Rotary eBulletin October 14, 2014
TOP OF THE WEEK:
Members last week approved the board recommendation to allocate up to $20,000 from the Ray P. Jones Fund to the Strawbery Banke Museum Puddledock Pond hands-on project. Work gets underway this week! Check in with Ted Alex if you'd like to join the team.
Strawbery Banke's Rodney Rowland and Lawrence Yerdon, thanking the club for its long-running support of the museum.
Strawbery Banke was first envisioned in a presentation to Portsmouth Rotary by Dorothy Vaughan.
Walk the Memorial Bridge October 25 to End Polio Now! Sign up this week at our meeting. For more info contact Susan Gold, visit rotary7780.org and check out this article in Monday's Seacoast Online/Portsmouth Herald:
http://www.seacoastonline.com/article/20141013/NEWS/141019779
Good news from Seacoast Pathways, your Rotary dollars at work. This new organization will open its doors next week, supported in part by a $1,000 William Cash Fund donation last year and a $3,500 Basic Needs Fund donation this year. Sara Treacy is on their board of directors:
Sara writes:
Seacoast Pathways is OPENING on Oct. 20th. SP will be open then every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 am. to 2 p.m. including holidays. The first day will be an introduction for prospective members to the program, letting them know what to expect. For the first week or so we'll have some members of Granite Pathways, the clubhouse program in Manchester, present to share their experiences and to help our new prospective members.
The program is free to members. There is a charge of $1.50 for lunch. (For those unable to pay we have a grant that will allow us to provide a voucher for the lunch).
Prospective members have to apply for membership. The primary requirements are to have a diagnosed mental illness, be under the care of a clinician, and to agree to abide by clubhouse rules.
Prospective members and their families are invited to come Monday -- or any M-W-F after that. Visitors and members can come at whatever time they want to, stay as long or short as they want. Monday we'll have a sandwich lunch and a snack bar will be open.
We're located in the North Church Parish House at 355 Spinney Road, Portsmouth. Spinney Road parallels the Rt. 1 Bypass and runs from Islington Street to Middle Road. There is a large parking lot behind the building with an entrance off of Middle Road. We meet in the Scout Room with a door from the lower parking lot leading indirectly into our room.
This week at Rotary: the Children's Museum! If you missed the meeting last Thursday, you missed our fellowship with 97 active members present, so please enjoy the Rotary Log as written by Dick Seery, with photographs by Sara Treacy.
Slideshow at this link:
http://www.clubrunner.ca/portal/Journals/JournalDetails.aspx?accountid=6644&jid=61368
Portsmouth Rotary Log for Meeting Thursday, October 9, 2014 by Richard Seery
Guest Speaker: Portsmouth Fire Chief Steven E. Achilles discusses
Fire Prevention Week and Fire Service Symbols.
The City Fire Commission appointed Chief Achilles to succeed former Chief, Christopher LeClaire, in June 2013. His department provides services through a complement of 42 firefighters. There are also 12 fire officers, one fire inspector, three chief officers, an executive assistant and an administrative secretary. The Fire Department responds to over 5000 requests annually.
For more information visit: http://www.cityofportsmouth.com/fires/index.htm
Chief Achilles reminded everyone that Fire Prevention Week originally coincided with switching your clock back to Standard Time. This is also the perfect time to replace batteries in the smoke detectors around your property. The origin of this “longest running public safety message” dates to 1920. That year President Woodrow Wilson declared that each family member should know what to do in case of fire.
In discussing Fire Service Symbols, the Chief asked for audience participation.
Why are fire trucks red?
How did Dalmatian dogs become fire mascots?
What’s the origin of fire service symbols on badges and uniforms?
Steam fire trucks and horse drawn “hook and ladder” coaches were prominent equipment for municipalities in the late 1800s. Elaborate brass, nickel and gold leaf ornaments decorated the vehicles making them vibrant. The color red (or vermillion) came from bug pigmentation and was very expensive compared to other colors. Tradition followed form by distinguishing every departments’ equipment inventory in red.
Dalmatians first became associated with Fire Departments in Europe. Nothing was unusual about a dog being happy and offering companionship to horses that were otherwise lonesome. The dogs ran ahead of the fire trucks and ladder coaches, clearing the way for rapidly-closing fire teams.
Fire Service Symbols date back 1871, around the time of the great Chicago fire. Badges in the shape of The Maltese Cross were first worn by the Knights of Malta serving St. John of Jerusalem. The badges represent the Knights’ mission to help people in need and rescue fire victims. Officer insignias were made of gold. Firemen’s were made of silver. Inscriptions conveyed rank, reflected brigade and departmental branches: specialists with fire axes, hook and ladder squads and medical professionals.
Chief Achilles illuminated his comments using colorful slides. He entertained all with not-so-obvious Fire Department minutia until his time expired punctually at 1:15. Thank you for sharing these bits of history!
Birthdays: Walter Liff, Deb Rourke, Betsy Scott, Dave Contarino
Approved: After discussion and secret vote, the proposed Ray Jarvis Fund $20,000 contribution towards the Strawberry Bank / Puddle Dock Ice Skating Rink was overwhelmingly approved. Past Presidents including PDG Jim Labrie, Dan Hoefle and Diane Foley spoke in favor of the project.
Strawbery Banke President/CEO Larry Yerdon and Special Projects Director Rodney Rowland also assured the Club of the initiative’s worthiness.
Guests / Rotarian Host:
Phil Nazzaro / Stella Scamman
Rich Riseman / John Lyons
James Kyeyhne / Leonard Seagren
50/50 Lottery Winner: Marie Brownell - $94 – No Match ($525) .
Respectfully submitted, Richard Seery
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