ImageOn a 40 degree cloudy Winter's day, January 23, 2012, our annual joint Lions/Rotary club meeting was held at Waxy O'Connor's. There were 27 Lexington Rotarians and 14 Lexington Lions and 2 visiting Rotarians, and 1 guest (Pam Awrach) One visiting Rotarians came  form Concord and the other from Rifle Colorado. We feasted on Bar-B-Que sirloin tips, mashed potatoes, green beans, and a choice of Caesar or garden salad. Chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies were also served along with the usual beverage choices.

Pledge was led by guest Pam Awrach, verse of America by Charlie Vail, and a touching Invocation that addressed both Lions and Rotarians was given by PDG Jack Maloney.

Raffle gifts given courtesy of Vail Studio, Patriot Bank, Lexington Ace Hardware, Walpole Cooperative Bank, Arlex Oil, Busa Wine and Spirits, and Eagle Bank.

Happy dollars and fine collection were brisk. President Murray gave a hearty welcome back to Michelle Galbiatti who generously gave happy dollars on her return and celebrating the birth of her daughter. No sooner PP Dan B took aim at leveling a fine for Michelle NOT being in a picture in the Colonial Times "that she should have been in, but got someone else to be in it instead???"  We'll take it any way we can! President Murray donated happy dollars for the Patriots' winning the AFC championship against the Ravens. Additional sightings in the Colonial Times netted fines that prompted Ist VP Jim S to donate happy dollars just for the publicity received from the floor.

Announcements:

  • PDG Jack M repeated announcement members received in a recent club e-mail inviting them club social on March 29 from 5:30- 8:00 at the Lexington Historical Society. Please respond to PP Dan B's e-mail (can go to new web site- rotarycluboflexington.org) or call PDG Jack to indicated whether you are attending and whether you are bringing a guest. This is a good opportunity to bring a prospective new member and of course your spouse.
  • Lion Dick Michelson announced that two of the four new signs proposed will be available to install within the next couple of weeks, weather  and ground conditions permitting. (no breath holding allowed).
  • Lion President Jon Doran issued a thank you for the joint meeting opportunity and for the close relationship the two clubs have fostered.
  • PP John O announced Comedy Night tickets are available now for the event on Friday May 18. Tickets are still only $50, get them while they last. This has been a sell out six straight years.
  • PP Doug H, our representative to the Rotary Foundation, announced that RI has met the $200,000,000 challenge and to date has collected $202,600,000 (goal reached 6 months early!) for End Polio Now. Added to the Gates Foundation pledge of $355,000,000 and recently announced Gates donation of an additional $50,000,000 as well as the country of India's nearly $1 billion domestic pledge, that comes powerful economic force to eradicate this dreaded disease from the planet. Doug also reported that there have been no new cases of Polio in India in the last 12 months and just 157 cases in Pakistan in the last year. ALMOST LICKED.

Speakers today were Jacqueline Apsler from the Domestic Violence Service Network  (DVSN.org)  and Lexington Police Detective Brian Savage. Also accompanying them was Karen Gaffney, the Regional Director DVSN. Coincidently, both Jackie and Karen are Rotarians, Jackie in Bedford and Karen in Bolton.

Jackie talked about how the DVSN is composed of a network that works hand in hand with 10 police departments in our area. This volunteer organization started in 1998 in Concord. They have 2.5 full time staff and 80 volunteers. Domestic violence can take many forms, emotional as well as physical. It can be related to relationships between individuals in a household and not just between spouses. The network receives information on about 50 cases a month. Lexington has been involved with DVSN for three years and in that time there have been over 100 possible cases reported. Volunteers receive 40 hours of training on case management and also spend time riding with the police when a case is reported. President Murry's wife. Pam, is one such volunteer.  Detective Savage then spoke about several cases that occurred in Lexington. DVSN considers themselves an aid to the victim, but is very delicate in the manner that they contact the victim with support information. They don't want to exacerbate what may already be a volatile situation.

50:50 was $115 won by Don Mahoney who promptly donated his winnings to DVSN.  Thanks Don

Respectfully

PP David B