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Honors
Top photo: Putnam Rotarian Woody Durst, second from right, won a Paul Harris Fellowship award. From left: Nominator Rotarian Doug Porter; Paul Pikora, chair of the Paul Harris Committee; Durst; and Rotarian and MC Joe Adiletta. Below: Jeff Bousquet also was awarded a Paul Harris. He stands next to Rotarian Gary Osbrey who nominated him. Linda Lemmon photos.


Putnam Rotary Officers and Board
From left: Past President Missy Meyers, Directors Kristen Willis and Woody Durst; Secretary Martha Paquette; Treasurer Fred Chmura; Vice President Kathy Kirk and President Amanda Kelly.



By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — What is this “no” you speak of?
For the Putnam Rotary Club — for the last 100 years — the answer has always been “yes.” Yes to seemingly impossible projects. Yes to always doing more for communities … and worldwide.
Right from the beginning, when the Putnam Rotary Club was founded in 1923 by John Reardon, the Putnam club has been driven, according to Joe Adiletta. At the club’s recent awards ceremony and induction of officers, Adiletta gave a brief synopsis of the club’s 100 years of service. From local projects, to helping out nationally to lending a hand worldwide, the answer was always yes.
In this 100th year it was always “yes” and projects tumbled into the “done” column.
The club received a citation in honor of its 100th anniversary from Governor Ned Lamont.
And even the Paul Harris Fellowship Awards, Rotary’s highest, echoed the resounding “yes”. Jeff Bousquet, of Bousquet’s Appliances, was always there, always saying yes, according to Rotarian Gary Osbrey who nominated him for the award.  He embraces and gives back to the community, “all without fanfare,” Osbrey said.
“Woody” Durst also received a Paul Harris award. Rotarian Doug Porter, who nominated Durst, said although Durst is a relatively new member he’s always there, serving. He’s heavily involved in Rotary projects and always says “yes.”
New president Amanda Kelly spoke about her goals for the coming year, in line with Rotary International’s theme this year, “Creating Hope in the World”. She gave each club member a stone engraved with the word “hope.” Important for her year, she said, is diversity and inclusion.
The club’s new officers were inducted and include: Amanda Kelly, president; Elizabeth Williams, president-elect; Kathy Kirk, vice president; Fred Chmura, treasurer; Martha Paquette, secretary; Missy Meyers, past president. Sergeants-at-arms include: Jonathan Sturdevant, Jonathan Tremblay and Barry Shead. Directors include the officers and: Durst, Kristen Willis, Jennifer Ricci and Pam Brown.

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