Newburyport Rotary - Newburyport Clipper

President Ann Ormond opened the luncheon meeting to an unusually crowded audience by again ringing her Big Brass Bell getting everyone to order. We all stood and sang God Bless America flowed by a stirring and provocative invocation given by Russ Johnson. Membership then joined in unison singing Here We Are Again.

Visiting Rotarians and Guests were introduced to the membership. The Honorable Mayor of Newburyport, Donna Holaday was welcomed by the membership as was Deborah Chiaravalloti from Anna Jaques Hospital Public Relations. Also attending was our own Senior Active Rotarian, Normand Jutras. Good to have you back, Norm!

There were several Happy Dollars presented today: among them were Josiah Welch for his son-in-law who was recently ordained and has his own parish in New Hampshire; Vicki Hendrickson for her husband who just had his book, Franco Americans in Maine published; Grace Connolly for being glad to be back from here mountain trek across the Pyrenees Mountains in Spain, for having do so in the first place, for a welcome to our Mayor, Donna Holaday being here today and finally, to David Hall for running a successful kayak raffle over the weekend at the Music Festival; Ann Ormond thanking The Mayor and Deborah Chiaravalloti for joining us today; Liz Jutras reminding the membership about the Kollaborative $50,000 Kitchen Make Over Raffle and prizes and, finally, Austin Spinella for the one person in 500 who tuned in to his appearance on “Curious Chef” TV show.

Stump the Chump, a new and interesting innovation of President Ann Ormond, in an effort to get each of us to better know our fellow Rotarians was done today by our own, Sue Christ. She presented three facts about herself, one of which was not true. The membership was asked to select the un-true statement. !. she was born in Newburyport, 2. she lived in Georgia and 3. she had a French-American Grandmother. Wait of it . . . . . . . . . . Answer: she was born in Newburyport. Actually, she was born at Westover Air Force Base while her father was in the service but grew-up right here in Newburyport! Great effort, Sue!

Our Guest today was the Honorable Mayor of Newburyport, Donna Holaday. The mayor presented a detailed overview of the plethora of projects she has been dealing with over the past several months. The list is too numerous to enumerate in this Newsletter but, suffice to say, she is one busy Mayor! Several questions were presented to her and she responded frankly and honestly. Good to have you as our guest today, Mayor!

Announcements were few today. Sue Christ informed the membership that this year’s Home Coming Fund Raiser will be a sausage sandwich sale and not a BBQ Chicken Roast. There was a sigh of relief noticeable from the audience. Sausage is easier to roast, requires smaller grills and will be less expensive and easier to sell.

50/50 was won by Larry Hunter but he was unable to draw the magic Ace of Club.

SEE YOU ALL TUESDAY, JULY 20TH

BRING A FRIEND, POTENTIAL NEW ROTARIAN OR GUEST! MORE IS BETTER!