Rotarians attending the meeting in person:
William Babineau, Marilyn Bedell, Ron Bedell, Bruce Bergeron, Dean Cashman, Bill Chabot, Dave Clarenbach, Hank Clarke, Dave Crandall, Jim Damren, Mila Dela Peña, Hannah Falcone, Steven Grant, Tim Guaraldi, Tyler Hagan, Will Koppenheffer, Dustin Lester, Christian McDonald, Ron Michaud, Daniel Nash, Ernst Oidtmann, Bruce Pacht, Philip Rentz, Bill Secord, John Stalvey, Marion Steiner, George Wenz, Steve Whitman, and John Yacavone. Attending remotely: Keegan Carpenter and Jane Mason.
President Marilyn rang the bell and called the meeting to order at 12:01 p.m.
Recitation of the “4-Way Test of the Things We Think Say or Do” was led by Ron Michaud.
Pianist Ernst led us in singing the “Rotary Welcome Song,” and “Father’s Old Grey Whiskers,” which seemed to have garnered the largest group of singers we’ve ever had!
PRESIDENT MARILYN’S THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Marilyn quoted from a Ronald Reagan speech from 1976 (paraphrased here): “We are standing on the edge of the infinite. Don’t be afraid. Out beyond present lines are new worlds to be discovered. There are many ways to be of service in this age of technological splendor.”
WEEKLY STATISTICS:
Guests: Kurt Conlon, Springfield NH; Rob Taylor, Enfield, NH; Dustin Lester, Mascoma Technology.
Visiting Rotarians: Dick Podolec, Hanover—now living at the Woodlands and happy to share information at life there with anyone; Denise Castinguay, Plymouth RC, Assistant Governor for our area.
Birthdays: No one was born this week. *Sigh*
Wedding Anniversaries: No one owned up to having gotten married this week, either.
Lebanon Rotary Anniversaries: Dave Crandall, 7 years.
Mila and Ron Michaud serenaded their table with a verse of “Fly Me to the Moon.”
NEW MEMBER INDUCTED:
[Photo right] New member Dustin Lester is greeted by Assistant District Governor Denise and sponsor Dean Cashman. Dustin joins us from Mascoma Technologies, WRJ, VT. Welcome, Dustin!
PROGRAM: LORI FORITINI, Program Leader, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Aging Resource Center.
The beautiful and talented Program Leader of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Aging Resource Center gave us an excellent program. She has been working there since 2016.
ARC shares qualities of the 4-Way test: Education, Connection, Support.ARC is part of Dartmouth Health’s Geriatric Center of Excellence (GCOE) at Dartmouth Health.
The Center’s work rests on Four Pillars: direct care, education, research, policy. It is located at Colburn Hill, just before David’s House.
ARC works to enhance the minds, bodies, and spirits of older adults and their families. All programs are free of charge whether in-person in Lebanon or virtually. ARC serves the broader community, not only D-H patients. D-H funds ARC’s staff and facility; instructors use clinical time, grants, and philanthropy for the rest.
A focus on healthy aging is the at the crux of ARC’s work: dealing with dementia, planning ahead for end-of-life, using technology, engaging mind and spirit, support groups (caregivers, stroke survival, Parkinson’s, Diabetes), arts and aging, healthy aging. Main effort—focus on healthy aging at the crux of D-H, Dartmouth College, with high quality programs. Providers can connect with ~40 people on Zoom to talk about falls, for example.
LOTS MORE information may be found in the slides to Lori’s presentation. If you’d like the slides, send a request to brucepacht67@gmail.com.
Q: George—Do you collaborate with the Upper Valley Senior Center?
Yes: “Paint and Sip” sessions, where we offer an art class with refreshments. May soon offer a class on preventing falls.
Q: Marilyn is now on the executive council of NH AARP. Is there collaboration here?
ARC will run a number of AARP classes run by volunteers. Classes will be done on “Smart TV,” fraud and scams, and artificial Intelligence.
ARC puts out semi-annual coursebooks—January-June, July-December.
SPEAKER’S BOOK:
Bill Secord presented
Head Full of Clouds as an addition to the Kilton Children’s Library in recognition of
Lori’s presentation.
Head Full of Clouds by Joanne Schwartz (Author), Afsaneh Sanei (Illustrator)
From the award-winning author of Town Is by the Sea comes a beautiful and meditative story about seeing the world around you in a new way.
A girl wakes up from a dream she can't shake.
Her head is full of clouds.
When she goes outside, the things she normally doesn't pay much attention to suddenly reveal their beauty: the plants growing in the cracks of the sidewalk, the shimmering puddles, the notes from a violin drifting in the air. She revels in this strangeness of the familiar, and eventually her dream comes back to her in all its surrealness.
When she meets a friend, she feels solid and connected again, part of the world — but she doesn't lose the gifts that this strange morning gave her: the quietly profound wonder of the everyday and the joy of being present.
Joanne Schwartz's lyrical text and Afsaneh Sanei's gorgeous art are a dreamy pairing that will reward readers with something special in every read.
SOCIAL EVENT
- Monday, April 20, Galloway Room at Salt hill Pub. “Fireside Chat”—Orientation opportunity for new members, refresher for current members. Appetizers provided by the Club; drinks are on you. Bruce Bergeron and President Marilyn will lead. Let Marilyn know if you are coming to adjust food quantities.
SERVICE AND OTHER ACTIVITIES
- April 11th, Saturday, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Lebanon Styrofoam Collection. Lebanon High School. Looking for 12-15 volunteers. Drive Styrofoam to Gilford 12-3.
- April 21st, Tuesday, 9 a.m.-11 a.m., Set up tables for 5 Colleges Book Sale at Lebanon High School. Looking for 8-10 volunteers.
- April 26th, Sunday, 4 p.m.-6 p.m., Take down tables for 5 Colleges Book Sale at Lebanon High School. Looking for 8-10 volunteers
- May 1, Friday, noon-2 p.m., RISE Food Packaging event at Lebanon High School. Sign up here to work with Rotarians, Interactors and students: http://events.riseagainsthunger.org/lebanonrotary26
ROTARY DISTRICT 7850 COMING EVENTS:
- April 18, Saturday: District Assembly at Northern Vermont University, Lyndonville. Meet other Rotarians! Learn about what other clubs in the district are doing and what role the district plays in supporting clubs! Third Round of Speech Contest with Lebanon High Student Benjy Madory competing!
- June 12-14, 2026, Friday-Sunday: District 7850 Conference at Hotel Estrimont, Magog, Quebec. Widen and deepen your Rotary friendships and network! Lebanon Rotary Club will provide stipends up to $400 to attend; actual amount to be determined based on the number of members who want to attend.
CLUB FUNDRAISERS—ALL HANDS ON DECK NEEDED TO MAKE THESE SUPER SUCCESSFUL!
- June 3, Wednesday: Bedell Classic Golf Tournament. It’s time to make your approach to potential sponsors or donations of raffle prizes. Also, possible setup assistance on the afternoon of June 2, Tuesday. Handouts are on the table—unassigned people to approach for sponsorships/ads.
- September 5, Saturday of Labor Day Weekend: 2026 Brew Fest.
HAPPY DOLLARS:
- Hank: $5! On St. Patrick’s Day, Hank turned 80 years old. He spent the morning at Salt hill with a Guinness at 8 a.m.; his daughter and son-in-law stuck around longer than he did. Last Thursday, Hank and Carol went to Portsmouth, saw a play, had lunch at Wentworth by the Sea, enjoying a couple of nice days away from the furious business of retirement at home. Hank also bragged that he has been a participant in the ARC’s SAIL exercise program since February last year.
- Assistant District Governor Denise: Thank us for our warm welcome. She is here to serve us, to support what we do. She asked to be added to our Currents distribution list. She said, “I enjoy being busy and doing all things Rotary. I have some friends at work who participate in your golf tournament.” Denise’s Rotary Classification is “Education.”
- Will: $5! Ellen and Will traveled over 5 weeks. In reference to Ron Michaud’s comments last week, Will announced that he owns a post-hole digger he’d lend to almost anyone. Bob Haynes’s Health Closet was a great help with Will’s mother-in law when she transitioned to assisted living. Will has known the Bayliss family for 50 years, from when he was at Dartmouth; he and Scott play squash together.
Will and Ellen experienced some excitement on their trip to Mexico. They’d planned for one week, Monday-Monday in Puerto Villarta. On day, they smelled smoke and a black pall settled over the town. It turns out that the head of the Jalisco cartel had been killed (not by Will or Ellen), and his supporters burned over 200 cars in PV. The Mexico National Guard surrounded and closed the airport and issued shelter-in-place orders. Flights were cancelled, and poor Will and Ellen had to spend another week in PV putting up with 80 degrees temperature, no humidity, and life on the beach. To put icing on the cake, because of the delay, their traveler’s insurance paid for the extra condo week!
- George Wenz’s son Kurt has been inducted into the Woodstock Club making three generations of Wenzes in Rotary.
- Kurt has moved up from Hollis Rotary; he is happy to be welcomed here.
- Bruce Bergeron put a flyer on tables advertising an opportunity for anyone who would like to learn how to drive a car more safely: May 2 in Loudon. Bruce has more info; he said, “It will be the best $150 you’ll ever spend!”
- Hank reprise: He is he member of SAIL. Going since February last year.
- Ron: When people use the expression “boots on the ground” to mean foot-soldiers in combat, please remember that they are people who get killed and maimed through war.
- John Yacavone bragged that he has been taking ARC’s Memoir Class for 3+ years. He wrote and made 60 copies of a book he distributed to friends and relatives.
CARD AND CAR WASH RAFFLE:
- Lori Fortini’s number was chosen, but she drew the Seven of Diamonds.
- Enfield Car Wash, thanks to Bruce Bergeron. Bruce’s number was first drawn: “It’s the only raffle I every win!” said Bruce. The second number drawn belonged to Dave Crandall.
President Marilyn rang the Rotary bell at 1:20 or so and we ended the meeting with a recitation of RI’s motto:
One profits most who serves best.
FUTURE PROGRAMS:
Apr 2: Bruce James, Sustainable Lebanon
Apr 9: Andrew Bostwick, USAF drone program
Apr 16: Diana Griffin, AARP
Apr 23: BOD/Classification Talk by Carol Keeffe
Apr 30: Nenia Ballard, Ms. Wheelchair New Hampshire
Program Team for remainder of Rotary year 2025-2026: Hank Clark (Jan, Feb, March) and Dave Crandall (April, May, June).
HEY, IT’S SPRING AND TIME TO CHECK OUT THE ROTARY SPRING JACKETS AND VESTS FROM TOP STITCH.
Photographs from the daring world travelers Phil and Judith Bush.
The are vacationing in the south of France. These photos are St. Gilles du Gard (exterior and interior).
50K Pounds of Aid Delivered—
[Above] We see the smiling faces of children living in remote eastern villages receiving the treats and toys that every child should, but that they've gone without for so long.
[Below] We see scenes of trenches and landmines reminiscent of World War I.
Common Man for Ukraine and our Polish Rotary partners saw both, each and every day of our humanitarian convoy this week. Today, we start our drive back west to the Polish border, a journey that will take two days on dangerous roadways.
This follows Wednesday's work, when three more villages received the aid made possible by all of you reading this back home. Thousands more innocent people now know how much strangers in a faraway land care about their wellbeing, about their freedom and survival.
We are honored to deliver this aid on your behalf.
Thank you for making this vital work possible. These moments of joy, the month's supply of food, and the inspirational jolt of hope combine to make an incredible impact on these innocent Ukrainians' lives.
Yet, our work this week is not done!
Next up: our Mothers Retreat. We're on our way back to Zakopane, Poland, to visit with our trauma retreat for the widows of Ukrainian soldiers killed or missing in the war. We'll share more updates this weekend.
Please keep donating what you can and sharing our work with friends and family. Together, there's more good to do.
