Currents for August 7, 2025 (Aug. 07, 2025)

Rotary Club of Lebanon, NH

Minutes of Club meeting – August 7, 2025

Members in attendance: Ernst Oidtmann, Ron Bedell, John Yacavone, Dean Cashman, Tim Guaraldi, Ron Michaud, Marilyn Bedell, Dave Clarenbach, George Wenz, Rich Wallace, Bill Babineau, Phil Rentz, Angela Nelson, Dave Crandall, Bruce Pacht, Jane Mason*

Guests: Brian Davis, James Carroll

*Via WebEx

Bell was rung at 12:01 by President Marilyn Bedell
Recitation of the 4-Way Test of the Things We Think Say or Do was led by Dave Crandall
Songs: Rotary Welcome Song and “Variation by Mozart on Happy Birthday”
Birthdays: August 3, Ernst Oidtmann; August 10, Phil Bush
Wedding Anniversaries: August 3, Bill and Linda Secord

Induction of New Members:

Although this quote is not attributed to one Rotarian, it speaks to the core of our organization, “It is the duty of our Rotary club to add new members from time to time, so that we may not only increase our usefulness and influence as a club, but also to extend the spirit of Rotary throughout the community.”

At our meeting to day welcomed two new members, James Carroll and Brian Davis

James Carroll and Brian Davis, with Dean Cashman and Ron Bedell, their proposers, came to the podium where President Marilyn performed their induction into the Rotary Club of Lebanon, supplying pins, caps and good Rotary advice.

Ron Bedell, Brian David, James Carroll, Dean Cashman, Marilyn Bedell

Program – RayLynn Bradigan, Interim Executive Director Upper Valley Humane Society (raylynn@uvhs.org)

RayLynn went to Hanover High and was away from the Upper Valley for 20+ years before returning here about a year ago. This is her first presentation to a community group.

RayLynn Bradigan, Interim Executive Director

Mission: Create a community in which all pets are loved. Provide innovative shelter, enhance quality of life, promote employee wellbeing. They are in the process of reworking the mission now.

Pets ARE loved, but many folks don’t have the means to provide for them. UVHS wants to be a resource, not only a last resource. Have people feel they can ask for help. Our 4-Way test resonates with RayLynn.

Special Guest...Romeo

He's in need of a home!

He came to a shelter from Florida

“Resource”: Not just a place to adopt a pet or take a pet when they can’t care for it anymore. Want to help in other ways, connect people in need to other organizations that may be able to help.

“Compassionate and accessible services”: Wellness clinics, pet food pantry, emergency boarding (such as when someone is unhoused temporarily to keep the person and pet together over the long term), trap-neuter-return (mostly cats), re-homing of pets (relocation or other circumstances).

“Leave it better than you found it”: sincere appreciation to donors, training our staff and volunteers to feel confident, professional growth opportunities (promoting from within), encourage engagement (when people have ideas, we talk about them), listen to team and provide support.

How will we do it?

Get back out there! Rekindling relationships, pursue new relationships, say “YES!”. UVHS now has 4 new board members, and an improved social media presence.
Welcome in! Not appointment-only. Open Sat Sun 11-3 for walk-in by this fall. Reception desk staffed fulltime, volunteer coordinator starting next week, improving signage (unless you know where it is, we are hard to find – only sign we have now says “Dead End”).
New clinic program – now offering dental/spay-neuter and more specialized procedures, staff veterinarian, building relationships with local veterinarians, public wellness clinics (get basic vaccines, annual checkup)
Find your new best friend – behavior evaluations upon intake, enrichment and training programs for pets in our care (adventure outings, different trail scents), transports from the south (from overpopulated shelters – recently flew 21 animals in from Jupiter FL), fewer hurdles to adoption (shouldn’t be easier off Craig’s list than from a shelter, facilitate finding a good match)
Appreciation – being gracious for all gifts, donors and volunteers, personal acknowledgements for donations

Jim Carroll: Is it easier to use social media to get people to know what they are getting into?

R: Yes. Editing videos, adding music – we have a younger person who can do this.

James Carroll: Do you charge for your services?

R: Yes, but we will never look toward adoption or clinic fees to make our budget.

Ron Michaud: I’ve heard of veterinarian visits by phone? How do you think that works?

R: Similar to telehealth. Be careful about the organizations and companies you use. There’s a lot more to learn by having a doc checks humps and bumps.

Ron Michaud: How has modern tech helped?

When I worked at SPCA in Texas, we were a hub for shelters within an hour of us. We used air-conditioned trucks, sometimes 3-day trips. Now using air transportation is much quicker and healthier. Coming into our shelter, pets need to spend 48 hours getting checked over – NH dept agriculture has rules about this.

Speaker’s book for Kilton Children’s Library:

100 Goats and Granny!

by Atinuke (Author), Lauren Hinds (Illustrator)

With a hefty dollop of humor, Atinuke’s rollicking counting story takes on a life of its own when Granny’s mischievous goats start escaping.

Granny’s got a goat! Granny’s got a goat! Not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, but more and more and more and more!

Excitement is in the air as Granny collects more and more goats! Eight are great, fifty are nifty... but when their number reaches one hundred, things start to get out of hand. There’s a brown goat beeping on the bus, a gray one sitting in the salon, a white goat stealing panties from the line, and one has gone missing altogether—who can count in all this mayhem? Beloved storyteller Atinuke has a field day following goats throughout the town, while a gleeful crowd of children try their best to track them. With colorful, spirited illustrations by Lauren Hind, here’s an uproarious read-aloud you can count on to bring giggles and smiles.

Announcements

Brew Fest (August 30^th, Saturday)

Now is the time to sign up to volunteer. We still need about 15. If you can’t come, think of friends and others who might enjoy volunteering for a free lunch and some beer at the close of the event.

Sponsors: $15,750, larger than last year. Claremont Savings Bank is providing 1,200 cozies for nearly $2,200.

Our two weeks at REVO are Sep. 7-17. They have a full-page ad in the Brew Fest booklet and they have posted a roadside sign outside the casino.

Next committee meeting: Wednesday August 13 at noon

Tables – We need more tables. Do you have any you can let the club use? RayLynn offered to lend tables from her UVHS if we need more.

Publicity – Rich Wallace – Ads, targeted digital campaign to folks who have attended or are likely to attend, email blitz to people who attended 2 years ago, call to action. A little over 70 tix have been sold.

Our nomad existence for September and first week in October because of ventilation construction at the Dwinell Room

August 28: Tyler Lewis, Head of School, Kimball Union Academy, Meridan Library, 22 Bean Rd, Meriden, NH 03770. Let us know if you plan to be at the meeting so we can order lunches.
Sept 4 – DG Luc Pomerleau at Service Credit Union. Service Credit Union. Arrive no earlier than 11:30 and leave by 1:30 PM. Will need help to setup and take down tables. Must sign in and sign-out.
September 11, 2025: Victor Tom on “How rocket science made it into major league baseball and strike zone.” @ Osher, One Court Street Level 3… Marilyn will bring a sign-up sheet next week – you must register for lunches (pizza and beverage) and room capacity is an issue too.
September 18 – Salt Hill, order off the menu, Club board, Charities and Brewfest reports.
September 25 – Owner of Simple Energy, Service Credit Union. Arrive no earlier than 11:30 and leave by 1:30 PM. Will need help to setup and take down tables. Must sign in and sign-out.
October 2 – Aaron Rifkin, Hopkins Center, Still waiting to confirm location.

Styrofoam collection – Sustainable Lebanon is looking for volunteers for 8:15-11:30 am.

Hosted by Hartford on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, 9-11 am:

Mascoma Bank parking lot

243 Sykes Mountain Ave

White River Junction, VT 05001

“Able-bodied people who will likely help with sorting, packing, and loading foam, and people with limited mobility who will likely help with collecting donations, handing out flyers, and checking in volunteers. If you know of any agile adults (or mature teenagers) who might be willing to help, please ask them. If you can't join us on Oct. 4, please consider volunteering to bake or buy refreshments to donate. I would like to have a solid volunteer list by September 1.”

Happy Dollars

Rich Wallace – His daughter moved to marketing manager position at Grappone Auto group in Manchester. Congratulations!
Ernst Oidtmann told us of the businesses he has solicited for Brew Fest sponsoring and advertising.
Angela Nelson – One newborn and one soon-to-be newborn (If your writer heard correctly!): Roland Baxter great-nephew; another great-nephew will be named Orion Ross Hunter Lord. Angela went to 3 concerts last week and will attend two more next week, despite the broken bone in her right foot . . .
Dean Cashman – got to play hockey with two friends; paid a fine for missing Tim’s picnic but he and his foursome won topflight in the golf tournament where he spent the day.
Marilyn Bedell – Many thanks to Anna and Tim for hosting the picnic!

Raffles:

Ron Michaud selected #302 for the Queen of Hearts Card Raffle; Dave Clarenbach picked the losing 8 of hearts
Enfield Car Wash - #306 – Ron Bedell.

At 1:13 pm President Marilyn Bedell rang the bell to close the meeting with our Rotary Motto:

One profits most who serves best.