Last week we heard from Carly Gaherty, Outreach Coordinator for the Pittsfield Adult Learning Center, who spoke about the Center's programs. Continuing Education classes are offered for adults looking to improve their skill set, and include Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, Adult Diploma Program, and English for Speakers of Other Languages Program, in addition to their advising services, digital literacy / distance learning services, and financial aid counseling services. She noted how the Center struggled with distance learning through the Pandemic, and was pleased to report that in person learning would resume when classes start in September.
Rotary International has six "Areas of Service" that guide our benevolence:
Peace and conflict prevention/resolution.
Disease prevention and treatment.
Water and sanitation.
Maternal and child health.
Basic education and literacy.
Economic and community development.
Last week president John Murphy reported that the Club's luncheon programs would attempt to focus on these "Avenues of Service," with September and October's programs specifically targeting "Basic Education and Literacy."
Because the Holiday Inn is being used by the Courts making that space unavailable to us, the Auction Committee has announced that the 2022 auction will be held at the Berkshire Hills Country Club on February 12, using RI’s theme this year “Serve to Change Lives” for the auction as well. With this auction, we committed to the Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center and the Boys and Girls Club of the Berkshires.
Jeff Hassett has sent all dues bills via email. If you want a paper copy just let him know. Also, if you would like an invoice that includes pre-paying for 44 lunches, please let Jeff know and he will send you a revised invoice.
So, what's the deal with Friday the 13th? The superstition seems to relate to various things, like the story of Jesus' last supper and crucifixion in which there were 13 individuals present in the Upper Room on the 13th of Nisan Maundy Thursday, the night before his death on Good Friday. While there is evidence of both Friday and the number 13 being considered unlucky, there is no record of the two items being referred to as especially unlucky in conjunction before the 19th century.
The superstition appears to be related to the extreme tragedy of theTrials of the Knights Templar which started with their arrest in Friday 13 October 1307, which was perpetrated by Philip IV of France and his counselors with aims to acquire the wealth of the Templars.
According to folklore historians, the unlucky nature of the number "13" originated with a Norse myth about 12 gods having a dinner party in Valhalla. The trickster god Loki, who was not invited, arrived as the 13th guest, and arranged for Höðr to shoot Balder with a mistletoe-tipped arrow. "Balder died, and the whole Earth got dark. The whole Earth mourned. It was a bad, unlucky day." This major event in Norse mythology caused the number 13 to be considered unlucky.
It is possible that the publication in 1907 of Thomas Lawson's popular novel Friday, the Thirteenth, contributed to disseminating the superstition. In the novel, an unscrupulous broker takes advantage of the superstition to create a Wall Street panic on a Friday the 13th.
