Last week we heard from Tom Bernard, who outlined the life experiences that brought him to his current position as the recently appointed executive director of Berkshire United Way. He noted that United Way and Rotary had so much in common - we both are service organizations that raise and distribute funds back to our communities; we respond to crisis; and we support literacy.
Options to donate agencies supported by R.I. who are on the ground helping Ukraine:
CARE.ORG: With families at risk fleeing Ukraine violence, CARE provides humanitarian aid, with food, water and hygiene kits to the most vulnerable in Ukraine.
AMERICARES.ORG: Through their Ukraine Crisis Fund, AMERICARES will help deliver medicine, medical supplies and emergency funding to support families and people affected by the Ukrainian crisis.
UNICEFUSA.ORG: On the ground helping Ukraine's children.
Fines this week will be going toward Ukraine relief.
The Board approved a $5,000 donation to R.I. in support of Ukraine
Last week we were introduced to our two student guests for the month of March: Madeline Malumphy (PHS) and Michael Cummings (THS). Please help them feel welcomed at our meetings.
As part of the Club Foundation presentation, there was discussion of the Dr. John Reynolds scholarship being formed. The goal is to grow a fund to $80,000, which would self fund an annual scholarship in John's name. To date $5,000 has been raised. Any member interested in serving on a committee to advance this proposal should contact John Perreault.
Rotary Club of Pittsfield will be doing a first responder appreciation as part of the District 7890 Day of Service challenge on April 9. We will be distributing coffee, doughnuts, or other treats for local police (headquarters), fire (five locations) and ambulance services (two locations). Joan DiMartino and Jeff Whitehouse are seeking volunteers to assist in distribution to these eight locations.
The Wine Pairing Dinner is scheduled for this Saturday, March 19th at Mazzeo's. The event kicks off at 6:00 PM. Tickets are $100 per person, with 100% of the profits from the fundraiser going to a memorial scholarship for Dr. John Reynolds. Only 75 ticket sold, so please RSVP pronto. If you have not yet paid, please get your check to Joan DiMartino.
Tom Hamel secured an auction donation (from Fidelity National Trust) of two tickets to a Celtics vs. Heat game on March 30. With the auction postponed the game now predates the auction so that the Club will host a special auction at the March 19 wine pairing dinner just for these tickets.
Celtics vs. Heat
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Sec LOGE17, Row 11, Seats 5 & 6
Proceeds from the sale of these tickets will go to the Dr. John Reynolds Scholarship Fund.
Please RSVP your intent to Joan DiMartino (joan.dimartino@gd-ms.com) by 12:00 noon Tuesday so she may give Mazzeo's a head count. If unable to attend, our luncheon meetings are also available live on Zoom. If you cannot be there in person, consider streaming the event via the following link:https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82492414654?pwd=ODJaSUdkY0pPS3pNbHRsdFhqWjh0QT09 (Meeting ID: 824 9241 4654 and Passcode: 514940). Sometimes it takes a few moments to set up Zoom, so please be patient........ and please, if you've committed to attending, please don't neglect to attend unless there's a crisis.
It's almost time! The Auction is Saturday, April 2nd, at Berkshire Hills Country Club. Please gather up your items and get them to Molari's so they may be entered into the database in preparation for our best auction ever! Robert Harrison announced the Auction Committee has garnered about $80,000 worth of items for this years Auction!
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