October 13, 2021 – Brattleboro Sunrise Rotary Meeting
Next week’s greeter will be Jason Posternak.
Today’s scribe is Bethany – next week will also be Bethany.
Guests:
Alex Beck, welcoming community manager
Joe Wiah director
Colin – Staci’s husband
Staci brought in speakers for today – Marcy will be speaking next week and we will welcome Student Rotarians!
Rotary Minute: About Community Service
“A community, defined in its simplest terms, is a group of people who have something in common. But in real life, it is something far more complex than that. Each member – every individual, group, organization, and business – draws benefits from the community in many different ways. For a community to thrive, each of its members must honor a commitment to contribute to the well-being of the whole by returning those benefits in kind.
Rotarians recognize the importance of giving back to the community. After all, Community Service is one of the Four Avenues of Service. Every Rotary club and every Rotarian assumes a responsibility to find ways to improve the quality of life for those in their communities and to serve the public interest. When those efforts are effective, they not only contribute to the greater good, they also promote Rotary’s positive image.
What makes a community service effort effective? Relevance. A community service project must address a real, current community concern or issue. Rotary clubs should start by surveying their communities to find out where help is needed. Once a club has listened to its community, it can begin to envision effective responses to problems.”
Quote of the Day:
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” - Harriett Tubman
Anniversaries and Birthdays:
Deb Rosenzweig – 5 years on 10/5, Sandy Shriver – 24 years on 10/10, Bethany Martin – 6 years on 10/16
Sadie’s birthday is 10/16
Announcements:
- Personal request from Mona – don’t text or call before 6:30am in the morning or after 9:00pm at night
- Overflow shelter meal is tomorrow, need people to sign up and drop off meals
- Food requests are the same, drop off location has changed
- Alternate with the noontime club perhaps?
- October, November, December
- On the sign-up genius for the next few months
- Diane – Trivia happened on Monday, about 40 people, raised $375 for Memorial Park Ski Hill
- Second Monday of every month from now until May
- Debra asked to announce that there is going to be a garden party this coming Saturday (Dan made announcement) noon on Saturday
- Black mulch is needed for this project
- Sending around a card for Cindy Delgatto – she has left Rotary right now
Brags:
Josh Traeger: Thanks for everyone’s help with disc golf tournament. Sponsorship was huge. Did have a professional person helping out and running the tournament
- Second brag for dog Huck – been a great companion for 13 years, and had to be laid to rest yesterday.
KJ: Brag for Jim Maxwell for picking up his shift on Monday for trivia.
- Brag for Josh and disc golf people – you rock!
Jim Maxwell: Brag for KJ – doing phenomenal work for Rescue.
Bethany: Brag for trip down to Texas and thanks to Josh Goldberg and Katja Matthews for stepping in while she was away!
Mona: Brag for haircut and how short it is!
Cards:
9 of spades, in the deck – “You’re all winners in my book!” – Dan Deitz
Speaker:
Alex and Joe to talk about getting Afghan refugees into the area
Alex Beck Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC)
- Welcoming community manager – 16,000 job opportunities in the state of VT
- Need experts/infrastructure on supporting immigrant populations
- Research on becoming a refugee help community
- Started 2 years ago and approved to become a refugee community a few weeks ago
- Community Asylum Seekers project
- Supporting values of community
- Now there is someone new in town in charge – Joe Wiah
Joe Wiah Director for Ethiopia Council in Vermont
- Hired in beginning of September, so much to do, only person in office right now, trying to hire new staff
- Refugees that are coming to our community
- Beginning of last year the governor announced that he wanted more refugees coming to Vermont
- Resettled some refugees so far
- Increase their number – want to welcome 25 refugees between November and December 2021
- Based on own capacity here – 25 is southern Vermont, might increase depending on capacity
- Between March and September 2022 want to resettle 75 refugees
- Afghan Placement and Assistance (APA)
- Reception and Placement (R&P)
- Apply for housing, food stamps, need legal support for adjustment of status
- Asylum process takes years and years – these refugees have a faster process now within 150 days
- Up to immigration to decide
- Need to be able to work when they get into the country
- Need community support to help find jobs around here
- Looking for housing, transportation, healthcare, community sponsorship wants to provide support
- Core services will revolve around food, housing, language, schools, and transportation
- Volunteers to provide these services to refugees
- 3,000 in country
- Currently hiring additional staff, and have information sessions
- Training for core sponsorship groups is between November and December 2021, looking for host families right now
- In discussion with SIT and using their campus
- Reaching out to other organizations for legal support projects
Alex Beck, Welcoming Communities Manager at BDCC
abeck@brattleborodevelopment.com
Joe Wiah Director for the ECDC Multicultural Community Center
Recording of their presentation:
4 Way Test:
1.) Is it the truth?
2.) Is it fair to all concerned?
3.) Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
4.) Is it beneficial to all concerned?