Rotarians attending in person: William Babineau, Marilyn Bedell, Ron Bedell, Bruce Bergeron, Dean Cashman, Dave Clarenbach, Jim Damren, Mila Dela Peña, Steven Grant, Tim Guaraldi, Andy Jones, Carol Keeffe, Christian McDonald, Ron Michaud, Daniel Nash, Ernst Oidtmann, Bruce Pacht, Philip Rentz, Bill Secord, Richard Wallace, George Wenz, Steve Whitman, and John Yacavone.
Attending remotely: Jane Mason and Bill Cabot.
Visiting Rotarian: Bob Haynes, President, Hanover Rotary.
President Marilyn rang the bell and called the meeting to order at 12:06 p.m.
Recitation of the 4-Way Test of the Things We Think Say or Do was led by Dean Cashman.
Pianist Ernst led us in singing the “Rotary Welcome Song” and “Home on the Range.”
PRESIDENT MARILYN’S THOUGHT OF THE DAY:
March is Rotary International’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Month.
Bill Sahlman, Charter member and past president of Lebanon Riverside Rotary, is now a member of the Freeport, Maine, Rotary Club. Bill received an email from a club member detained by ICE: “Thanks for your support for one-month detention and taking care of my family. Difficult being there, missed family, RC family, community. Because of referral letters, $2k bond and I was released. This May meet with judge re: immigration status and then a final hearing. Currently working on global grant for his village in Angola—books, uniforms, desks, solar panels, and teacher education—Makendo Miziza.”
Irish blessing: May there always be work and a coin and sun and rain and hand of a friend and heart with gladness.
WEEKLY STATISTICS:
Birthdays: Hank Clarke, 3/17.
Lebanon Rotary Anniversaries: Dean Cashman, 20 years on 3/14; Josh Smith, 10 years on 3/23. Josh says he hopes to be back in April. Was a member in Morrisville prior to us.
INDUCTION OF NEW MEMBERS:
Hannah Falcone, City of Lebanon, and
Keegan Carpenter, West Lebanon branch manager of Claremont Savings Bank, were inducted as new members.
Jim Damren is Keegan’s sponsor, and
Bob Haynes facilitated the transfer of
Hannah to us from Hanover.
President Marilyn spoke of the importance of adding new members to the Club and to Rotary fellowship worldwide.
Bob spoke of Hannah—"She’s been terrific.” Hannah is a Lebanon High School grad and lives in Plainfield at Five Sisters Farm. All kinds of energy.
Ron Michaud is having their membership certificates framed.
PROGRAM:
Charities updates—
Charities chair Bruce Pacht updated the Club on recent allocations, accepted motions to concur with three appropriations exceeding $1,000, and discussed a future approach to Charities’ budgeting process.
Bob Haynes re: the Health Closet—
Hanover Rotary, Canaan Lions, and a new single-purpose Lebanon Lions Club found a location to store the equipment available for free to folks in New Hampshire and Vermont. Hanover has committed $5,000. Star Johnson is president of Hanover Lions and also of the new Lions Club. John Bayliss, whose wife was a nurse leader at Hitchcock under Marilyn, is totally committed to gather equipment for the project. Bob calls him “Mother Theresa.” There’s a loading dock at their location on the lower level below Pellegrino’s Italian Deli, Italian Market & Garden Center.
Board of Directors updates—
This month’s meeting:
Minutes of January meeting were distributed.
- We have been working to spend down some surplus funds.
- 990s have been formally reviewed in Angela’s office and the club committee will do the same soon
- Dues—You should be getting a monthly email re: dues
- Phil Rentz is our vice-president, to be president in 2027-28!
- Storage Room: Tom told Marilyn that he will look for things that say “Save” and work with his team to get them into the Dwinell Room storage room.
- Morgan Brophy of the Upper Valley Young Professionals hasn’t gotten back to Marilyn. Marilyn’s fantasy is creating a “companion club.”
- Webex—Bill Chabot’s and Jane Mason’s voices are heard loud and clear! A one-week miracle!
- Dustin Lester from Mascoma Technologies will be inducted next week along with Christina Annas.
- Changeover will be June 18, Thursday evening. It will be similar to our holiday party without the Yankee Swap. Spouses welcome.
- Dave Crandall plans to meet with Marion Steiner and Rich Wallace on publicity/marketing.
- April 20, 5:30 p.m., Galloway Room at Salt hill Pub: Fireside Chat/orientation to Roary. Appetizers on the Club’s nickel, beverages on your own. New members to attend; current members could also come to receive a refresher on the broader Rotary world. Marilyn would like RSVPs to give a count to Salt hill. Spouses are welcome.
Membership—Bruce Bergeron
- Working on a Town of Enfield corporate membership.
- Oakes and Son representative(s) planning to attend next week.
International Service—Bill Secord
Four Major Projects:
- Epilogos: Photos of special education students were in last week’s Currents. Brooke Finnell, the executive director of Epilogos, is working on possible projects for a district grant proposal; April 24 is the deadline for submission. The international committee met remotely with a Santa Tecla Rotary Club member who lives near San Jose Villanueva. Marilyn has spoken to the district grants manager at RI, finally speaking with a person in an Ontario club to get reassurances about the credibility of Santa Tecla Rotary—it has a strong credibility record.
- Kenya: Recommended replication of clean water collection system in for a neighboring village’s elementary school. The committee may develop a proposal for a district matching grant for a food program in the elementary school in the Village of Nyandoche Ibere, where we completed our first clean water project.
- Ghana: Global Grant from Walter Hughes—opportunity may come up in July/August
- Nepal: Still in the process of receiving formal government approval to use the money to install sanitary facilities there. Hoping that this will be a proof-of-concept effort which may be expandable. Dipak and club member Sharmila Niroula are our contacts.
Youth Service—Christian McDonald
- Benjy Madory is excited about the next step of speech contest April 18.
- RISE May 1, Friday, at LHS. Almost doubling the number of meals to be prepared. Students are coming from Mascoma and Windsor. Rotarian volunteers are sought and welcome!
- RYLA—two veterans have a presentation ready for the entire class of rising juniors at LHS.
- LHS Awards Night will be June 1 this year with Marilyn presenting our scholarships.
Rotary Foundation—Ron Bedell
- We encourage Rotarians to consider donating at least $100/year. Another request letter will be circulated in April.
Community Service—Bruce Bergeron
- April 11—Styrofoam Collection. If you are planning to attend but haven’t been assigned, talk with Bruce. Filling three, 26’ UHaul trucks is the goal this year.
- April 21 and 26 = Five Colleges Book Sale table setup and takedown at LHS
- REVO has recently started reaching out to UV organizations for volunteer opportunities. They have identified several of ours, including having a bunch of pourers at the Brew Fest.
Golf tournament
- Each and every Rotarian is challenged to obtain at least one sponsor for the tournament.
- Do it now! Any questions, check the lists and ask Bruce B.
REVO—brought in $56,000 for our Charities!
FUTURE DATES OF NOTE:
- Saturday, April 18, 8:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m.: District 7850 Assembly at Northern Vermont University Lyndon, Moore Community Room, 1001 College Road, Lyndonville, VT. Learn about other clubs’ activities and district efforts in public image, youth service, The Rotary Foundation and more. Third round of District Speech Contest! Drinks and pastries upon arrival and lunch at noon. No cost to Rotarians but register at this link for food planning purposes: https://www.crsadmin.com/EventPortal/Registrations/PublicFill/EventPublicFill.aspx?evtid=4789d636-6616-4e91-b9ce-16ef10a62402
- Monday, April 20, Fireside Chat evening at Salt hill, 5:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, June 3, Bedell Golf Classic. Gather sponsors and raffle items now. Plan to help on the day of the event
- Saturday, September 5, Brew Fest. Mark your calendars!
HAPPY DOLLARS:
- Jane Mason—Her father, Pete, past president of Lebanon Rotary, will turn 97 this Sunday. Petemason23@comcast.net.
- Ron Michaud—
- Sometimes within the Club someone has a post-hole digger or something like that—ask this group if you need something. We can be resources to each other. I buy my gas from Jake’s and my CPA services from Angela.
- UV Honda detailed his car for $100, a great deal.
- Bill Babineau is one of the good singers in our Club; George is a good singer also. Ron wants to sing “Fly Me To The Moon” to the Club.
- George Wenz—His great-granddaughter, 1½ years old, rode downhill in a sled at Whaleback with great enjoyment.
- Steve Grant has been volunteering at a repair clinic for household appliances. The next opportunity will take place at AVA this Saturday from 2-4 p.m. Steve will be there sharpening knives!
CARD AND CAR WASH RAFFLE:
- Keegan pulled the Ten of Hearts. Boo-hoo.
- George won the free carwash at the Enfield Car Wash, thanks to Bruce Bergeron.
President Marilyn rang the Rotary bell at 1:20 p.m. and we ended the meeting with a recitation of RI’s motto:
One profits most who serves best
