In attendance: Bill Babineau, Marilyn Bedell, Ron Bedell, Bruce Bergeron, Phil Bush, Dave Clarenbach, Hank Clarke, Dave Crandall, Jim Damren, Mila Dela Pena, Steve Grant, Tim Guaraldi, Wil Koppenheffer, Ron Michaud, Dan Nash, Ernst Oidtmann, Bruce Pacht, Phil Rentz, Bill Secord, Marion Steiner, and George Wentz.
MCTO by President Marilyn at 12:03 p.m.
Recitation of the “4-Way Test of the Things We Think Say or Do” was led by Hank Clarke.
Past President Ernst led us on the piano with “The Rotary Welcome Song” and “Skip to My Lou.”
Phil Bush presented Ernst with an updated song book entitled The Best Songs Ever. Perhaps our singing will improve.
Guests included Jeni Kardinal, a Rotarian form Bali, Indonesia; and Daniel and Trang Himmelstein.
President Marilyn’s thought of the day: The international campaign against polio resumes across nine provinces in Afghanistan in a revised format circumscribed by the Taliban—site to site rather than house to house. As a corollary to her thought of the day, President Marilyn urged all eligible club members to get the latest COVID booster shot, since it is not clear if the COVID vaccine will continue to be paid for by Medicare and other insurance plans in the foreseeable future.
Speakers:
Nathan Reichert,director of planning and development for the City of Lebanon; and Catheryn Hembree, associate planner for the city.
Catheryn Hembree outlined Lebanon’s present housing demographics and highlighted issues that a proposed new housing plan will be dealing with. With a population of 15,000, half of Lebanon’s 4,600 housing units are rentals. The median income for the city is $92,300. Six thousand three hundred fifty-eight of the residents over 25 years old have a bachelor’s degree. Vacancies for owner-occupied homes stand at 1.5 percent; for renters, 3 percent. The city’s school population is growing, unlike many other communities in the state; and employers want to hire. Ten percent of the city’s housing units are subsidized. The city has received a $100,000 planning grant from the state to begin the development of a new housing plan.
Nathan Reichert explained that the city needs community engagement in the development of the new plan. The planning department will use focus groups with varying constituents, surveys, public information sessions, and the city’s website and social media presence. Lebanon “news blasts” will help garner attention. The Lebanon Rotary Club can help by 1) sharing member connections, 2) attending a focus group, 3) promoting community engagement.
Bill Secord recognized Catheryn’s and Nate’s talk with two children’s books to be donated to the Kilton Public Library:
I Am Both: A Vietnamese Refugee Story
by Kerisa Greene (Author).
A picture book inspired by the author's family's journey on the last flight out of Saigon. I Am Both is a compelling exploration of identity, immigration, and family.
The Interpreter
by Olivia Abtahi (Author), Monica Arnaldo (Illustrator). A sharp and heartfelt picture book about a young soccer-loving girl who’s an interpreter for her Spanish-speaking parents.
Guest from the Rotary Club of Bali Action!
Jeni Cardinal, charter president of the Rotary Club of Bali Action, attended our club meeting today, as she and her husband make their annual summer visit to Randolph, Vermont. Jeni and her husband sailed in a wooden schooner to Bali eighteen years ago and decided to make their home there. One of Jeni’s relatives brought our club’s annual Brew Fest to Jeni’s attention, and she came to tell us that she was volunteering to help out on August 30! Her own Rotary club in Bali happens to hold its meetings in a brewery, so the attraction was natural. Jeni’s club is heavily involved with health concerns and children’s initiatives, including the administering of a Rotary International Global Grant.
Announcements
President’s Picnic at Tim and Anna Guaraldi’s in Newport, NH, on August 2, 2025.
President Marilyn announced that we need a volunteer to bring Marilyn’s friend Maria and Maria’s friend from West Lebanon to the President’s Picnic.
Note: No meeting at Harvest Hill next week, the Thursday before the picnic on Saturday, July 31.
Brew Fest (August 30, Saturday)
Jim Damren needs ad solicitors to get on the ball. August 1 is the cutoff for receiving committed sponsorships.
President Marilyn noted that the tent supplier for the Brew Fest cannot provide us with all the tables we need. Anyone with six- or eight-foot tables , please speak to Hank Clarke. We also need additional small-sized tents. Ron Michaud volunteered to purchase a new Rotary Club tent to replace the one that is worn out.
Victor Tom will be speaking to us at the Osher location on September 11, 2025: “How rocket science made it into major league baseball and strike zone.” Each member must let us know if you plan to be at the meeting so we can order lunches. Room capacity may be an issue too.
Styrofoam collection coming in October—Sustainable Lebanon is looking for volunteers to help.
Happy Dollars
Past President Ernst traveled to Plymouth and, attending a Rotary meeting there, discovered that they are as “mature” as we are.
Bruce Pacht, after his “last” motorcycle accident, got back up on the horse and rode his cycle up to Danville and back for a very enjoyable ride.
Phil Bush paid for his online brag of two meetings ago.
President Marilyn bragged for Rich Wallace and his success in getting Eventbright up and working for us.
Raffles
Phil Rentz pulled the Nine of Spades.
Phil Bush won the carwash.
President Marilyn rang the bell, and we closed with our Rotary Motto:
One Profits Most Who Serves Best.
FUTURE MEETING PROGRAMS/SPEAKERS
August 7:Brey Adams, Interim Executive Director Upper Valley Humane Society
August 14:Lori Shibinette, CEO West Central Behavioral Health.
August 21: Charities report and final plans for Brew Fest.
Our Field Trips Begin!!! Note locations of meetings.
August 28: Tyler Lewis, Head of School, Kimball Union Academy [Meridan Library, 22 Bean Rd, Meriden, NH 03770.]
September 4:Luc Pomerleau, District Governor Visit—[Location to be determined.]
September 11:Victor Tom, Topic: “How rocket science made it into major league baseball and strike zone.” [OSHER, 1 Court Street, Level 3 Classroom, Lebanon, NH. We will use a Facebook link for virtual viewing.]
September 18: BOD, Charities Report and Classification talk [Location to be determined.]
September 25:Rob Stenger, one of the owners of Simple Energy [Location to be determined.]
October 2:Aaron Rivkin, Manager of Impact and Community Alliance, Hopkins Center at Dartmouth. [Location to be determined.]
October 9: Emily Gray, Global Scholar—Policies for Sustainable Food Production in Consumption. [We should be back at the Dwinell Room.]
October 16:PDG Eric Denu—Polio Awareness Day.
October 23: BOD/Charities Reports +/- Classification Talk.
October 30:Matthew Garcia, Windsor County Mentors.
November 6: Susan Cherry—Rotary Foundation Month—Focus on Middle East Peace Center in Turkey.
November 13:Roy Schlieben, Executive Director, MAXT Makerspace, Peterborough, NH.
November 2: BOD/Charities Reports +/- Classification Talk—Announce BOD and Trustee for 2026/2027.
November 27: NO MEETING—Thanksgiving.
December 4: TBD.
December 11: Phil Bush, if no meeting on 18-Dec or another topic/Club Elections.
December 18: NO MEETING or Phil Bush—Holiday Songs.
residents over 25 years old have a bachelor’s degree. Vacancies for owner-occupied homes stand at 1.5 percent; for renters, 3 percent. The city’s school population is growing, unlike many other communities in the state; and employers want to hire. Ten percent of the city’s housing units are subsidized. The city has received a $100,000 planning grant from the state to begin the development of a new housing plan.
The Lebanon Rotary Club can help by 1) sharing member connections, 2) attending a focus group, 3) promoting community engagement.
