Currents for January 8, 2026 (Jan. 11, 2026)

Rotary Club of Lebanon, NH

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Lebanon Rotarians present: Ron Bedell, Marilyn Bedell, Bruce Pacht, John Yacavone, Dave Clarenbach, Ernst Oidtmann, Hank Clarke, Tim Guaraldi, Jim Damren, Bill Secord, Dean Cashman, Angela Nelson, Phil Rentz, Bruce Bergeron, Cal Wolfe, George Wenz, Tyler Hagan, Mila dela Pena, Christian McDonald, Will Koppenheffer, Bill Babineau, Ron Michaud, Steve Grant, Dave Crandall, Richard Wallace, Claire Geno, and Carol Keeffe.

Members attending via Webex: Bill Chabot, Phil Bush, and Jane Mason.

Others present: David Wrubel, who works with Community National Bank, was a member of the Montpelier Club for years, and also had a corporate membership in Barre. David moved here recently and is checking us out.

Meeting Called to Order by President Marilyn at 12:00 p.m.
Recitation of the “4-Way Test of the Things We Think Say or Do” was led by Ernst Oidtmann.
Ernst Oidtmann’s song selections: “Rotary Welcome Song; “There is a Tavern in the Town”
President Marilyn’s Thought of the Day: Let’s have more impact in 2026! Marilyn is grateful for service, friendship, and impact. We will have new opportunities this year to serve communities and to unite for Good. Marilyn thanked Steve Grant for having arranged our meeting programs for the second half of her Rotary year.
Lebanon Rotary Anniversaries: Bill Babineau—44 years; Jim Damren—33 years, maybe.

SPECIAL EVENT: EVENING TOUR OF THE NEWLY RENOVATED HOPKINS CENTER AT DARTMOUTH COLLEGE, MONDAY, JANUARY 19.

NOTE: There will be NO Salt hill gathering that day.

Aaron Rivkin, PhD, Manager of Impact and Community Alliance for the Hopkin Center at Dartmouth, arranged this tour for us. All Rotarians and guests are welcome at no charge.

The tour begins at 7:00 p.m. and lasts about one hour. Enter the building’s main entrance on the north side of East Wheelock St. (across from the Hanover Green, next to the Hanover Inn).

Aaron said, “Guided by members of the HOP team, the tour takes you throughout the HOP. We'll share the architectural inspiration, relate behind-the-scenes stories of the building process, and discuss how design and technology can partner to create 21st-century spaces for creation and performance. Each tour culminates in a unique experience that gives you a feel for our new venues in action.”

PROGRAM: Steve Kelley: Friends of Veterans (FoV)

Hank Clarke introduced Steve, who has 50 years of experience in business and financial management. He’s held leadership positions in manufacturing companies needing a turnaround. His last job was with Darn Tough Sox’s parent company. Today, he volunteers for Friends of Veterans and also serves on Osher at Dartmouth’s finance committee. Steve is a native of Boston and lives in Quechee.

Friends of Veterans serves both New Hampshire and Vermont. Nationwide, veterans comprise about 6% of the US population. With New Hampshire and Vermont’s combined population of around two million, that means there are around 120,000 US veterans living in our twin states. Steve hopes we can all agree that “men and women who have sacrificed for us deserve our help in return.”

FoV is a small, not-for-profit corporation founded roughly 40 years ago to assist homeless veterans. Its office in WRJ serves both NH and VT with fewer than 15 unpaid volunteers, some of whom are vets.

The organization’s revenue comes mainly from a large golf tournament, donations, and grants. The tournament has been traditionally played at Baker Hill in Sutton, NH (Dean Cashman has played there often); they charge $1200/foursome and fill up. Unfortunately, their preferred date for 2026 is unavailable; they may have to find another venue and date. The golf event covers all the organization’s administrative events; every other dollar goes to help “qualified” veterans.

ASK:

Please tell every veteran you know

that Friends of Veterans stands ready to help.

For the past six consecutive years, FoV has provided more than $100,000/year in service; over $1 million over 40 years. They recently received a substantial donation from a “bluebird,” Steve said.

FoV’s money is flexible. Major categories of assistance are back rent, security deposits, mortgage payments, fuel assistance, utilities, and car and home repairs. They have experienced increasing requests recently as other agencies have lost funding. Also, vets with PTSD can apply for a service animal and may request assistance for its annual care and feeding.

FoV’s costs: office rent, IT support (System Plus), and office supplies. Reach them at: Fovvtnh.org; 802-296-8368; assistance@fovvtnh.org.

FoV distributes about $120,000 in grants each year.

QUESTIONS

How much assistance do you give to individuals?

Our assistance levels vary and are normally less than $1,000; if the need is greater $1000, we try to coordinate with other agencies. Our committee meets every Thursday.

Ron Michaud—What’s the difference between what you do and the VA does?

VA does a good job helping medically and has a very strong social worker network. We work closely with a lot of them, also with the Burlington and Manchester VAs. We do financial counseling and help with applications. VA can’t provide the specific financial assistance that we can, along with VetSynch, Vets to Vets, Easter Seals, and others. VAs are overworked and understaffed.

Tyler—Are your grants “one and done” or sustained?

Our maximum donation to an individual is approximately $1,000 once/year. Some folks do come back each year, but we are parsimonious.

What is a “Qualified Veteran”

Served at least six months of active duty
Discharge must be honorable, under honorable, or generally under honorable conditions. FoV practices some flexibility, especially for Vietnam vets who got tossed for a single marijuana cigarette.
Reasonable expectation of sustainability of the vet’s situation after our help; we like to help with an unforeseen “bump in the road”
Vet has “skin in the game”
May require coordination with other agencies
We encourage vets to connect with a social worker for financial counseling, etc.
We encourage vet to use 211 for heating assistance in either NH and VT before using our funds.

Service Dog Assistance

High correlation with homelessness and PTSD
Also, high correlation between symptom improvement and having a service dog
It costs $50,000 to train one dog and can take more than 2 years from application to receipt of service dog.
We work with both Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-accredited and non-ADA-accredited service dog organizations
To receive our support, vet must have PTSD diagnosis and a doc’s written letter re: needing a dog
We help pay veterinarian bills, dog fences, training costs, balance harnesses (to help vet get back on his/her feet).

Steve asked two things of Lebanon Rotarians:

Talk to vets you know and tell them that FoV is an organization in WRJ that helps vets financially. It’s a challenge for us to get out the word. If 6% of 2 million are vets = 120,000; we help maybe 120/year. I’m skeptical that only 1/10 of 1% of known vets need or help.
We need volunteers; we are well below what we need. We have money to spend but have challenges getting the cases ready to go.

Carol—Do you provide unpaid work experience for social workers?

We will train. It will take a while. But, “It’s not rocket surgery,” said Steve. (FoV cannot give credit for social work degrees unless it has an approved relationship with a degree-granting entity.)

Ernst—How much do fellow veterans volunteer or donate funds to FoV?

Steve: I don’t run into that, honestly. Sometimes I hear that a fellow vet has helped a little.

Kilton Children’s Library Book Presentation—Bill Secord

A River’s Gift: The Mighty Elwha River Reborn: A non-fiction account of how salmon were brought back to the rivers of the Pacific northwest.

By Patricia Newman (Author), Natasha Donovan (Illustrator).

A mighty river. A long history.

For thousands of years, the Elwha River flowed north through the Pacific Northwest, sharing its gifts with the animals, plants, and people along its banks. The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, who call themselves the Strong People, caught salmon from the river, taking only what they needed. River, forest, salmon, and Strong People nourished one another.

Everything changed when strangers arrived in the 1790s. They did not understand the river’s gifts, and they saw the land and the river as theirs to tame. These strangers built dams, and the environmental consequences were disastrous.

Yet this is not the story of a tragedy. Sibert honoree Patricia Newman and award-winning illustrator Natasha Donovan join forces to tell a tale of hope and renewal, showing how the Strong People, a national park, and others worked together to remove the dams and restore this precious ecosystem so that all could enjoy the river’s gifts once again.

Rotary Foundation:

Phil & Ron Bedell presented Dave Clarenbach with his first Paul Harris Fellowship.

Phil & Ron Bedell presented Ron Michaud with his FIFTH Paul Harris Fellowship.

Service and other Activities

Committee Meetings
- International Service—January 9, 2026, at 2 p.m. over Zoom.
- Membership—January 13, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. over Zoom.
- Board of Directors—January 20, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. over Zoom.
- Charities Trustees—January 21, 2026, at 12:00, Zoom
Tour of Hopkins Center—7:00 p.m., Monday, January 19.
Our dates at REVO: January 21, 2026, until January 30 (Marilyn’s birthday). The poster on the Club’s web page may be easily shared to your own Facebook or other social media account

Happy Dollars

Dean Cashman has played in the FoV golf tourney for many years.
Bruce Bergeron— (1) thanks to speaker Steve, (2) had to leave early for an appointment at REVO.
Tim—Over the holiday, Tim and Anna learned that they another grandson in June.
Marilyn is happy that her hip surgery has been moved up to early February; she thanked everyone for being at the meeting and welcomed us back to Rotary
Will—Last Monday, Will ended his career of 17 years volunteering on Lebanon’s Zoning Board of Adjustment, the last 14 as chair.
Ernst—It was not the building housing the Family Health Center that burned down at Wheelock Office Park. Ernst got a call at 5 a.m., but FHC was spared.

Card and Car Wash Raffle

Bruce Bergeron pulled the Two of Diamonds in absentia.

Dave Clarenbach won the car wash.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

THE 1996 LEBANON ROTARY RADIO AUCTION

[Top left] Bruce Pacht and Jon Blodgett on phones #1 and 2.

[2nd from top] John Yacavone with radio station employee.

[3rd from top] All eight phone answerers are busy.

[4th from top] Ernst Oidtmann and Dave Lowsley.

[5th from top] Jane Mason and Lorraine Morrison verifying bids.

[Bottom] After auction potluck: Miker Sandoe, Carol Dustin, Steve (fire chief), Ron Michaud, Pete Mason (back to camera).