This document is the newsletter from the Rotary Club of Newton dated February 3, 2010. It provides information about the club's leadership, upcoming meetings, and a recap of the previous meeting. The main stories are about the club's successful Death by Chocolate fundraising event and the guest speaker, club president Marie Presti, who gave her classification talk about her background and new real estate business. It also previews upcoming meetings and includes advertisements from club members.

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. 28 February 3, 2010
P resident Marie mused, “We judge ourselves
by what we feel capable of doing, while others
MEETING GREETERS NEXT MEETING:
February 10: Peggy Lepore & Pat Palmer
judge us by what we have already done,” quoting
poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882).
Marie called upon Jim Means to lead us in
the Pledge of Allegiance. Dennis Prefontaine
offered an invocation, and Bert Martinson led
everyone in a chorus of God Bless America.
Marie thanked our outstanding Greeters,
Dick Bowen and Bill Garr, who were standing
in for the absent Peggy Lepore and Pat Palmer.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS
Bill Garr announced that 20 members were
present today, and acknowledged our guest, Jan
Lorenz, a friend of Jeff Tucker’s, from childhood
days in Hudson, MA.
Bill also had some political humor to share President Marie proudly displays our big spread in the
(see page 2) Newton TAB for Death by Chocolate, standing with Paula
Kirrane and with compliments to Tony Bibbo for the
excellent PR. See Paula’s preliminary report in
Announcements, page 2.
On the Road Next 2 Weeks!
Due to renovations at Brae Burn Coun- CONTENTS Page
try Club, our meetings will be elsewhere for SERGEANT-at-ARMS 1
the next two weeks, starting Wednesday, Feb. ANNOUNCEMENTS 2
10th, 12:00 Noon at the West Suburban THIS WEEK’S HUMOR 2
YMCA on Church Street, Newton Corner. SPEAKER PROGRAM 3
Bring your brown bag lunch. DEATH by CHOCOLATE 4-5
HAPPY DOLLARS 6
RAFFLE 7
c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 1

2. Full of Hot Air ANNOUNCED FROM THE PODIUM
A woman in a hot air balloon realized she
was lost. She lowered altitude and spotted a Death by Chocolate: Paula Kirrane thanked
man in a boat below. She shouted to him, all of the members for helping out by volunteer-
“Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a ing time at the event, donating and buying
friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I auction items, and providing sponsorships at
don’t know where I am.” record levels.
The man consulted his portable GPS Preliminary numbers indicate that the
and replied, “You’re in a hot air balloon Newton and Waltham clubs will split between
approximately 30 feet above a ground eleva- $19,000 and $20,000 once all of the auction
tion of 2,346 feet above sea level. You are 31 receipts are in hand. That figure includes over
degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and $5,000 in ticket sales at the door and over $8,000
100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude.” in auction sales.
She rolled her eyes and said, “You must The event committee will have a wrap-up
be a Democrat.” meeting soon to review the event and ponder
“I am,” replied the man. “How did you what improvements can be made next year,
know?” including a different arrangement of tables to
“Well,” answered the balloonist, “every- give more space to auction items.
thing you told me is technically correct, but I Paula mentioned that she was, herself, the
have no idea what to make of your informa- lucky winner of the lottery scratch ticket tree,
tion, and I’m still lost. Frankly, you’ve not paying $200 for the privilege. After hours of
been much help to me.” scratching tickets, she and husband Gino found
The man smiled and responded, “You that they had made back $190 in winnings!
must be a Republican.” Some scrapbook photos taken at Death by
“I am,” replied the balloonist. “But how Chocolate 2010 are included on pages 4-5.
did you know?”
“Well,” said the man, “You don’t know Paul Stone is out of the hospital, resting at
where you are or where you’re going. You’ve Lasell Village’s convalescent area. Peggy Lepore
risen to where you are due to a large quantity further reports that Paul is bored and receiving
of hot air. You’ve made a promise that you vistors.
have no idea how to keep, and now you
expect ME to solve your problem.
“You’re in EXACTLY the same position
you were in before we met, but somehow,
now, it’s MY fault.”
Dick Bowen (right) greets the casual Mr. Keery at the
door.
c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 2

3. Program: Marie Presti, Classification Talk
Marie described some of her personal
history. She was born in Burlington, MA. She is
the third of four children, motivating her to hone
good “people skills.” But she gravitated toward
the technical side, graduating from Mt. Holyoke
College with a degree in math and computer
science. After some time in the MIS Department
of a bank, Marie’s interests started to swing back
toward the people side, eventually finding herself
as VP of Marketing for a high-tech start-up
company.
After the World Trade Center attack on 9/
11, Marie found herself out of work and suffer-
ing an early “mid-life crisis.” She went on a
month-long African safari where she noticed
young children living in poverty but quite happy
with what they HAD, making her better appreci-
Speaker Marie Presti receives cingratulations from
ate her own lot in life. Back in America, Marie
Club guest Jan Lorenz
switched to working with individual clients as a
real estate professional, and successfully built up
a flourishing practice as a Realtor, most recently She is opening up her office in Newton soon
with Sotheby’s Karp, Liberman & Kern, in and will continue to service her existing custom-
Newton Centre. ers, but in addition will be building a real estate
Marie surprised us with an announcement team to help market and sell bank-owned proper-
that she will soon leave Sotheby’s to start up the ties throughout New England. If you know of any
New England Division of Atlantic & Pacific Real good real estate agents in Dorchester, Worcester,
Estate, as their Vice President. Brockton, Plymouth County, Dennis, or
Haverhill areas, please let her know.
c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 3

4. 2010
c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 4

5. c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 5

6. HAPPY DOLLARS
Peter Mahler was happy for the success Hudson, MA. Jeff Chin was happy that his
of Death by Chocolate (DBC), especially for daughters loved Death by Chocolate.
the good work of John Tresca, who worked the Laurisa Neuwirth was happy that her
Kid’s Raffle to great effect. Dick Bowen also daughter Morgan had all high marks on her
praised DBC, “Paula’s 9th!,” and had warm report card. Marie Presti was happy for DBC,
regards for Tony Bibbo’s brandy (?). with thanks for Paula’s great effort.
Paula Kirrane had $20 happy dollars for
DBC’s great public visibility. Bert Martinson
had praise for Paula and the DBC committee,
as did Tony Bibbo, who also praised world-
traveling Tim and Connie Braceland. It was a
testament to their earlier efforts, he said, that
the event went off so well without them being
there to help!
Marc Epstein was happy for DBC, but
sorry to have tasted Icing on the Cake’s sample
first, making others seem less wonderful. He
was also happy to have son Paul back home
after yet another stay at MGH’s intensive care
unit, and happy to have won a role on a reality
TV car racing show.
Jeff Tucker was happy to be joined by Bill Garr and Justin Sallaway were happy to serenade
guest Jan Lorenz, who grew up with him in President Marie with a duet chorus of Happy Birthday.
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 6

7. RAFFLE
UPCOMING...
Monday, February 8, 12 Noon to 1:30 PM:
Board Meeting at The Village Bank,
Nonantum Branch.
February 10: Million Dollar Brown Bag
Luncheon at the West Suburban
YMCA. Bring your own lunch, a drink,
and a happy dollar or two. NO MEET-
ING AT BRAE BURN!
February 17: Road trip continues, tenta-
tively at the Chateau Restaurant, home
of the Rotary Club of Waltham.
Today’s raffle jackpot grew past the $620
mark, with only 28 cards in the diminishing deck
of cards. Guest Jan Lorenz fished out ticket #664
from the glass bowl, claimed byPaul Kerrissey,
right. Unfortunately, Paul found only the Five of
Clubs! Next week there will remain only 27 cards
as the jackpot continues to grow! Don’t miss the
Million Dollar Lunch!
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 7