The check is in the mail


From Today's Day:

December turned into January and then February and now March, and Otis Library still has received no check for the $500,000 gift that Joe Gentile and Cathy Moriarty Gentile pledged for the new children's library that was to bear their daughter's name.

The pledge was announced June 29 at a press conference that packed City Council Chambers. Five-year-old Catherine Patricia Gentile sat on the floor and played with flowers and fluffed her long, white dress as the grownups cheered and praised her father, the man intent on developing the former Norwich Hospital property as well as downtown Norwich.

...

Otis Executive Director Bob Farwell said Wednesday he hasn't heard from the Gentiles. But nothing about the pledge has been in writing. Farwell said the library was told to expect the first $100,000 installment by the end of 2006, and then “by the end of January or February.”

Farwell will call a meeting of the library's executive committee within the next week to discuss how to respond to the lack of response from the Long Island developer.

The Committee Responds:

Dear Mr. Gentile:

Please excuse us for writing you at your home address, but it appears that you are being poorly served by your clerical staff. We have been writing and leaving telephone messages, but haven't heard from you in ever so long. For a long time we were puzzled that we hadn't heard from you, until what now seems like the obvious solution occurred to us. We're all sure that you have done your best to hire efficient people, but if our experience is any indication, you need to hire new staff. None of our messages appear to have gotten through.

Well, we don't want to dwell on that. Hopefully, this letter will find its way into your hands. No doubt when it does, we'll hear from you in a flash.

We know that a man of vision like you can sometimes lose track of mundane things, like that time you slipped up making that payment to Preston. We here in Norwich aren't like the folks in Preston. We don't hold it against a guy if he's a little late with a payment. There's no way we'll let little Catherine Patricia down. We're going to name the children's room in the library after her no matter what.

But we would appreciate it if you could send the check right soon. You just wouldn't believe those bankers that lent us the money on the strength of your pledge. We've tried to explain to them that you're a busy guy and that you'll get around to making the payment soon, but they just don't want to listen. Matter of fact, some of them have said some things that don't bear repeating about you. And believe us, we wouldn't repeat them. Folks here in River City have not lost faith in you, no sir. At least, not all of us.

We think you ought to know that while we on the committee still have faith, some of the other folks in town are beginning to say some nasty things. Some of the merchants downtown have taken down the window signs that you made for them. They say those signs are the only things you ever gave Norwich, and they're the only thing you ever will give Norwich. Some people just cut and run at the first sign of trouble.

So you can see that it's as important to you as to us that you send your check soon. A guy like you depends on his reputation for integrity-we all know that. If you lose that, what do you have left? We know you won't let us down.

You can send the check in the stamped pre-addressed envelope we have provided. We also accept Visa or Mastercard. We are looking forward to hearing from you.

PS: For an extra $100,000.00 we will name the Men's Room after you.
Posted: Thursday - March 01, 2007 at 09:06 PM          

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