Charles Wheelan is a senior lecturer and policy fellow at the Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College, a former correspondent for The Economist, and the author of assorted books that attempt to make serious topics more accessible (and as he stated even fun).
One of his friends once described Wheelan as an “economics handyman. He has always had a passion for public policy–solving real problems–and he thinks economics (and statistics) offer a good set of tools for understanding how the world works (or doesn’t).
He is the Founder and Co-Chair of Unite America. Unite America is a political organization dedicated to bridging the growing partisan divide and fostering a more representative and functional government.
Wheelan holds a PhD in public policy from the University of Chicago, a master’s in public affairs from Princeton University, and a BA from Dartmouth College. He lives in Hanover, New Hampshire with his wife, the principal at the School Street School in Lebanon) and three children.
In addition at the start of his talk he let us know that:
He was a “junior Rotarian” who spent time in India, and shared that he spoke at a 4-hour long Rotary meeting.
He spent time as a speech writer for John Rettie McKernan in Maine. McKernan was the husband of US Senator Olympia Snowe.
He had an unsuccessful run in Chicago for the US House of Representatives seat vacated by Ron Emanuel, Obama’s White House Chief of Staff from 2009 to 2010.
He is the vice chair of the Alice Peck Day (APD) Hospital Board of Trustees. But he shared with a smile that his therapy dog, Caicos, is better known than he is. Caicos is a therapy dog at APD.
It’s amazing how a dog puts a smile on peoples’ faces, including staff. Caicos is a needed distraction in some cases, or something to talk about. Many of the patients had beloved pets during their lives, so Caicos gives them a reason to reminisce. Often, we’ll go to a room where a family is visiting a loved one and someone will say, “Oh, she’s sleeping.” But then the visitors will start petting him, telling stories, and asking questions. I can feel the mood in the room change. I remember a guy saying out loud what I’m often thinking: “Oh, I guess he’s here for us, too, isn’t he?”
The funny thing is that Caicos was raised to be a seeing-eye dog but was released from the program because “he doesn’t like to work.” He loves people but doesn’t particularly like to be told what to do. When we go to the Byrne Center and Alice Peck Day, he gets to visit with new people every week, plus the staff who are always eager to see him. No one has broken the news to him that he’s working.
Now back to Charles Wheelan’s presentation…
He started by sharing that in politics, “doing nothing” is “doing something”. Most things in life require compromise. To often we put off making changes until we are in crisis mode. He used Social Security as an example. Something will need to be done to raise revenue.
He shared that approximately 40% of the USA population would consider themselves independents…which should be the connective tissues between the Democrats and Republicans. So 40% of our legislators should be independents but this is not the case.
In primary elections, only a very small portion of people eligible to vote, vote. Thus diehard republicans and democrats often are the ones choosing our candidates.
Wheelan then provided an overview of Ranked Choice Voting. He shared that transitioning to this form of voting would give all of us a strong voice in our elections and ensures candidates with the broadest support get to govern.
As a voter, Ranked Choice Voting allows you to express your full range of views on the ballot — not just one. You can vote for your true favorite, and you can compromise with your backup rankings for other candidates on the ballot.
It is his belief that Ranked Choice voting helps consolidate, rather than divide, competing factions. Candidates need the support of the broadest possible coalition of their constituents — not just a vocal minority.
Phil Bush led us in reciting The4-Way Test of the Things We Think Say or Do.
President Ernst accompanied us on piano for the Rotary Welcome Song and another song in honor of Mother's Day.
We welcomed our speaker Charles Wheelan; Hanover Rotarian, Dick Podolec and his guest, Bill Sullivan who is the past president of Osher; and Juliette de Campos, who is a Rotarian from California who is beginning a new job at DHMC ad Director of Operations for Epidemiology.
Thought of the Day from Ernst Oidtmann: Provided a series of Will Rogers quotes:
“Everyone is ignorant, only on different subjects.”
“The income tax has made liars out of more Americans than golf.”...and fishing.
“Things aren’t what they used to be and never were.”
“Our Constitution protects aliens, drunks and U.S. Senators.”
And this great line: “I belong to no organized political party. I am a Democrat.”
Then it was on to our lunch buffet.
David Crandall then introduced our speaker Charles Wheelan. See story above.
Bill Secord presented the book going to the Children's Collection at the Kilton Library in honor of Charles Wheelan:
Millie Fleur's Poison Garden
by Christy Mandin (Author)
Wednesday Addams meets The Curious Garden in this delightfully peculiar story. Millie Fleur's Poison Garden is a reminder to embrace everything that makes us wonderfully weird.
Garden Glen is a very bland place. Every house and every garden look exactly like the other. That is… until Millie Fleur La Fae comes to town.
Up on a scruffy hill, beside a ramshackle house, Millie Fleur plants her marvelously strange garden, filled with Sneezing Stickyweed, Fanged Fairymoss, and Grumpy Gilliflower. Millie Fleur finds it enchanting, but the townspeople of Garden Glen call it poison!
But Millie Fleur is proud of her beloved little garden. So if some townspeople want to be sticks in the mud, she'll take matters into her own hands and find the kindred spirits who appreciate everything the garden has to offer.
Millie Fleur's Poison Garden encourages readers to embrace what makes them wonderfully weird! Perfect for readers of The Creepy Carrots and fans of the Addams Family movies.
See announcements, happy/sad dollars, raffle winners, attendance, future programs and speakers, standing meetings and Rotary News below.
Adjourned meeting at 1:16 PM with our motto,
One profits most who serves best.
Announcements
Social Gathering at Salt Hill: Rotary Club of Lebanon...Social Gathering 3rd Monday of Every Month Next gathering will be May 19, 2025
Take Flight End of Year Celebration, May 28, 2025 from 9:30 AM at the Hanger at LHS.
Civic Memorial Park Build: Anticipate Grand Opening of the playground by the middle of May.
Golf: 32nd Annual Bedell Classic will be on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 at Eastman Golf Links in Grantham. 10 AM Shotgun Start. Please start recruiting players and finding sponsors for this important fundraising event. Brochure will be sent to members soon. Bruce handed out information about golf at the end of the meeting and will send it by email to everyone too.
Club Change Over Celebration: Wednesday, June 11, 2025 at 5:00 PM SAVE THE DATE. At the Quechee Inn at Marshland Farms. (Dinner to be served at 6 PM), $45/person. Please let Ron Bedell know if you are or are not coming to the dinner.
2025 Brew Fest: Planning is underway for Brew Fest! It will be on Saturday, August 30th at Colburn Park in Lebanon. We hope everyone who can will be there to volunteer, and work to find sponsors for the event. Tickets will be available on EventBrite. The Brew Fest Committee walked the park on Friday afternoon. They decided we would not enlarge our footprint in the park. We will continue to use 1/2 of the park. Porta potties have been reserved. We will have two banks for porta potties this year with two handicapped accessible units.
Happy/Sad Dollars
Steve Grant’s brother has retired from the Aspen Ski Corporation and has moved to Dijon, France.
Marion Steiner was beaming as she announced that her daughter, Elizabeth has graduated from Franklin Pierce University and will spend the summer working as a nursing assistant before moving on to work on her doctorate in physical therapy.
RAFFLES
We started a new deck of cards. Dean Cashman pulled the 7 of clubs.
The Enfield car wash went to a very happy Will Koppenheffer.
Attendance:
Rotarians: Bill Babineau, Marilyn Bedell, Ronald Bedell, Phil Bush, Dave Clarenbach, Dean Cashman, Dave Clarenbach, Hank Clarke, Dave Clarenbach Dave Crandall, Jim Damren, Mila Dela Pina, Steve Grant, Tim Guaraldi, Ahmad Haidari, Max Jovanovich*, Jane Mason*, Ron Michaud, Dan Nash, Ernst Oidtmann, Bill Secord, George Wenz, Steve Whitman, Cal Wolfe, John Yacavone
Speaker, Charles Wheelan; Hanover Rotarian Dick Podolec; Dick's guest, Bill Sullivan; and Rotarian Juliette de Campos
FUTURE MEETING PROGRAMS/SPEAKERS
May 22:Infrastructure and Public Works Update – Jay Cairelli, Director of Public Works May 29:Lifelong Learning at Osher – Osher Presentation (Field Trip to Osher offices, organized by Hank, Catered by Jakes.)
June 5: Mark Harvey talking about National Parks
June 11: CHANGE OVER at Quechee Inn. If you haven't RSVPed already let Ron Bedell know if you are or are not coming.
June 12: no meeting
June 19: Tracy Hutchins, President Upper Valley Business Alliance
June 26: Lynee Turek, Earth Science professor at Dartmouth
Note: David Crandall scheduled programs for May and June 2025
July 3: Peggy O’Neill, Executive Director, WISE
July 10: Joe Clifford, Executive Director Lebanon Opera House
July 17: BOD and Charities Reports and Classification talk
July 24: Rick Kendall, Superintendent, Saint Gaudens National Historical Park
August 7: Brey Adams, Interim Executive Director Upper Valley Humane Society
August 14: Lori Shibinette, CEO West Central Behavioral Health
August 21: Charities Report and Final Plans for Brew Fest
August 28: Tyler Lewis, Head of School, Kimball Union Academy
September 4: Luc Pomerleau, District Governor Visit
September 11: Victor Tom, Topic: “How rocket science made it into major league baseball and strike zone.”
September 18: BOD, Charities Report and Classification talk
September 25: Rob Stenger, one of the owners of Simple Energy
Program Team for 2025-2026. John Yacavone (July, Augt, Sept), Steve Grant (Sept, Oct, Nov), Hank Clark (Jan, Feb, March) and Dave Crandall (April, May, Jun)
Standing Meetings
Membership Meetings: Second Tuesday each month at 3:30 PM at Downtown Lebanon Library and via Zoom.
Contact: Ahmad Hadari
Youth Services: Second Wednesday of the month at Noon
Contact: Christian MacDonald
Charities: Third Wednesday of the month at 1:00 p.m.
Contact: Bruce Pacht
Board Meeting: 4th Tuesday of every month at 4:00 PM via Zoom.
Contact: Ernst Oidtmann
Golf: 2025 schedule to be announced
Contact: Bruce Bergeron
Brew Fest: The 2025 Schedule to be announced
Contact: Hank Clarke
Rotary News
Community health workers are vital to Rotary’s initiatives
Community health workers play important roles in health care systems worldwide and are essential to Rotary’s health initiatives, especially the fight against polio and other diseases. With their expansive personal networks, they can identify and connect with underserved people around them. Often, they go from house to house to provide basic medical interventions and advice. Learn more about this hidden army on the front lines of Rotary’s health initiatives.
She’s the perfect messenger – and she’ll be speaking in Calgary
Katharine Hayhoe crunches the data. She analyzes the models. Then she explains the climate crisis in terms the rest of us can understand – its scale, how it magnifies virtually every other global challenge, and how all hope is not lost. Hayhoe will be a keynote speaker at the 2025 Rotary International Convention in Calgary. Read a profile of her in the May issue of Rotary magazine.
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