This Week's High Gear

THE ROTARY CLUB OF EAST HARTFORD, Club 6494

High Gear -- August 20, 2008

East Hartford Rotary has had a lot of great picnics and outings over the years, and some of them may have been equal to last night’s affair, but certainly none in my memory outdid this one. It was a large crowd, more than 90 strong, with a rich mix of old friends and new faces. It was great to see Scottie and Ann, Roy and Peg Spiller, the Liss family including the six month old future Rotarian baby boy, Rita Brown, and so many other Rotarian spouses and old and new friends. Our hosts President Sue and Peter Klock set up extra tables and they were put to good use. It was a beautiful evening, with the sun shining and the air carrying more than a hint of the upcoming autumn season.

The set up was a little different this year, with hors d’oeuvres and desserts provided along with the main meal. There was a wide selection and everything was delicious. Sausage and Peppers, Stuffed Mushrooms, Meatballs, Cheeses and crackers, Salsa and Chips, Olives. Followed by Chicken, Salad, and Potatoes. And topped with ice cream treats. And all for just $5 per person. Somebody is either robbing the food locker or someone with deep pockets is subsidizing this affair on the q.t.

The committee that put it all together and deserves our thanks was led, as usual, by the indefatigable Kathy McCabe with lots of assistance from Ed Cassela, Ruth Sheehan, Ceil Collins, Neal Cunningham, Larry Frazier, Tom Galvin, Louise Mazzoli (did the work but was unable to attend), Bob Richmond, Dean Roland, Tom Jarish and Tom Westbrook. Not mentioned but I suspect doing more than his and her share were our hosts, Peter and Sue. PP Dan Larson did triple duty collecting the fees, impersonating a minion of Price, Waterhouse to deliver the Golf Outing results, and acting as official bell ringer. More on the last later. Art Bradbury did his usual job of providing a thoughtful invocation.

The Golf Outing was another success on this beautiful late summer day. The pacesetters were the team of Bill Saunders, Chuck Clark, George Schoen and Doug Willett but they were followed closely by the team of Dave Amberg, Art Bradbury and Bob Mayo (Steve Tamiso’s son-in-law), and the team of Jim Fallon, Glen Peterson and Steve Jacoby. A good time was had by all.

There were few announcements today but again the Club is reminded that the Youth Service and the Vocational Service Committees are each meeting next Wednesday at 11:30 at the Ridge. (May be a good way to reduce the number of announcements each week is to require our President to stand on a diving board above a pool of cold water during this portion of the meeting. Seemed to work well tonight.) No raffle or Sergeant At Arms report was offered this evening.

Your High Gear editor was having too much fun eating and drinking and conversing to take many notes tonight, so this is all there is to this week’s edition. Other than the closing incident of Danny and the Bell. It seems that a 150 pound bell is just the thing to cause Danny Boy to unleash his aggressions by pounding the hapless bell so spiritedly that the bell detached from its stanchion, plunged to the pool deck, and scattered Jack Ghagan, Larry Frazier and all the others who were seated in the vicinity. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men were required to lift and reposition the unfortunate object. No one had the heart to look for cracks in the bell’s surface, but suffice it to say that Big Dan will not be invited to Philadelphia anytime soon.

Well it looks like the Bronx team is turning out to be somewhat less than Bombers this year, so we are reduced to rooting for the Rays and the Twins to join the Angels for the chance to meet Manny’s red hot L.A. Dodgers in the post season. Who you pickin’, Ruthie?

WDOUGW

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{Editor's Note:: To see other, past issues of High Gear, double click here on archives.]

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