Newsletter -- September 17, 2013

Rotary Club of Bedford
September 17, 2013
Meeting Location:
Bedford Glen
Double-Tree Hotel
Location:
Robert Cassidy
Victor Tom
Margarita Kaliviotis
Kevin Sullivan
Diana Jarvis
Joel Berenson
Melinda Nicholson
President
President
President
Pres. Elect
Secretary
Treasurer
Treasurer
44 Middlesex Turnpike
Bedford, MA 01730
Time:
Tuesday; 12:15 PM
http://www.bedfordmarotary.org
Our sponsors who are so generously helping us do what we do
Calendar:
September 21
September 24
October 1
October 8
October 15
October 22
October 29
Bedford Day
The Bedford Citizen
Leon Dorlanc, Stop Hunger Now in Haiti
Emily Tamilio, Senior Care
Amara Doumbia, Humphrey Fellow
Bob Cassidy, Sub History
Victor Tom, Baseball Science
Membership Milestones: Two birthdays this week – Joel and Britton! A challenge arose between the two
as to who was older – no one was fessing up; It is the first membership anniversary for Mark.
Visiting Rotarians: John Lombard, Rotary Club of Concord; PDG Ed King, Rotary Club of
Northborough
Annual 9/11 Service: Bob praised Margarita for a superb job of organizing!
Health Update: Bob Mead is at the Concord Health Care Center, 57 Old Road to 9 Acre Corner,
Concord MA. It’s across from Emerson Hospital. We’re sure he’d love cards and might like a
visit, too. Recover well and soon, Bob!
Bedford Day: It’s here! Bill is on fire! And we better be too. Bill thanked in advance those whose
generous in-kind donations makes this so much easier, including Taylor & Lloyd for providing a
truck and driver, Café Luigi for providing pepper and onions for the sausages, Flatbread Pizza for
the grill, the Doubletree for storage coolers, ice and tables, DSA Printing for the signs, and
Middlesex Bank for the cash box. When you patronize these places, tell them how much you
appreciate their contributions. Setup begins at 6 am this Saturday at booths 14-16. See you there!
Paul Bunyan Day: A show of hands indicated that there’s interest in
another Paul Bunyan Day, proposed by Nat [see photo of him, left]. The
date is yet to be determined, but start looking for your red and black
woolen shirts and grab an axe. Last year was really fun and it’s great to
think there will be a repeat.
Mark’s Rotary Moment: When Mark was considering joining us last
year, he was also looking at the Lexington Rotary Club. What made him
choose us (besides our incredible attractiveness)? It was our
sponsorship of MinutemanArc. Mark’s son Blake has benefited from
what MinutemanArc has to offer and it’s been our great benefit to have
Mark on board with us because of this happy confluence.
RLI – Rotary Leadership Institute: DG Doug Detweiler sent us a reminder
about RLI and how valuable this training is in raising the quality of club
leadership.
You can register for this RLI session by clicking here. The cost is $75, and
your club may underwrite some or all of that amount. The fee includes
breakfast, lunch, coffee breaks, and considerable materials given to
participants. Course fees also pay for meeting space, audio-visual equipment,
and promotional costs.
Stop Hunger Now, Acton-Boxborough: We are invited to the Acton-Boxborough “Hank Phillippi
Ryan Author Event and Fundraiser for the Million Meals Project” at the Holiday Inn in Boxborough.
Hank is the keynote speaker and she’ll be talking about her just released book “The Wrong Girl”
and signing copies at the end of the evening. The date is November 12, 2013, starting at 5:30 pm
for Cocktails and Meal Packaging, followed by an Italian Buffet Dinner at 7:00. Tickets are $25
and all proceeds will go to feeding the hungry. To purchase tickets, go to:
http://www.actonboxboroughrotary.org/purchase-tickets-for-the-million-meals-fundraiser-with-hankphillippi-ryan/
Program – Rotary’s Youth Programs: PDG Ed King came to
us to speak about Rotary’s Youth Service. He was happy to say
that Bedford has done a good job of supporting youth. We and
Concord are in a “foot race” for supporting the most students at
RYLA. We have an Interact club. We have an active ESSEX
program (student exchange). But we can do more. In our
District there are only eight Rotoract clubs – and this is a district
with 53 clubs. Rotoract is for people between the ages of 18 and
30. It’s often associated with colleges, but it can be community
based as well. In our parts of the world, Rotoract is extremely active. Even more important, Rotary
clubs need to be more proactive in letting young participants in Rotary programs know about what else
they can do – in terms of scholarships, in terms of programs, and in terms of future engagement.
Questions Ed posed to us were: Do we follow through? Do we ask parents of scholarship recipients
to support our community efforts? Do we invite participants and parents to be on our newsletter list?
There’s opportunity out there, and we don’t want to miss it.
Raffles and Happy Dollars: Britton won the door prize and Bill was feeling lucky for the 50/50
but…no go.
In Happy Dollars, Jacquelin was glad for a successful bike-a-thon and that John Lombard was here;
Britton was happy to be sitting next to Jacquelin and was glad for a great weekend in Maine; Cliff was
sad that this will be the first Bedford Day he’ll miss since becoming a Rotarian but happy that he’ll be
on his way to England on the Bandey-Heffler exchange this Friday; Diana had a great weekend in
Maine too; Linda, her surgery disappointingly postponed, was happy to be here still and that daughter
Jenny is not in flood-stricken Boulder right now; Jim was glad for Linda, for Mark’s excellent Rotary
moment, and for John Lombard’s eloquent words; Joel was happy to be here and apologetic that he
can’t be at Bedford Day except for early morning; Debi was delighted that coffee is now available in
our meeting room; Bill had hopes for good weather on Bedford Day and determination that we will sell
out; Peter put in for Bob Mead’s continued recovery; he was also happy for paddling in Marshfield
going downstream both ways (smart tidal reading); Susanna was happy about going to Fenway; Victor
had sad dollars for the passing of a very close cousin here in Bedford but was grateful that the support
from JGMS for his cousin’s son was outstanding and that Melinda has helped set up a trust fund for
the son; Andy put in for our guest; Art was happy the doctors have told him he’ll live; Melinda was glad
Art will live; Jessica was happy she’ll be promoted in early November; Ralph was glad to have Ed King
and John Lombard visiting; Ed was glad to see all of us; Steve was glad to be golfing this afternoon
and had wishes for Linda’s good health; Nat was impressed by our stirring (and mostly on-key!) song
today; Kevin is reading a new book about Bunker Hill; John Lombard insisted on giving a happy dollar
because he was here because of Ralph’s being named Citizen of the Year; Bob was happy for the
superb job Margarita did on planning the 9/11 ceremony; and Mark was happy to have been at the
Red Sox game on Monday and that he’d attended Truck Day in Burlington which was awesome with
lots and lots of trucks of every imaginable make, size and useage and lots of horns honking.
Let’s Make Up!
The Four Way
Test
1. Is it the
TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all
concerned?
3. Will it build
GOODWILL
and BETTER
FRIENDSHIPS
?
4. Will it be
BENEFICIAL
to all
concerned?
Mon
Chelmsford 12:15 p.m. Radison Hotel;
Maynard 6:15 p.m. Payton’s River’s Edge;
Reading 12:15 p.m. Peter Sanborn Place;
Lexington 12:15 p.m. Waxy O’Connors
Wed
Acton-Boxborough 12:15 p.m. Holiday Inn,
Boxborough; Restaurant; N. Reading 12:15 Hillview
Country Club; Waltham 12:15 p.m. The Chateau
Restaurant; Wilmington 12:15 p.m.
Tues
Clinton 12:15 p.m. The old Timers Restaurant;
Hudson 6:00 p.m. Hudson Portuguese Club;
Wellesley 6:30 p.m. Wellesley Community
Center; Woburn 12:15 Holiday Inn Select Hotel;
Billerica 7:30 a.m. Billerica Marriott Courtyard
Thurs
Ayer 6:30 p.m. Bull Run Restaurant; Brookline 12:00
Holiday Inn; Burlington 7:30 a.m. Bickfords; Concord
12:15 p.m. Colonial Inn; Marlboro 12:15 p.m. Coral
Seafood; Westford 12:15 p.m. Mangia Mangia;
Nashoba Valley 7:15 a.m. Great Brook Farm
Fri
Locations verified 12/6/10
Burlington 12:15 p.m. American Legion Hall; Littleton
7:30 a.m. Ken’s Cafe
1956-­‐57 Glenn Sims
1957-­‐58 E. Gottschalk
1958-­‐59 Ron Davis
1959-­‐60 John Bowen
1960-­‐61 George Doherty
1961-­‐62 Frank Hennessey
1962-­‐63 Robert Mead
1963-­‐64 Clifford Hughes
1964-­‐65 Fred Olson
1965-­‐66 J. Clive Enos
1966-­‐67 Nathaniel Brown
1967-­‐68 Donald Drew
1968-­‐69 Joseph Bruno
1969-­‐70 Ralph Collins
1970-­‐71 John Whalen
1971-­‐72 George Benson
1972-­‐73 Maurice Nolan
1973-­‐74 Pat Sciaraffa
1974-­‐75 Ed Moore
PAST PRESIDENTS
1975-­‐76 Ed Moore
1976-­‐77 Winston Bridge
1977-­‐78 “Syke” Bumann
1978-­‐79 Matt Tomassian
1979-­‐80 Peter Kilmartin
1980-­‐81 Lawrence Carlton
1981-­‐82 Paul C. Dick
1982-­‐83 David Valdina
1983-­‐84 Jack Wilson
1984-­‐85 Peter Corea
1985-­‐86 Robert A. Cassidy
1986-­‐87 Ottfried Weisz
1987-­‐88 Kenneth W. Luther
1988-­‐89 John B. Debaun
1989-­‐90 Kenneth R. Walcott
1990-­‐91 David J. Rossi
1991-­‐92 James W. Harrill
1992-­‐93 Peter Light
1993-­‐94 Norma A. Barton
1994-­‐95 Ralph M. Hammond
1995-­‐96 Holly A. Chaney
1996-­‐97 Milan W. Jackson
1997-­‐98 Gregory S. Symko
1998-­‐99 Florence A. Rossi
1999-­‐00 Robert M. Kennedy
2000-­‐01 Heidi A. Pusatere
2001-­‐02 David R. Hannum
2002-­‐03 Joel Berenson
2003-­‐04 William Waite
2004-­‐05 Meg Packenham
2005-­‐06 Susanna Natti
2006-­‐07 Terrence Parker
2007-­‐08 Lea Ann Knight
2008-­‐09 Virginia Clerkin
2009-­‐10 Victor Tom
2010-­‐11 Cliff Rober
2011-12 Christine Pinney
2012-13 Peter Colgan
The Responsibility of Remembrance Rev. Dr. Demetrios Tonias It is another year and another day of remembrance. One year ago we gathered here at this same place and at roughly this same time. We come here today, again, for a variety of reasons, but perhaps most of all because we have a sense of responsibility. We should ask ourselves, however, not only “what is our responsibility” but also “why are we here?” We feel obliged to come; but do we feel the need to come? The difference may seem subtle but it is nevertheless profound. There is an implicit responsibility associated with the act of remembrance. Such responsibility means that we are the custodians not of a date, not of an historical event, but rather of the individual memories of thousands who perished on September 11th. These memories transcend time and space—these memories are what bring us together today. If we understand why we should remember and what we should remember then, perhaps, we can begin to comprehend how to remember. The wounds of a Tuesday, September morning a dozen years ago are still fresh for many if not all of us. As a nation, and a people, we must be conscious of the fact that Americans entering their twenties were only eight years old when the tragic events took place in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania. In only eight years a twenty year old will not have even been born when the tragedy of September 11th took place. We know and we feel that our country was changed twelve years ago, but in what manner? And eight years from now or even eighteen years from now, in what manner will we remember these events? Put another way: When will 9-­‐11-­‐2001 become December 7, 1941? Our assembly this day is not simply a civic duty, it is a sacred responsibility. It is a responsibility to care for the memory of the souls entrusted to us. If we fail to understand the sanctity, indeed, the holiness, of the memories in our care then our remembrance runs the risk of descending into a perfunctory activity, a rote act in which we go through the appropriate motions but fail to fulfill the sacred task of remembrance. There is, I believe, a threefold nature to the act of remembrance associated with any tragedy—especially one so profound and far reaching as 9-­‐11. We must first be conscious of the memories—those life experiences both great and small—associated with those who perished, we must then understand the great loss of the memories that could have been but never were, and finally we need to engage in the most important activity of all— keeping those memories alive. We are surrounded in this beautiful park with so many important symbols. From the flags that billow in the breeze to the trees that bear stoic witness to the tragic events, we have symbols that remind us of what was lost twelve years ago today. Within the Orthodox Christian tradition, from which I form my understanding of memory and remembrance, the use of symbols is hardly subtle or covert. Church walls are replete with icons of saints—holy men and women who fought the good fight and earned their crowns of glory. From vestments to chalices emblazoned with figures, inscriptions, and color the visual senses are stimulated with a multiplicity of symbols. For many, steeped in an enlightened modernity that is somewhat iconoclastic in nature, such symbolism may seem overpowering. And yet, the mind of antiquity understands and appreciates that all symbols, at the end of the day, are ultimately meaningless—no matter how beautiful. For it is not the symbol that is important but rather the inner meaning which the symbol conveys that has value. It is an obvious point and one that bears repeating on a day such as today. Each flag, each tree, each rock, indeed every face gathered here is a memorial that represents a soul that was lost—a father, a child, a mother, a friend. If we keep this within our consciousness then we help preserve the memories of those who perished. In the recesses of our hearts and minds, when these symbols are associated with unique persons—with individual memories—they take on a heightened sense of meaning. A long black wall is a monument. A long black wall, with thousands of names inscribed upon it, is a memorial—a worthy object of remembrance because it calls us to the realization that we never really commemorate an event—we remember people. In this way, we begin to build our own memorial within ourselves and the events of 9-­‐11 take on new perspective and new meaning. In this way we begin to inscribe the names of all of those fallen on the wall of our hearts. In this way we can begin to understand that 9-­‐11-­‐2001 is not a date, it is not a moment in the history of our nation—it is a remembrance of real people who touched other real people and made a difference in the lives of others and in so doing they made and continue to make a difference in the lives of all of us. In this way we are conscious of what was lost and the symbols of their memory become much more than flags, and trees, and stones but human beings whose significance is not historical but personal, relational, and real. But remembrance is not only about what all of these innocents did or even who they touched, it is also about the great loss of what they were prevented from doing and the people they will never again be able to directly touch. In many ways, this is the most difficult part of remembrance because it is so abstract and difficult to apprehend and yet so personal and real at the same time. It is difficult because like the proverbial pebble in the pond, it is impossible to count all of the ripples produced. It is easy because in seeing the ripples we know that there was indeed a source that produced such a wondrous wave. We, therefore, gather today not only to mourn what was but also to lament what might have been. It is a grim task but one, nevertheless, that is required in order to fully comprehend what was lost on that day—the true measure of the infinite number of ripples stopped before they could reach the shore. There are graduations, weddings, and births that will never be witnessed. There are arms unable to embrace in joy or comfort in sorrow. There are miracles great and small that will never be performed. If remembrance were to end here it would only produce bitterness, resentment, and despair—an endless night of darkness. It must never be so. Proper remembrance demands that we take the memories of what was and couple them with the idea of what could have been, so that we may light the eternal flame that keeps their memory alive. In such a way, remembrance becomes a transformative act that vanquishes bitterness, resentment, and despair and turns darkness into light. Countless stories emanated from the ruins and wreckage of September 11th, not only of what people did to help others that day but what they had done throughout their entire lives. We have the responsibility to remember these stories, catalogue them within our consciousness and, then, do the math. We must multiply each act of philanthropy and love offered by those who perished throughout the course of their thousands of lives, extrapolate a result, and then add to this the sum of all that these tremendous individuals could have done. Having thus remembered, we can then engage in the awesome endeavor of carrying on their mission. In this fashion, those who were lost that day twelve years ago and who are now remembered here on this day, take on a new life. It is a new life that exists within each of us who are now entrusted with their legacy. They take on a new life in each person engaged in the sacred act of remembrance. They take on a new life in each act of remembrance whether by the eight year old, the eighteen year old, or the eighty year old. And this—what we do here today—is the act of remembrance—not a perfunctory ritual activity but a dynamic endeavor of love. There are those who have taken it upon themselves to offer us worthy memorials to the victims of 9-­‐11. Indeed, the founders of this memorial are such people who understood that we must strive to remember what was, what might have been, but what can be. Michael Arad, the architect of the 9-­‐11 memorial at the World Trade Center site also understood the true meaning of remembrance. A news report explains that: Arad is especially proud of the presentation of the victims’ names, which are cut into bronze panels that hang at the edges of the waterfalls that now occupy the footprints of each tower that fell 12 years ago. The 9/11 Memorial Foundation worked with all of the victims’ families to place names in meaningful clusters or “adjacencies,” so that one victim’s name may be placed near a best friend who also perished, or neighbors who rode into work together every day are in close proximity. “It’s hard to come to terms with something like close to 3,000 dead in an attack,” Arad said. “But when you hear a personal story, everyone can relate to that, to what it might be like to lose a family member, to lose a friend. I thought it was important to maintain that in the design, to find a way to amplify the nature of this collective loss through these stories of individual loss. That's what the memorial is about, individual loss and a communal loss that we all experienced together.” 9-­‐11 was indeed a loss “that we all experienced together.” We must continue to experience it together but always ever on guard for the type of complacency that leads us to feel obliged to come, rather than the feeling that we need to come. We need to come so that the memories of so many are not forgotten. We need to come so that we understand what was lost. We need to come so that we fulfill our responsibility to remember and, in so doing, fashion the most fitting memorial—a memorial forever inscribed on the walls of the inner chambers of our hearts.