President-elect Bill Daley welcomed all to the July 5th meeting, of the Brattleboro Rotary Club, the first of the new Rotary year, held at the American Legion in Brattleboro. Rich Carroll offered the following meaningful invocation:
As we give thanks today, the day after the Fourth of July, let us stir our minds and stimulate our hearts with a high sense of patriotism. May all that yesterday symbolized renew our faith in freedom, our devotion to democracy, and redouble our efforts to keep a government of the people, by the people, and for the people truly alive in our world. Grant that we may highly resolve to dedicate ourselves anew to the task of ushering in an era when good will shall live in the hearts of a free people, justice shall be the light to guide their feet, and peace shall be the goal of humankind.
This was followed by the pledge of allegiance. Birthday greetings were extended to Dave Neumeister, David Twombly, Tami Purcell, Robin Sweetapple, Ted Kramer, Ron Stahley, and George Weir.
As a luncheon of pork (what a treat!), roast beef, pasta salad, mac & cheese, broccoli, green salad, bread, and chocolate chip cookies for dessert was being digested, the meeting continued.
GUEST: District Governor Venu Rao, Assistant District Governor Keith Clarke, and Mel Shakun.
TRIVIA QUESTION
Why does the Rotary year begin on July 1?
(answer below)
JOKE OF THE WEEK
For our Rotary joke, Marty Cohn told the following:
A husband and wife were golfing when suddenly the wife asked, "Honey, if I died would you get married again?" The husband said, "No sweetie." The woman said, "I'm sure you would." So the man said, "Okay, I would" Then the woman asked, "Would you let her sleep in our bed?" And the man replied, "Ya, I guess so." Then the wife asked, "Would you let her use my golf clubs?" And the husband replied, "No, she's left handed."
ROTARY MINUTE
For our Rotary minute, Marty Cohn gave an update about the club’s work with Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. We are working with clubs in South Dakota, Colorado, Switzerland and Brazil on a feasibility study for a Rotary Global Grant.
NOTE: 2018-19 weekly assignments are posted on club website.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
07/12 – John Hagen, Commander, American Legion Post #5
07/19 – Club Assembly
07/26 – Biz Hallett, Brattleboro Ludo Sport
NOTE: 2018-19 weekly assignments are posted on club website.
REMINDERS
Bottles and cans can be brought to Putney Road redemption center to benefit Pure Water for the World. Please see Mara Williams.
If you like this newsletter, brag at next Club meeting.
It's a new Rotary year!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Brattleboro on Wheels will be taking place on 7/14 from 10-2. If you can volunteer, please contact Mike Mandracchia.
If you want to help pack boxes for Vermont Food Bank on Saturday, July 14 from 9-noon, please contact Stan Nowakowski.
33rd Annual Youth Services Golf Tournament is on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. For more info, click here.
FINES
NONE ;-(
BRAGS
Bill Daley – for David Twombly and Stan Nowakowski’s efforts in making the Changeover Dinner a success.
Gina Pattison – for the Golf Committee raising $31,000.
John Mabie – for the six scholarship winners (ED NOTE: They are invited to attend next week’s meeting).
Carl Lynde – for TD Bank’s sponsorship of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra 2018 Summer Festival Tour.
Lisa Mendelsund – for Rob Szpila being a Ping Pong champion.
Robin Sweetapple– for her 25th wedding anniversary.
Bill McKim – for Dart Everett helping him at a strawberry shortcake dinner.
Marty Cohn – for Norma Shakun prowness in playing Words With Friends in French.
Bill Daley – for the Brattleboro fireworks display.
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PROGRAM
PHOTO (L-R): District Governor Venu Rao received a club banner from President-elect Bill Daley
District Governor Venu Rao told us about his goals for the District in the coming year.
Net 60 new members (1 per club)
Increase awareness of Rotary accomplishments.
Each club participate in one Rotary Global Grant.
Increase number of members donating to Rotary Foundation.
The Rotary theme this year is "Be the inspiration"
Rotary Cares, Episode 9 – "Passing the Gavel"
Brattleboro Rotary Club past president Marty Cohn talks with Brattleboro Rotary Club past president Roger Miller (1972-1973) and Brattleboro Sunrise Rotary Club past president Will Shakespeare (2007-2008) about their transformation from club president to club past president. Produced in the studio of Brattleboro Community Television.
Past President Martin Cohn who attempts to give a gist of the meeting respectfully submitted this bulletin. However, it is always better to attend. If you have any complaints about the contents of this bulletin...
ANSWER TO TRIVIA QUESTION
Rotary's first fiscal year began the day after the first convention ended, on 18 August 1910. The 1911-12 fiscal year also related to the convention, beginning with the first day of the 1911 convention on 21 August.
At its August 1912 meeting, the Board of Directors ordered an audit of the International Association of Rotary Clubs' finances. The auditors recommended that the organization end its fiscal year on 30 June to give the secretary and treasurer time to prepare a financial statement for the convention and board, and determine the proper number of club delegates to the convention.
The executive committee concurred, and at its April 1913 meeting, designated 30 June as the end of the fiscal year. This also allowed for changes to the schedule for reporting club membership and payments. Even The Rotarian changed its volume numbering system to correspond to the fiscal year (beginning with vol. 5, July 1914).
Rotary continued to hold its annual conventions in July or August until 1917. Delegates to the 1916 event in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, approved a resolution to hold future conventions in June, mainly because of the heat in cities where most of them occurred. The next one was held 17-21 June in Atlanta, Georgia.
The term "Rotary year" has been used to signify Rotary's annual administrative period since at least 1913. An article in The Rotarian that July noted, "The Rotary year that is rapidly drawing to a close has been signalized by several highly successful joint meetings of Clubs that are so situated as to assemble together easily and conveniently."
Since the executive committee's decision in 1913, the end of the Rotary year has remained 30 June.
