Rotary Spoke

On a sunny, warmer Monday, fresh from the splendid thaw of Bruin Ice Capades and Red Sox win streak in the Minnesota hinterlands, short-timer President Dave cheerfully greeted 25 Lexington Rotarians and one guest.  His line-up featured PP Dave B. giving/taking the Pledge (of Allegiance), 1st verse of America by Antonios G., and the Convocation by acting Reverend, PP Nick C. who was standing on a farm stand, or was it a wagon wheel?  Waxy’s served the usual edibles except for new oatmeal cookies.

Charlie V.’s Welcome Song left our sole guest feeling “very welcomed” despite complaints from Hanscom Air Force Base Noise engineers.  Incoming Pres. Jim S. fined his neighbor, PP Spencer B. for needing voice lessons, yet toned it down as he is going “solo” himself and will be in the catbird seat soon; Pres. Dave chirped, Hello, I Must Be Going.

PP Dan B. paid Happy $ for all gazebo raffle tickets being sold, but then fined PP Bob S. for selling the same ticket to two people who claimed late arrival Michelle G. as a co-conspirator.  PP Dan B also paid Happy $ for a surprise birthday visit from his daughter; apparently six decades worth, but who’s counting?

Amateur hour prelude to Comedy Night continued when PP Jim F. paid Happy $ for his son’s graduation from BU, and after his other son finishes BC in two years, he will be “home free” from get-out-of-jail cards for debtors’ prison.  Bob O. paid Happy $ for helping fundraise $50,000 for cancer research with his fellow motorcyclists.  Sgt. at Arms Connie N. paid, dearly, for her son’s 20th birthday.

Raffle gifts donated by Lexington Ace Hardware, Edward Jones, Encharter Insurance, and four banks:  People’s, Patriot’s, Eagle, and, but hopefully not ending up at, Walpole.

Announcements:  Saturday, May 25, 4:00 pm, Discovery Day Dedication of Town Clock given by our Club and Lions Club; Sunday, May 26, Old Time Baseball game/300th Town Anniversary, Club to hand out free balloons, 11 am -4 pm.  Monday, May 27, 11 am, Bedford VA Ice Cream Joint Outing with Bedford and Concord Rotary Clubs; Tuesday, May 28, 6 pm, Sports Night at Lexington High School; Silent Auction list distributed, please forward to guests for Comedy Night, Friday May 31, 6:30; June 3 meeting hosts scholarship winners.

PP Doug H. on behalf of the Rotary Foundation Committee, presented Pres. Dave with his second Paul Harris Fellow pin; kudos to Dave for his contribution and for a fine year as our Club President.

Julianne D. introduced our speaker, Concord Rotarian Jan Lunquist, from the Louisa May Alcott Orchard House Museum in Concord, who, in full 19th century garb, gave a delightful soliloquy as Louisa discussing her book, Little Women.  An international best seller, Little Women described in part the restrictions society placed on the roles of women who were not married; the challenges of a “literary spinster” who was “paddling her own canoe;” and her literary colleagues and friends that included Emerson, Thoreau and Hawthorne.  She was able to recognize the rebel Bob C. who said he was selling Confederate Ace Hardware; Transcendentalism ended with the ring of PP Bob S.’s cell phone (Bob informed us it was PP Murry calling from Central Park in NYC calling to tell us he wasn’t missing us at all).  No modern fine could be levied: Louisa said a house and 12 acres of land back then were worth $500.

Lori M. won 10% of that, with a $55 win on the 50/50 Raffle.  Spring is sprung, Walden Pond, here we come – with kind regards I remain

All Wet,

PP Ed G.