Program for October 1, 2020 - District Governor Jamie Milne

We welcomed our Rotary District Governor, Jamie Milne to our meeting.  DG Jamie is from the Rotary Club of St. Johnsbury, Vermont.  His biography is posted below.
 
 
DG Jamie shared that as he worked to prepare our District club presidents for the 2020/2021 Rotary year, he tried to focus on the role our presidents would play in being agents of change.  Even though his last meeting with the 2020/2021 presidents was just before the Covid-19 shut down, he never realized how important it would be for club president and the club's board of directors to be agents of change and to find new opportunities. 
 
During training sessions he challenge all presidents to make one change in their club.  He then went on to reflect that if he had suggested in February and March that presidents should consider holding 4 virtual meetings, not many presidents would have taken this on a a challenge...but look at our Rotary world now...Most clubs are now online.  He is hoping that when when we get on the other side of this pandemic, that we won't just revert back to our old ways.  Clubs should continue to challenge members to think of ways to continue to evolve in this new virtual environment.  DG Jamie then asked members to share some reflections about the good and distressing parts of our changing environment for Rotary:
  • Steve Whitman reflected that he has really missed the time to sit around a table at a meal prior to the start of our Rotary meetings. He enjoyed talking with fellow members over a meal...a chance to get to know his fellow Rotarians in new ways. He really misses this aspect of Rotary.  He hopes we will continue to keep our club a good mix of various vocations.  That variety in our membership leads to better service projects.
  • John Yacavone shared that it seems to be easier to organize public service projects via our Zoom meetings and using Doodle to sign-up to serve as volunteers. We seem to be looking for more ways to be visible in our community.  We have done a better job of having a positive public image.
  • JoAnn Lemieux gave Kudos to Bruce Bergeron for all the community service projects we have been doing.  Our Mask Up Upper Valley helped us to have a larger presence in our community.
  • Paul Tierney reminded us that change isn't everything.  Much of our progress is still dependent on segment leaders...members who are willing to take on the challenge of organizing projects and fund raisers. There is value in having institutional knowledge to help make positive change possible.
DG Jamie then challenged us to spend some time thinking about what our club might look like post Covid-19.  He reflected on the message from Ri President Holgar Knaack.  President Holgar is encouraging Rotarians to seize the many opportunities Rotary offers to enrich our lives and the communities we serve.
 
DG Jamie shared that new club models should be considered that have the potential to attract new members. He spoke about women in Rotary, and the nomination of Jennifer Jones to be our first woman president. He shared that our new, seventh area of service, Support the Environment, might be appealing to those who are concerned about global warming and other impacts on the environment.
 
Rotary Strategic Plan should be reviewed by clubs and considered as club engage in strategic planning at the local club level.
 
He ended his talk reminding us of our #1 priority, the eradication of polio.  Our work in Rotary has propelled the Rotary Foundation to be considered one of the top 10 charities as rated by Charity Navigator. He asked us to do our part to support: the Annual Programs Fund/Share; and the Endowment Fund.  Finally he encouraged us to continue supporting our efforts to eradicate polio.  Our work in polio eradication has propelled us to be one of the top 10 charities as rated by Charity Navigator.
 
 
 

BIO for JAMIE MILNE, ROTARY DISTRICT GOVERNOR - 2020-2021
DISTRICT 7850


Jamie is the owner of Milne Financial Planning, a fee-only financial planner and investment advisor.  He works with clients nearing retirement to ensure they make the right decisions as they enter into their next phase of life.  

Jamie also serves as Treasurer of the Thaddeus Stevens School, a private Pre-K through 8th grade school in Lyndonville, Vermont.  He’s a founding member of the NCEF (NAPFA Consumer Education Foundation) a foundation of NAPFA (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors) and served both as Vice President and President for many years.  He is current a member of the fundraising committee. 

Jamie first joined the Barre, Vermont Rotary Club and served as President for the year 2001-2002. He is currently a member of the St. Johnsbury, Vermont Rotary Club serving as Secretary and was President for the year 2012-2013.  He was Assistant Governor for the years 2013-2017.  Jamie is a Paul Harris Fellow. 

Jamie grew up in Barre, Vermont and attended Spaulding High School (Class of 1977).  He went on to graduate from Babson College with a BS in Finance and an MBA.  He has three grown daughters, two sons-in-law and two grandsons.  His daughters live in Somerville, Massachusetts; Littleton, New Hampshire and West Burke, Vermont.   

Jamie lives at Joe’s Pond in West Danville, Vermont and, in what free time he has, he loves water skiing, snow skiing and garage-time working on a variety of car projects.

Book in honor of Jamie Milne going to the Kilton Library Children's Collection will be:

Eraser by Anna Kang, illustrated by Christopher Weynant.
 
 

Eraser is always cleaning up everyone else’s mistakes. Except for Ruler and Pencil Sharpener, none of the other school supplies seem to appreciate her. They all love how sharp Pencil is and how Tape and Glue help everyone stick together. Eraser wants to create so that she can shine like the others. She decides to give it a try, but it’s not until the rubber meets the road that Eraser begins to understand a whole lot about herself.

Inspired by a school essay their daughter Kate wrote in the third grade, the author and illustrator behind Theodor Seuss Geisel Award–winner You Are (Not) Small have created a desktop drama about figuring out who you are, finding happiness, and the importance of second, third, and maybe even fourth chances.