It's a wrap. Our thanks to everyone who helped to make it successful from being on the committee, to getting sponsorships, to encouraging people to buy tickets, to helping with advertising, and hands on work prior to, during the event, and helping with clean-up. It took our village to pull this off!
John Yacavone introduced our 2026/2027 District Governor Ariel Mondlak from the Rotary Club of Waterbury, Vermont. (see short bio at the end of this article):
District Governor Ariel Mondlak
As our District Governor, Ariel Mondlak contemplated her year as District Governor with the Rotary theme of Create Lasting Impact, she shared why she wanted all clubs in our District to work on restoration of Monarch Butterflies habitats. This preservation work fits within the Rotary 2026 theme. In turn this work fits within the framework of protecting the environment, one of Rotary’s and the Rotary Foundation's seven areas of focus.It is her hope having all clubs participate in milkweed planting, we will make a bigger impact than just having one or two clubs participate in this project. It will show us how it fits into a international project impacting Mexico.
She set three goals for the year:
First engage all clubs in the Monarch/milkweed project;
Second encourage all of us to visit other clubs in our District and be able to lean from, and support one another;
Third, encourage all of us to support the Rotary Foundation by giving to the Annual Fund/Share, and to our efforts to eradicate polio. https://my.rotary.org/en/donate (important for you to sign in to My Rotary to make the donation that ensures that the donation is credited to our district.
During our meeting, members learned about this conservation project focused on helping monarch butterflies by creating milkweed and other pollinator-friendly gardens.
Early in the lead up to this Rotary year, Ariel shared some of this information about her Monarch project with Marilyn Bedell. Ariel outlined the relationship between Monarch’s life cycle and Rotary International.Marilyn has added some additional information based on what she learned during Ariel’s talk.
MONARCHS
“The Caterpillars”
“This is a changing world; we must be prepared to change with it. The story of Rotary will have to be written again and again.” Paul Harris, This Rotarian Age, Circa 1935
As a child, she grew up in Vermont, seeing monarchs every year in the summer. Her father is from Mexico, so when she visited him, he showed her where monarch butterflies spend the winter. As a kid she found it to be an absolutely magical experience! They would arrive in the forest before sunrise.The trees looked brown with heavy branches.As the sun rose, Monarchs would begin their day with a thunderous sound as they flew all over the forest and could land on her to her amazement.
It takes 4-5 generation of Monarch to travel from Mexico to New England. Super Monarchs are the butterflies that return to Mexico.
District 7850 is within the monarch summer range, but they have noticeably disappeared over the years, largely connected to the disappearance of milkweed.
At the Rotary International Assembly, she met the District Governor for North Central Mexico, where the Monarchs live from October to February. They shared their interest in helping to assure that Monarchs will thrive and survive and have habitats from New England to Mexico that help them thrive and survive.
The monarch super generation and their phenomenal migration
Written By
Mara Koenig
As fall approaches, we at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have something special for you to watch and celebrate. Mid-August typically marks the start of fall migration for millions of monarch butterflies. Adult monarchs are partway through their lifecycle, but their reproduction is on hold. These monarchs are different from their parents, grandparents and even great grandparents. Previous generations completed their life cycle in four weeks. Each of these previous generations migrated north, resulting in four generations over the course of the summer. Butterflies in this last generation are members of the generation that migrates south, often called the monarch super generation.
Imagine the journey - flying more than 3,000 miles to Mexico, not knowing where you can rest or where you will have your next meal. The sun is your guide on daily flights, traveling about 50 miles each day. You often catch free rides on thermal air currents, sometimes flying a mile high. Read More
Ernst Oidtmann played the piano as we sang our Rotary Welcome Song and Skip to the Lou My Darling.
Jim Damren’s thought of the day came from John F. Kennedy (only to be told that is was given as a thought of the day by Bruce while Jim was on Vacation): Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.
Program: District Governor Ariel Mondlak.See story above.
Gift Presentation for our DG:Jim Damren and Bruce Bergeron presented Ariel an inscribed vase from Simon Pearce.Inscribed was her name, her title and her governor year.
Book Presentation for the Children’s Collection at the Kilton Library
At the request of DG Ariel, we will give the library…Gotta Go! Gotta Go!:
"I don't know much, but I know what I know. I gotta go! I gotta go! I gotta go to Mexico!" The creepy-crawly bug doesn't know why she does what she does. She only knows she has to do it. But making the journey seems impossible for the slow-moving critter, who has no idea what or where Mexico is. Then an everyday miracle occurs, bringing a transformation that will help her fulfill her destiny. Each autumn, millions of Monarch butterflies migrate from the central and eastern United States and Canada to colonies in the mountains of Mexico, where they mate before flying north in the spring to lay their eggs. In simple, jaunty text and pictures, Sam Swope and Sue Riddle celebrate the amazing story of one of these intrepid bugs.
Announcements
West Lebanon Block Party
September 13, 2026
1:00 – 4:00 PM
Kilton Library Parking Lot
Free Food (we donated $500 for Ice Cream!)
Lawn Games, Raffles and More.
Social Gathering at Salt Hill:
September 21, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Dwinell Storage Room
Sorting, organizing, cleaning, etc. on September 18 starting at 8:30 AM…ending when done, or we have had enough. So far, Marilyn, Angela, John, Jane have signed up.If you can help let Marilyn Bedell know.
October 3rd a the Mascoma Bank on Sykes Avenue in White River Junction
8:15 AM to 11:30 AM
Let Angela Nelson or Marion Steiner know if you can volunteer.
Rotary District 7850 Regional Meeting
September 12, 2026, in Montpelier at the Dewey Building on the campus of National Life
October 3, 2026, in North Conway at the Gibson Center
October 24, 2026, in Sherbrooke, Quebec, French
November 14, 2026, South Burlington Recreation Center
All meetings will start at 8:30 AM. Jim Damren, Brurce Bergeron, and Phil Rentz will be going to South Burlington. Marilyn and Ron Bedell plan to attend all.
This will be at time for Connection and Collaboration.
"The foundation upon which Rotary is built is friendship;
on no less firm foundation could it have stood."
Let Bruce Bergeron and Jim Damren know if you would like to attend.Want to carpool?
Register at https://www.rotary7850.org/Meeting links will be found on the left bar.There is no fee charged to attend the meetings.
Happy Dollars:
Willy Koppenheffer is off to Chicago for his daughter’s wedding.
Marion Steiner is celebrating her 50th birthday.Her husband planned a surprise birthday party for her.It was a very happy event.
Assistant Governor Denise Castonguay thanked us for making her feel very welcomed and included. She shared that being an Assistant Governor has been very rewardingand a great opportunity for club past presidents.
District Governor Ariel is very happy to be here with us today.
Angela Nelson thanked DG Ariel for organizing a ClubRunner tutorial with ClubRunner staff.It is helping her to “hate” ClubRunner a little less.
Bruce Bergeron welcomed his 5th grandchild, Jude Michael.He is trying to catch up to Tim Guaraldi.
John Stalvey encouraged all of us to read, A Clear Path to Success, in the most recent Rotary Magazine with Barcelona featured on the cover.
Marilyn Bedell echoed Angela’s thanks to Ariel for setting up the ClubRunner session on the upgrade called Nova.
Queen of Hearts, Marion Steiner pulled the 8 of clubs…the hunt for the queen continues.
Car Wash, went to Angela Nelson
September 3, 2026, Attendance
Christina Annas, Marilyn Bedell, Ron Bedell, Bruce Bergeron, Phil Bush*, James Carroll, Keegan Carpenter*, Bill Chabot, Hank Clarke, Dave Clarenbach, Jim Damren, Mila Dela Pena, Nick Gaffney, Steve Grant, Tim Guaraldi, Ahmad Haidari, Carol Keeffe, Dustin Lester*, Jane Mason*, Justin Massey, Christian McDonald, Dan Nash, Angela Nelson, Ernst Oidtmann, Bruce Pacht, Phil Rentz, Nate Reichart, Bill Secord, John Stalvey, Marion Steiner, Taylor, George Wentz, Steve Whitman, Cal Wolfe, John Yacavone
Guests: District Governor Ariel Mondlak, Waterbury, and Assistant Governor Denise Castongua, Plymouth
*Joined via WebEx
Milkweed Planting
District Governor, Ariel Modlak, Co-President, Bruce Bergeron with Christina Annas, Ron Bedell, Marilyn Bedell, Bill Chabot, Paul Coats, Mila Dela Pena, Steve Grant, Carol Keefe, Ernst Oidtmann, Phil Rentz, Bill Secord, John Stalvey, Marion Steiner, Cal Wolfe
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
September 10: John Stalvey, Alaska
September 17: Raphael Addante Atty Caldwell Law, Estate Planning
September 24: Gabe Zoerheide, Executive Director, Willing Hands
October 1: TBD
October 8: Bise Wood Saint Eugene, Tysea Orphanage in Jacmel, Haiti.
October 15: Peter Wright, MD Polio Update. He is an internationally renowned scientist on the disease.
October 22: Roy Schlieben, Executive Director, MAXT Makerspace
October 29: Jada Lindblom, Ph.D., Extension State Specialist, Economic Development, Associate Extension Professor, Recreation Management and Policy, UNH Durham (Most likely delivered remotely)
Just pick your item and follow the instructions for ordering.
Men’s and Women’s light weight jackets
Men’s and Women’s fleece vests
Men’s and Women’s fleece jackets
Blankets-Fleece 40” x60”
All jackets, vests and blankets will have Rotary logo and club name.
To save on shipping, pick up your item at Top Stitch, 233 Mascoma Street, Lebanon.
Questions? Contact Cody at Top Stitch at 603-448-2931. Turnaround time is 3.5–4 weeks.
Rotary News
We are deeply saddened by the devastation caused by the flash floods in Nepal. Rotary members are responding alongside communities in need 💛
You can support these efforts by donating to the Rotary Disaster Response Fund. Your contribution empowers clubs to address urgent needs through disaster response grants, providing critical resources to people affected by the floods in Nepal and other disasters around the world.
Help communities recover. Donate today:www.rotary.org via MyRotary
ShelterBox, a Rotary partner agency, is responding to devastating flash floods that have struck the Rasuwa District of northern Nepal, near the border with Tibet. The scale of this disaster is staggering. At least 389 people have been killed, and reports indicate more than 1,000 people are missing. Entire villages have been inundated, homes and buildings swept away, and roads, bridges, power, and communications infrastructure badly damaged.
The sudden surge of water was reportedly caused by a glacier collapse, sending mud, ice, and rock crashing into the Bhote Koshi River and through communities.
Our response is underway. Our team is working with partners in the region to understand the rapidly evolving situation, determine how many people have been affected, and identify the emergency shelter and essential supplies displaced families will need.
Support This Work. Reports suggest thousands of people may have lost or damaged homes, and with villages scattered across remote mountainous areas and critical roads and bridges destroyed, reaching families in need will be challenging.
