Robert Cassidy President

Victor Tom President

Margarita Kaliviotis President

Kevin Sullivan Pres. Elect

Diana Jarvis Secretary

Joel Berenson Treasurer

Melinda Nicholson Treasurer

Our sponsors who are so generously helping us do what we do

Calendar: February 9 Bedford Rotary Foundation trustees meeting, home of Peter Colgan

February 11 Kathy Brough, Budget Buddy

February 18 In-Depth Breakfast with Santa review

February 25 Peter Colgan, Pay It Forward/Meals for Haiti

Guests: Richard Mead, Bob’s son; Linda’s two guests – husband Frank Cargiuolo and friend Doc Mosby of the Hyannis Rotary Club; Speaker Daniel Olsen

Member Milestones: Last week we celebrated Nat’s membership anniversary with a question mark – Larry Carlton tells us that Nat joined in 1962. Mystery solved! This week we celebrate three Rotary membership anniversaries: Margarita (three years), Jessica (two years), and Devon (1 year).

RYLA: Christine reminded us to get the word out to potential RYLANs; the deadline for applications is February 7. Last year our club sponsored 13 students. Interested students from Bedford (sophomores from BHS, Shawsheen Tech, private schools, home schooled) can find information and applications on the club website

Program—Daniel Olsen, founder of Christopher’s Haven, is a three-time cancer survivor whose purpose in life became clear during the course of his treatment; he saw the need for a place where families could stay while their kids were being treated. It’s a different model from a “house” (e.g., the Ronald McDonald House); at Christopher’s Haven the emphasis is on creating an “intentional community”. An entire floor of an apartment building has been leased long-term so that families can actually live in one of the eight units available while they need to be near the hospital (it’s directly across from MGH); there is a large common room where people gather, talk, bond – the “secret sauce” that Daniel says creates a context for lifelong relationships, support, and healing.

Daniel started with a group of dedicated people sharing his vision, established a foundation in 2002, and opened Christopher’s Haven fully in 2006. Since then 240 families have been housed; remarkably, only eight children from those families have died from their cancer. The group is very grassroots; they don’t do outreach to banks and big corporations. They have had some remarkable and high-powered people helping with fund-raisers though – Clay Buchholz and John Farrell, a group of stand-up paddlers who make their way over 30 miles of open water every summer and many other people who willingly use their talents to raise money. Daniel’s mantra for creating a successful group is to find what people love doing, turning the focus of service on its ear (“what do you want me to do?” is a different question from “what do you do?”) Daniel is also a singer-songwriter (the name “Christopher’s Haven” comes from a song he wrote during his third cancer treatment) and has four albums out. His newest album is called Rumors I’ve Repeated. For more about Christopher’s Haven, go to and for more about Dan’s music go to

The Bulletin: The current Bulletin editor invites you (yes, you) to consider taking on this best of all possible jobs. Here’s what you need to know about the job:

1)Personal Requirements: You should have an ability to take notes, be able to read them later, and organize them into something that makes sense for your waiting readership. Enjoying writing is helpful. Knowing how to spell is not necessary. That’s what spell check is for.

2)Time Requirements: Putting together the bulletin each week takes me two-three hours, depending on the bulletin.

3)Perks: It’s a great way to immerse yourself in the club. If you like to write even a little bit, it’s often a joy to do. And, you’ll note in today’s happy dollars, I totally padded what I actually said at the meeting. Who else can do that except the bulletin editor?

4)Other things to note: You will be a co-editor. Not every one of the 52 weeks is yours! Patsy Lloyd has indicated she’s on board to do the bulletin – but she can’t be here every meeting.

5)When do you start? The rubber meets the road in July. Susanna will be over the bridge (as opposed to over the hill). But if anyone wants to practice before she leaves, she is very happy to walk and talk you through it.

Raffles and Happy Dollars:A fine day to be a guest: Doc Mosby won the door prize and Rich Mead won the ticket for the 50/50 but came up short with the card.

Always open to suggestion, the bulletin editor is going to bullet points for happy dollars (thank you, Jacquelin). This week there were a lot of people just happy to be here (must have been Cliff’s ebullient bucket skills):

  • Just happy- Victor, Joel, Bob M., Andy, Nat, Jacquelin, Terry, Britton, and Steve
  • Cliff accused Jessica of being mistaken about her identity as she channeled Milan with a lot of quarters
  • Rich Mead was happy for the chance to break bread with his Dad
  • Melinda was happy to transmit a gallon-size baggie of tabs to Bob
  • Diana was excited about the possibility of a snow day!
  • Debi was glad for the day before the snow
  • Jim announced an opposing view about the joy of snow
  • Bill put in for being missing the last two weeks
  • The always historical Kevin read a quote about yesterday being history, tomorrow being a mystery and today being a present
  • Mark was glad for the calm before the storm
  • Ralph was glad for a lot, only 50% of which got written down…for Mark on interviewing RYLA candidates and for Terry’s work on the Peace Scholar search, Ralph was happy and grateful
  • Bob C. posited that next year could be a long year and also put in for the strange goings on at his table
  • Linda was glad for her guests and for the Rotary Peace Scholarship (she has a niece who should apply)
  • Susanna was super happy and proud that her uncle (Capt. Walker Hancock) was one of the Monuments Officers during WWII and noted that, along with the George Clooney film Monuments Men, opening this Friday, there is a documentary on the National Geographic Channel at 8 pm, Wednesday, February 5, which tells the non-Hollywood version. Her cousin appears in the documentary reading from her father’s description of Aachen burning (historic city associated with Charlemagne).
  • Guest Doc was glad for his winning ticket and was generous to the bucket (thank you, Doc)
  • Frank always “enjoys this group so much” and was also glad (relieved?) to have his snowblower back
  • Christine was glad that RYLA applications are due this Friday
  • Joel was glad to be going home for a hockey game
  • Cliff was happy his son is going to Costa Rica for 5 weeks to do photography

The Four Way Test / Let’s Make Up!
  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
Tues / 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
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
Locations verified 12/6/10 / Wed
Thurs
Fri / 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.
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. Westford Regency; Nashoba Valley 7:15 a.m. Great Brook Farm
Burlington 12:15 p.m. American Legion Hall; Littleton 7:30 a.m. Ken’s Cafe

PAST PRESIDENTS

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

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