Lebanon Rotarians present in person: Bruce Pacht, Dave Clarenbach, Hank Clarke, Ron Bedell, Marilyn Bedell, Tim Guaraldi, Bill Secord, Angela Nelson, Jim Damren, Ernst Oidtmann, Bruce Bergeron, Mila dela Pena, Phil Rentz, Ron Michaud, Steve Grant, Bill Chabot, Christian McDonald, Dave Crandall, Brian Davis, and John Yacavone.

Lebanon Rotarians attending via Webex: Phil Bush and Jane Mason.

Visiting Rotarians: In-person—John Stalvey from Anchorage; Webex—Jimmy Brock from Bermuda

Guests: Scott Wise.  Scott moved here recently from Belize. His partner, Kim Harden, has become the director of oncology nursing at DH Medical Center after serving as interim for the past six months. Scott is a baker by profession, now managing Crumbl. Scott and Kim attended our Brew Fest last year.

 

President Marilyn rang the bell and called the meeting to order at 12:01 p.m.

Recitation of the “4-Way Test of the Things We Think Say or Do” was led by Mila dela Pena. Pianist Ernst led us in singing the “Rotary Welcome Song,” and “In the Good Old Summertime”

 

President Marilyn’s Thought of the Day came from the Rotary Club of Keyland Heights, Texas: Don’t be intimidated by SERVICE; it doesn’t have to be huge. Consistent acts of kindness have a big impact. “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”

 

Birthdays: 1/30 Marilyn Bedell.

 

PROGRAM: Brooke Finnell, US executive director of Epilogos and Ignatius MacLellan, president of the board.

 

Brooke joined the board in 2010 and has been executive director for the last seven years. She works closely with Graciela Martinez, executive director of Epilogos in San José Villanueva, El Salvador (SJV). Graciela Martinez has worked with Epilogos for over 20 years. Brooke feels fortunate to be working in an organization committed to working with the people in the community. The organization’s motto is “Everyone is equal.”

 

Ignatius is serving his second term as president of the board and has been involved with Epilogos for many years. Ignatius runs the student and adult trips to El Salvador; the next one, February20-26, will be his 25^th group, including a student from Lebanon High School, Warren Ramsey. Ignatius leads somewhat less strenuous trips for older adults with more transportation and less physical exertion. Ignatius has ties to the Upper Valley: as a student, he competed in the high jump at the Dartmouth Relays; he helped start the Upper Valley Housing Coalition (and was a colleague and inspiration to Bruce Pacht during Bruce’s six years with Twin Pines Housing).

 

Epilogos was founded in 2002 by Mike and Susie Jenkins, who met and married while working the Peace Corps in El Salvador; there will be 25^th anniversary celebrations next year. The people of San Jose Villanueva understand that Epilogos is there and is staying put.

 

 

 

Epilogos’s work in El Salvador is in three areas:

 

Since 2002, Epilogos has provided scholarships to over 2200 students. In 2026, they gave scholarships to 61 in grades K-9, 63 in high school, and 19 students with special needs.

 

There are local K-9 schools in surrounding villages that feed the single high school in SJV. Ignatius pointed out that these rural kids with a 9^th grade education can get good jobs, for example, in the tourist industry, a call center, or building supplies store. If they can go beyond that in school, they acquire more English, skills, and training. Epilogos has an internship program as well.

 

The scholarships are to a private Catholic school that anyone may attend. The school offers music, band, art, and English and has significantly smaller class sizes than the elementary schools.

 

Enrollments are up about 30%, now that the era of gang violence and the Covid pandemic have passed. More kids from outlying schools are safer to travel to SJV than before. The school year funs from February–November. Tuitions are grades K–9 = $195; 7-12 = $245; and special needs = $270. Last year, Lebanon Rotary’s $1,000.00 donation provided tuition for four special needs students.

 

• “My daughter has learned to socialize and develop her skills this year with great progress. May God Almighty bless this excellent gesture of gratitude towards our children.”
• “Leonel is attending 6th grade this year with his classmates and shows and expresses that he is happy playing and learning, but he also attends the support classroom to receive help with his language and tasks that he finds difficult.”
• “We are very grateful to the foundation for providing tutoring for our son. We have truly seen tremendous progress in his education; he pays much better attention to instructions and is more cooperative with craft activities.”
• “I want to thank the Lebanon NH Rotary Club for their support and trust in us, giving us their help. Their help is very important because thanks to them, we can send my daughter to learn. My daughter has been able to interact with other children, which fills her with joy. She loves to paint, and it has been her way of learning this year. May God reward you for all your good deeds.”

 

Some students also need lunch assistance, uniform assistance, etc., beyond tuition. Epilogos requires that students participate in Epilogos programs and keep their grades up. Parents must also volunteer to support their children.

 

This year, there are now 19 students in the special needs programs, and Epilogos has hired a fulltime teacher: “Karen” got her education degree in 2025. Students attend one AM and one PM academic sessions each day. With students in class, mothers also have some time to flourish. Epilogos pays for the teacher and materials. Epilogos also supports six students in college.

 

Earlier graduates have gone into teaching, law, nursing, computer hardware technology, and other fields. “Melvin” graduated from tech college and now works servicing and repairing computers and printers.

 

Ignatius said that he and his wife have sponsored one student for the past six years; this student will become an engineer, though her family has lived in SJV without water or sewer. She will graduate in November; her work in the state highway dept will allow her to help her family.

 

“Adopt a Classroom Program”: Epilogos has adopted 46 rooms for provision of classroom supplies.

 

“Big Friend Little Friend”: A mentorship program bringing together HS and elementary students. Participants gain self-confidence, self-esteem, and motivation while meeting bi-weekly.

 

“Casa Dignas” (“decent homes”): In a typical year Epilogos builds two to four houses; this February, they plan to build two. Materials for a 440 square-foot cinder block house cost $8,000.00; these shelters change people’s lives. Those who live in the houses pay a fee each year that goes to purchase materials for the next home—labor is all free. It’s a big change for a family to be able to be dry during rainy season, and to have a locked location where their possessions will be safe when they leave for work. People who live in SJV work hard, maybe making $10-12/day. It’s a structural economic problem that keeps them from accumulating wealth; it’s not a problem of not working hard enough.

 

Since 2002, volunteers have helped build 92 houses and have partnered on 150 more. Volunteers work alongside family members and tradespeople. Visiting groups stay at a retreat center about 20 minutes away from SJV. Groups visit the capital, San Salvador, to experience the culture and history of El Salvador. The one-week trips are truly an immersive experience. We celebrate with a barbecue each year at one of the houses. We do a lot of walking.

 

Epilogos also provides community support for a robotics program, soccer uniforms, new desks for classrooms, community gatherings in outlying villages, and more. The organization partners with various Rotary groups and church groups. Eye Care International made a big trip to SJV last January. Epilogos also has connections with Engineers Without Borders, the Peace Corps (which has just returned to El Salvado after years of gang violence ebbed), and Habitat for Humanity.

 

The organization takes accountability very seriously. El Salvador’s government has just imposed a 30% tax on NGOs working in the country, but Epilogos has gotten an exemption, partly because of its work to make sure the financial end of things are legitimate.

 

Epilogos has some potential long-term projects that we might work on together in the future:

 

 

Ernst—to what extent are locals involved in leadership positions?

Brooke—They tell us what they want and we support them in getting it done.

 

Steve Grant—Gangs?

Brooke—Five years ago, President Nayib Bukele took over when there was significant gang violence. It was unsafe to travel; violence on buses kept students away from school. Epilogos and the Peace Corps paused trips. After Bukele’s work, Epilogos returned earlier than some groups. The president created a big prison, rounded up gang members, and put them in it. It feels like a completely different country now, even in the evening or riding the bus.

 

 

M is for morning, and M is for little Mo and his beloved mu mu. M is for Mama pouring milk in a cup, and M is for the moi-moi in Mo’s bowl that is mushy! Outside, a man tinkers with a motorbike, playing music that sets Mo to dancing. But when Mo spies a perfectly ripe mango in a tree, only to see it snatched by a monkey, it’s mayhem! Time for Mama to shake her mop and shoo some monkeys away! Are there enough mangoes to share? Wait, where is Mo? In a follow-up to B Is for Baby and L Is for Love, Atinuke’s exuberant alphabet book, set in Nigeria, doubles as a cozy family story that opens into happy chaos, perfectly tuned to the youngest readers.

 

A focus on Youth Activities: Phil Rentz has organized the first round of the 2026 District Speech Contest. We expect to have two contestants from LHS with perhaps a third from KUA. Bruce Pacht will be timekeeper; John and Hank volunteered to judge. Christian will send final count of expected guests so John can make sure the kitchen is prepared.

 

 

Votes of those who voted in person at the meeting will be recorded by Charities chair Bruce P. Rotarians who were not present at the meeting may vote electronically or by contacting Bruce. Voting on the two motions concludes at the end of Lebanon Rotary’s regular meeting on February 5.

 

The Club’s international service committee is focusing on four countries where Lebanon Rotarians have personal connections: Epilogos (Bruce B, Bill Secord), Nepal (Sharmila Niroula), Ghana (Bill Babineau, Ron Michaud), and Kenya (Cal).

 

President Marilyn is proud of our international reach. When District Governor Elect DG Ariel Mondlak called asking in what countries Lebanon Rotary was engaged, Marilyn was able to name these four countries, whose flags will be displayed at the District 7850 Conference.

 

 

Marilyn bragged about her birthday on 1/30 and is predicting a record rapid recovery from the hip surgery she will undergo next week.

Angela’s boyfriend is at JFK and will be home tonight!

Bruce P bragged for his infinitesimal contribution to REVO’s earnings after lunch at REVO with three other Lebanon Rotarians, and for the notices he placed on the tables encouraging members to purchase singing Valentines from the Barbershop Harmony Society Hanover Chapter (bhshanover.org).

Hank is delighted that his “local daughter” and husband are in Tampa, leaving their 12-year-old with Hank and Carole. Temperatures in Tampa are expected to be in the 60s this week.

 

#439 John Y’s number was chosen; he drew the Jack of Hearts.

#448 Dave Crandall won this week’s free car wash at the Enfield Car Wash, courtesy of Bruce B.

 

President Marilyn rang the Rotary bell at 1:11 p.m.