THE SENIOR MEN'S CLUB OF NEW CANAAN
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of June 18, 2010
President Nick Zaccagnino opened the meeting with 119 of 474 members present. Guest, now new member, Lane Jorgensen was introduced. Guest Bob Hunziker, was introduced by his dad, Don.
MINUTES: Roger Langevin read the minutes of June 4, 2010.
MEMBERSHIP ASSISTANCE: Nick noted that Chairman, Bob Moylan, is recuperating at home.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Vance Ward urged new and recent members to attend New Member Orientation, next Friday at 8:30 AM in the Education Center at St. Mark's. Nick noted the New Canaan Senior Health Fair Wednesday, June 23, 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the New Canaan YMCA, a wide range of FREE health tests and information sponsored by several Town organizations.
ACTIVITIES: Bridge, Tennis, and Cycling as usual. Raquetball ?-?-4! 6/24 Amateur Chefs lunch at Lapham Center and 7/15 for annual lobster fest. 6/25 4F's lunch at nearby Woodway Beach Club after meeting (let's have a good turnout for this event, great food and beach view!). 6/30 golf at Whitney Farms (9:30 AM start, $45 pp), 7/6 at Sterling Farms, and 7/28 at Smith-Richardson.
COUTH: Jack Murray reported on a very successful trip to Belmont (a great buffet lunch, no report on winnings, if any). Bob Witt announced an invitation to SMC members for New Canaan Day at the 2:00 PM 7/15 Bluefish game ($15 pp, on your own for food and transportation).
HUMORIST: As a warning to not send wives to buy hardware, Mike Law told about a Mary's trip to Home Depot and confusion over the screws for hinges and the $500 price for golden faucets.
SPEAKER: Vice President, John McKay introduced Eric S. Peterson, editor of Light and Liberty, a book of Thomas Jefferson's writings, who spoke on the "The Vision of Thomas Jefferson". Eric's talk, delivered without notes, was remarkable for its scope and detail on this multi-faceted man who distinguished himself in so many ways, including nine public service roles,
three as an executive, three as legislator, two as diplomat, and one as educator.
He cited Jefferson's
"vision"
as his most important contribution to our country and the world, a vision that is the heart of what we truly treasure about our country (i.e."freedom, rights of men, self-government, equality and pursuit of happiness --- along with concerns for oneness, treatment of the average citizen, common good, universal harmony, and confidence in an ever-brighter future."). His strengths for evolving this sweeping vision were " a brilliant mind, vast heart, and luminous soul". It is an irony of history that Jefferson died exactly fifty years after Congress's approved his proposed Declaration of Independence --- and on the same day as his colleague and longtime correspondent, John Adams died. Eric highlighted Jefferson's belief that
"The pursuit of happiness is the aim of life, virtue is the foundation of happiness, and utility is the test of virtue." Jefferson's writings covered and defined an incredible range of subjects, including fitness (i.e. as physical activity), industriousness (as useful employment). civility (i.e. as social harmony), liberty (i.e. as freedom from coercion), and light (as freedom from ignorance) . He also saw proper life on a society basis as a "spirit of reason, candor, moderation, tolerance, respect, mild laws readily obeyed, and, above all else, self-government. He also believed that a worthy candidate for office had to "be honest, capable, faithful to the constitution, and a friend of peace and the economy". Jefferson commented on much more, which should encourage a further reading of his writings. His chosen epitaph is an appropriate close
"--- author of the Declaration of American Independence and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom and father of the University of Virginia ". The Q/A focused on Jefferson's position on slavery (i.e. an advocate of slow abolition, recognizing slavery's deep economic and cultural roots) and relations to his slaves (i.e. as a benevolent master).
Don Hudson, Assistant Secretary