Minutes of regular meeting—Thursday, January 9, 2025
Attendance: Angela Nelson, Ernst Oidtmann, Richard Wallace, Ron Michaud, Steve Whitman, Dave Clarenbach, Cal Wolfe, Hank Clarke, Bill Secord, Dan Nash, Bruce Bergeron Dave Crandall, Max Jovanovich, Ahmad Haidari, John Yacavone, Phil Rentz, Dean Cashman, Mila de la Pena, Bruce Pacht.
Meeting called to order @ 12:00 by President Ernst.
Today was a National Day of Mourning for former US President Jimmy Carter.
After his term of office, Carter started the Carter Center, which was a major force in pushing for the eradication of Guinea Worm Disease in Africa. Bill Babineau, Ron Michaud, and Steve Usle from our club went to Ghana to visit work with Jim Niquette of the Carter Center to support a Global Grant to eradicate guinea worm from a specific region in Ghana.
Guinea-worm disease is caused by the parasitic worm Dracunculus medinensis or Guinea-worm. This worm is the largest of the tissue parasites affecting humans. The adult female, which carries about 3 million embryos, can measure 600 to 800 mm in length and 2 mm in diameter. When a person drinks contaminated water from ponds or shallow open wells, the cyclops is dissolved by the gastric acid of the stomach and the larvae are released and migrate through the intestinal wall.
After 100 days, the male and female meet and mate. The male becomes encapsulated and dies in the tissues while the female moves down the muscle planes. After about one year of the infection, the female worm emerges, usually from the feet, releasing thousands of larvae and thus repeating the life cycle.
From the World Health Organization’s “Dracunculiasis eradication: global surveillance summary, 2023”: “In 2023, five countries reported a total of fourteen human cases of dracunculiasis in a total of eleven villages, namely, Chad (nine cases), South Sudan (two cases), Mali (one case) and one case each in Cameroon and Central African Republic (CAR), which was certified as dracunculiasis-free in 2007.” By comparison, in 1989, there were 892,055 cases of Guinea worm infection in the world.
We performed our weekly rote recitation of the 4-Way Test of the Things We Think, Say, or Do, as led by Bill Secord.
President Ernest played us through the “Rotary Welcome Song,” followed by one verse and chorus of “Skip to My Lou.” Here’s what Wikipedia says about this song having originated in the USA in the 1840s:
Carl Sandburg, poet and biographer of President Abraham Lincoln, writes that "Skip-to-my-Lou" was a popular party game in Lincoln's youth in southern Indiana, with verses such as "Hurry up slow poke, do oh do," "I'll get her back in spite of you," "Gone again, what shall I do," and "I'll get another girl sweeter than you".[1]
John A. and Alan Lomax wrote that "Skip to My Lou" was a simple game of stealing partners (or swapping partners as in square dancing). It begins with any number of couples skipping hand in hand around in a ring. A lone boy in the center of the moving circle of couples sings, "Lost my partner, what'll I do?" as the girls whirl past him. The young man in the center hesitates while he decides which girl to choose, singing, "I'll get another one just like you." When he grasps the hand of his chosen one, the latter's partner moves to the center of the ring. It is an icebreaker, providing an opportunity for the participants to get acquainted with one another and to get into a good mood.
Guests:
Clare Geno – AVA Outreach Coordinator. John Yacavone made sure to tell Clare where to get the best Caesar salad in the area, where to shop (at Market Basket), where to get the best Mexican (not Tex-Mex) food in the Upper Valley, and lots of other advice I didn’t catch because I wasn’t really listening . . . A walking “Welcome Wagon” is our John.
Susan Downing (piano teacher) and husband Skip Downing (piano tuner).
Linda Oidtmann
Thought of the Day: NH has the saying “Live Free or Die.” Dutch people fought for freedom from Spain for 80 years. The Netherlands used to produce famous cloth, mostly from the town of Leiden, which was sent to England after coloring. Therefore, said President Ernst, “In Holland we say, “Live free and dYe.”
Ernst introduced Annemieke, who also was born in Holland. She has performed throughout Europe, the United Kingdom and the US.
Together, they played (wonderfully!) three Romantic pieces for four hands.
Mozart: The Magic Flute—song by the bird catcher, Papageno. He has a set of magic chimes. He and Prince Tamino are seeking Princess Pamina.
Haydn: Il Maestro e Lo Scolare (“The Maestro and the Student”). Theme and Six variations.
Beethoven: Marcia II: Vivace and Trio, Opus 45, NR 2.
Bill Secord presented this week’s book to be donated to the Kilton Library Children’s Section in honor of Annemieke’s presentation today: Holding Her Own, about the exceptional life of Jackie Orms, who was an editorial cartoonist working after World War II. It tells of her struggles as a Black woman in the man’s world of postwar journalism and racial animosity.
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Phil Rentz presented three Paul Harris recognitions:
John Yacavone announced that our arrangement to purchase Rotary-themed spring-and-fall-weight vests and jackets had expired because of lack of use. He convinced Top Stitch to give us one more chance. If FOUR people email John (jyac37@gmail.com) with a commitment to purchase an item, John will relay that information to Top Stitch, and they will re-open the web site for orders. So, this is your LAST CHANCE to get some Lebanon Rotary swag!
John Yacavone visited the hangar behind Lebanon High School where the “Take Flight!” airplane build project is taking place. He was very impressed by the groups of students working on different parts of the plane who worked intently with mentors; after all, one cannot make any mistakes when building an airplane. John reported that they already have a buyer for this plane. When it’s sold, the money will provide for purchase of another kit.
Ahmad Haidari announced that Membership Committee meetings will take place in person on the second Tuesday of each month at 3:30 p.m. at the downtown branch of the Lebanon Library, beginning on January 14. Remote attendance will be possible, and all Rotarians are welcome to attend.
Jon and Melinda Blodgett (Jon is a past president of Lebanon Rotary) are selling their home today and purchasing another tomorrow!
Dave Clarenbach announced that he is to be a first-time grandfather in mid-April. Congratulations, Dave!
George Wenz said that his favorite great granddaughter on the east coast will be baptized on Sunday.
Ahmad Haidari told us that his son, living in LA, has been sending him updates about the fires. Media reports should be understood for what they are in the affected areas—not all of L.A. is going up in flames.
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. Note: We have changed the meeting time for November and December. Because the November meeting would be Thanksgiving week we will meet instead on December 3, at 4:00 p.m. The next meeting then will be the 4th Tuesday at 4:00 p.m.
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