Naugatuck Rotary - Naugatuck Rotary Newsletter

Sergeant at Arms Duncan Stephens fined John Ford, Joe DaSilva, Rebecca Zandvliet, Michael Steir, Debbie Wheelahan, Debbie Corso, Rupi Rupwani, and Laurie Yelding

Happy Dollars: John Aresta, Don Zehnder, Anne Butler, and Jane Lobdell

Announcements & Information

Anne Butler told us of a possible SCAM. She received a phone call from someone claiming to be from a physician who told her that she needed a new Medicare card, but that she could still use her old one. When she asked if it was a SCAM, he replied by hanging up. She notified the Naugatuck Police Department.

Joe DaSilva: Reminded us that the bike Race will be on Sunday, July 20^th and we still are in need of volunteers. A sign up sheet was passed around.

Debbie Corso announced that the Third Annual Road Race to benefit Bob Veillette will be held on September 4^th in Waterbury. Also there will be a benefit concert at Mohegan Sun and Tony Orlando will perform. The date is to be announced.

Today, President John Ford had the pleasure of inducting Ms. Ginger Fennell as a member of our club. Ginger’s sponsor is Debbie Wheelahan.

Upcoming Speakers

7/23 Chuck Beebe - Robert Klanko – Russian Tea Party
7/30 Club Assembly

8/6 – Anne Butler

8/13 – Jeff Chipokas

8/20 – Mary Connolly

8/27 – Debbie Corso

9/3 – Barbara Csanka

9/10 – Joe DaSilva

9/17 – Ray Dowling

9/24 – Geoff Drawbridge

10/1 – Peggy Dufresne

10/8 – Mike Elser

10/15 – Jonathan Farmer

10/22 – John Ford

10/29 – CLUB ASSEMBLY

11/5 – Ed Gerber

Upcoming Club Events

SUNDAY, JULY 20th

17th Annual Bike Race

Downtown Naugatuck

Naugatuck Rotary Club

Fall Foliage Golf Outing

Wednesday, September 17th 2008

Wyantenuck Golf Club

Great Barrington, MA

Mohegan Sun Casino

Sunday, October 12th

$35.00 per person

Radio City Music Hall

for the Rockettes

Saturday, November 8th

$120 per person

Guests

Ginger Fennell

Birthdays

Ed Gerber - July 19th

Manny Vieira - July 21st

Membership Anniversaries

Bob Sutherland 7/17/1957

Jose DaSilva 7/1/1988

Jane Walsh 7/1/1988

Laurie Yelding 7/6/2008

Our Speaker Today

Brian Barrett was our speaker chair and our speaker today. Brian’s topic was the changing manufacturing business in Naugatuck and the surrounding area. He first gave us some history on his company, Oxford General Industries. Lou Voegeli, who was Brian’s father-in-law, founded OGI in 1948. Lou apprenticed at Scovill Manufacturing prior to opening OGI, which was originally in Oxford. He relocated the business to Prospect and today the company’s building is over 40,000 sq. ft.

Brian compared how doing business years ago is so vastly different than doing business today. In the past, a gentlemen’s agreement was all that was needed to place and receive an order. There were no purchase orders, NAFTA or competing with foreign countries for work. Today, China, and India, to name a few, are countries are supplying the United States with products that used to be manufactured domestically. When going up against a foreign manufacturer, Brian has found that the competitors quote on a project is often times less that the cost of raw materials OGI would need to purchase to produce the same project. That is due to the foreign country’s government subsidizing the manufacturer. Usually these foreign-made products need to be re-tooled in the US due to poor quality.

Trying to survive in our current situation is extraordinarily difficult. Manufacturing is especially being hit very hard. Many manufacturers are going out of business. Brian mentioned Scovill, Homer D. Bronson Co., Risdon etc. Outsourcing, Government waste and companies that blindly want better bottom lines are destoring this industry. Couple that with the dwindling skilled labor force and we will be beholden to foreign products for a very long time.

Absent Members Today

Chuck Beebe, Jeff Chipokas, Mary Connolly, Barbara Csanka, Peggy Dufresne, Jonathan Farmer, Tracey Kelly, Cathie Mauritz, John McCormack, Tony Purcaro, Bruce Steinway

Happening Around the District and RI

AREA CLUBS FOR MAKEUP AND INFORMATION LINKS

Silvermine Tavern - Norwalk - Monday 12:15 pm

The Inn at Newtown - Newtown - Monday 6:15pm

John J Sullivan's Restaurant - Ansonia - Tuesday12:15 pm

CC of Waterbury - Waterbury - Tuesday 12:15 pm

Sandwich Man - Seymour - Thursday 7:00 am

Brownson Country Club - Derby - Thursday 12:15 pm

Crowne Plaza - Southbury - Thursday 7:15 am

www.rotaryeclubone.org online makeup

Rotary District 7980

Rotary International

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Naugatuck Rotary

P.O. Box 484

Naugatuck, CT 06770