In attendance: Bill Babineau, Marilyn Bedell, Ron Bedell, Phil Bush, Dean Cashman, Bill Chabot, Dave Clarenbach, Hank Clarke, Jim Damren, Mila Dela Pena, Steve Grant, Tim Guaraldi, Tyle Hagan, Andy Jones, Carol Keeffe, Will Koppenheffer, Christian McDonald, Ron Michaud, Dan Nash, Angela Nelson, Phil Rentz, Bill Secord, George Wenz, Cal Wolfe, and John Yacavone. Guests: Eric Denu, past district governor; Celest Herbert, Endowment and Major Gifts Advisor for the Rotary Foundation.
Call to order by President Marilyn at 12:05.
The Four-Way Test was led by Hank "Face-the-Rear-Wall) Clarke.
Thought of the Day:
Candy Land (In alliance with our speakers today.)
In 1948, retired schoolteacher Eleanor Abbott invented Candy Land in a San Diego hospital. Abbott had been diagnosed with polio and during her convalescence she was surrounded by children suffering from the same disease. The experience inspired her to create a game that would entertain children during a painful and lonely time in their lives.
She designed the game to provide a source of joy and an escape for children who were immobilized by the disease, and it became a way for them to experience a sense of freedom and mobility through imagination.
Candy Land was so popular among the young hospital patients that Abbott decided to pitch it to toy manufacturer Milton Bradley. It quickly became the company’s highest selling board game.
(Below) Eric Denu, Zone 32 Coordinator for the "End Polio Now" campaign.
Today's speaker:
PDG Eric Denu,
Coordinator/Zone 32
"End Polio Now" Campaign
Past District Governor and End-Polio-Now Coordinator Eric Denu was our speaker today. He showed us a short video describing how the polio campaign began in the Philippines. There are five End-Polio-Now coordinators in the combined Zones 32 and 16. Our Zone 32 has 40 districts within it. The coordinators are responsible for advocating, awareness, educating, and fundraising in the districts they cover.
End Polio Now is the premier humanitarian project for Rotary’s 1.2 million members.
The fundraising goal is $50 million this Rotary year. The Gates Foundation will make a two-for-one match for whatever funds Rotary raises. The international program to eradicate polio began in 1979. PDG Eric related to us how RI President Francesco Arezzo’s first official visit was to Pakistan to meet with Pakistan’s prime minister and the army commanders in two separate meetings to discuss efforts to eradicate polio in that country.
The Polio Plus Society is open to members who pledge to give $100 annually until polio is eradicated. Eric distributed information regarding the Polio Plus Society. One seldom known fact is that dogs and cats are eligible to join—financially backed by their owners!
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the two countries where polio is now endemic.
This year there have been 35 cases of polio in these two countries—29 in Pakistan and 6 in Afghanistan. These are considered the only wild cases. Last year there were 99 cases. In addition to wild cases, there are a small number of vaccine-associated polio cases as well (three cases for every million doses administered).
Towards the end of PDG Eric's talk, President Marilyn introduced Celeste Herbert, the endowment and major gifts advisor for the Rotary Foundation. Celeste has been here visiting some Rotary Foundation donors in the Upper Valley, Middlebury, and Lincoln-Woodstock, NH, areas. Celeste gave us facts and figures regarding the Foundation’s efforts. Both Celeste and Eric urged the membership to advocate proactively on behalf of Rotary and the Rotary Foundation.
(Above) Celeste Herbert reinforces PDG Eric's message about the importance of our support for the Rotary Foundation's End Polio Now campaign.
Kilton Library children's book in recognition of Eric Denu:
At Last She Stood: How Joey Guerrero Spied, Survived, and Fought for Freedom.
By Erin Entrada Kelly.
World War II spy, Filipino guerrilla fighter, war hero, Medal of Freedom recipient, leprosy survivor, teacher, peacemaker . . . The legendary and inspiring life and work of Josefina “Joey” Guerrero is introduced to readers by two-time Newbery Medal winner, National Book Award finalist, and bestselling author Erin Entrada Kelly.
Joey Guerrero, a native of the Philippines, was diagnosed with leprosy (Hansen’s disease) as World War II unfolded in Europe and Asia. Soon after the Japanese occupied the Philippines, Joey—believing she would die soon—joined the guerrilla movement to complete covert missions in support of the Allies. Because of her condition, she was rarely searched by Japanese soldiers, which allowed her to courier secret messages, including an invaluable minefield map that she taped to her back. She was eventually awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom and admitted to the National Leprosarium in Carville, Louisiana, where she lived for nine years. When she was cured and released, she found it difficult to find work because of racial discrimination and her health history and was forced to pawn her Presidential Medal to make ends meet. Eventually, she shed her previous identity. When she died in 1996, her obituary identified her as a secretary from Manila. But Joey Guerrero was much more than that—she was a hero who changed the course of history.
Erin Entrada Kelly’s engaging nonfiction debut combines themes of the Philippines, World War II, the Asia-Pacific War, spy stories, Louisiana, immigration, disease and medicine, racism, perseverance, religious devotion, and hope. At Last She Stood is illustrated with photographs, maps, and other illustrative material and features sidebars that clearly illuminate key moments in history.
(Above) Rotary leaders recently visited Pakistan and met with government officials, who reaffirmed their commitment to polio eradication. The delegation included RI President Francesco Arezzo, Trustee Chair Holger Knaack, International PolioPlus Chair Michael K. McGovern, and aide to the president John de Giorgio. They were hosted by Aziz Memon, chair of the Pakistan PolioPlus Committee.
Announcements:
There is a seat open on the charity board. Nominations will be accepted beginning next week.
Brags:
Angela Nelson is happy her truck passed inspection and also happy that Tax Day, October 15, is now passed.
Tim Guaraldi announced the birth of his seventh grandchild, a baby girl. He also announced a promotion that Revo will be sponsoring—a gala.
Phil Bush was happy for the people who arranged all of our interim meetings while we were out of Harvest Hill.
President Marilyn also bragged about the Revo event.
PDG Eric bragged that he was happy to be heard by the Rotary Club of Lebanon.
Car Wash:
Todays' lucky car-wash mouse landed on Bill Babineau.
The Lebanon Rotary Club helped provide PDG Ron Bedell
with another playground.
CALENDAR THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR:
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.
Towards the end of PDG Eric's talk, President Marilyn introduced Celeste Herbert, the endowment and major gifts advisor for the Rotary Foundation. Celeste has been here visiting some Rotary Foundation donors in the Upper Valley, Middlebury, and Lincoln-Woodstock, NH, areas. Celeste gave us facts and figures regarding the Foundation’s efforts. Both Celeste and Eric urged the membership to advocate proactively on behalf of Rotary and the Rotary Foundation.
