The Board Meeting scheduled for Tues., Mar. 13 is postponed due to the impending winter storm.  

 

Tentative date of rescheduled Board Meeting is March 20 at 5:30-7:00 pm.

The Taste of Metro North is this Wed., Mar. 14!

 

All Rotarians need to:

 

A.  Buy your tickets asap.  Click here to purchase.  

 

B.  Tell your friends and neighbors to come.

 

C.  Contact Gregg to volunteer for a slot that evening, 

On the blustery Saturday morning of February 3, Reading Rotary joined District 7930 and participated in the Polar Plunge to End Polio at Long Beach, Gloucester.  Rotarians Gregg Johnson, KC Latham and Mike Bonsey along with RMHS Interact Students TJ Kelley and Kyle Dumas plunged into the icy Atlantic with approximately 125 Rotary Plungers.  It was a bright a clear day, but it the cold.  The District had raised around $70,000, which is short of the $125k goal.  However, donations are still coming in and there is time for Rotarians and supporters to donate.  Donation online is secure and easy.  The link is here.  Donations accepted through April 1.  Please donate now if you haven't already.

 

Polio eradication is Rotary International's signature cause.  Donations are matched 2:1 by the Gates Foundation.  Bill and Melinda Gates have pledged and additional $150 million through 2020 for this cause.  Polio will be only the second disease ever to be eradicated by human effort.  We're this close.

 

       

 

 

  

 

Eagle Scout Bryan Doucette updated us on his Eagle Scout Community Service Project which we supported with a donation.  Bryan completed his project of revitalizing the trail and signage at the Pinevale Conservation Area.  This area runs from Washington Park through the woods behind Minot and Main Streets.  Bryan has completed his Eagle Scout requirements and invited us to his Court of Honor to be held on April 7.  

 

Congratulations on this achievement, Bryan!

 

Our speaker today was Stacy Blakeslee from the Residence at Pearl Street.  She and the Residence are planning a Pearl Street School Reunion on May 19.  The Residence at Pearl Street is an Assisted Living facility which was formerly the Pearl Street School.  Pearl Street School was closed around 1982 and was sold and converted into its current beautiful senior living facility around 1995.

 

Any former students, teachers, staff, local history buffs, curious residents or those otherwise interested in this Reunion Party, contact Stacy at the Residence.  Their phone number is 781-944-9200. 

 

Once upon a time, Reading Rotary was in the movie business.  In 1935, Reading Rotary made a film, "The Movie Queen," which featured a fictional movie star visiting Reading and seeing the sights and people of the town.  

 

Robert Perry discovered the footage at the Reading Public Library.  Robert operates a film company, Province Line Pictures, and he converted the film and edited it into a short film.

 

Robert was generous to share his find with us.

 

Here's the edited version.

Here is the unedited version.  

Robert has added the music to both.

 

If you like local history, you're in luck.  Enjoy.

Keep our schedule of meetings and events at the tip of your fingers.  You can sync the Club Calendar on ReadingMaRotary.org with Outlook, Google Calendar or Apple Calendar on your personal device.  Go to this page, click subscribe and follow the instructions.