President to Be Susy Hurlbert called the meeting to order at 12:15;
Gary Young provided another memorable Invocation;
For Fellowship Robert “Bob” Farwell provided a few miscellaneous observations regarding electric cars. Most members remained conscious for the duration. Forthcoming Rotarian Birthdays include Molly Bruno on June 11, and Mike Goldblatt on June 14. Mike Matera celebrated his 20th anniversary as a Rotarian. Huzzah!
Announcements President-elect Susy pronounced the Native Son and Daughter event a success with approximately 80 people in attendance. As an aside, Susy spoke favorably of Otis Library’s Evening with an Author event, which Rotary supported. Upcoming events include a volunteer event on Thursday June 16 from 1-3 at the Gemma Moran Food bank, the annual Rose Garden luncheon on June 22, and the Change of Command ceremony on June 29, featuring Mike Cooney as Master of Ceremonies! Susy encouraged members to invite prospective Rotarians to lunch and recommend speakers to either Bob Farwell or Kevin Wickless, not necessarily in that order.
Happy Dollars with Jen Granger! Jen was grateful for the nice weather and the opportunity for outside activities. She also recounted the idiosyncrasies of Athena, the neighbor’s cat who serves as the local official greeter. (Athena is a much more appropriate name for a cat than Bob.) She also reminded members of the UCFS golf outing on June 20 at the North Stonington Country Club. Barry welcomed our speaker, Lee Walter Jr. of the Norwich Sea Unicorns and recounted a recent trip to Vermont that include a wedding-not his- at Robert Lincoln’s estate. Slowly, carefully, and with particular attention to enunciation, Barry described the ARC’s forthcoming Pluck a Duck contest on August 22. Bill Champagne returned to the theme of electric cars and solar power, sharing a vignette of his uncle Dr. Paul MacCready, who collaborated with general Motors on an early electric car, and was also designer of the MacCready Gossamer Condor the first human-powered aircraft capable of controlled and sustained flight; as such, it won the Kremer prize in 1977, successfully flying from England to France. Bill provided additional details on his experiences with Toyota Priuses, which were highly successful. Mike Matera recalled his Rotary initiation during Stan Lucas’s tenure as president and the joys of cutting hay with an old tractor. Jeff Brining also enjoyed Evening with an Author the chamber duck race, and his daughter’s winning her softball game. Ed Waitte recounted a visit to his son in Nevada and attending the premiere of Top Gun: Maverick, which was quite impressive! Rodney attended his granddaughter’s high school graduation. She will now attend New York University and is shooting a movie in which she appears as a fairy queen! He too recounted his experiences with the Toyota Prius. He will also be attending the U.S. Open with his grandson. Mike Cooney reviewed the results of Little League, which were encouraging with much improvement during the season. Susy returned to the car theme enumerating vehicles bought and sold.
Auction Familiar with the vagaries of human nature, Barry skillfully distracted other bidders with whimsical observations and won the Sea Unicorn tickets!
Lottery Fortune shone on no one as Jim D, Mary Richardson and Ed Waitte all failed to select the winning card.
Guest Speaker Lee Walter, Jr. of the Norwich Sea Unicorns. Lee described his involvement with professional baseball and the evolution of the Sea Unicorns: They were members of Minor League Baseball’s New York–Penn League as the Class A Short Season affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They play their home games at Senator Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium and are now part of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League. Games emphasize “family friendly” experiences. The stadium continues to support features that provide a welcoming environment and attract fans from throughout Connecticut.