Currents 
January 4, 2024
Editor: Marilyn Bedell
 
 
Welcome to another issue of our weekly bulletin!
Find out who our upcoming speakers are,
what we covered during the last weekly meeting,
and learn more about Lebanon Rotary and our projects.
Stories
Program for January 11, 2024 -- Constitutional Law
Our speaker today was Rod Smolla, the President of Vermont Law and Graduate School. 
 
Rod Smolla
President Vermont Law and Graduate School
 
Rod began his talk sharing his connection to Rotary, and how Rotary was instrumental in connecting him to is wife, Anna, who joined him for his talk today.  When he was in Mississippi, he was taking part in a pick-up basketball game.  He was a point guard.  The guys he was playing with wanted him to formally join their team.  The only catch, he would have to join Rotary to be a part of the Rotary team. He joined the club. Once he graduated from Duke, he took a clerkship in Greenville, South Carolina.  Once again he was asked to join the local Rotary club.  He shared that although he would like to accept the invitation, he couldn’t maintain the attendance requirements.  The Club decided that if he would agree to talk to the club periodically on various legal topics, they would waive the attendance requirements.  He agreed to accept this as a membership requirement.  On his way to a meeting where he was to speak, as he was riding the elevator to the meeting room, he met Anna.  She had been invited as a guest…as you can guess the rest is history.  Proving you can find love in Rotary.
 
President Smolla expertise is constitutional Law.
 
He shared that he would try to give us a 15-minute history of the Supreme Court.  He did this by sharing 4 epoch periods of the Supreme Court and how the court has evolved over time.
 
#1. Founding period of approximately 30 years.
He focused on the court that had John Marshall and Joseph Story as early architects of the court. They had different political beliefs but found ways to come to consensus. They believed that they could read into the constitution items that were not there. They leaned to decisions that favored the federal government, and not the states. They focused on the power of government.  They agreed that presidents could be served subpoenas.  He sited the case regarding Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. The courts did not focus on race, freedom of speech, women’s rights, civil rights/liberties.  They determined that Native Americans did not own their land.  They gave discretion to the executive branch of government. They focused on the national economic marketplace.
Read more...
 
Meeting Recap for January 4, 2024
 
  • Just after noon, our president, David Crandall called the meeting to order.
  • He introduced our guests.  See attendance below.
  • Phil Rentz led us in reciting the 4-Way Test.
  • Ernst Oidtmann led us in singing the Rotary song.  He  then led us in singing "In the Good Old Summertime".  A reminder that summer will come again.
  • Humor of the day:  Did you hear about the hotel guest who sued the hotel because of lost luggage?  She lost her case.
  • Today we celebrate Rotary Anniversaries:
    • Sharmila Karki Niroula — 3 years
    • Phil Bush — 8 years
    • Bill Babineau — 42 year!!!
  • Then it was on to our buffet lunch.
  • Ron Michaud then introduced Rod Smolla, President of the Vermont Law School.  See story above.
  • David Crandall presented the book for the children's collection at the Kilton Library.  It is being given in honor of Rod Smolla.  The Vermont Law School is noted for it work in environmental law.
What Goes on inside a Beaver Pond?
by Becky Cushing Gop (Author), Carrie Shryock (Illustrator)
 
 
Dive into the fascinating world of beavers—the swimmers, builders, and engineers of the animal kingdom!

​What Goes on inside a Beaver Pond? takes kids ages 8 to 10 on a journey through a year in the life of a young beaver (called a "kit"). This is an exciting year as the young beaver leaves her family lodge and moves throughout the Yokun Brook waterways, seeking a new home for herself. Throughout the seasons, vibrant illustrations and descriptions reveal the hidden inner-workings of a beaver lodge, how beavers fell trees with their teeth and create a wetland habitat, how they collect food and ward off predators, and what daily life is like within a beaver colony. Educational side panels enhance the story with details about beaver behavior and anatomy, as well as information about what other animal inhabitants of the pond are up to throughout the year. Author Becky Cushing Gop is an environmental educator and director of Mass Audubon’s Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary where the story takes place. Nature illustrator Carrie Shryock’s lively and charming graphics bring the young beaver’s story to life for nature-curious kids
 
  • Happy Dollars
    • Ahmad is celebrating Michigan winning the national football championship. He even had on his Michigan hat.
    • Ron Michaud is delighted that the CT scan they did of his abdomen showed no signs of cancer!
    • Bill Babineau added to his 43 Rotary Anniversary story by letting us know that his induction into Rotary happen at the Cardigan Mountain School. Steve Whitman did his induction.
  • Not so Happy Dollars
    • Steve Whitman let us know that Garlan Hoskins is hospitalized at APD with pneumonia.  He is slowly improving and will be the a few more days.
    • Marilyn Bedell let us know that Linda Secord is also a patient at APD, thus the reason for Bill Secord's absence today.
  • Announcements:
    • From Dave Crandall
      • Our membership survey will be emailed to members in the near future.
    • From Bruce Bergeron
      • Good news! A new vendor has been found to produce our first grade books.  The process of gathering information from parents is now underway.
      • Listen Point-In-Time Public Survey:
The Listen Center is looking for volunteers to help with their annual Point-In-Time Public Survey project.  They are looking for volunteers to collect valuable information from the unhoused community of the Upper Valley.  Below is the official request from Listen.  Follow up with them directly if you are interested in participating.  Feel free to share with others you know.
 
From Listen: Call for Volunteers: 2024 Point-In-Time Count
Let’s count! 
 
LISTEN Community Services is a proud member of the Lower Grafton County Point-In-Time (PIT) Count Planning Team. This year's PIT Count will take place on January 24th and 25th. Conducted every January, this survey is an opportunity to share space and time with our unhoused neighbors, provide some light provisions, and collect valuable insights that help advance our community's work to end homelessness. The data that volunteers helped to collect last year directly motivated our local government to open an Emergency Winter Shelter in Lebanon this winter. To learn more about the PIT Count, please click here. 
Interested in lending a helping hand to your unsheltered neighbors in need? Volunteers make our local PIT count possible! As a volunteer, you would visit select locations in the Lebanon area to survey, or “count,” unsheltered individuals residing there. New to local homeless outreach efforts? No problem! Please CLICK HERE to complete a short interest survey. 
 
Please keep in mind that much of the count occurs on foot, so volunteers should be comfortable walking in winter conditions during their shift(s). Those who sign up will be invited to a brief informational and training session, which will be held via Zoom on January 18th at 2 pm. A recording of the training will be available for anyone who cannot attend in real-time. 
Questions or concerns? Please contact Sophia Gawel, LISTEN's Community Engagement Coordinator, at sophia@listencs.org.
With care and gratitude, 
Team LISTEN
    • From Tim Guaraldi
      • He has made arrangement with the Centerra CoOp to do food drives on January 27th and February 17th. A Doodle poll will be circulated.  Please sign up for a shift when you get the email.
      • Tim let us know that our Poker Room weeks will be January 26 to January 30, 2024 and March 27 to 32, 2024.  All paperwork has been filed.
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
  • Card Raffle — Liza McSwain-Hull pulled the 9 of clubs.  The search for the Queen of Hearts continues
  • Car Wash — Was won by Dean Cashman
 
  • Upcoming Meetings. — Consider asking a colleague/friend to join you:
    • January 18 – Club Business Meeting 
    • January 25 – Our Annual Speech Contest
  • Meeting adjourned at 1:17 PM
Attendance
 
Members at the meeting:
 
Bill Babineau, Marilyn Bedell, Ron Bedell, Bruce Bergeron, Phil Bush, Dean Cashman, David Clarenbach, Dave Crandall, Jim Damren, Joy Gobin, Tim Guaraldi, Ahmad Haidari, Jane Mason*, Ron Michaud, Angela Nelson, Ernst Oidtmann, Bruce Pacht, Phil Rentz, Marion Steiner, Rich Wallace, Cal Wolfe, John Yacavone
 
Guests: 
Liza McSwain Hull (New London – transferring membership to Lebanon; Rod Smolla, President of the Vermont Law School; Anna Smolla; and Dave Celone, VP for Alumni Relations and Development at the Vermont Law and Graduate School.
 
Standing Meetings
 
Membership Meetings: Third Tuesday at 3:30 PM
Contact: David Crandall
 
Youth Services: Second Wednesday of the month at Noon
Contact:  Joy Gobin
 
Charities: Third Wednesday of the month at 1:00 PM
Contact:  Bruce Pacht
 
Board Meeting:  4th Tuesday of every month at 4:15 PM via Zoom
Contact:  David Crandall
Youth Service Meeting - From Joy Gobin
 
Jan. 10, 2024 12:30 pm  YSC Agenda and Minutes 
Committee Members:  Ahmad, Bruce, Curtis, Joy, 
Speech Subcommittee: Phil,Willie
Attendance:  Joy, Phil, Bruce
Next YSC meeting is 3/13/24
 
Join Zoom Meeting 
 
Thank you to Phil and Willie for offering to run the Speech Contest for 2024. January 25, 2024 Rotary 4 Way Speech Contest 
 
Subcommittee Updates:
Speech Contest
Lebanon Rotary will hold Round 1 on Thursday Jan. 25th
Round 2 TBD? ( possibly Feb. 8, 15, 29)Need to hear John H. 
Round 3 of the speech contest will take place during a district training event on Saturday, March 16 Northern Vt. University in Lyndonville Vt
Round 4 during the District Conference, April 19-21 at Lake Morey Resort.
 
Bruce will reach out to John H to let him know the date 
 
Email regarding contest: 
Salutations AGs:
 
At last the topic and documents for District 7850 Speech Contest 2023-24.
Please forward to this email or its content and attachments to your Clubs.
Schools and students should only receive the contest poster after clubs have inserted their Round 1 & Round 2 info.
They should also receive registration form, basic contest rules and judge score sheet.
 
Contest Topic is: How can we increase hope for our schools?
 
1. You'll find the contest poster and contestant registration form attached in two formats.
    Please insert your club's contest information & contact person onto the poster. 
    Insert the Area Round 2 Contest contact person & Round 2 Contest info if possible.  
 
    Be mindful to get the registration form completely filled out and readable. 
    Follow instructions on registration form, make a copy of Winner's form & pass on.
    Round 2 & Round 3 organizers depend on registration form for contact information. 
 
2. District Spring Assembly is March 16 and Conference is April 19-21, which makes
    Speech Contest deadlines: Club Round 1 by Feb 17th & Area Round 2 by Mar 2nd.  
 
3. Carefully read the Basic Rules & Eligibility attachment.
    All Contests are to use the same format, standards, whether one contestant or dozens.
    All are to use judge & timer forms, and there are no ties. No ties on any judge's score sheet.
    Should the final tally of all the judge scores end up in a tie, then the Contest Chair & Chief Judge,
    or Contest Chair & Ballot Counter must decide the winner. Roll dice if necessary.  
    All contestants are winners because they showed up!  
    Our supportive environment can show how to be OK with not placing first or second.  
 
4. The Judge Score Sheet provides a basis for evaluating speeches.
    After hearing all contestants, a judge may decide quite differently than how they scored.
    Final decision of who gets written as 1st, 2nd or 3rd place is the Judge's.
 
    All ballot information is confidential, including score, time & final tally. 
    Ballot info is NOT to be shared with Rotarians, family, friends, or contestants.
 
5. I'm available to host a zoom discussion with clubs to review rules, procedures & questions.
    Rotarians can call, text or email me for assistance as they plan their contest. I can visit clubs.
 
Best wishes for dynamic, interesting & fun contests,
-Dona
 
Dona Bate
District Speech Contest Chair 
802.229.1111  Call or Text
dbatespeaking@gmail.com
 
PO Box 776, Montpelier, VT 05601
 
Interact Clubs: 
LHS continues to collect non-perishable food for the Listen Pocket Food Pantry with monthly donations. Caleb Wolf will attend our next Interact meeting to speak with the students about Emma’s Garden and how they can help. They would like to do a children’s book drive to send books to Kenya in support of Emma’s Community.  The club is also collecting WARM items to restock local community sites and delivered 50 WARM kits to The Haven, Lebanon libraries, LHS nurses’ office.  Local Project of WARM continues https://sites.google.com/d/1s0zJjXlMpjkOuBONFrtAYND5FX5QKrzg/p/1knUFUcb-PkKgbmRc1CIo98NWaDLP7nWx/edit
 
 
MVRHS: Curtis Paine/ Lindsay Coolidge advisor and continue to support various school organizations.
 
Scholarships: 
 
Ledyard Charter School
LHS
MVRHS
 
RYLA: LHS meeting Friday March 8th Advisory 9:08-9:30 in the Library of the Sophomore class to begin the process of learning about RYLA
 
YSC Meetings for the balance of 23-24 at noon via zoom YSC
Nov. 8 Dec 13 Jan. 10 Feb. 7 Mar. 13 April 10, May 8, June 12
 
 
2023-24 Rotary Club of Lebanon Youth Service Committee
 
Chair; Joy Gobin,(jgobin@sau88.net), Bruce Pacht, Ahmad Haidari, Curtis Payne 
 
 
Community Service Projects
 
Food Drives at the Co-op Centerra
 
 
 
Save the following dates to come and volunteer with the Food Drives:
January 27, 2024 and February 17, 2024 from 9AM to 1PM
Lebanon Poker Room
 
 
Poker Room weeks will be January 26 to January 30, 2024 and March 27 to 32, 2024.
TOP STITCH
 
  •  Rotary Vests and Jackets 
   
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.
Rotary News
 

RI president-elect announces 2024-25 presidential theme

By 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KW5wqdNoO4Rotary International President-elect Stephanie Urchick announced that the 2024-25 presidential theme is The Magic of Rotary and called on members to recognize and amplify the organization’s power to save lives.

“Don’t misunderstand me – we are not going to end polio or bring peace to the world by waving a wand and saying some funny words,” Urchick told incoming district governors at the Rotary International Assembly on 8 January. “It’s up to you. You create the magic with every project completed, every dollar donated, and every new member.”

Watch the theme address at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KW5wqdNoO4

Urchick, a member of the Rotary Club of McMurray, Pennsylvania, USA, said she saw the magic of Rotary on display when she was helping install water filters in the Dominican Republic. Two boys were watching as dirty water entered the filter, then ran out clean at the other end.

“One of the boys grabbed my sleeve and said, ‘Show me the magic again,’” she said. “Obviously, the water filter wasn’t magic. We worked hard to transport those filters, install them, and work with community leaders in the area to maintain them. But those boys knew that easy access to clean water would change their lives. Knowing that I played a small part in that certainly changed my life.”

Prioritizing peace

Urchick urged members to champion Rotary’s Action Plan, find a balance between continuity and change, and work for peace. She plans to host a presidential peace conference in 2025 with the theme “Healing in a Divided World.”

Rotary has a long history of promoting peace through its network of peace centers, Urchick noted. Located at top universities around the globe, the centers have trained nearly 1,800 peace fellows who are now working in more than 140 countries. The newest center, located at Bahçeşehir University in Istanbul, Turkey, will welcome its first class of fellows in early 2025.

“The Rotary Peace Fellowship began more than 20 years ago to equip peace and development professionals from communities around the world to become effective catalysts for ending and preventing conflict,” Urchick said. “This conference will focus on Rotary’s peace efforts and provide opportunities to learn together.”

In addition to emphasizing peacebuilding, Urchick reiterated Rotary’s commitment to eradicating polio. She urged the incoming governors to join or initiate PolioPlus Societies in their districts and do all they can to help end the disease.

“Contact elected officials and other government leaders. Remind them that polio is still a threat. Push them to support polio eradication,” she said. “Polio remains our top priority and requires our fullest commitment, but there is so much important work to do.”

Balancing continuity and change

Urchick also underscored the necessity of balancing continuity and change, both of which animate Rotary’s Action Plan.

“The plan is all about building on our best ideas, not abandoning them,” she said. “We face a tough balancing act. We must change ourselves and stay true to who we are.”

She asked the governors to do whatever is needed to make the club experience irresistible to members.

“That might mean changing how things are done in your district,” she said. “If your district has been doing things one way for 50 years, it’s probably time to reassess. If a club in your district isn’t active or is losing members, maybe it’s time to start a new club that fits better with the community. Just because a club or district hasn’t changed in a while doesn’t mean no one is hungry for change.”

One way to make positive change, she said, is to embrace the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion within clubs.

“I hope you’ll join me in opening your arms to future people of action, even if – and in some cases, especially if – they don’t look or act like the typical member of your local club,” she said. “With DEI, it is easier to be united in a common purpose. It’s in those moments when we are committed and focused that we are the most effective and relevant.”
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