Open at 7:15
Pledge
Scribe: KJ this week, Staci next week
Service Story: Turner helped a person with their groceries, they appeared to be struggling and he offered help. Turner made their day (and helping made Turner’s day).
Breakfast
Thanks to Nick and Josh, our greeters today
Greeter next week: Mona
Rotary announcements:
Katja: thanks to people who helped Debra with the garden this past weekend
Tristam:
Community event to meet veterans in Brattleboro on 11/5 - 1 PM at the American Legion Post 5
Talked to Maria Leonard - Tristam would like to hear more from our current and past scholarship recipients
Jon:
This Friday at 4 PM is one of the final history tours of the 2023 season, please send invites out to friends and family.
Next Saturday at 11 is the final one of the year
Brags:
Jimmy V: got married, 59 years old, first time getting married. Five weeks and Gina is still with him!
Kevin: got to spend last weekend visiting family in Western New York. Got to see his sister-in-law who is starting to show signs of mental decline. Went with his daughter and granddaughter, got to ride a ferry and some buggy’s and horses. Kevin was very excited to see the horsies.
Will: daughter Justine lived in Brooklyn until Covid, then moved to Western Mass and started looking for a house. Will and Tina looked at a house last month while they were helping out and recommended it to Justine. They got the house! They’ll be moving in December.
Jon: since Jon graduated from College in 1990 he has been, annually, getting together with a group of guys. They got together recently, it was rainy, but good.
Evelyn: Trivia night - finished in Third place. Had a great time.
Justin: has been looking after a puppy and really enjoying it!
November 11th @ 4 AM 10 AM: Sons of the American Legion doing their annual hunter’s breakfast. Also doing a raffle - $5/ticket or 5 for $20.
Josh: Brag for Trivia - it is a well run program, great job Staci and the folks that run it. Glad to see so many rotarians there.
Bowl of Life: I saw Santana live at the 1996 Olympics. Kevin guesses Nick who guesses Will who guesses Turner who guesses Sandy who guesses Staci who guesses MJ who guesses Evelyn - who told us the story of losing her friends while walking toward the band. It was a fantastic show, also got to see men’s and woman’s basketball.
Cards: 5 of Diamonds - no winner!
Speaker: Kristin Sullivan from the Retreat Farm. She is the executive director. Moved up to Brattleboro from Maryland where she ran a museum. She has a Ph D in Anthropology and enjoys people.
October 26th (tomorrow) her one year anniversary at the Retreat Farm.
The Retreat Farm has had many iterations, petting zoo, event space, farm. Now they are focused on making the property sustainable. Able to get some grants and appropriations. They purchases Grafton Cheese building and are renovating the North Barn.
North Barn: renovation started in August 2023, expected completion in June 2024. 250+ dining capacity, 600+ standing room. They’ll have concerts, talks & lecture series, workshops, etc. It will also be available for rent to help support the farm.
Food Center (formerly the Grafton Village Cheese Company): will include: museum inspired retail experience, Kitchen and Cafe, production space. Hoping to include a bakery, creamery and more! Will support and highlight regional food system and producers contributing to their communities.
Still doing Retreat Farm programming: over 90,000 visitors! Public events: 9,000 people! Worked with and supported 19 area non-profits. Summer education programming (arts, story time, etc). Ongoing trail improvements and educational partnerships.
Volunteer opportunities: Trail work, North Barn table project with HatchSpace.
Table Project: the HatchSpace is teaching people how to make tables, they will make tables for the North Barn.
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