Rotary Meeting Rag December 4, 2013

Posted by Sadie Fischesser

on Dec 04, 2013

Sunrise Rotary Rag 12.4.13

“Big minds think about ideas, average minds think about events, and small minds think about people.”
--Eleanor Roosevelt

Guests (apologies for misspellings): Neil Senior, Phil Stimmel, Pat McMahon, Loretta Corbin-Bliss, Matthew Gordon-Macey, Sarah Gordon-Macey, Evelyn Woliver, Lucy Farnum

Thank you, Bob Fagelson for greeting. Ellen will greet next meeting.

Absent: not listed by busy Secretary this week.

Student Rotarian report: Conner, BUHS
Today is the first Wednesday of the month, which is an activity day. The re-accreditation process went well. Progress reports are coming out soon. Try-outs for basketball are starting. Girls and Boys Hockey play tonight. There are lots of things happening that the note taker mostly missed.
Yay, Conner got into his top choice, Elon, in North Carolina!

Raffle drawing
We made about $3,600—ok but not great. We had budgeted for $5,000.
Winner of North End Butchers gift certificate: Susan Wilmont
Winner of Windham Wines gift certificate: Arlene Hanson
Winner of 5 $100 restaurant gift certificates: Linda Aiken

Announcements
We will have a joint holiday party with the Noon club 5-7 next Wednesday (the 11^th) at the Marina. Potter Stewart law offices are buying the food. (Sandy)
Saturday, January 4^th, will be the Ping Pong Tournament. A sign-up sheet went around for table monitors, registration, set up, clean up, etc. There was a ping pong meeting right after the meeting. (Sandy)
The annual holiday dinner at the Secrests’ house will be the 18^th. A sign up is going around and consider “heavy appetizers” and fancy finger foods. It is BYOBeverages. The event will be 5.30 PM and kids are welcome. There will not be a Yankee Swap, but bring an unwrapped toy if you can for a child. 904 Upper Dummerston Rd. (Jon S.)
A week from this Friday (the 13^th) we are doing dinner at the overflow shelter. We are asked to make pasta. A sign up sheet went around. (Ellen)
There is a Board meeting tomorrow. (Jon S.)

Cards
2 of Spades was drawn by Sarah G. but was nowhere to be found. Matthew drew the Jack of Diamonds and Kevin Y. was the winner of $12.

Birthdays
Damon Kindopp was serenaded and congratulated.

Brags
Tristam missed 2 meetings and the 15-19 of November, he was in Honduras. He reviews and looks at projects for Rotary International. It was designed to protect the watershed in the Merendon Forest Reserve on the outskirts of San Pedro Sula. The Usula Rotary Club was the key organizer in Honduras and worked with 8-12 Rotary Clubs near Plymouth, MI, to secure funding and support. There were 7 primary objectives; install justa stoves, water filters, community ovens, biogas, digesters, plant fruit trees, reduce threats of chagas & leishmaniasis, and build compost. It was amazing. He will present at a future meeting (Feb. 5).
Ellen bragged for all the Rotarians who did Beards for BMH. We challenged the Noon Rotary, and they won. But Ed Dews was one of the people who had the most sponsors.
Val invited everyone to Emerge VT event at the Dianich Gallery (in the Hooker Dunham). Madeline Kunin will be there. It is part of the Emerge America movement and the goal is to get women in government. The event is December 5. $25 is the suggested donation, there will be a cash bar and food.
Sandy L. had an emergency trip to FL. She and her siblings went down because her father had surgery. She also bragged for her 14 week old puppy, whose name is Edie.
Sandy S. bragged for Sandy L. and Linda T. for helping with the ping pong tournament.
Ellen bragged for her daughter who is going to a schmancy event in DC and called mom for advice on her outfit.
Sadie bragged for ALL the junior Rotarians who are in Oliver! at NEYT. It opens tomorrow and runs 2 weekends. It is fabulous and is selling out! Visit www.neyt.org for tickets.
Jill bragged for Dan who got her some snow tires when he was very busy.
Val bragged for Tristan who has kidney stones. Ouch.
Damon bragged for the Gray Hawks who are raising money for the Brattleboro Hockey Assn. Sunday Dec. 15 at 1 PM (available at Burrows or online) by playing Bruins alumni! He also bragged for President Jon who brought over some beer to Damon’s office and broke it open thereby making the whole office smell like beer. Damon also bragged for the Red Clover Rovers Turkey Trot. He finished just ahead of Conner. Torin had an amazing run.

Respectfully noted by Sadie Fischesser with apologies for misspellings and editing errors.

Guest Speaker: Phil Stimmel from Estey Organ Museum
Booie introduced Phil Stimmel. He is the Managing Director of the Estey Organ Museum in Brattleboro. He has a Masters of Divinity in Sacred Music from Union Theological Seminary and is an accomplished organist.
Brattleboro has been the home of a number of organ companies, not just Estey. The date of 1846 is somewhat a misnomer; Estey was not making organs at that time. He showed some photos of other organ companies on Elliot and Flat St. In 1846, 2 brothers came to Brattleboro from MA and made reed organs (tilting/rocking melodium). They rented some shop space on Flat St. who was a plumber that also sold tombstones, Mr. Jacob Estey. Mr. Estey never built or played an organ, but he saw an opportunity. There were a number of companies making the lap organs because they were smaller, easier to play, and were a sign of status.
The Estey company was plagued by floods and fires on Flat St., so they moved to Birge St. They are wood buildings covered in slate to deter fire. They also had their own fire department. In 1860, they hired an engineer and inventor named Levi Fuller (who went on to become Governor). He married Mr. Estey’s daughter. The last 2 buildings, 7-8, were joined when they started making pipe organs and needed more space in 1901. At one point, there were 35 buildings in the complex.
The manufacturing of reed organs became less popular. William E. Haskel, who built pipe organs, was hired in 1901.
Over the years they made 520,000 reed organs that shipped all over the world. They made 3,200 pipe organs that were mostly in the US but also around the world. All of the materials for the reed and pipe organs are made by hand. In 1954, the company was in serious decline. They diversified what they made. Harold Bode was hired to develop an electric organ, but they were late to the game.
In 2002, the Estey Organ Museum was formed in the former engine house. It is a non-profit organization with members around the world. They just started an email newsletter. They have sponsored an Estey-fest in 2005 with the Reed Organ Society and 250 people came from all over the world. Recently they sponsored Estey Labs where children came and made simple musical instruments. They respond to questions from around the world about Estey Organs. There is not really a market for the Estey organs in the antique market. They have received grant monies from local and national granting foundations.
They just moved an organ to the BS&L and are playing holiday music there on occasion.
He invited people to become members of the society, come to events, visit the museum, or join the board.
It was likely that when they were tuning the organs you could hear the music wafting over the town. Henry Ford visited Brattleboro twice and was impressed with the facility and process. He bought an organ, but it was removed from the home and they are looking for that organ. The Olds family also had an Estey organ.
President Jon thanked Phil, gave him a Rotary mug, and mentioned that we donate funds to the Heat Fund in the name of our speakers.