Call meeting to order – Ed Friedman
Ring bell 12:01 = Marilyn Bedell
4 Way test – John Yacavone
Speaker – Kirk Baird, Classification Talk
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, and is a Yale grad having spent time in the Marine Corps. Worked at IBM for 11 years in sales where he earned a sort of PhD in marketing and salesmanship. Was in banking for 15 years after that, becoming executive VP of a local bank just about when all banks were “going down the shooter” with real estate craziness. Around 1983-4. Kirk got his real estate license in the New Haven area; he is still selling up here as part of the Masiello Group doing commercial and residential investment.
Kirk left New Haven for Lebanon about 3 years ago, when he was quite ill and dissatisfied with the medical care he was receiving in New Haven. His daughter volunteered for him to go to Dartmouth-Hitchcock and it worked out very well. He’s been here since June, 2020, and all his health problems are gone.
Kirk lives alone in Lebanon. His other pursuits are to follow two grandsons playing baseball at Bates College, a granddaughter playing field hockey at St. Lawrence, and another 13 year-old granddaughter in secondary school.
Recently, Kirk took a trip to his 60th high school reunion in Pittsburgh, spending 24 hours in a car over 4 days.
Kirk is happy to be a member of the Lebanon club and says it “is very robust.” Kirk spent time with PDG Colin Gerson in the New Haven Rotary Club.
Questions:
Marilyn Bedell: What high school did you attend? (Marilyn went to high school in Pittsburgh!)
- Shadyside Academy was his high school. He was a newspaper boy in New Kensington and won an all-expense paid scholarship to Phillips Andover and Phillips Academy.
Rudy Fedrizzi: What’s the best pizzeria in New Haven?
- Pepe’s is the most famous, and Sally’s recently changed hands. Modern is also good, but there are a half-dozen really good ones. “I don’t know that Ziggy’s does it,” said Kirk.
Steve Whitman: What did you play in high school sports?
- Football, basketball, baseball – ended up with 9 letters. Baseball was probably my best. That’s how I was recruited to Yale, where I also played football.
John Yacavone: What kind of surprises have you faced in Lebanon?
- My daughter and son-in-law (he’s Dartmouth’s diving coach) came here to live 21-22 years ago. Daughter works for an executive VP at the College. So, Kirk has been visiting White River Junction since Tyler was born to see them play sports.
- “Once I got here to live, it’s a world-class hospital that saved my life.” Kirk thinks the Upper Valley is “a great place, almost like living in a vacation paradise, very different from New Haven’s city life.” When he went to vote up here, the lines were long, but down in New Haven, they wrapped around the block! He likes that there is “no traffic,” and finds it a kinder, gentler place to live. All kinds of people up here. Kirk lives beside a bunch of Dartmouth graduate students – they are molecular biologists who keep you on your toes.
- The best part of his move has been that he is feeling good again, and is grateful for Dartmouth-Hitchcock. Also, he enjoys Lebanon Rotary – “Giving back is something I like.”
Ed Friedman: Are you still active and how is real estate in the UV?
- Real estate in the UV is expensive. The forecast seems to be that interest rates are rising which will put a little damper on home-buying. The median price of a home in Hanover today is $975,000; the state of NH median price is $450,000 – that’s a big number when you realize that it includes every house sold.
- “Index of affordability” – 100% means most folks can afford to buy; right now the index is the lowest ever -- about 69%, meaning many cannot afford to buy a home at the median price.
- Recently, residential real estate agents just weren’t accepting any offers that weren’t cash and were willing to close within a month, even if the property were unseen! Things are not quite that robust now.
- Commercial in the UV is also a strong market.
Club business
- In pursuit of Lebanon Rotary’s efforts to follow Rotary International’s lead on the topics of diversity/equity/inclusion, President Ed showed a video on terms being used today to discuss “Gender Identity.” Click Here for link to the video that was shown.
LGBTQ+ is an umbrella term including many titles: lesbian gay bisexual transgender queer questioning intersex asexual and allies
Biological sex – what you are born with
Gender ID – how one feels
Sexual orientation – how one is attracted sexually
Gender expression – choices one makes to who the world one’s identity
Spectrum – All these traits are on a spectrum between two extremes – individuals occupy the full range in between.
Gender ID
- Biological sex – extremes are male/female
- Intersex – people for whom their combination of hormones or biological apparatus don’t fit
- Gender – the scale between boys and girls; the way you feel inside
- Gender queer – anywhere on the scale between the poles
- Gender neutral – neither pole; may use pronouns “zi” “zer”
Bigender – both extremes at different times
- Gender fluid – one must listen to the individual and respect pronoun choices
Cisgender – how you feel about yourself matches your biology
Transgender – when your feelings and biology are dissimilar
RULE of respect: It is never appropriate to ask where one is on the transition scale.
Gender expression – how one chooses to show gender to the outside world. Can be through choice of clothing, hair design, physical postures.
Drag Queens –individuals who cross-dress to explore the other sex; one cannot assume a sexual orientation from cross-dressing.
Sexual orientation
- Heterosexual – Homosexual
- In between these two poles is bisexual
- Pansexuality – attracted to all
- Asexual – not attracted sexually to any gender
- Romantic attraction vs. Sexual attraction – the difference between emotions and physical feelings
- Someone can be “panromantic” but asexual
Depends on how the person defines differently from you. It is OK to ask what it means to them.
These terms are acceptable: “Transperson,” “transgender person.” Respect pronouns; use the person’s chosen name, appearance and chosen partners.
President Ed reviewed his goals in showing videos on the topic of DEI. Our early explorations and exposure to DEI involved the experience of persons of color (POC). Ed now invites us to join in another aspect of our learning journey.
Steve Whitman: Huge article in today’s VN on this subject.
Ahmad Haidari– As community leaders, it is good for us to understand and think beyond individual groups and be part of solutions. The key for me is to be sensitive and informed so I don’t offend anyone. It’s not necessarily a comfortable discussion, but it is good to get details so we can talk to each other.
Marilyn Bedell – I thought back to my own school age experiences. I look back at people who were bullied and treated unkindly. The knowledge that we humans come in different bodies with different feelings and orientations may seem uncomfortable, but it is reality.
Bill Secord – Studies have shown that at any age, introduction of this topic does not affect the lifestyle orientation of an individual. Persons are who they are – no education will change that. Education allows folks of all definitions to function together in a supportive environment without fear.
Announcements
Speaker update – Steve Whitman
- Bill made contact – Nov. 4 – Tom Oppel will speak on the “inextricable link between democracy and economy and for business to speak up re: right of law.” He is working with the Open Democracy organization in NH. Tom was chief of staff to the Secretary of the Navy in the Obama administration and has been a media consultant for progressive candidates. During his early career, he was an English teacher in Hudson. Tom live today in Canaan.
- Past Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair, Brenda Cressy is coming up.
- District 7850 Governor Caroline Earle’s official visitation is scheduled.
Steve asked us to think about where our missing Rotarians are today. How do we get more folks to get on Zoom to increase their learning? To what extent should we promote attendance based on the potential popularity of a speaker or presentation topic?
- Ahmad Haidari– The membership committee has discussed getting a consensus from members about how much we can or should externally promote speakers.
- John Yacavone said that Lebanon Rotary should investigate joining the Upper Valley Business Alliance. They offer the opportunity notify all members about upcoming programs which may be of interest to UVBA members. John volunteered to investigate the cost, etc., of joining UVBA.
- Marilyn Bedell – We can always post future programs on Facebook from where all members can share the news on their own Facebook pages
- Ahmad Haidari – if the club agrees, let membership take care of the publicity.
Bruce Pacht will follow up with Sue Mooney re: progress on gaining hybrid meeting capacity in the Dwinell Room.
Community service opportunities -- Bruce Bergeron
- Syrofoam collection behind Jake’s office this Saturday, 10/29. Volunteers should arrive at 8; collection is 9-11; all done at noon. Wear Rotary shirt!!! Phil Bush: It’s a busy time, so all the help we can get is appreciated. We had over 300 cars coming through last time. All Styrofoam is going to Guilford where there is a “densifier.”
- Ernst Oidtmann is helping tomorrow (Friday, 10/28) at Canaan’s flu clinic starting at 3:30 pm. Ahmad believes he can help as well.
Listen Dinner second Tuesday in December – Dean Cashman
- Dean will check before our next meeting on how many are needed
December 16, 2022 – Holiday Party and Yankee Swap at Quechee Inn – Ron Bedell
- Sign-up sheet coming out soon re: attendance and food choices. Remember the Yankee Swap.
Other
- Ahmad – Is Riverside cleanup scheduled? Bruce B will speak with Will Koppenheffer and get a notice out to all. This could be something that Interactors could help with- -- Joy Gobin needs to know the date in advance.
Other thoughts
- Rudy Fedrizzi talked about the recent fatal airplane crash in Keene – Rudy’s daughter is learning to fly and has done solo flights. One of the pilots who died in the accident was her ground school instructor with whom she worked for more than 12 hours. He was the most careful, detailed pilot she knew with over 2,000 hours of experience and licenses. The weather was good and the accident is still difficult to understand.
- Phil Bush won’t be at the Styrofoam event. His granddaughter in Maine will be in the Maine final cross-country race and Phil and Judith will be up there with her.
- Hank and Carole just returned from 3 days in Georgetown ME on the other side of the river from Bath Iron Works and the Maine Marine Museum. No tv, no phone in their Inn and limited Internet. Loved it.
- Tim shared three things
- Muzzle loader season opens Saturday. If you are hiking wear blaze orange.
- His “other twin” daughter has just been hired by the Department of Defense; she’ll be stationed in Raytheon in MA inspecting missile systems
- Tim and Anna will be in the Florida Keys next week for a wedding.
We ended the meeting at 12:55 pm with Rotary’s motto:
One Profits Most Who Serves Best
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