SPUR September 7, 2016

 
Rotary Club of Enfield Meeting of September 7, 2016
 
Vice President Scott Kaupin called the meeting to order at 12:15.
 
Allyson Rodricks led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Sandy Zukowski led the Four Way Test.
Kevin Mayo said our invocation.
 
Guests:
Julie Cotnoir and Keith Madore from Asnuntuck Community College
 
Happy/Sad Dollars (led by Sgt. at Arms Kevin Mayo):
Kevin Mayo - Happy to be on vacation next week and that the Red Sox are in first place in September!
Joe Fallon – Donated a Leave Early Dollar.
Steve Damon – Will be serving as Den Leader for a Wolf Group (2nd graders) of Cub Scouts in Agawam
Ed Palomba – Happy for the meatloaf and that the fall softball league started last evening.  He also successfully moved his daughter into her new apartment in Boston after some renovations issues and delays.
Mike Helechu – Donated some cash for missing a couple of meetings and in honor of some Rotarian health issues.  Mike had a nice Labor Day weekend taking in Beethoven’s Ninth in Boston plus a round of golf.
Nick Deni – Donated a Leave Early Dollar plus let us know that he did not win the Myrtle Beach Golf Tournament last week.  Bubba the Dog did enjoy his vacation in Myrtle Beach though.
Scott Kaupin – Spent a long Labor Day Weekend at The Gorge in George, Washington for three Dave Matthews concerts overlooking the Columbia River Gorge.
 
 
History Mystery:
September 7, 1942:
  1. What was the nickname of the B-32?
A – The Dominator
  1. What company made the B-32?
A – Consolidated Aircraft
  1. What plane served as the base model for the B-32?
A – The B-24 Liberator
 
Raffle - $95 in the pot:
$10 – Lindsey Weber
Card – Kathy Barron – 5 of Spades
$5 – Steve Alminas
 
 Announcements:
The East Windsor Rotary Club will be holding their Annual Wine & Beer Tasting event on Saturday, September 24th from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Second Chance Farm, 42 Rice Road, East Windsor, CT.  Cost is $30 per person at the door or $25 pre-purchase.  Contact Dan Tarbell (dstarbell@gmail.com) or Dave Menard (dpm194901@gmail.com).  Tickets can be purchased online at http://events.eventease.com/wine-beer-tasting/.
Eric Moody passed out a sign-up sheet for our Wine Tasting for people to bring hot and cold appetizers.  He also has two tickets to the Bloomfield Wine Tasting on September 8th if anyone would like to go.
Kevin Mayo announced that the Rotary After 5:00 has been cancelled for this month due to scheduling issues.
Foundation Dinner will be held on Thursday, November 3rd at Chez Josef.
 
 
 
Program:
Kathleen Souvigney, Executive Director of the Enfield Food Shelf, was our guest speaker.
The Enfield Food Shelf, Inc. - Ensuring no Enfield family in need is without food assistance
About the Enfield Food Shelf:
  • Founded in 1968
  • Mission is to ensure no Enfield family in need is without food assistance
  • 501(c)3 Charitable Organization
  • Governed by Board of Directors
  • 50+ regular volunteers working 2 to 25 hours per week – one original volunteer from 1968!!
  • One employee (part-time)
  • Average of 350 families served per week/2,830 individuals/37% children
  • 600,000+ Pounds of food distributed annually
  • Equivalent of 241,722 meals provided to date this year
  • 512 monthly food boxes provided to seniors in CSFP program this year (with 224 home deliveries)
Why Is Addressing Hunger Important To Our Community?
  • Impacts of Food Insecurity
  • Pregnant women more likely to experience birth complications
  • Children at higher risk for chronic health conditions such as anemia and asthma
  • Seniors more likely to experience depression, heart attacks, asthma or congestive heart failure
  • Students who are food insecure have greater number of chronic absences, more visits to the nurse, a shortened attention span and diminished academic achievement
  • 2015 survey of all JFK Middle School students reported:
  • 19.5% of students worry that sometimes, often or always/almost always worry their family would run out of food before their families had money to buy more
  • As a community, without full participation of children eligible for Free/Reduced in the School District, Enfield misses out on almost $275,000 in Federal funding as well as Title I funding.
Who is Food Insecure?
  • Fixed Income
    • Seniors
    • Disabled
    • Veterans
  • Working Families with limited earning potential
  • Families in Emergency Situations
  • College Students – 70% of Asnuntuck students qualified for free/reduced lunch prior to graduation
 
 
What programs and resources does EFS provide?
  • Weekly Food Assistance for registered families
  • Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) for seniors only with home delivery option
  • Supplemental Food Assistance Program (SNAP) Enrollment assistance available each distribution
  • Free and Reduced Lunch Enrollment Assistance
  • Strength-based Case Management
  • Partnership with UCONN Nutrition Program
  • Health checks during food assistance
  • Resource Table for other agencies
  • Pet Food Program
  • Laundry Detergent Distribution
  • Volunteer and Training Opportunities
  • Reclaim, Redirect and Recycle Efforts
EFS Community Outreach Efforts
  • Provide emergency food baskets for Neighborhood Services and other agencies
  • Hub for distribution of perishable foods and non-food items to other agencies including (but not limited to):
    • Enfield Loaves and Fishes
    • Enfield WIC
    • Enfield Senior Center
    • Enfield Youth Services
    • Enfield Family Resource Center
    • Enfield Warming Center
    • Mark Twain and other Enfield Senior Housing
    • Five Corner Cupboard
    • Pauline’s Stockpot Kitchen
    • Catholic Charities of Hartford
    • East Granby Food Pantry
    • South Park Inn, Hartford
  • Raise hunger awareness in the community through presentations
  • Assist businesses to create charitable giving programs
  • Actively Participate in Local Initiatives – Enfield Hunger Action Team (EHAT)
  • Healthy Meals=Healthy Minds Initiatives (collaboration with ERfC)
“I always wondered why somebody doesn’t do something about that.  Then I realized I was somebody.”
---Lily Tomlin
 
The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 p.m.
 
Respectfully submitted by Scott Kaupin