Rotary Log for September 19, 2019
Dear Fellow Rotarians--Thank you President Leo for opening the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance and Kaitlyn Burke for the nice invocation. Yours truly had the pleasure of leading us in song for the first time. God Bless America(Head Choir Director of The Rotations Señor John Rice later commented that I even started in the right key. Yes!) --Yvonne
Guests.
Craig Taylor brought his friend Dan Mearls and Donna Lewallen introduced Joann Neumann. New member Nicole Scarneo, who is amazing at bringing a guest almost every week, showed up with Heath Wilson. Susan Gold and Ian Oneil hosted Don Chicks. Don is a local photographer who filled out a membership application last week. Ann Bliss was happy to have her childhood friend Judy Tully along with Judy’s husband Dan. Sue Wolf brought John and Lynn Ginny. Patricia Dickinson was a visiting Rotarian from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
Hysterical Historical Moment.
Jon Flagg finally read my email from a month ago asking him what he knew about John Odiorne. I stumbled upon his name when I was transcribing our Rotary Club’s history booklet. I noticed that he became a member in 1928 and wondered whether his family DONATED Odiorne State Park. Jon came thru with a plethora of information.
The Odiorne family bought the land in 1663 and owned it for 282 years. It was a place for summer cottages and villas. However, in 1941 during World War II, the land was TAKEN from them and their belongings put in a warehouse in Portsmouth. In its place was built a bunker and long-range gun that could shoot an enemy vessel from afar.
In 1961 the property was sold for $91,000 dollars to the State of New Hampshire and designated as a State Park. The Odiorne family holds their annual reunion there and is happy to share the ownership of these 330 acres with the community.
General Announcements.
Rotary Social is coming up on Wednesday the 25th from 5 to 7pm at The Gaslight deck…
World Polio Day is on October 24th.
Past President Cleo will head the Membership Committee. Susan Gold steps in as chair of the Communications Committee replacing Frank Firicano. Frank will, in turn, lead the 100th anniversary committee.
Joanie Dickinson is looking for few more volunteers for the Interact Club. Thank you, Peter Weeks, for signing up on the spot.
Ramona Dow would like to thank everyone for donating diapers, wipes and money to the Crossroads House.
Larry Murphy has organized an event called “A toast to our Troops” coming up November 10th from 1-5 p.m. There will be a silent auction, good food and other attractions. You could win two tickets to the Patriot’s Hall of Fame and a jersey signed by Gronk!
Lexi Leddy won the $65 raffle, donating it back to the club. She said she would have donated more had she won the match.
Did you notice Nancy Notis?
President Leo tried to introduce Nancy Notis, but things got switched around. Nancy ended up taking the matter into her own hands, like you would expect an Ex- President to do. She then
introduced us to our speaker Theresa Tozier, director of Lydia’s House of Hope.
Lydia’s House of Hope.
Theresa spoke passionately about the organization. In 2016 after raising $450,000 dollars without Federal or State’s help, she was able to purchase a run-down, 35-room house in Rochester. Engaging the entire community in renovations that took six months, the refurbished home now offers transitional housing for seacoast women and children.
There are more than 40 programs offered. Residents learn how to grow vegetables and prepare their own food. Those who wish to return to school can get scholarships thru St. John’s and St. Andrews, leveraging connections with Great Bay College and UNH.
The name of the organization comes from Lydia Valdez, who died of cancer at the young age of 9.
In closing, Theresa led the Four Way Test. She liked it so much that she wanted to put a copy of it in Lydia’s House of Hope. Have a great week everyone!
Respectfully submitted, Yvonne Legge.
Photos by Tube Loch
