Dan LeBlanc Becomes Paul Harris Fellow

Congratulation to Merrimack Valley Rotary Club Fellow and District 7910 Assistant Governor Dan LeBlanc who is the Club's newest Paul Harris member. Dan was presented his award recently for his many years of outstanding service to the Club. Dan joins the Clubs other past president who are all Paul Harris members.

The Paul Harris Fellowship is name for Paul Harris, who founded Rotary with three business associates in Chicago in 1905. The Fellowship was established in 1957 to express appreciation for a contribution of $1000 or more to the humanitarian and educational programs of The Rotary Foundation. These programs include an array of projects that save and invigorate the lives of people around the world and enhance international friendship and understanding,

Rotary Learns Shelter Serves 120,000 Meals A Year!

Kathleen Muldoon, Deputy Director of the Lowell Transitional Living Center, told the MV Rotary Club members recently that the mission of the shelter is not just to service people, but to help them get out of their living situation.

Their clients include all sorts of people including people in three piece suits as well as 18 year old young people who have been thrown out of their houses.

Normally they are a dry shelter, but during the cold winter days she says they will take in anyone. And they need not just come from the Lowell area. She has some people that will travel long distance to get there.

They serve 120,000 meals a year and they are a 90 bed facility, which has been running at capacity throughout this winter. She said that one of the challenges they are dealing with right now is that food banks are running short of supply. But, she explained, the kitchen does a great job with the limitations that they have.

The shelter has a very dedicated staff. Many of the staff at the shelter work work small pay and need extensive training because of the circumstances that they are working under.

Some ideas projects they are working on include long term detox programs, working with people to get their GEDs, starting up a book club, and offering makeup for women.

According to their web page: "We believe that a consistent, focused, client driven approach towards addressing the tragedy of homelessness is the best and most effective method towards ending these crises. There is hope. There is help. Here, at the Lowell Transitional Living Center, we focus all our
efforts in facilitating a positive change in people’s lives. At LTLC we end homelessness. . . .one person at a time."

If you would like more information on the center you can visit their web page at: http://www.ltlc.org/

MV Rotary Told That Identity Theft Is Fastest Growing Crime

Gail Beaudoin, of the Chelmsford, Massachusetts told the Merrimack Valley Rotary Club that Identity Theft is hard to stop once it gets started. So the best way to avoid it is to prevent it.

She told the group that prevention starts with investing in a shredder. Thief's will go through your trash to get your personal information she said. She talked about a local case where people went through the dumpster of a chiropractor and with the information they got, they were able to get a mortgage.

"Don't give out any information out!" she warned. People will call your house or send you emails trying to get information, but the best rule is if you don't know them, don't tell them anything Gail explained.

Theft can go right into the Internet and plug in your telephone number and get all sorts of information about you. So you have to be cautious, she said.

She also said that you should never keep your PIN number to your ATM card in any public place. Many people write it on the back of the card. Once people get that number they can get access to your money, she said.

Regarding credit cards, she say if you go a month without seeing your credit card bill, call the credit card company. It could mean that something is going on.

Another concern she talked about is contractors. If you don't call a contractor and they just drop by your house, promise to do work, don't trust them. This is one form of a scam beause they will take your down payment and never come back.

She concluded by saying that you feel that you are a victim of Identity Theft or Fraud, call the Police Department.

Presentation Of Rotary Polio Trip To Bangladesh

You Are Invited!

January 23, 7:15 AM

Skips Restaurant Chelmsford, MA

Rotarians and nonrotarians alike are welcome to come hear Carl Good's presentation on his recent Rotary trip to India and Bangladesh. Carl went there with 17 other Rotarians from the United States, Canada, and Europe to help give out polio immunizations. Carl has photos and videos on what he calls " one of the best trips of his life."Carl will make the presentation at the January 23 meeting of the Merrimack Valley Rotary. We are a breakfast group that meets at 7:15 AM at Skips Restaurant in Chelmsford. Breakfast is $11:00.For more information contact Club president Ken Masson at 978-446-9366 or by writing to mvrotary@gmail.comFor all of Carl's reports from his trip, visit the MV Rotary blog at http://mvrotary.blogspot.com/