Jane Mason began her talk letting us know that her goal would be to clear-up two misconceptions:
I'm a native of Lebanon
I work for CRREL
Where has Jane Lived?
Jane filled us in on her journey to Lebanon as she is not a native of the Upper Valley (she is a flatlander). She was born in a hospital in Ayer, MA. Her parents were living in Harvard MA. So her early years were in Harvard. Then her parents moved to Mansfield, CT, then on to Cohoes, NH, followed by Cropseyville, NY, Delmar, NY, Lyme, NH, Lebanon, NH, then back to Connecticut, then back to Lebanon. Lebanon and the Upper Valley is a place everyone in her family likes/liked and why she wanted to stay in the Upper Valley. She has lived on Poverty Lane, near Ernst's home, then Maple Street, then off to Enfield for her Senior year at High School, though she was able to stay at Lebanon High School. Then it was off to college (Oberlin) before purchasing a manufactured home at Hannah's MHP, then to Bank Street (a Mike Wein's apartment), then to her current home in Laro Street in Lebanon.
Jane and Her Family
Her mother, Marilyn died 5 years ago. She share a lovely picture of her parents. [Aside: I found this picture of her mother online. I think she looks a lot like Jane. I have no pictures of Jane, camera shy, so decided to include her Mom's picture]
Her Dad, Carlton "PETE" Mason (not Peter Mason the Physician in Lebanon). Pete provided Jane's first connection to Rotary. Jane's dad was a Boy Scout Field Officer, the Executive Director for the United Way of the Upper Valley (1971), He started and owned, Colonial Locksmith. His time in Rotary (40 years) started when he was living in Mansfield, MA. He then became a member of the New London Rotary Club, and then became a member of the Lebanon Club. He was an avid member of the Appalachian Mountain Club. He is now 94 years old, and is very active & continues to cook, clean (which Jane appreciates). He loves to travel, with Switzerland and the Matterhorn being one of his favorite destinations.
Jane has two brothers (both Rotarians). Jim is a telephone service technician, and EMT and involved in Boy Scouts. Rick is a former fire captain in Lebanon. He is the retired Director of NH Fire Standards, Training, and EMS. He spoke to our club in 2019. He is a Rotarain.
Jane then shared pictures of her extending family including her father's 9 great grandchildren.
Education
Jane was part of an advanced studies program at St. Paul's where she hated but pasted physics.
She graduated from Lebanon High School
She was recruited to go to Oberlin College where she majored in mathematics and classical studies.
Her Interests:
She plays French horn
Her hobbies are reading, watching TV, writing, computer games and puzzles. astronomy, learning about ancient civilizations, genetic genealogy, and sipping on wine and bloody Mary's.
Her Road to Rotary
Her father always seemed a little happier, and dressed a little nicer on Thursday. Jane quickly learned that this was Rotary Day. He always looked forward to his Rotary meeting. She was always included in Rotary "fun stuff" like club picnics. She remembers an early faux pas when the announced at a Rotary gathering that she couldn't wait to be a Rotarian....This was prior to women being permitted to be Rotarians. Her Mom took her aside and let her know that she couldn't be a Rotarian, and she was heartbroken. This didn't keep her away from Rotary work. She helped at the Auctions that were held annually, and was named an honorary member in 1993. She officially became a member in 1995. She served as club president in 2001/2022 and as an AG from 2004 to 2007.
So does she work for CRREL? You can decide...
In the summers between her years in college, she worked as and engineering aid and math aide at CRREL. She remembers working on a Missouri River Project, and on a project about the acoustical properties of ice.
Upon graduation from college she became the first computer programmer at CRRELL. She became discouraged with the job and the leadership at CRREL, and decided to resign.
After 7.5 year of what she described as "not a great time". She migrated back to CRREL and took a temporary position as a technical writer/editor in 1995. (This was during at time when there was a hiring freeze at CRREl...thus the reason for a temporary position.
Before long, she was able to be hired as an Information Specialist and she learned about video production...this was the start of a formal career in the government. She then went on to explain that there have been bumps in the road during her tenure at CRREL. At one point the 4 main laboratories in the US were consolidated (expense reduction?), but somehow this then morphed in 7 laboratories being formed. She became a part of the Information Technology Lab that is based in Vickesburg, VA. She had to reapply for a position. She applied for 20 jobs that needed to be refilled. She was hired as graphics person. She described that the first year wasn't so great...again partially the result on not having a "great" boss. She was then asked to be a web specialist. She did some supervisory work which she did not enjoy. She has joined a Application Development Team...messy at the start but now good stuff.
Jane shared that she hopes to retire in 2024.
At the end of the talk, Phil Bush shared that working with Jane's father, Pete, was great experience. He provided solid leadership during his tenure at the United Way of the Upper Valley.
Rotary of Lebanon Club
Meeting Minutes from the January 24, 2022 Meeting
Ed Friedman called our meeting to order at 12:01 PM
Ed lead the reciting of the 4-Way Test.
Car Wash Draw
Ron Bedell won the car wash
Jane Mason did her classification talk (see the story above)
Club Business:
Vote on appropriation for food relief
Reminder, at the January 19 meeting, Charities informed the Club of its decision to provide $2,500 each to Listen, the Upper Valley Haven, and the Upper Valley Senior Citizens Center for their food programs.
Bruce Pacht made the motion to support this expenditure from Charities. The motion was seconded by Hank Clarke. Discussion followed with Steve Whitman asking if Listen, which has a strong financial base is truly in need of the donation. Several members shared their thoughts on the pros and cons of making this donation. At the end of discussion, John Yacavone called that we vote on this motion. The motion passed in the affirmative with one objection.
Phil Rentz gave us an update on the Speech contest and two more judges were identified at our meeting. The second round of the speech contest most likely will be on Saturday, March 4th. This led to a long discussion about whether or not we should hold a meeting on March 2nd too. Ed Friedman, John Yacavone and Phil Rentz will meet at the end of the meeting and determine next steps to be able to make this decision.
Steve Whitman gave an update on speakers. We still need a speaker for February 9th. On February 16th, we will have an update on the work that Epilogos Charities is doing in El Salvador. On March 16th, Ernst Oidtmann will share what he has learned about the last year of WWII after reading and translating his father's diaries.
John Yacavone is working on the application for the Lebanon Poker Room/Casino. He drove to Concord to be fingerprinted, and they tell him he has not fingerprints. So...Tim Guaraldi has agreed to do this task. [but if you hear this have been a crime with no fingerprints at the scene...direct the police to John
John Yacavone will be helping to prepare a meal at the Senior Center next week. Ahmad Haidari agreed to join him
REMINDER:Our 30th Annual Bedell Classic Golf Tournament has a date change. This year it will be on FRIDAY, MAY 26, 2023 at Eastman Golf Links...SAVE THE DATE. The tournament will tee time at 10:00 AM. You all should have received the 2023 brochure from Ed Friedman via email.
The meeting was then adjourned by Ed Freidman with the reciting of our Rotary Motto. One Profits Most Who Serves Best.
Members at the meeting included: Marilyn Bedell, Ron Bedell, Bruce Bergeron, Phil Bush, Dean Cashman, Hank Clarke, David Crandall, Jim Damren, Ed Friedman, Tim Guaraldi, Ahmad Haidari, Will Koppenheffer, JoAnn Lemieux, Jane Mason, Ron Michaud, Ernst Oidtmann, Bruce Pacht, Phil Rentz, Bill Secord, Marion Steiner, Paul Tierney, Rich Wallace, Steve Whitman, Cal Wolfe John Yacavone, and Visiting Rotarian, Jimmy Brock.
Sad News: Former member, Ron Carr has died.
Ron Carr
1938 - 2023
News of Ron's death was published in the Valley news. You can read his obituary by clicking here. The family is planning a celebration of Ron's life in the springtime.
Upcoming Projects and Fundraisers
Next Listen Dinner February 14, 2022, It's Valentine's Day! Volunteer still needed.
I set up this Doodle for volunteers to sign up to help in the senior center on Mondays and Wednesday 8-10am, through the end of February. Up to 2 people can sign up for each volunteer slot. Thank you for sharing this with your Rotary Club!
The Original Papa John making spaghetti sauce for the luncheon.
John stated..."I really enjoyed my couple of hours there."
Lebanon Casino Fundraiser - Spring 2023
Harmony Park Installation and Dedication
Dates
Installation in April
SAVE THE DATES:
Harmony Park Dedication in May 13, 2023
Club's 100th Anniversary Dinner will be June 29,2023...Again...Save the Date!
30th Bedell Classic Golf Tournament - See you at the golf course Friday, May 26 2023!!
Brew Fest 2023
Brew Fest on to
September 2, 2023
CHEERS!!
Top Stitch Rotary Vests and Jackets — A great holiday present to give to yourself!
John Yacavone has arranged for members to order light and heavier weight jackets and vest for us to wear when doing service projects...for days when our tees shirts just aren't enough to keep us comfortable and warm.
If you click the link below, Top Stitch has created a special website for Lebanon Rotary Club members to order the following clothing items.
1. Men’s and Women’s light weight jackets
2. Men’s and Women’s fleece vests
3. Men’s and Women’s fleece jackets
All jackets and vests will have Rotary Logo and club name.
Just pick your item and follow the instructions for ordering. If you decide to pick up your item at Top Stitch located at 233 Mascoma Street Lebanon, NH 03766 there will be no charge for shipping, otherwise shipping will be charged. If you have any questions about your order please contact Cody at Top Stitch at 603-448-2931. Turn around time is 3.5 - 4 weeks. Once you place your order your order will be processed no waiting on other orders to be fulfilled.
January Humor
If you read to this point thank you. Below is a link to a video the I think will make you smile. It is from mystery writer (Quebec) Louise Penny's blog.
In Louise Penny's January 2023 newsletter, she writes: "In February I sent you perhaps my favorite video ever. It comes courtesy of Canadian comedian and commentator Rick Mercer. It is especially appropriate right now…and also speaks to hope (false of otherwise)...." Here is the link...Click Here
The beauty and fragility of a pluralistic metropolis
By Carl Gershman
I have nurtured a special interest in Thessaloniki, the northern Greek city on the edge of the Balkans, since I traveled there in 1996 to attend a conference on rebuilding democracy and civil society in the Balkan region after the breakup of Yugoslavia. While in Thessaloniki, I decided to take the opportunity to learn something about the city's rich Jewish history, particularly under the Ottomans when it was called Salonica.
I had read Balkan Ghosts by Robert Kaplan, who traced the modern history of the region, from the assassination that triggered World War I to the ethnic warfare in Serbia, Bosnia, and Croatia. And the organization I headed, the National Endowment for Democracy, supported civil society groups working against such brutalities in the Balkans. But exploring Thessaloniki's Jewish past offered new perspectives on the region's history. I met with Rena Molho, president of the Society for the Study of Greek Jewry, who ran a bookshop on Tsimiski Street that Kaplan had called "the lone thriving remnant of Jewish Salonica." She told me about her efforts to preserve the memory of Salonica's Jewish community that was nearly destroyed in the Holocaust.
Memories of that visit came flooding back in February 2021 when I listened to an interview with Albert Bourla, the CEO of Pfizer, about his family's Jewish roots in Thessaloniki and how his parents survived the Holocaust. Bourla was in the news frequently then, talking about the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. But it was that interview about his family story that captured my attention and gave me a much deeper understanding of the Jewish experience in Thessaloniki. His story has important lessons today for all of us in our very troubled world.
Bourla's ancestors were among the tens of thousands of Sephardic Jews who took refuge in the Ottoman Empire after they were expelled from Spain in 1492. Along with 20,000 other Jewish refugees from Spain, they settled in Salonica, where the Jewish community soon blossomed into such a thriving center of Spanish-Jewish learning and commerce that Salonica became known as "the Mother of Israel." The community's rabbis, lawmakers, and poets were famous throughout the Diaspora, attracting students and Torah scholars from many cities. The beautiful hymn "Lekhah Dodi," still sung by Jews throughout the world to welcome the Sabbath, was written by one of the most prominent Salonican rabbis of the 16th century, Solomon Alkabez.
By 1900, about 80,000 Jews lived in Salonica, where they made up nearly half the city's population. They were not just the city's lawyers, physicians, teachers, and merchants but also its dockworkers, fishermen, firemen, and hamals (porters). They were a well-organized, diverse, and dynamic community that, more than any other group, shaped the spirit and life of the city. They maintained 33 synagogues, a rabbinical school, Zionist and intellectual clubs, their own schools that offered vocational as well as academic training, an orphanage, a psychiatric hospital, sports and scouts clubs, organizations that provided poor families with basic necessities, and many other institutions. Between 1865 and 1940 they published 50 newspapers representing all political tendencies in the city.
The importance of the Jewish community in the life of Salonica was perhaps most apparent on Saturdays when the port and virtually the entire city would shut down for the Sabbath. Robust as the Jewish presence was in Salonica, though, it was but one dimension of a bustling, multiethnic metropolis whose population also consisted of large minorities of Turks and Greeks, as well as lesser numbers of Bulgarians, Armenians, and Serbs.
The Jewish community soon blossomed into such a thriving center of Spanish-Jewish learning and commerce that Salonica became known as the “Mother of Israel.” Read more by clicking here
This story originally appeared in the January 2023 issue of Rotary magazine.
We will be meeting every Thursday
The First and Third Thursday at 12 Noon, at the Dwinell Room at Harvest Hill; and the Second and Forth Thursday at 12 Noon on Zoom
Need to learn how to join a Zoom Meeting? Click Here
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