The Club returned to live meeting at Mazzeo's last week, and will now continue doing so - outdoors, weather permitting. Please RSVP your intent to Joan DiMartino (joan.dimartino@gd-ms.com) by 5:00 p.m. Tuesday so she may give Mazzeo's a head count. The pandemic has taken such a toll on our Club. Please make every effort to join us at Mazzeo's.
April is a 5th Thursday month. The Club will be socializing at Balderdash Cellars (State Road, Richmond). Arrangements are being made to secure a food truck for the event. State law requires the purchase of food with alcohol served. State law also limits the event to 90 minutes.
Last week we had Elections for the 2021-2022 Rotary Club of Pittsfield and Foundation boards. Because of the limited attendance at the meeting, in an effort not to exclude anyone, please note the following slates below:
Rotary Club of Pittsfield Board of Directors:
John Murphy, President
New Board Members
John Perreault
Adrienne DeBlieux Speed
Erik Ungewitter
Rotary Club of Pittsfield Foundation Board of Directors
John Perreault, President
New Foundation Board Members
Jeff Hassett
John McLaughlin
Jayson Tanzman
If you have not yet voted, please contact Joan DiMartino ASAP to submit your vote. Election will be ratified at the Club Board of Directors meeting on April 8.
Members will recall that at our Zoom meeting on January 28 we were introduced to Mary Wheat and Joe Woitkoski, the 2020 recipients of the David Kagan Award, presentations delayed as a result of the Covid pandemic restrictions in president Too Tall's administration. On April 8, Mary and Joe will be invited to return to the Club meeting to join us for lunch and receive their plaques.
The next Feed My Sheep is scheduled for Monday, April 12, which will continue to be sensitive to social distancing. Modified meals will be served, where teams are providing meals in to-go bags that include a hot meal, a piece of fruit, cut up veggies, maybe a cookie and a bottle of water. Participants pick them up at around 5:30, and are allowed in one at a time just to the side entryway where the handicap ramp is. We will need Rotarians to cook the hot meal, pack the dishes, pack the bags, and hand them out. Unlike other Feed My Sheep events, there will only be one shift starting at 4:00 (until about 6:00). Contact Gail Molarigail@molariinc.comor 413.441.1074 if you can help out.
This year's District conference will be an online event from Thursday, 4/29, through Saturday, May 1, and will include our District (7890) as well as District 7950. If you're seeking Rotary inspiration, information, fellowship and fun, register for this virtual event through the District website.
With the Club returning to live meetings, the lottery has been reactivated. There was no winner at last week's meeting, so the pot is up to $36 with 50 cards in the deck.
When the Cullen-Harrison act went into effect on April 7, 1933, thirsty customers could buy a beer that was 3.2% alcohol by weight instead of the tasteless "near beer" (think Bud Light) they had suffered with all through Prohibition. Now, every April 7 is celebrated as NATIONAL BEER DAY, a time where we can raise a toast to the oldest and most venerable of all beverages. People have been making beer for over 5,000 years; in fact, the oldest recorded recipe we know of is for beer. Cheers!
