Spoke 10/29/2015

Posted by Nathan Miller 
 
 
Call to Order: President Don MacMeekin
Opening Song: ROTARY
Patriotic Song: America the Beautiful
Invocation: Don MacMeekin
Song Leader: Bruce Pacht
Song: Casper the Friendly Ghost
Visiting Rotarians: Niki Glanz- Middlebury, Vermont
Guests: None
Raffle: Ron Michaud did not find the Queen of Hearts
Rotary Minute: Philip Rentz recapped the importance of this year’s Rotary Auction to the Upper Valley Haven, and Ron Carr highlighted Rotary International’s good work in the fight against polio.
Announcements:
  • Don MacMeekin asked that members please pay their dues invoices, and reminded members about the upcoming training session at DHMC on November 21st.
  • Garlan Hoskin announced that, on December 3rd, members are invited to dinner (at Three Tomatoes) and a night at the ballet. This year’s Christmas party is scheduled for December 11th. 
  • Paul Tierney asked for volunteers to help him in organizing a social party in February.
  • Kevin Gould noted that next month is Rotary Foundation month, and asked members to please consider a contribution to the Rotary Foundation. Kevin reported that Nate Miller has volunteered to take on a leadership role with the club’s Rotary Foundation efforts.
  • Carla Skinder announced that she will be leaving the Lebanon Rotary to travel around the world over the coming years.
  • Ron Michaud announced that his wife Hillary is slowly recovering from her broken hip.
Brags:
  • Bartolo Governanti bragged that he recorded his first ever hole-in-one during a recent round of golf in Hanover.
  • Valerie Armstrong bragged that State Farm Insurance (Bartolo’s agency) was a finalist for the Valley News Reader’s Choice Award for best insurance agency.
  • Bruce Pacht bragged that the recent purple pinky event raised more than $100 for the fight against polio.
Business Items:
Sheila Young of the Second Wind Foundation spoke about the Upper Valley’s struggles with addiction, specifically with heroin addiction. Sheila noted that 80,000 needles have been exchanged in the Upper Valley in the past 18 months. At $15 dollars per bag (i.e. dose), heroin is very profitable in the area. Sheila discussed a number of the programs that the Second Wind Foundation offers, including the Wits End program for parents, the Willow Grove housing for women in the early stages of recovery, and the Turning Point support network for those in recovery.