August 26, 2021 at noon (At Harvest Hill): Craig Henderson of Southwestern Community Services; they run a homeless shelter in Claremont. He will speak on homelessness in Sullivan/Cheshire Counties and NH in general, as well as a new program being developed by the state — the NH Emergency Rental Assistance Program.
September 2, 2021 at noon (On Zoom)
September 9, 2021 at noon (At THE WOODLANDS) Samantha Davidson Green
Coordinator for CATV’s Operations. To speak about plans for revitalizatio
September 16, 2021, (On Zoom)
September 23, 2021, at noon (at Harvest Hill) Speaker To be announced
September 30, 2021, FIFTH THURSDAY To be announced
Cameron Ford came to the Lebanon Rotary Club via the Rotary Club of Nashua, and then the Queen City Club in Manchester. Cameron reflected that he was away from our club for while due to health issues and work demands, but is delighted to be back.
Cameron was born in Concord, NH. At the age of three he moved to Contoocook, NH. He still lives in Contoocook and commutes to work at Headrest in Lebanon.
Cameron is a middle child. He has seven siblings. He had a hard working father (a stone cutter) who taught him the value of work. He remembers asking his father at the age of nine, "How do you get money?" His father replied to get money you have to work. This led him to pick up a snow shovel during a snow storm, and he shoveled a lot of sidewalks and he earned $9.00 that day. "Which was a lot of money for a 9 year old." This made him realize his father was correct.
His father also encouraged him to "Try everything. This will help you decide what you really want to do." We learned that Cameron has tried a lot of things throughout his live.
He went to high school in Hopkinton. He graduated a the age of 17 and enlisted into the military's first infantry. He went to Kansas. When he came home, he worked with heavy equipment, did masonry, had a garage and did vehicle repairs, and was a stone cutter. None of the jobs came with benefits, so he began exploring options that would enable him to have insurance. He got a job working with working the individuals who had developmental disabilities. He then spent time working with juvenile offenders, where he was able to share the importance of doing work you like. He has worked with veterans helping them to find work. He came to Headrest in Lebanon, 41/2 years ago, an organization that has a wonderful history. When he arrived, the annual budget was $750,000 and has grown to $3.5 million.
From the Headrest web page (https://headrest.org/): Founded in 1971, Headrest is a non-profit organization with a mission to assist those affected by substance use disorder, experiencing a crisis, or in need of support by providing effective programs and treatments. We also offer support to the family members, friends, neighbors and employers of our clients.
Cameron shared that he has been in recovery for 32 years, and this has helped him stay focused and working to help others.
Cameron is a father of six and he has 11 grandkids. They are located all across the country. He has been married for nearly 40 years.
When it comes to other interests, as you would expect he has many. He love to ride and restore motorcycles, he has boxing skills, and has coached boxing. He has skills to do plumbing and heating repairs.
Bruce Pacht asked Cameron about his Rotary passion, and he replied, "What we are able to do to give back to others."
Cameron, thank you for sharing your talents with our club.
Here is a copy of Cameron's bio as posted on the Headrest web page (https://headrest.org/):
Cameron Ford
Executive Director
Cameron Ford, Executive Director since 2017, brings 30 plus years of nonprofit experience to our team, serving youth and adults in the criminal justice system, students and adults with disabilities, underserved youth, adults with mental illness, and people with substance use disorders. Prior to joining Headrest, Cameron was Vice President of Business Development for CORE Vocational Services, CEO and founder of Iron Heart Gateways to Success, Executive Director of Granite Pathways and MYTURN Inc. and was Director of Business Development at Work Opportunities Unlimited for 14 years. Cameron’s “off duty” pursuits involve the restoration of antique motorcycles, and, of course testing them out on our beautiful New England highways!
We were welcomed to the Woodlands by Cindy Jerome, Executive Director or the Woodlands and fellow Rotarian. Cindy made sure we were all vaccinated for Covid-19, masked while in common areas, and she checked to make sure we were afebrile. We all passed!
The Woodlands was a lovely venue for our meeting.
At my corner of our open square table, Bruce Bergeron, Jim Damron and I reflected on the aging and the passage of time, that not so long ago what we would have considered "old" no longer seems "old" to us now. The magic of aging.
Hank Clarke called our meeting to order at 12:06 PM. We we able to successfully recite the 4-Way Test in unison. There wasn't a piano nearby, so there was no singing of our Rotary song and a patriotic song..
We then enjoyed our meal of a salad, beef, chicken legs and fish and roasted potatoes and veggie. They also served us warm cookies.
Happy thoughts were shared (see below)
We inducted our new member, Ahmad Haidari. Welcome to Rotary Ahmad!!
Chris Haidari (Ahmad's wife), Steve Whitman, (Ahmad's Sponsor), Ahmad H. Haidari, Tim Guaraldi,
Marilyn Bedell and our President Hank Clarke,
Cameron Ford gave his classification talk (see review of his talk above).
We then did various club announcements before moving on the announcements and happy thoughts (below)
A few pictures from our meeting. Club meeting photos thanks to Bill Secord!
Club Business and Announcements
Brew Fest
If you haven't completed the doodle poll to let us know if you can or cannot help with Brew Fest, please do this now. Sign up at:
Marilyn Bedell sent out a JPEG copy of our poster and asked you post it on your social media feeds with the list of brewers coming to Brew Fest. If you prefer, the Brewfest Post is on the Rotary Club of Lebanon Facebook page and you can share it with your friends from there.
Sponsors are coming in. The deadline for submitting a sponsor to Jim Damren in Monday, 8/15...but we may have a little wiggle room to accept one after that.
Thanks in advance for helping to to advertise and find sponsors for this fundraiser.
Nexus — Lebanon Opera House, Thank you note for our support of this musical festival this weekend.
Good morning, Bruce.
After 17 long months, Lebanon Opera House’s “COVID intermission” has come to an end. This weekend’s festivities mark our return to in-person events and serve as an epic kick-off to the 2021/2022 season.
Nexus has been designed as an immersive, three-day experience with activities scheduled sequentially in Colburn Park, on the Main Stage located behind LOH, on the pedestrian mall, and even in the just- opened rail trail tunnel. Nexus features FREE outdoor performances from dozens of eclectic artists—a mix of regional touring artists, LOH’s Upper Valley arts partners, and local students—all featured alongside displays of public art and al fresco dining. The attached PDF is your sneak peek at Nexus – it provides a day-by-day breakdown of the full schedule. Please share it with your employees.
On behalf of the team at LOH, thanks to Rotary Club of Lebanon for your support of the performing arts – this festival would not be possible without the generosity of so many in our Upper Valley community. I would love to be able to thank you personally during the weekend’s festivities – you can find me at the SPONSOR AREA tent located adjacent to the walkway between Colburn Park and the Main Stage (parking area behind LOH).
Bruce Bergeron will be asking someone on the Community Services Committee to take over the responsibility of making sure we have cook teams for all meals. This has been Hank's responsibility but we need to take this off his plate since he has a lot to do as president.
It is time for everyone to sign up for the meals between now and December. Please pick one or two days when you can help prepare meals. It is my bet you will come away knowing you have done a really good thing for our community.
Anything else for the good of the club? Happy Thoughts/concerns
Once again we forgot to draw for the car wash at the meeting, so this was done latter. Cameron Ford is the recipient of car wash this week. Bruce Bergeron will send the car wash code to Cameron. A nice reward for doing a classification talk!
Rudy Fedrizzi shared that his daughter has taken a management position in Denver. She called her Dad to get advise, "How do you manage people?" This made him smile as he shared a response close to, "when you figure it our, let me know."
Ahamd Haidari shared words of remembrance about Jim Damren's mother, Beverly Damren who died last week.
JoAnn Lemieux was working with her husbands Rotary Club at the rest area just before Exit 1 on I-91 last Saturday. The club was doing a safety break event serving coffee and pastries for donation only. JoAnn had noticed as she enter the rest area that there was a state trooper in a turn around watching for speeders. JoAnn decide to take the officer some coffee and donuts (yes, donuts). As she approached the turn around, the officer barked out, "What do you need/want?" She said "Nothing, I just thought you could use a cup of coffee and a donut. He then told her not to cross the road and that he would come to her. He thanked her for the treats, and then offered to drive her back into the rest area. She said she could walk back, but he insisted, and she accepted the offer and got into the back seat. He then put on all the blue lights and drove her back. When she got out of the police car, everyone was asking what was wrong. She assured them she had not been arrested. But JoAnn does like to make grand entrances. Her husband Phil, just shook his head...and stated, "That is what she does all the time."
Hank Clarke let us know he had been to Westport, MA over the weekend. He went to a great car museum in Newport. He said it was the best one he had ever visited.
David Crandall, we were pleased to hear that despite getting between a mother bear and her cub, somehow you got away before momma bear could cause you injury. Yikes.
Cameron Ford let us know that Headrest is in its 50th year. Headrest has absorbed another similar organization in Boscawen. This has expanded their footprint and will enable them to help more individuals who need their services.
Steve Whitman had two extra tickets for the Million Dollar Quartet at Northern Stage to give away. Will Koppenheffer was delighted to get the tickets and made a donation to the club in exchange for the tickets.
Meeting adjourned with bell ringing and our Rotary motto:
One Profits Most Who Serves Best
Members at the meeting:
Marilyn Bedell
Ron Bedell
Bruce Bergeron
Hank Clarke
David Crandall
Jim Damren
Ed Friedman
Tim Guaraldi
Rudy Fedrizzi
Cameron Ford
Tim Guaraldi
Ahmed and Chris Haidari
Cindy Jerome
Will Koppenheffer
JoAnn Lemieux
Ernst Oidtmann
Bruce Pacht
Phil Rentz
Bill Secord
Steve Whitman
Cal Wolfe
John Yacavone
Upcoming Service Projects and Fund Raisers
Listen Community Dinners Second Tuesday of Each Month.
We can resume preparing meals for the Listen Community Dinners our next dinner will be September 14, 2021. Start time 2:30 PM. At least two people need to arrive at 2:30. Others can then arrive between 2:30 and 3:15 PM.
Use Doodle to sign-up for the dinners in September, October, November and December.
We are having a Thank You Cookout for all LISTEN volunteers on September 26th from 3:00pm-5:00pm at Lyman Point Park next to our Community Dinner Hall. We will be serving food, giving out thank you bags and enjoying live music. So please save the date and to make sure you can attend. We hope to see you all there!
Our Events!
Brew Fest 2021 — September 4, 2021 (Saturday of Labor Day Weekend)
Planning underway for Brew Fest 2021. Save the date to be there to help with this fundraiser. Sign up at:
Ernst Oidtmann announce that Mascoma River Clean-up will be on September 25 is the date of the biennial Mascoma River Clean-up which will take place in concert with the Connecticut River Clean-up.
Gordon R. McInally, a member of the Rotary Club of South Queensferry, Lothian, Scotland, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International for 2023-24. He will be declared the president-nominee on 1 October if no challenging candidates have been suggested. Learn more.
Marilyn Bedell received this from the Rotary Foundation. Thanks to everyone in our club who helped our international organization exceed our fundraising goal for 2020/2021.
Dear friends,
It would be an understatement to say the 2020-21 year was a challenge.
We were confronted with circumstances which had brought the world to its knees, caused untold physical and economic hardships and much suffering, pain and even death to many of our members.
And, yet we refused to be overwhelmed. Even if we could not meet physically, we strove to be imaginative and resourceful, never losing sight of our obligation to serve our communities and support the causes most dear to us.
Our inventiveness and hard work paid off and I am delighted to tell you that we set a new fundraising record for The Rotary Foundation, raising over $440.7 million (unaudited) in 2020-21 – surpassing our $410 million comprehensive goal, beyond expectations!
We can now participate in more grants and provide the resources to achieve a polio-free world and increase our impact like never before.
You are among the first to receive this news. Detailed reports by specific region and fund will be available soon and audited results will be available in a few months, including a special thank you video to be emailed to all 2020-21 donors later this month.
I am so impressed and thankful that during a time of great personal tragedy and uncertainty, Rotarians gave so generously to our Foundation encouraged by the strong support of leaders like you. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all you for your incredible support of our Foundation.
Yours in Rotary,
K.R. Ravindran
Chair, The Rotary Foundation 2020-21
Cc:
2020-21 and 2021-22 Directors
2020-21 and 2021-22 Trustees
2020-21 and 2021-22 TRF Fundraising Committees
2020-21 and 2021-22 International PolioPlus Committee
2020-21 and 2021-22 End Polio Now Coordinators
2020-21 and 2021-22 Endowment/Major Gift Advisers
2020-21 and 2021-22 Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinators
Rotary Fellowships are international groups that share a common passion or profession. Membership in a fellowship is open to any person who’s interested.
Rotary International Convention in Houston Texas 2022
RI Convention June 4-8, 2022 in Houston TX
Ron again announce that the Rotary International Convention will be in Houston. Read more by clicking here Registration fee until 15 December will be $475.
We are now meeting every Thursday.
The First and Third Thursday at 12 Noon via Zoom
&
The Second and Forth Thursday at Noon in the Dwinell Room at Harvest Hill or at the Woodlands on the Campus of Alice Peck Day Hospital.
For in person meetings we ask that you only come if you have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19
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