This document summarizes the minutes from a Rotary Club of Newton meeting held on January 20, 2010. It provides information about the club's officers and directors, as well as a summary of the activities from the meeting, including a presentation by the director of the Irving K. Zola Center on resources for disabled individuals. Thank you notes were read from elementary school students who received dictionaries from the club. The club also discussed upcoming fundraising events like Death by Chocolate.

1. 2009-2010 District No. 7910
ROTARY CLUB OF NEWTON Club No. 6580
719 WASHINGTON STREET BOX MS295
NEWTONVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS 02460
MEETS TUESDAYS; 12:15 P.M. BRAE BURN COUNTRY CLUB, 326 FULLER STREET, NEWTON, MA
President Vice President Treasurer Sergeant-at-Arms Director Director
Marie Presti Laurisa Neuwirth Peter Mahler Bill Garr Dick Bowen Justin Sallaway
617-620-6948 617-291-0572 617-630-5289 617-969-5906 x116 617-969-9134 617-244-0065
President-Elect Past President Recording Secretary Newsletter Editor Director Director
Jeff Tucker Marc Epstein John Hurney Scott Lewis Jeff Chin Tony Bibbo
617-340-1263 617-244-1212 617-332-7412 617-293-6371 617-965-1988 781-237-1144
THE SERVICE GEAR
Volume LXXXVI No. 26 January 20, 2010
P resident Marie was off to California, so the
running of the meeting fell to the capable hands
MEETING GREETERS NEXT MEETING:
January 27: Jeff Chin and Daniela Proia
of President-elect Jeff Tucker. He called upon Dr.
Bob Staulo to lead us in the Pledge of Alle-
giance. Dennis Prefontaine offered an invoca-
tion laiden with current events in Haiti and at
home. Susanne McInerney led the Club in a
chorus of God Bless America.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS
Bill Garr announced that 19 members were
present today, and acknowledged his own guest,
Tamsin Elias of the Newton Community Service
Center. Bill credited Tamsin with having done
yeoman’s work gluing the bookplate information
inside the covers of all 1,000 dictionaries given
to 3rd Graders in the past week.
Other guests included Mary Kern of the
Greetings and Good Firtune! Daniela Proia and Jeff Chin
YMCA, and our speaker, Donna Marie
happily greeted members with fortune cookies before the
Suskawicz, of the Irving K. Zola Center at meeting.
Brigham House.
Sgt. Bill and Laurisa Neuwirth also circu-
CONTENTS Page
lated a fistful of handwritten Thank You notes
ANNOUNCEMENTS 2
sent in from Lincoln-Eliot 3rd Graders. Some of
SERGEANT-at-ARMS 1
the notes were read aloud to everyone’s delight
THANK YOU NOTES 2
(see Page 2 for a selection).
SPEAKER PROGRAM 3
HAPPY DOLLARS 4
RAFFLE 6
c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 1

2. ANNOUNCED FROM THE PODIUM
Dear Rotary Club Members,
Dictionaries: Laurisa Neuwirth reported
Some of the Thank You notes sent in from 3rd that every third grade student in Newton’s public
Graders who received dictionaries: schools now has a dictionary, courtesy of our
Club. She thanked Prggy Lepore for suggesting
“Thank you so much for the dictionary. It the project in the first place.
will help me a lot for spelling words from Susanne McInerney recommended that we
now until I know how to spell them all. It repeat the program every year. Treasurer Peter
will slso help me to figure out the Mahler announced that District 7910 had ap-
definitions. It will help me with my proved our Community Service grant application
homework slso.” - Sam Settleman for $850, roughly half the cost of the dictionaries.
“Thank you for the dictionary. Everyone Daniella Proia wrapped up reporting on the
needs one. People do not have to type in the dictionary project, mentioning that her own
words. I will love to have one, and everyone daughter, a 3rd Grader at Lincoln-Eliot, was
will too.” - Rafael delighted to meet the real Two-dollar Bill
[Lowery] and receive her dictionary.
“Thank you very much for the dictionary! It’s
awesome! I think every home should have Paula Kirrane reported that Tony Greco
one. It can help people learn how to spell was successfully treated for kidney stones. His
asnd it can teach what the words mean. I kidneys are fully functional and Terri Greco
think that dictionaries are very cool. But do exclaimed having “the new Tony!”
they really have every word in the world? I
can’t wait to find out!” - Maya R. Williams Death by Chocolate: Paula reported that
we’re “down to the wire” with Death by Choco-
“Thank you for giving us the dictionary. I late planning and preparation. She needs volun-
think every home should have one. It will teers to help with three time slots: Saturday night
help me learn new words. I’m not so good at (Jan. 30th) to set up; and Sunday Jan. 31st from
big words, so I think it’ll help me a lot.” - 11-2PM, or from 2-5PM.
Sarah Rosenstrach
Michelle Desimone, standing in for the
“Thank you for the dictionaries. They are
indisposed Tony Bibbo, reported on the very
very helpful, because you can learn new
successful Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
meanings and the pronunciation. I will use
held at Our Lady’s Chuch. Over 750 people
my dictionary to help me with my
attended, many donating canned goods and
homework. I think every home should have a
money at a rate four times greater than previous
dictionary..” -Jacqueline
years. Half of the money collected will go to
“Thank you for all of the dictionaries! I think Haiti earthquake relief efforts. Michelle was
that they will be helpful because you can reminded of Martin Luther King Jr’s quote, “The
carry it in your backpack, use it for time is always right to do right.”
homework, and bring it to school. Everyone
should be able to have a dictionary.” - Paige
Watkins
c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 2

3. Program: The Irving K. Zola Center
Donna Marie Suskawicz
Dr. Bob Staulo, who is involved with the
Brigham House, introduced Donna Marie
Suskawicz, Director of the Irving K. Zola
Center, a place for handicapped individuals to
interact.
Donna described her own ordeal, starting
with an auto accident, caused by an uninsured
drunk driver, that left her isolated from
friends, financially depleted and unemployed,
as well as requiring physical therapy and
treatments for a dislocated jaw and lupus.
She discovered a Boston Help Center
Speaker Donna Marie Suskawicz is flanked by Dr. Bob
near Cleveland Circle, where she met new Staulo (left) and President-elect Jeff Tucker
friends, many similarly diabled, who offered
activity and support, and eventually sought to
create the Irving K. Zola Center, using facili- classes, including instruction in personal comput-
ties at Brigham House on Saturday afternoons. ing, meditation, and womens’ support. The
The Center offers disabled individuals a Center also provides food distribution with food
place to congregate, interact, and learn in items donated from Whole Foods and others.
PAUL M. KERRISSEY
Attorney at Law
277 Auburn Street
Suite B
Auburndale, MA 02466
Office: (617) 964-5800
Fax: (617) 969-9850
c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 3

4. HAPPY DOLLARS
Bill Garr was happy to collect Happy Dick Bowen was happy that the MLK
Dollars, starting with Paula Kirrane, happy to Celebration was well attended, and for Tony
see Laurisa back, and happy to be wrapping up Bibbo’s exuberant leadership organizing it
another successful edition of Death By Choco- “with as many email messages as for our Rotary
late, coming in two weeks! events.” Peggy Lepore was “delighted.”
Michelle Desimone, extending her Peter Mahler was happy to sit with Bert
perfect 2010 attendance record, was happy to Martinson. Susanne McInerney had two IOU
borrow a dollar for the raffle, and to see the happy dollars in honor of the MLK event and
excellent turnout for the Martin Luther King the Dictionary project. Scott Lewis happily
Celebration. Ed Casavant was just happy. gave ten dollars to Paula Kirrane for a scratch
Jeff Chin was happy for the success of our lottery ticket to add to the tree.
Dictionary Program, noting that many of the $2 Bill Lowery was happy to hear the
3rd Graders he met wanted his autograph! Thank You notes from the 3rd Graders. Jeff
Marc Epstein is looking happily forward Tucker was happy to share with members that
to final interviews for participating in a reality if they want to know their Rotary International
TV show. He was also happy to give $10 to Member number, it’s printed on the mailing
Paula Kirrane to buy a scratch ticket for the label of each issue of the Rotarian Magazine.
Death by Chocolate silent auction ticket tree.
SCOTT LEWIS HOME DESIGN PAULA KIRRANE
ADDITIONS Uniquely Designed Cakes
RENOVATIONS 230 Adams Street
NEW HOMES Newton, MA 02458
HISTORIC RESTORATION Tel.: (617) 969-1830
12 Bencliffe Circle fax: (617) 969-5852
Auburndale, MA 02466
(617) 293-6371 www.theicingonthecake.com
c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 4

5. District News from DG Carol Toomey UPCOMING...
Your District Public Image committee has January 27, 2010: WEDNESDAY! Speaker
been hard at work preparing for a great evening Josephine McNeil, CAN DO Affordable
on February 26. Please consider making this Housing Initiative
event your club meeting. Three people will be
table hosts after placing in the top five for the January 31, 2010: DEATH by CHOCOLATE
slogan contest. Nominations for PR awards are Fundraiser at the Crown Plaza Hotel
being applied for by clubs. Frog s are being
decorated. Project displays are being assembled. February 3: TBA
Invitations are sent out. It is time to register for
the Dinner now! February 10: Pat Palmer, YMCA
PHOTO CONTEST
Requested last year, a new category this RAFFLE
year. Each entry must be a picture taken of people
working on a Rotary project. The winning picture
will best depict the 2010 slogan chosen recently.
Join Rotary. Do Good. Feel Great. The people in
the picture should be unidentifiable or you must
have releases from the participants. The size of
the file must be 300 dpi and should be a Jpg
The photographer must have given permis-
sion to use this photo in future Rotary PR cam-
paigns. One entry per person please. Good luck
to all! The winning entry is due by February 12.
Carol Toomey, District Governor
Today’s raffle jackpot grew past the $525
mark, with only 30 cards in the diminishing deck
of cards. Speaker Donna Suskawicz fished out
ticket #579 from the glass bowl, claimed by guest
Tamsin Elias. Unfortunately, she found only the
Five of Hearts! Next week there will remain only
29 cards as the jackpot continues to grow!
c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 5