Co-President Jim Damren called the meeting to order.
Bruce Pacht lead us in reciting the 4-Way Test
Jim Damrens's Thought of the day was from Confucius: "It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop"
Ernst Oidtmann played and we sang our Rotary Welcome Song, and The Farmer is the Man…though remember, women can be farmers too, like our Rotary Foundation Global Scholar, Grace Gray who is studying sustainable farming at America University in Rome.
Birthdays - Cal Wolfe and Josh Smith
No Anniversaries
Then it was time for our lunch buffet
Club business meeting: We reviewed out 2026/2027 Club Goals and the 2026/2027 Operating Budget
2026/2027 Club Goals
Jim Damren outlined out Club goals for 2026/2027. The PowerPoint Jim displayed was emailed to members to review. Highlights:
Grow and sustain membership by engaging all members by having great programs, and having fun at our meetings, plus having social gathering (third Monday, Presidents Picnic, holiday party, changeover), and by having members participate in service projects (up to 15) and fundraiser (Brewfest and Golf). If we can strengthen member engagement, our club goals will take care of themselves. We need to tap in to each members interests and passions. We need to foster opportunities for everyone to participate outside of our weekly meetings.
Explore opportunities to engage members in International Service activities.
Use social media and other media to tell people about the good work we do.
Every member will voluntarily support the Rotary Foundation's Annual Programs Fund and Polio Eradiation initiative at a level the are comfortable in giving.
Priorities:
Every member will be on a committee
Every member participate in at least 4 service projects.
Encourage a New Member Service Project with Charities to provide money for the new service project(s) to be selected by members who joined in last 24 months.
Jim and Bruce are planning a personal outreach to encourage members to stay engaged.
In closing Jim reminded us that this is OURClub. He then shared that he hopes we will all come along with Bruce B, and our Board of our Directors, on the journey. Like Rotary International Jim reminded us that, Together, we should see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves
2026/2027 Operating Budget
Angela Nelson presented our operations budget for 2026/207. The budget document has been sent to all members. A motion was made by Bruce Pacht to accept the 2026/2027 budget as outlined by Angela. The motion was seconded by Marion Steiner. The motion passed in the affirmative unanimously by the members present for the meeting. Highlights:
Dues will remain at $40/month
Meals will remain at $10 if you choose to eat. If we have a budget deficit for meals, Bruce Bergeron has generous offered to cover the deficit to keep meal at $10, otherwise our meals costs would have been raised to $13 or $14/memeber eating. The Board of Directors appreciate this offer from Bruce Bergeron.
The budget was mailed to all members with instructions to send questions to Angela Nelson, Jim Damren or Bruce Bergeron.
Announcements
Community Service: Angela outlined how she and Marion Steiner are planning to organize community service activities. The are very open to hearing from you. They will be calling a Community Service Committee soon. Please share your ideas for new service projects or ways to improve our other service projects.
Angela reminded us that the Lebanon Opera House is looking for volunteers to set-up and take down tables, chairs, etc., used for NEXUS. An email was sent about this. LOH is looking for help in two shifts on Friday, August 7: 10-noon and 1-3 pm. Ideally, we'd have 3-4 volunteers for each shift to help move tents, tables, and chairs from LOH to Colburn Park. We also need help putting up signage and lighting. I suspect it's similar work to the set-up for Brewfest.
Lebanon Human Services is doing a homeless/unhoused count on August 18 and 19. New volunteers will be paired with an experienced volunteer. Interested in volunteering? Please complete theonline interest surveyto help match volunteers with a suitable date, time, location, and outreach partner for the summer homeless count. Want more info? CLICK HERE
Brewfest: deadline for getting sponsors has been extended until August 5, at 5 PM. We have gained sponsorships in the past week, equally last year, but Jim still hopes we can exceed last years total sponsorships. Reminder, information has been sent out about last years sponsors that we have not heard from. Can you help?
Brewfest Meeting: The next meeting of the Brewfest committee will be August 11, 2026 at Service Credit Union, Mechanics Street, at 12 noon.
Brewfest Signage: We still have some signs that could be placed in high traffic areas. If you know of a property that would let us post a sign talk to John Yacavone.
Brewfest Volunteers: Help will be needed on Friday, September 4, 2026, to do the initial setup. Then the day of the event, September 5, 2026, we many volunteers. If you know of individuals who could be approached to help, let Bruce Bergeron know ASAP so he can get them on the list. Bruce sent out an email asking if you can help. Please respond YES or NO. Thanks in advance for responding to Bruce Bergeron's email.
Help needed: Friday, September 4th (Set-up) from 2:30 to 5 PM. Saturday, September 5th, all day or 8-10 AM (final set-up); During the event from 10 AM to 4:15 PM; and finally from 4 PM until we have taken down our “stuff” and cleaned up the park.
Reminder Bruce Bergeron want to know if you can't help too.
Milkweed Planting with our District Governor Ariel Mondlak on August 6,2026, at about 2 PM: Our 2026/2027 District Governor has selected a “protecting the environment” project for all clubs in our district. Her goal is to improve the habitat for Monarch Butterflies in our region. Bruce and Jim are spearheading this project. If you want to help plant milkweed, please hold this date on your calendars.
Improving Access to Parks and Trails in Lebanon: From last week…John Stalvey reported that a small group has been meeting to prioritize places that Nenia Ballard identified as problem areas for individuals in wheelchairs. Dean Cashman is leading this project. Members who are working with Dean are John Stalvey, Paul Coats, Dave Clarenbach and Bruce Bergeron. More information will be coming about ways all of us can help get this work accomplished.
Speakers: Hannah Falcone will be organizing our speakers for January, February and March, and Ron Michaud will do this for April, May and June.
******************************
Happy Dollars
Steve Grant on Saturday July 18, He toured Lie-Nielsen Toolworks in Warren, Maine.
Hank Clarke shared that he had two delightful weeks in Maine. Seeing loons, egrets, blue heron, etc.
Christina Annas will be heading to Paris for two weeks of touring in Europe.
Ernst Oidtmann will be spending his birthday next week in Maine. He completed version #3 of his last will and testament, and hopes he get to do it a few more time in his lifetime.
Ron Michaud reflected on playing golf with Bill Babineau near the equator. He apologized to Bill that he only lasted12 holes to Bill being able to play the entire 18 holes.
Angela Nelson thanks all of us for our kind words of sympathy on the death of her mother,. She then talked about the upcoming memorial service that will be preceded by going to a concert at Meadowbrook with family…so the weekend will be a mixture of fun, many memories and celebrating her Mom's life.
************************
Queen of Hearts, Someone pulled the Ace of Spades…I can't remember who this was, as I was distracted by a unplanned visitor from assisted living who was lost…She was delightful…bottom line…the hunt for the Queen will continue.
Car wash, went to Bill Chabot once again! Two weeks in a row…Wow!!
********************************
Attendance
Christina Annas, Bill Babineau, Marilyn Bedell, Ron Bedell, Dave Clarenbach, Jim Damren, Steve Grant, Tim Guaraldi, Carol Keefe, Linda Lewis, Ron Michaud, Dan Nash, Angela Nelson, Ernst Oidtmann, Bruce Pacht, Phil Rentz, Bill Secord, John Stalvey, Marlon Steiner, Rich Wallace, Ricard Wallace, Steve Whitman, John Yacavone
***********************
UPCOMING EVENTS
September 3, District Governor Ariel Mondlak visitation—Just before our Brewfest! Milkweed Planting Service Project at 2 PM on August 6, 2026
CLUB FUNDRAISER
September 5, Saturday of Labor Day Weekend: 2026 Brewfest
(NOTE: This is now the official spelling and capitalization of “Brewfest.” The only exception is ALL CAPS for certain applications such as our road signs:“BREWFEST.” One word, in both cases.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
August 6: Club Meeting, Classification talk by Tyler Hagan
August 13: Gary Summerton Portraits
August 20: Clara Moses, Hydrate Marketing
August 27: Colby Price Director Lebanon Adult Education & Literacy Services SAU 88
.jpg)
.jpg)
