In attendance: Marilyn Bedell, Ron Bedell, Bruce Bergeron, Phil Bush, Hank Clarke, Jim Damren, Nick Gafney, Tim Guaraldi, Willy Koppenheffer, Ron Michaud, Angela Nelson, Ernst Oidtmann, Bruce Pacht, Phil Rentz, Bill Secord, Richard Wallace, Cal Wolfe, and John Yacavone.
Venue: Salt hill Pub
Call to order: President Marilyn at noon.
Four-way Test lead by Angela Nelson.
Wedding anniversary: Tyler and Justine Hagan, five years.
Thought of today: September 21 was the UN Day of Peace. Rotarian should promote hope and respect, and the eight pillars of peace.
Charities Report by Bruce Pacht:
The Charities Board consists of seven directors, three ex-officio and four elected. As of July 1, 2025, Phil Bush took office as the fourth elected member of the board of trustees, with his term expiring June 30, 2028. Jim Damren and Bruce Bergeron, both attend charities meetings by virtue of the club office they share. They share one ex-officio vote. President Marilyn is a regular non-voting attendee at charities meetings. On June 30, 2026, Marion Steiner’s term will expire. Next month we will open nominations for her seat with voting to be completed by December.
In the first three months of the current Rotary year, the club has allocated $3,800 to various projects. There are $2,200 plus in prospective allocations in process.
We Rotarians raise money in order to spend it doing good things, not to squirrel away for some indefinite future. However, the success of our fundraising has allowed the club to begin discussing the possibility of engaging in a project of unusual impact and importance for the greater Lebanon area. We should consider forming a committee to further investigate such an initiative, and to investigate the possibility of partnering with other organizations.
We strongly encourage Lebanon Rotarians involved with other organizations to seek out and propose actions. Charities might like to enhance the work of those organizations, particularly with projects that have a beginning and an end, rather than simple general support.
The Conspirators: You have to get to the meeting early to keep a watch on them.
Brewfest Report:
Treasurer Angela reported that our net proceeds for the Brewfest were just shy of $36,000.
Announcements:
Beginning October 1, dues will be $40 per month and will be reviewed thereafter.
President Marilyn is looking for perspective board of directors members for next year and for people to review the bylaws in light of Rotary International’s constitutional changes.
There will be a Dwinell Room cleanup on October 4. Volunteers are needed.
Bruce Bergeron is looking for volunteers for the October 20 dental clinic in Hartford. He is also looking for volunteers for flu clinics in Enfield on October 2 and in Canaan on October 29.
Tim Guaraldi is looking for volunteers for food drives at the Lebanon co-op on October 25 and November 15.
Angela is looking for volunteers to help her with holiday basket helpers, which will be starting up shortly. In addition, she is also looking for donations to support the baskets. Checks may be made out to Rotary Club of Lebanon Charities.
Ron Bedell announced the holiday dinner will be on December 16 at the Dwinell Room. The dinner, in addition to good food, will feature the famous Yankee Swap. There will be no meeting on December 18.
John Yacavone announced that Harvest Hill won’t be ready until 16 October. On October 9, we will meet at Salt hill.
Foundation information will go out in October according to Ron Bedell.
Bruce Bergeron is currently storing over 40 cases of beer left over from the Brew Fest. Ten of these cases will be on sale next week outside the Service Credit Union.
Braggs and Happy Dollars:
Angela has a great nephew.
Bruce Pacht got two vaccinations, flu and Covid.
Tim Guaraldi’s daughter’s pregnancy is progressing nicely. She is due in October.
Angela needs a truck to plough with and to go to Home Depot.
Bruce Pacht announced that ice cream at Fore-U is closing September 29.
And a big shout out to Bruce Bergeron, who bought lunch for everyone attending this club meeting at Salt hill!
Dental Clinic Volunteers:
Left and above: Ron Bedell with Dr. Rudi Feruzzi, who was instrumental in organizing the clinic, and Dr. Andy Jones, who has a dental practice in Lebanon. Below:Geneva Cote, Chronic Disease Prevention Specialist at Vermont Department of Health and Lead Dentist, Dr. Bob.
There were five people associated with the Rotary Club of Lebanon at the Pop-up Dental Clinic in White River Junction: Andy Jones, Ron Michaud, Ron and Marilyn Bedell...plus Carol Keeffe (a prospective member and realtor for Coldwell Banker in Hanover).
Carol and Ron helped on the registration table; Andy Jones was a scribe for the dentist; and Ron and Marilyn Bedell were at the exit table. Former club member, Rudy Fedrizzi was there on registration.
The clinic cared for about 30 people.
Happy Dollars:
Marilyn—for having Tom as guest and speaker. She had met Tom and Sze at a Rotary conference in Massachusetts earlier this year.
Bill Babineau—for turning 70.
Victor Tom—for his six-month-old grandson’s having had a successful operation.
Upcoming meetings:
Our nomad existence for September and first week in October:
September 25, 2025: Rob Stenger Simple Energy. Service Credit Union, Mechanics Street…DO NOT ARRIVE BEFORE 11:30 p.m. Help will be needed for set up and clean-up at the end of the meeting. We need to be out of the room by 1:30 p.m. Sign-in prior to coming up to the meeting room on level two.
October 2, 2025: District Governor Luc Pomerleau + RYLA presentation at Service Credit Union, Mechanics Street…DO NOT ARRIVE BEFORE 11:30 p.m. Help will be needed for set up and clean-up at the end of the meeting. We need to be out of the room by 1:30 p.m. Sign-in prior to coming up to the meeting room on level two.
October 9, 2025: Grace Gray, Rotary Global Scholar. Service Credit Union, Mechanics Street. Same routine.
CALENDAR THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR:
September 25: Rob Stenger, one of the owners of Simple Energy at Service Credit Union.
October 2: District Governor Luc Pomerleau plus RYLA presentation at Service Credit Union.
October 9:Emily Gray, Global Scholar—Policies for Sustainable Food Production in Consumption. Presentation at Service Credit Union.
October 16:PDG Eric Denu—Polio Awareness Day.
October 23: Aaron Rivkin, Manager of Impact and Community Alliance, The Hopkins Center at Dartmouth.
October 30: Matthew Garcia, Windsor County Mentors.
November 6:Susan Cherry—Rotary Foundation Month—Focus on Middle East Peace Center in Turkey.
November 13: Roy Schlieben, Executive Director, MAXT Makerspace, Peterborough, NH.
November 2: BOD/Charities Reports +/- Classification Talk—Announce BOD and Trustee for 2026/2027.
November 27: NO MEETING—Thanksgiving.
December 4: Mascoma Music Boosters.
December 11: TBD.
December 16: Holiday party and Famous Yankee Swap at the Dwinell Room.
December 18: NO MEETING--Holiday party on Tuesday, December 16.
