President Carol began the meeting sharing two Gazette articles featuring Rotarians. Kerrie Babin was featured as the TACC received recognition for their 100th anniversary. There was an article featuring Carol with both our new podium and as she made a donation to Bethany Akins' Boston Marathon fundraising efforts.
Will M. asked for the Earth Day flyers to be passed around. All Rotarians are encouraged to participate if they are able. If you didn't get a chance to pick up a flyer, here it is:
President Carol shared all of the April birthdays and anniversaries with the club.
Ed Fowler reported that two young women have been selected to come visit from Taunton, England this summer. Anyone who is interested in hosting the visitors for part of the their two-week stay in July should get in touch with Ed.
A reminder to all that this week there is no lunch meeting. Our meeting will be Thursday evening, April 13, 2017 at Stoneforge for an evening meeting with the Interact Club, their parents, Rotary District dignitaries, and guests.
President Carol reminded the membership that we have a joint luncheon meeting with the Kiwanis Club on April 18, 2017 at La Familia Restaurant on Winthrop Street in Taunton. This will be a Tuesday luncheon instead of our regular Thursday luncheon for that week. Sign up sheets were passed around. If you were not at this past Thursday’s meeting and wish to attend the Kiwanis-Rotary joint meeting on Tuesday, April 18th, please RSVP President Carol via Email.
A reminder that our raffle fundraiser is underway. We are selling $10.00 raffle tickets for a chance to win one hundred $10.00 scratch tickets. All Rotarians are encouraged to pick up at least 10 tickets from the Sergeant-at-Arms desk and begin selling them. Our raffle fundraiser will run through Pancake and Family Fun Day on June 17, 2017.
Rotary Raffle ongoing until Pancake and Family Fun Day.
Dinner with Interact Club, Thursday, April 13, 6 p.m.
Joint meeting with Kiwanis, Tuesday, April 18 at La Familia. John McCaul will chair the meeting and the guest speaker will be Taunton Mayor Thomas Hoye.
Pancake and Family Fun Day, June 17, 2017 at Taunton High School.
Some dates of note from our District Governor:
April 28-30, 2017, Multi-District Conference, Providence RI
May 15, 2017, District International Night
June 10-14 2017, Rotary International Convention, Atlanta GA
At our most recent meeting, Thursday, April 6, 2017, President Carol introduced Kerrie Babin, program chair for the day. Kerrie was pleased to introduce our Guest Speaker, Cedric Cromwell, Chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council.
Chairman Cromwell updated the group on recent court proceedings surrounding First Light Resort and Casino. He is optimistic that the construction will resume in June, and looks forward to opening Phase 1 of the project soon. Chairman Cromwell showed a slideshow of architectural renderings of the site as well and detailed the plans for the project. He also spent time highlighting the important infrastructure improvements underway in the City of Taunton with support of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council, as well as plans for future projects.
A question & answer period followed, highlighted by thanks for the Tribe's support of local organizations and Chairman Cromwell reasserting his commitment to the City of Taunton. He encouraged those present to join Together for Taunton and looks forward to maintaining supportive partnerships with the groups he has gotten to know in recent years.
Our next meeting will be Thursday, April 13, 2017. It will be an evening meeting, sharing dinner with the Interact Club and several District Guests.
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
