Needham Rotary Club Bulletin

May 19, 2009

Bill Paulson Presiding

Opening: Song - Miriam Kronish.  Prayer - Karen Wetmore

Guests: Rich Forte - member to be, Bill Rosenthal, Mark Nussman

Announcements:

Texas Hold 'Em and Electronic Recycling Proceeds totaled $6.000.

Rotary Board Meeting: Board members voted the following donations:

            $500. - Books and Bridges

            $100. - Boston Children's Chorus trip to Jordan

            $250. - EliotSchool Summer CampProgram

            $1,000. - Ethiopia Project to educate girls

            $ 500. - Library Foundation Gala Sponsorship

            $1.000. - Polio Plus

$1,000. - Shelterbox

Wine Tasting and Silent Auction: Friday, June 12^th at the Needham Historical Society from 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. We are looking for donations to the silent auction. Karen Wetmore distributed packets including tickets and donation forms.

Group Study Exchange: Karen Wetmore and Bill Paulson will be hosting  members of the team from the Philippines. You are invited to attend a meeting of the Dedham Rotary Club this Thursday at noon at the Dedham Hilton to meet and greet the Group Study Exchange team members.

Thank You: to Karen Wetmore from Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic for our contribution to their Readathon.

Happy Dollars:

Many happy dollars for our successful fundraisers, for an impending trip, for softball tournament, for our guests, for a good Town Meeting, for the Boston Celtics' season, for being in love with one of the Rotarians, for two daughters' baptisms, for going to a Red Sox game, and just for being here today.

Guest Speaker: Greg Bayse,  LICSW

The "invisible" poverty of the suburbs was the theme of Greg Bayse's presentation. Greg is currently working at the JohnEliotSchool in Needham as a Guidance Counselor. He cited statistics that stated that suburban poverty and urban poverty were equal to each other in 1999. Ten years later, suburban poor outnumber urban poor and yet very few are aware of it because it is "hidden."

He spoke of teachers who alerted him to issues that, when investigated, uncovered desperate need and dire poverty.

He spoke of the difficulties that plague people in need - lack of income, life-threatening disease, rodent infestation, hunger, not knowing where to turn for help, social ostracism, lack of transportation, discrimination, shame, and utter feeling of isolation that families in Needham face every day.

To brighten the picture, Greg spoke of the tremendous support from the community and how important outreach is - to each child and each family who is in need. He gave specific examples of reaching out to make things easier. He cited the Health Department, the Community Council, the Needham Public Schools' personnel, the Masons, the YMCA, our Rotary contributions, support from local businesses, PTCs and religious groups as key in helping to make living, learning, and extracurricular opportunities possible for students and their families in need.

Thank you, Greg, for providing a view of the depth and breadth of a guidance counselor's life in the Town of Needham.