We are reposting this 2015 memory of our long time friend and fellow Rotarian Don Whiston who sadly left us on July 11 at age 93.   His friend and Rotarian, Nat Puslifer, said recently that he will be remembered as an honorable and wise man.  

Speaking to the club in 2015, Don regaled us with anecdotes from his then new book “Winning Silver” which recounts his years as a hockey pioneer at Brown University and a silver medal winning goaltender for the US team at the 1952 Oslo Winter Olympics.  At Brown, Don was the 1951 NCAA tournament MVP and a First Team All American.  He later served as head hockey coach at Brown.  

That day, Rotarians had a rare opportunity to hold a real Silver Medal.  He also was the first college goaltender to wear a mask, proving there are no dummies at Brown; Don still had all his teeth.

Rotaplast International, Inc. is committed to helping children and families worldwide by eliminating the burden of cleft lip and/or palate, burn scarring, and other deformities. Working with local professionals, Rotarians, and other organizations, Rotaplast sends multidisciplinary medical teams to provide free reconstructive surgery, ancillary treatment, and training for the comprehensive care of these children. Rotaplast supports education and research towards prevention of cleft lip and/or palate. Our aim is to help local professionals build sustainable models for the care of these children, improving their lives and those of their families.

Rotaplast will employ the following strategies to reach this goal:

Facilitate medical missions to provide surgical intervention for children who are not able to receive treatment or who are in need of more complicated medical procedures than can be provided by local physicians.

Counsel families about ways of reducing the incidence cleft palate anomalies through diet, vitamin supplementation, and lifestyle changes.

Collaborate with local health professionals on follow-up care and on development of comprehensive cleft palate programs where feasible.

Learn about the incidence and causes of cleft lip and palate anomalies, including both genetic and environmental factors.

Educate local physicians and specialists by urging them to work with our teams to broaden their skills in treating cleft anomalies.

Foster international goodwill and fellowship by working with Rotarians as well as with health officials in host countries.

Program: "ArtLink – Winthrop School Students" -

 Six students from the Winthrop School will join us along with Principal Sheila McAdams to show a video-clip presentation sharing their experience with the ArtLink project. We expect a full house to be in attendance so don’t miss out!

What is ArtLink? ArtLink is Creative Connections’ international exchange program designed for 3rd – 12th grade classes.

Students create art pieces that reflect their life and culture, and exchange their work with a partner class in another country. Students then examine and enjoy the art from overseas, gaining new insights into both their own and their partner’s cultures. Finally, students share their insights with one another by posting online thoughtful written responses and photos.

After receiving the art, classes that sign up for the videoconference option (highly recommended!) participate in a live one-hour session in which students share their insights with one another face-to-face in real time. The fully facilitated videoconference is available for an additional fee.