarians:                  
Joan Nicholl, Portsmouth Sunrise Club
Guests:                                    
John St. Pierre, Stuart Frazier, Karin Zaramba and Steve Peoples
7 Day Notice:                          
Brian Gallagher, John St. Pierre
Announcements . . .
Marie Brownell:  1 - SAVE the pop tops to your soda cans for the high school fund raiser.  2 - District mascot – THE MOOSE – should be carried on all trips and take plenty of pictures of the cuddly little thing … ask Marie for more information.
 
THUNDER CHICKEN ROAD RACE -  Volunteers needed (crossing guards) to keep runners from being run over!  This is your chance to stop traffic.  Contact Bob Davis at First Colebrook Bank for more information or sign up at the meeting this week.
 
AND do not forget Portsmouth Country Club meetings start August 4th.
 
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