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President's Message
Friday, I attended Dot Keezer's wake. She was clearly recognized as an active Rotary Ann. What an amzing life! Family members seemed to appreciate my attendance. I hope some of the rest of you were able to go to this or the funeral.
Thanks to all non-profits who sent in their requests for funds by June 1st. At the last board meeting, the Directors decided that we could not distribute any funds until after the Club's major fundraiser, the Rubber Duck Regatta, is completed in September and all bills are paid. While we will continue to accept requests, those who submitted according to the June 1st deadline will be so noted. We hope all non-profits will participate actively in the duck race preparations so that we can help you!
I've located the swan and will be ready to pass it along to Ira two Thursdays from today.
Condolences to Bill and Rosemary Klueber, whose cat Daisy, the one that answered their phone, became ill and did not survive the surgery this past week. Meanwhile, Julian claims that he was unable to attend last week's meeting and will also miss this week's because the adoption of his new puppy required him to bring it to work for the past week as well as for next week and he thought it would not mix well with us. At first, I thought this was a variation on "the dog ate my homework" tale, but it must be true because Julian is a solid Rotarian who must tell the truth.
Last call for any member wishing to donate to Rotary International this fiscal year, whether to secure Paul Harris Fellow status for themself or on behalf of another, or simply beacuse it is truly "a good work." Please check in with Ron Albert if you have any questions.
See you Thursday,
John
Rotary Ann Remembered
KINGSTON, N.H. - Mrs. Dorothy M. (Patriquin) Keezer, 100, of Kingston and a former long-time resident of Plaistow, N.H., died Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at Exeter Hospital.
Born in Bar Harbor, Maine and raised in Harrington, she was the daughter of the late Pearl and Margaret (Tory) Patriquin. She was a graduate of the Harrington High School, Class of 1926 where she was a member of the drama club and excelled as a guard on the girl's basketball team as well as a member of the 1925 and 1926 Washington County Women's Championship Basketball Team. She later attended the Prince School of Business at Emerson College in Boston.
A long-time resident of Plaistow, before moving to Kingston several years ago, Mrs. Keezer worked as an administrative assistant at the former Keezer Manufacturing Company and as a lady assistant to her husband, the late Carter D. Keezer, in the operation of the former Keezer-Webster Funeral Home.
A life member of the First Baptist Church of Plaistow, she served as a member of the Ladies' Social Circle, was a 20 year member of the Church Choir and a life member and Past Chief of Trinity Temple of the Pythian Sisters. Mrs. Keezer was a member and Past President of the Haverhill Musical Club, a 40 year member and Past President of the Business and Professional Women's Club of Haverhill, a six-term President and volunteer of the YMCA of Haverhill and Past President and life member of the Rotary Anns of Haverhill. She and her late husband were the co-founders of the Deodorized Order of the Skunk.
An accomplished soloist and pianist, Mrs. Keezer also enjoyed traveling, dining out, trips to the beach and the precious time she spent with her family.
Yankee Stadium
When our children were teenagers we decided to make a family trip to Yankee Stadium. We went to a Haverhill travel agency to see about getting a reservation at a hotel near the stadium. The lady at the travel agency told us that there were no hotels near there. So I checked with a man that had made numerous trips to a hospital near Yankee Stadium. He gave me the name of a hotel. It was the Concourse Plaza Hotel.
Armed with this information I went back to the travel agency and asked the lady to look up that hotel. She found it in an older book, called them, and made reservations for us. Soon after, we left for New York arriving later that day in the Bronx and found the hotel. It was right across from Yankee Stadium and it looked elegant. Nothing was too good for my family.
We went into the lobby and announced that we had a reservation. The man at the desk smiled and said "Oh yes Mr. Mac Donald, we have your
reservation." (I hadn't given him my name yet.)
We signed in and he took us up the elevator to the sixth floor and showed us the room. It was spacious and luxurious. But something didn't add up. How come he knew who we were when we signed in? How come there was no one else in the lobby? How come as we went up and down on the elevator that we only saw women and children? How come we could smell cooking as we passed each floor on the elevator? How come we were the only guests on our floor?
On our second night at 3:00 AM I got up to use the bathroom. When I turned on the light I saw cockroaches running allover the beautiful white tile and going into the wall around where the pipes came out. I must have awoken Martha when trying to whack the cockroaches because she asked what all the commotion was. I told her that the place was full of cockroaches.
"Pack up, we're getting out of here" she said. I reminded her that it was 3:OO AM.
So we left the bathroom light on, made sure that our suitcase covers were closed and checked out that morning a little later. We concluded that this luxury hotel was now a welfare hotel. So now we knew why the man at the desk called me Mr. Mac Donald, (only guest), why we saw women and children on the elevator, why we smelled cooking and why we had
bathroom visitors.
Would you like to have me plan your next trip?
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