Clinical Research in Polio and its Implications for Polio Eradication
Peter Wright, MD was our speaker today. See his bio at the end of the summary of his talk.
Peter Wright, MD
Dr. Wright's goal was to provide a review of the types of polio vaccines:
Salk – Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine (IPV)
Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV)
Novel Oral Polio Vaccine (nOPV)
Dr. Wright reminded us that we start with two polio vaccines. Both vaccines can be effective but present issues.
Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine (IPV) – made from a killed (inactivated) version of the poliovirus, and IPV is given as an injection, this can limit its availability. Uses a killed virus given via a shot. It cannot cause paralysis, and it is the only type used in the U.S., however, it does not stop the virus from living and spreading in the gut as easily as oral drops do.
Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) – Uses a live, weakened polio virus. It is great because children swallow it (usually as drops), which builds strong gut immunity and stops the virus from spreading to others. However, in rare cases where a community has very low vaccination rates, the weakened virus can keep spreading and slowly mutate (change) back into a dangerous form that can cause paralysis (called a vaccine-derived polio outbreak).
Both vaccines require a child to receive two vaccination doses.
With entwining use of IPV and OPV as we have been working hard to eradicate polio with varying degrees of success. The goal continues to be to fully eradicate this disease from the world.
Co-President Jim Damren called the meeting to order with the ringing of our Rotary bell.
Steve Grant led us in reciting the 4-Way Test of the Things We Think Say or Do
Ernst played the piano as we sang or Welcome Song and Home, Home, on the Range
Thought of the Day: Change your thoughts and you change your world. Norman Vincent Peale
Welcome Guests: Our Speaker Peter Wright, MD
Birthdays: None
Wedding Anniversaries: None
Lebanon Rotary Anniversaries: Dave Clarenbach and Christine Clarnebach, 17 years.
Then it was time for Lunch
Speaker: See story above for: Clinical Research in Polio and its Implications for Polio Eradication, by Peter Wright, MD
Book Presentation for the Kilton Library’s Children Collection in honor of our speaker, Peter Wrigt
I Would Love You Still
by Adrea Theodore (Author), Ken Wilson-Max (Illustrator)
A trip to the zoo inspires a parent to list all the ways they love their child, no matter how wild they are, in this rhyming picture book.
What if you had cheetah spots? Or flew like an eagle?
Follow a parent and child from a fun-filled trip to the zoo through a mess-filled day and all the way to bedtime. No matter how wild a child is, a parent's love never wavers.
If you sang like a screech owl in the night, I would be there to hug you tight.
If you crawled like a gecko up the wall, I would still love you best of all.
If you dangled upside down like a possum in a tree, that wouldn't matter at all to me! I would love you still.
Cuddle up at bedtime to share these charming animal rhymes and giggle at the adorable illustrations. This celebration of the special bond between parent and child is the perfect gift for baby showers, new parents, or any occasion!
Announcements, Other Club Business and Opportunities
NEW - District POLIO PLUS CHALLENGE – Phil Rentz announced that between now and the end of the month we will be collecting change, to support Rotary International's End Polio Now campaign. Each week we will passs a change box to collect donations. Please consider bring small donations each week to suppor this fundraiser. In addition, Marilyn Bedell will be sending out some information from Steve Grant about polio for you to review prior to our speaker, Dr. Peter Wright who will join us next week. Dr. Wright has a long history of working on efforts to eradicate polio.
Board Meeting: Next Tuesday at 4 PM.
American Red Cross Blood Drives
We have some upcoming blood drives that are very short on appointments. I am asking if it's possible to help promote these drives in any way you can - newsletters, social media (business and/or personal), word of mouth, etc. I greatly appreciate any support you can offer.
Riverside Part Clean-Up, Oops…I think if is happening on November 4th…but my notes didn’t give me all the details. I’ll send out more information once I have it.
Rotary District 7850 Fall Regional Learning Seminars
11/14 – So. Burlington, join Jim, Bruce, Phil and James
Coop Food Drives…Save these two dates, October 24 and November 21 a the Centerra Coop. Tim Guaraldi organizing and inviting our LHS Interactors to join us again this year. ***NOTE*** Tim needs a person with a pickup truck to retrieve the food at the end of the drive on October 24th as he needs to leave early to go to a family gathering. The food that is gathered cannot be delivered to Listen until Monday, October 26th.***
Rotary Clubs of the Upper Valley Gathering at the Upper Valley Aquatics Center. $20/person RSVPs will be requested so enough food can be provided.
Knitting for Ukraine – Hannah Falcone announced that her mother is coordinating this event to provide warm, wool, knit hats for children in Ukraine at their sheep farm in Plainfield. If you have questions, email falconefivesistersfarm@gmail.com Deadline to drop off donations at Five Sisters Farm in Plainfield is November 12th.
Common Man for Ukraine Concert
Dear Friends,
We are happy to share with you an exciting musical event on Sunday, November 15th in Hanover. Join us for "Fascinating Rhythms", a concert/cabaret featuring American and Ukrainian music with Vira + Friends.
We hope to see you there to participate in extraordinary music, shared hope and healing. Proceeds will go to Common Man for Ukraine, for practical aid to Ukraine's children and families.
Warmly,
The Common Man for Ukraine team
Join us for an afternoon of classical and popular music by legendary American composers such as Leonard Bernstein, Richard Rodgers and Stephen Schwartz alongside works by their Ukrainian counterparts. Get swept away by a 150 years of captivating melodies, superb harmonies and fascinating rhythms
November 15th ticket includes a reception following the concert. Students, children, refugees, recent immigrants, and anyone for whom the ticket price is an obstacle are welcome to select a free ticket. If you can't attend, you can still help Ukraine's children with a tax-deductible donation.
We have completed 5 of this year’s 7 total free community flu vaccine clinics and we couldn’t have done it without you. I want to take this moment to share our deep appreciation for your help.
To date we have administered 721 vaccines, including regular and FluAd (the vaccine for people aged 65+). The breakdown by clinic is:
Enfield 268
Plainfield 233
Bradford 88
Washington 34 (our newest stop)
Orford 132
We will be in Windsor and Canaan the last week of October to finish these up for the year. I hope to see you all back next year.
Best, Alice
Alice R. Ely, MPH
Executive Director
Public Health Council of the Upper Valley
One Court Street, #365
Lebanon, NH 03766
(603) 523-7100
Holiday Party and Famous Yankee Swap will be on December 9, 2026, in the Dwinell Room at Harvest Hill. RSVP to Ron Bedell
It will soon be that time of year again. Time for the Rotary Club of Lebanon to have a fun filled dinner and a Yankee Swap!
Date: December 9, 2026
Time: 5:30 till 9:00 or so
Cost: $40.00 Per Person
Menu:
Appetizers
Cheese and Crackers, Vegetable Crudité with Dip, Rolls and Butters
Dinner
Salad, Carved Beef, Chicken Marsala, Vegetarian Option TBD, Butternut Squash - either Mashed or Roasted, Sauteed Green Beans, Roasted Red Potatoes,
Dessert
TBD
Beverage
Coffee, Tea and Bottled Water. Feel free to bring you own Wine and Beer if so desired
Yankee Swap
Each person coming will bring a wrapped gift of something repurposed, or New Valued at $20.00. For those of you that have not participated in a Yankee Swap, it goes like this. A number will be drawn from a bag. Each person starting with number one will pick a gift from the pile and open it. The person with number two will choose a gift and open it. They will then have the option of temporarily keeping the gift they chose or swapping it with the one that number one chose. This will progress with each person swapping their gift with all the other gifts until the person with the last number completes their transaction. Number one will then have a chance to swap their gift with any other gift.
Reservations
Send an e-mail to me at r.j.bedell@comcast.net. with the number in your party or regrets so that I will not bother you with follow-ups. All Corporate Members are invited as well as significant others and other guests.
Payment
Send a check to Angela Nelson, Rotary Club of Lebanon, P.O. Box 132, Lebanon, NH 03766-0132
Thank you for considering the Holiday Party and I sincerely hope that we can look forward to seeing you there,
Ron Bedell & John Yacavone
Happy Dollars
Ernst and Linda Oidtmann are hosting two musicians who will be playing at the Lebanon Opera House and the Chandler Center in Randolph, VT. One plays the Theorbo, and the other the piano. The pianist was in the movie, Amadeus orchestra.
Theorbo
Tim Guaraldi reported on the Revo Gala: It was heldon October 10, 2026, at the Doubletree, in Manchester was attended by Tim and Anna Guaraldi and Ron and Marilyn Bedell. There was a great band, and an entertainer and painter, Dan Dunn, Paint Jam https://paintjam.com/ A good time was had by all. Tim will be starting the paper work for 2027 Revo Casino dates.
Dean Cashman has returned from Scotland, and he thanked Ron Michaud for all the golfing guidance he provided prior to the trip…giving him an A+.
John Stalvey shared that his Williams College Class has had the 50th anniversary planning torch passed to his class. Let the planning begin.
Bruce Pacht announced a concert:
Queen of Hearts Draw – John Stalvey pulled the King of Hearts…the hunt for the Queen continues.
Car Wash – Was won by Marilyn Bedell
October 8 2026, Attendance
Attendance:
Christina Annas, Ron Bedell, Marilyn Bedell, Bruce Bergeron (cameo apprearance with beer), Dean Cashman, David Clarenbach, Hank Clarke, Jim Damren Brian Davis, Hannah Falcone, Nick Gaffney, Steve Grant, Tim Guaraldi, Ahmad Haidari*, Ron Michaud, Ernst Oidtmann, Bruce Pacht, Phil Rentz, Bill Secord, John Stalvey, Richard Wallace, George Wenz, Cal Wolfe
Guest: BIse Wood St. Eugene, our speaker
One Profits Most Who Serves Best
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
October 22: Alloys Nyakundi MPS, Emma’s Garden
October 29: Jada Lindblom, PH.D. Assoc Professor, Recreation Management and Policy, UNH
November 5: Club Assembly, Classification Talk
November 12: Roy Schlieben, Executive Director MAXT Makerspace
November 19: Colby Price, Director Lebanon Adult Education/Literacy Services
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
Take a moment to watch this video about Polio
Community health workers form a hidden army in Pakistan, delivering life‑saving vaccines and driving Rotary‑supported efforts to eradicate polio CLICK HERE
