Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RLYA)
Annually, the Rotary Club of Lebanon provides tuition to send students from Lebanon High School to District 7850’s Rotary Leadership Academy at Northern Vermont University in Lyndon, VT. This year our students were Georgia Gaffney and Benjamin "Benji" Madory. In addition, our Rotary District RYLA Team invited back Nora Burns and Shaashwat “Lavi" Halwawala back to be junior counselors at the Academy.
Lavi and Nora
Georgia and Benji
This year, our District hosted student from District 7870 (Southern NH and Southern VT). Over 70 students were in attendance.
Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA) is an intensive leadership experience organized by Rotarians in our districts. The goal is to help students develop their skills as a leader while having fun and making connections. We want these students to return to their high schools as stronger student leaders.
Activities are planned to help the students:
- Build communication and problem-solving skills
- Discover strategies for becoming a dynamic leader in their school and/or community
- Learn from community leaders, inspirational speakers, and peer mentors
- Unlock their potential to turn motivation into action
- Have fun and form lasting friendships
Norah and Lavi did a brief overview of their training for RYLA as couselors, and how they interacted with students during the weekend. They each were given the responsibility to oversee a team. They arrived a day early and got to do some of the activities that were planned for the RYLArians, as the counselors needed to work well as a team too. They also recognized each student at the end of the conference with a “Plate Award”…a paper plate that listed the major traits they brought to their team as a leader.
Georgia and Benji then reviewed all the activities:
- They were divided into teams. Their first task was to create a team flag (based on a type of fish, e.g. goldfish and blue gill) and then work as a team to write and learn their team cheer.
- One activity required them to do problem-solving, team building, while using verbal or non-verbal skills and overcoming barriers to complete the tasks they were engaged in.
- They had some interactive classroom sessions led by up-and-coming youth leaders…one had worked at a school in Zimbabwe.
- They explored their styles of leadership, and how their style impacted working with other people who are “like them”. At times it can lead to an inability to complete a task because they focused too much on details; and for others the task wasn't well done because they were less detailed oriented. They learned that often the task gets done more completely and efficiently when different people with different personality traits are combined into one the group.
- They participated in exercises that challenged them to consider how physical obstacles (loss of sight, loss of use of a limb, inability to hear) can impact completion of task.
- They worked with the organization, “Rise Against Hunger” and prepared 10,000 meals. They will be delivered to individuals dealing with food insecurity.
- They all were required to participate in a talent show, independently or as part of a group, or work behind the scenes to help make sure the show flowed evenly.
Both Benji and Georgia indicated that since they returned from RLYA they have used their newly honed leadership skills to help them when they are a part of a Various groups.
Ernst Oidtmann and Georgia
Ernst Oidtmann and Benji Malory
We welcomed our Rotary International District Governor, Kelly Drew.
District Governor Kelly Drew
Kelly began her presentation expressing her "love" for Rotary, and how important our 4-Way Test is to our organization. She believes we all joined Rotary for a wide-variety of reasons, but to stay, we have to find the various ways Rotary can enhance our lives through service and fellowship.
She then shared that Rotary has been a part of her life since childhood. She remembered playing cards with her Rotarian grandfather; her father, a farmer, dressing up in a three-piece suit to go talk with other men about helping the community; and Christmas shopping with her mother to buy gifts for those in need. This was probably the first service project she did for Rotary.
When she was in her mid-thirties, she was diagnosed with a stage III cancer. During this trying time and found out how kind Rotarians were: babysitting her 11/2 year-old daughter, buying groceries and rides to treatment centers. Kelly considers Rotary her second family. Rotary...her fellow Rotarians touched her heart. They lifted her up and helped her get through a tough time.
She continued by telling us about Stephanie Urchick, Rotary International President, whose theme,The Magic of Rotary, offers the following advice for improving the health of local clubs: make your club irresistible-- engage and take care of your members; head for the future and master change; ask members what they want; and tell your Rotary story from the heart and with passion. She shared that President Stephanie chose this theme from her memories of a Rotary Foundation service project in Africa. The project was the installation of sand filters to purify water. Children were memorized by the change that happened to the water as it was filtered. They asked if they couldn't see the magic again, and again.
Kelly talked reviewed RI's Action Plan that asks us to focus on engaging members in service; expanding our reach By becoming a more welcoming place for people to connect, grow, and lead change; determining how we can make a bigger impact on our communities at home and around the world, and the importance of constantly adapting to changing times.
Kelly shared that many members don't know that Rotary has a seat at the United Nations. Annually there is a Rotary Day at the UN.
She reviewed some of the resources that are available to clubs from our Rotary District, from membership resources; to youth service (youth exchange, RLYA, Speech Contest, Interact, Rotaract); Friendship Exchanges; Rotary Foundation District and Global Grants; and a new Learning Resource Center that can be found on the District 7850's web page.
She encouraged all members to sign-up for My Rotary. The member area on the Rotary International web page.
Kelly ended her talk sharing that she is an avid supporter of the Rotary Foundation. It brings her great joy knowing she can touch someone in the world that she will never know, and they will never know her, but they will know their lives were touched by Rotary. We were reminded that it is more important than ever to support our Polio Eradication initiatives.
Rotary Club of Lebanon's Annual Brewfest
August 31, 2024, 12:00 Noon to 4:00 PM
It's Wrap! With over 1,000 brew lovers attending!
Pre-event:
One of the most popular destinations during Brew Fest
At the peak the lines were about 50 deep...wow...the beer effect!
Learning the proper protocols for serving
Getting beer from the truck
Patiently waiting for beer from the truck
More waiting for beer/brews
During the event:
Registration with John and Bruce
More registration with Christian and Marion
Angela Counting Registrations >1,000
Jane Mason helping with registration
A few pictures of our serves, our fellow Rotarians, friends of Rotary, Rotary Club of Hanover, NH and some of our Brewers
Past District Governor Mike Carrier, Rotary Club of Plymouth
&
I must mention the MANY staff from Jakes! We couldn't do this event without their help!
Keeping watch over our exits
Our Gatekeepers
It Takes a Village to Put on Brew Fest1
The end:
Only a small portion of our garbage. Again thanks to Bruce Bergeron and Jakes for dealing with all our garbage!
Bruce Bergeron at WORK!
How many miles did you walk?
Our Fearless Leader:
Brew Fest Chair Phil Rentz
We dedicated Harmony Park on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Here are some pictures from the dedication.
The day has arrived!
Rotary Tent on the Mall Next to Village Pizza
Rotarians and Community Members
, 
Jim Damren, Willie Koppenheffer, Dean Cashman and President Ed Friedman
Phil Rentz
Ron Bedell
City of Lebanon Mayor Tim MacNamara
Rotary District 7850 — 2023/2024 District Governor Susan Cherry
2023/2024 President David Crandall (Our Centennial Chair!)
Lebanon Rotary Board of Director and Charites Trustees Member Marion Steiner
Rotarian Hank Clark
Now on to community members, adults and kids, enjoying our new park
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