July 7, 2021
Mona’s first meeting as president!
Quote from Winston Churchill - “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
Anniversary - Richard Hoppe - 2 years on July 10th! Yay!
No birthdays this week
Guest - Liz Guillet brought by KJ and Diane
Announcements:
Board meeting next Thursday, July 15th at the Legion - 7:15am
Next week, rotating notes will begin - Mona/Bethany will work together to create a list
Lisa Fitzgerald volunteered to be greeter next week - thank you Lisa!
Marcy Caulkins says she can still send out notes via Club Runner
Diane Hashagen - Thinking of getting back into trivia! Are our “oldies but goodies” still around to help out? Email follow-up to come.
Trivia will be the second Monday of the month, starting in the fall
Katja Matthews - Debra and Katja in gardens yesterday, putting in more plants and weeding
Would love to have another garden session, on a Sunday morning to help out - 45 minutes to an hour of gardening
Let Debra and/or Katja know if you want to help out!
Jim Maxwell - fine for himself - double-booked himself last week for the changeover
Josh Traeger - Chasing Sunrise - hoping to finish by the end of August, 1,700 miles to go, still getting donations. Any questions, reach out to Josh!
Brags:
Jon Secrest - Alina working at the Liquor Wagon (located at Grafton Cheese) - 2 or three afternoons at distillery (Saxton’s River Distillery)
Alexa - yesterday got her driver’s license up in Springfield
“Driving is a lot more fun without you” - Alina’s words to Jon when she could finally drive solo
Family trip to Puerto Rico - direct flight was 3.5 hours, no cruise ships in San Juan, did a homeshare, surfing lessons - great time!
Lisa Fitzgerald - thank you for awarding Mike the Paul Harris Fellowship award last week
Mike was speechless and very touched by it
Kevin Yager - brag for Cindy! Officially want to welcome Cindy into the “Past President’s Club” (whoop whoop!)
Handled herself beautifully through the COVID pandemic - thank you Cindy for all of your dedication to the club this past year!
Debra Rosenzweig - A brag for Will Shakespeare and Katja Matthews - both have helped out with the garden and so thankful for you both! Got a lot done in a short amount of time.
Will used roto-rooter to make the garden beautiful! (Nope, just kidding - that’s for the toilets/plumbing)
Will ACTUALLY used a rototiller to make the garden beautiful! Thanks Will!
Josh Traeger - thank you to everyone that showed up to the change-over party, and thanks to everyone that helped out
Great to be a part of it
Suggestion to perhaps have an evening meeting once a month going forward
Cards!
KJ has our immediate past-president pull card, Jack of Hearts - it’s in the deck! “You lose losers!”
No speaker today - Mona wants to discuss what she sees for the club this year
Club Assembly Ideas:
Input on when would be the best day to do a club assembly
Perhaps club assembly in evenings
Will Shakespeare suggests trying to reach out to members that have not been back for a while
We miss you! Please come back!
Mona says that everyone has been called - even if they can come once a month, that would be great
Evening meetings could help with getting members back
More than half of members agreed to having a once-a-month evening meeting
First club assembly to happen on Wednesday, July 28th
Moving Vietnam Wall:
Moving Vietnam Wall is coming in September (16th-20th)
The understanding is that Brattleboro’s stop is the only New England stop
Need help building platforms, learning computer system to find people on the wall, short-staffed on Brattleboro Police Department
Kevin has the name and phone number of the gentleman that is doing the publicity for the Wall
Mona inquires - Why did you join Rotary? What is your soul purpose for being a Rotarian?
Mona says she wanted to give back to her community - received a lot of help from the community and wanted to do something for everyone. Feels the most welcome here. Service above self. Giving back.
KJ - joined because Kevin said he had to (haha). Lived here but was a traveling consultant, and wanted to give back to the community and meet others that were like-minded and give back.
Josh Traeger - wanted to do volunteer work, and he heard through Dan Deitz at Brattleboro Tire about the club.
Turner Lewis - “Back in the dark ages…” - he had been dating his wife and his wife’s father mentioned the Rotary club, 200+ members in the group. One member of each profession, and didn’t want to take someone else’s place. Great pleasure in his life has been Rotary - one thing he always says “yes” to is Rotary. Visited many clubs throughout the world and everyone in every club is so welcoming.
Kevin Yager - joined as charter member, this club was being formed as an offshoot of the Noontime club. Everyone was being asked to join the Sunrise Club. John Penfield helped to recruit him. It was a way for Kevin to advance his professional career with businesses, make connections with others and enhance their businesses through advertising and marketing. Found it rewarding to be able to call up a fellow Rotarian and have conversations with them. Lots of projects that have been rewarding. Comradery, connection, collegiatism, and friendships that last beyond this group. Very rewarding and talks about Rotary whenever he can, coming to a group that is one of the friendliest groups he has been involved in over his professional years.
Will Shakespeare - John Penfield had called Will. Was in a very narrow field and didn’t know many people in his community, so John called him and inquired about coming for breakfast. Realized that Rotary was more than doing well for others, it was a way of expanding your universe. A way to know others in your community that weren’t in your professional work trade. Has met so many people and expanded into the community around him.
Jon Secrest - had just moved to town and met Sandy Shriver and he mentioned joining. Met a lot of people quickly and a way to give back to the community.
Cindy Delgatto - had just moved to the community and didn’t know anyone here. Ross had mentioned trying to come to a meeting. We can transform other people’s lives not just here but everywhere. Great place to connect with people and it’s so much more than that. Rotary never loses the sight of helping the community.
Marcy Caulkins - joined in Bellow Falls. Meeting people and knowing the community with speakers coming in - learning about what’s happening in the community that you can help with. Likes the connection with other clubs. Not the best at walking into a crowd of people, but Rotary makes it easy.
Mona inquires - what is the area that you would like to get into? Specific community service projects, various areas each individual/our club would like to help with this year?
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. “ - Jane Goodall
Close meeting with 4-way test:
Is it the truth?
Is it fair to all concerned?
Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
Is it beneficial to all concerned?
Meeting notes respectfully submitted by Secretary Bethany Martin.