Please click here for paypal donation in lieu of 2020 chili fest.
Welcome to Ludlow, VT Rotary
Service Above Self
We meet Tuesdays at 12:15 PM
DJ's Restaurant
DJ's Restaurant
146 Main Street (not for mail purposes)
P.O. Box 216
Ludlow, VT 05149
United States of America
P.O. Box 216
Ludlow, VT 05149
United States of America
District Site
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Venue Map
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Ludlow Rotary Cancels Annual Chili Cookoff
Due to Covid-19 and Seeks Donations
“For the past 19 years, the Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC) has sponsored a Chili Cook-off regardless of the weather or other worldly problems. But 2020 will see the first cancellation of the event due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We believe it is a necessary step to take to protect area residents and visitors from unnecessary exposure to the virus.”
With these words, LRC President, Kevin Barnes, announced the cancellation of an event that represented a major fund-raiser for the club in addition to the Penny Sale earlier this year. Both of these events were major programs to raise funds for the $9,000 in scholarship funds given by the club to area high school seniors.
“We still managed to use our reserve funds to cover the scholarships this year but really need to find other source of revenue for the coming year”, added Barnes.
He indicated that the Ludlow Rotary Club would appreciate any donations people were able to make to help LRC prepare for the scholarship they will hopefully be awarding in 2021.
Such donations may be sent to the Ludlow Rotary Club, PO Box 216; Ludlow, VT 05149. Direct online donations may be made through PayPal at www.ludlowrotary.com. All such donations are fully tax deductible and will be acknowledged.
“We hope events will make it possible to continue the chili cook-off next year”, noted Mark Huntley, Chili Committee Chairman, “but our primary concern is the health and well-being of those who may have attended this event and the community in general”.
Susanna Gellert, Executive Artistic Director of the Weston Playhouse, was the featured speaker at the recent meeting of the Ludlow Rotary Club via the Zoom app.
She described the impact of Covid-19 on the decision to cancel the current season’s production at the Weston Playhouse noting that it was difficult considering the many artists who would be affected by the decision.
In determining what the playhouse could do to provide some form of artistic performances while complying with restrictions associated with Covid-19, Gellert cited the various projects the playhouse sponsored.
One of these projects was to commission 14 well-known playwrights to write short plays with a single actor. The resulting works, called “One Room” concentrated on the question of what makes a home. This series, along with several other projects, is available on the playhouse’s YouTube page, https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=weston+playhouse.
Gellert indicated that the playhouse was considering possible productions for the 2021 season. She cautioned that such a schedule, if the situation permitted, would probably be shorter than their normal season productions.
At its recent meeting, the Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC) was addressed by Kelly Beerman, Conservation Director for the Ninevah Foundation, a group dedicated to the protection and conservation of Lake Ninevah in Mt Holly.
Beerman indicated that one of her primary concerns was the protection of the lake from aquatic invasive species. She described how the foundation has created “greeters” who assist people visiting the lake and ensuring that no invasive species are allowed to enter the lake’s environment.
In describing some of the various projects she is responsible for, Beerman noted the grants used to underwrite the lake’s conservation. She is also associated with the Farm and Wildness Foundation in a similar role.
The Ninevah Foundation is governed by a dedicated and knowledgeable staff as well as a diverse and experienced board of trustees. Our staff are well-versed in outdoor education and environmental stewardship. Many of our trustees were once campers and/or counselors at Farm & Wilderness camps, Ninevah Foundation’s affiliated partner. As of 2018, Ninevah Foundation and Farm & Wilderness jointly share the same staff and board members as affiliated organizations.
We would like to thank all of those who participated in our 19th Annual Ralph D. Hogancamp Memorial Duck Race on Saturday, August 15, 2020.
We floated a record number of duckies this year! The winning ducks are as follows:
Alphonse "Fonz" Harris - First Place
Isabella LeMire - Second Place
Eric Alden - Third Place
Cooper Babbitt - Last Little Duck
Tom Harris - Wells Fargo Advisors - Corporate Duck Winner
Eric Alden donated his winnings back to the club! Thank you!
Proceeds will benefit community projects, scholarships and literacy projects for our service area! We were unable to hold our annual penny sale in April and truly appreciate all of those who contributed to this event!
Pictured here is Isabelle LeMire with her winning certificate and prize money!
Our next club project is our annual community calendar. Stay tuned for more info!
Stay safe friends!
Come join the fun! Get your ducky today for this annual event!
Socially distanced duckies will be dropped into the river on August 15, 2020 at 12:00 noon.
One duck is just $5 bucks, a "Quack Pack" is 5 duckies for $20 and a corporate duck is $50.
Proceeds benefit community projects, scholarships and literacy just to name a few.
CASH PRIZES FOR FIRST THREE DUCKIES TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE.
And the last little ducky receives $25.00!
WCAX Weather Woman Describes
Impact of Covid-19 to Ludlow Rotary
Sharon Meyer, key weather woman at WCAX-TV, was the guest speaker recently at the on-line meeting of the Ludlow Rotary Club LRC).
Sharon devoted her presentation to the effect the Covid-19 crisis had on her personally and its impact on how WCAX adapted to the rigorous demands of dealing with the virus.
The meeting, held using the Zoom app, allowed members of the LRC to get a detailed picture of the changes that the station and its personnel had to make to operate. The main change was working from home. This required that the various reporters, weather staff, and production staff by in large work from home.
She noted that the most difficult phase of this adjustment was for production staff who needed to be “hands-on” with the various technical equipment used to produce live and recorded news and weather programs.
On a personal note, Sharon noted that she was on vacation in Mexico at the onset of the virus. On her return to Vermont, she learned that she would have to spend 14 days in isolation, following the newly-introduced requirements of Gov. Scott.
During a Q and A session following Sharon’s presentation, Brett Wright, a LRC Rotarian, described the similar difficulties he encountered when he tried to leave the Dominican Republic. He finally found a flight carrying American citizens back to the states only to learn that all the rental car companies had no more cars to rent due to the heavy demand created by the coronavirus crisis.
Caption to attached photo:
Pictured above is Sharon Meyer, a weather woman for WCAX, during her Zoom, on-line, discussion with members of the Ludlow Rotary Club.
We are saddened by the news of our beloved Bob Kirkbride who passed away earlier this afternoon.
Bob was a devoted Rotarian of 63 years to our club. He often stayed after lunch to help clean the tables at DJ’s after our regular weekly luncheon. Bob kept our club on its toes with his general comments, happy dollar stories and weekly program music director. He had near 100% attendance .. very seldom did he miss a meeting.
He participated with all club activities and he never missed a Penny Sale!
His smiling face will be missed by many. He was a true friend to many in our town and touched our hearts dearly. We love you Bob ❤️❤️
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Ludlow Rotary Raising Funds for Australian
Fire Victims – Both Human and Animal!
Given the enormity of the fires now threatening all of Australia, the Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC) has initiated efforts to raise funds to help the Australian people and the millions of injured and dislocated animals in that country.
According to Mark Huntley, LRC President, “We will be joining Rotary International in raising funds to help the be leagued Australian people and animals begin to recover from the devastating fires currently engulfing that nation”. He noted that the LRC’s fund raising effort would be in concert with Rotary International’s program to provide assistance, Rotary International Brush fires Appeal.
The local club will donate $2,000 to this fund split equally between humanity and wildlife rescue. All funds collected will be divided the same way.
The LRC Rotarians plan to distribute “drop-boxes” to many area stores and businesses so that additional funds will be secured for this effort.
Huntley indicated that “we suspect that everyone has been concerned about loss of life and property resulting from these fires in Australia and wants to find some way to help that nation recover and rebuild from this tremendous calamity”. He noted that he, like many others, were particularly overcome by the plight of the animals like the koalas and kangaroos that we have become attached to.
In addition to the LRC donation and the drop-box collections, interested people may also send checks to the Ludlow Rotary Club’s tax-exempt organization. The mailing address for such contributions is: Ludlow Area Rotary Charitable Fund, Inc. (LARCF), PO Box 216, Ludlow VT 05149. This is a 501 (c) (3) organization so all contributions are tax-deductible.
More information on this effort may be obtained by calling 802-779-7194 or emailing LRC at kimberlylampert@bensonschevy.com.
The Ludlow Rotary Club will be cancelling their weekly luncheon meetings through March 31, 2020.
The recent meeting of the Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC) featured leaders of the River Valley Technical Center (RVTC), located in Springfield, as they discussed the role and objectives of that school.
Both Scott Farr, the Superintendent/Director of RVTC and Dave Culver, its Cooperative Education Coordinator, explained how the school has created a wide variety of technical subjects aimed at helping its students select a career path or enhancing their educational background.
They noted that the school, which services a number of Windsor County high schools as well as one in New Hampshire, is dedicated to ensuring that attending students gain an in-depth view of selected technical career opportunities so they may opt for those they find rewarding.
Pictured above are Barbara Lemire, LRC Rotarian; Mark Huntley, LRC President; and Scott Farr, RVTC.
Ludlow Rotary Club Learns About Springfield Co-Op Expansion
At its recent weekly luncheon meeting, the Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC) featured guest speaker Larry Kraft, Project Manager for the Springfield Food Co-Op's building expansion project.
Kraft described the history of the co-op and its new building expansion project. Currently the project, located on River Street in Springfield, is seeking $870,000 to fund the enlargement of its facilities. He noted that the purpose of this new expansion was to enhance the space used for co-op shoppers. Among the improvements will be a café area where customers and co-op members can relax. The project will also enable the co-op to hire more staff, provide a safer and more efficient store for shoppers and employees, and grow the co-op's economy.
Pictured above are, from left to right, Mark Huntley, LRC President, Glenn Heitsmith, LRC Rotarian, and Larry Kraft.
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On Tuesday, June 25, 2019 the women of Rotary passed the gavel to President Mark Huntley. Rotary celebrates 30 years of women this year and our club had 5 past presidents step up and rotate time in sharing the position. Pictured here is Sharon Bixby, Jill Tofferi, Brigid Sullivan, Mark Huntley, Mary Crowley and Barbara LeMire. Barb was the first woman inducted into the LRC 30 years ago!Congratulations to all!
Recently the 1st grade students at Ludlow Elementary School (LES) received personalized school books from the Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC). Pictured above are members of Mrs. Lauren Seber's 1st grade class at LES as they show their new, personalized books, donated to them by LRC Rotarian, Sharon Bixby, on behalf of the club. According to Tom Harris, a fellow LRC Rotarian, "The Ludlow Rotary Club has been providing personalized books, titled School is Fun to every first grader in our service area for about 23 years. We started buying the books around 1996 from Roy and Judy Quimby who had a booth at the Ludlow Vermont Harvest fair and have continued every year since. The Quimbys moved to Florida in 1998, and Roy has passed on, but to this day Judy still makes the books for us and we are very grateful". The LRC has been donating these personalized books to all the 1st graders in the Ludlow, Cavendish, and Mt Holly elementary schools during this period as part of its literacy program. In addition to this program, the LRC also provides free monthly books to young toddlers as part of its Dolly Parton Imagination Library project.Our June 18, 2019 meeting will be held at Sam's on RTE 103 S in Ludlow. Please make note of this. Our scholarship graduates have been invited to join us for lunch.
At its recent luncheon meeting at DJ's Restaurant, the Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC) heard from Jim Finger, CEO of the Regional Ambulance Service, Inc of Rutland, VT . Finger explained the various healthcare roles his organization played in providing medical assistance to Rutland area residents.
He devoted much of his address to the role of volunteers in manning EMS operations, noting the difficulty in getting volunteers and the impact it had on EMS service.
Finger indicated that current employment requirements made it difficult for many people who used to volunteer for EMS service to satisfy the needs of their jobs while still having time to work as volunteers. This was a problem that was not unique to Rutland or Vermont. Rather it is a national problem.
Pictured above are, from left to right, Barbara LaMire, LRC President; Jim Finger; and Frank Heald, Ludlow Rotarian.
LRC meets for lunch on most Tuesdays at 12:15 pm at DJ's Restaurant. The LRC is small and is always looking to welcome new members. If you would like to attend a meeting and learn how you may 'Serve Humanity' while enjoying the fun and fellowship of others, please contact any Rotarian or drop a note to Ludlow Rotary, PO Box 216, Ludlow Vermont.
For more than 20 years, Ralph Pace has been an outstanding member of the greater Ludlow community. Many of his contributions to this community were described by the Vermont legislature in a lengthy proclamation issued on March 1, 2019 to honor Ralph’s community leadership and public service.
The proclamation spoke to a large number of Ralph’s accomplishments, a few of which are highlighted here:
- Served on a committee to bring the Ludlow Town Hall into compliance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Spearheaded the effort to modernize the Ludlow Town Hall’s second floor auditorium while retaining the auditorium’s historic character and charm.
- Founded the Friends of Ludlow Auditorium to ensure that the auditorium, also known as the Heald Auditorium, would flourish as a popular venue for events such as movies, musicals, plays and political debates.
- Produced and hosted, on local cable television, over 300 episodes of a weekly news and public affairs program called “That Was the Week That Was”, a popular forum for local information and civic engagement.
- Served on the Ludlow Armory Committee, which transformed the former military complex into the multipurpose Ludlow Community Center, which now hosts a cafeteria, a commercial kitchen, a gymnasium and the headquarters for Black River Good Neighbor Services and Okemo Valley TV.
- Served as Ludlow’s town health officer.
The Ludlow Rotary is proud to have Ralph Pace as a member, where he continues to serve as an outstanding member of our community.
The entire proclamation was read at the Ludlow Town Meeting on March 4, 2019, and at the March 5 Ludlow Rotary meeting.
For more information contact David Almond at davidkalmond44@gmail.com.
Michael Halstead, the interim CEO of Springfield Hospital, addressed the latest meeting of the Ludlow Rotary club (LRC) about the current condition of the Hospital and medical center. Referring to numerous media articles about its financial status, he noted that the financial problems of the hospital were a national problem for many small, regional hospitals. Michael emphasized that Springfield Hospital had financial problems but it was the intention of the facility to make all necessary changes to ensure that it had a sustainable financial future. He cited the recent decision to eliminate the birthing clinic as an example of how the hospital is addressing the problem. He stressed that the hospital would still provide quality emergency services to pregnant women.
He indicated that the emergency ward was being transferred to a new unit as another step in reducing costs. Staff reductions and modest pay decreases were also part of the solution. When asked about the future of the hospitals outlying medical and dental facilities, he said that they all represented very solvent and successful operations. He noted that the Chester dental unit was adding "a second chair" to satisfy the demands for its services.
Pictured here is Michael Halstead and Jim Rumrill, LRC Rotarian.
LRC meets for lunch on most Tuesdays at 12:15 pm at DJ's Restaurant. The LRC is small and is always looking to welcome new members. If you would like to attend a meeting and learn how you may 'Serve Humanity' while enjoying the fun and fellowship of others, please contact any Rotarian or drop a note to Ludlow Rotary, PO Box 216, Ludlow Vermont.
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Ludlow Rotary Supports FOLA Movie Series
At its recent meeting, held at the Big Eyes Bakery in Ludlow, the Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC) presented FOLA (Friends of Ludlow Auditorium) with sponsoring support for FOLA's three movie series featuring the work of Peter Sellers.
At its recent meeting, held at the Big Eyes Bakery in Ludlow, the Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC) presented FOLA (Friends of Ludlow Auditorium) with sponsoring support for FOLA's three movie series featuring the work of Peter Sellers.
The series will feature "The Mouse that Roared" (April 13), "Return of the Pink Panther" (April 27). and "Being There" (May 11). The films will be screened in the Heald Auditorium in town hall. The movies will start at 7 PM. The opening film on April 13 will begin with a reception at 6 PM which will feature a presentation about Sellers and his film career by Vermont film historian, Rick Winston. Food will bne served during the reception.
Other film sponsors include The Book Nook, Big Eyes Bakery and Marylou Scofield, Attorney at Law. Pictured below is (from left to right) Paul Faenza, Rotarian; Brigid Sullivan, LRC President; Brigid Faenza, Rotarian (and chef); and Scott Stearns, FOLA Chairman.
LRC meets for lunch on most Tuesdays at 12:15 pm at DJ's Restaurant. The LRC is small and is always looking to welcome new members. If you would like to attend a meeting and learn how you may 'Serve Humanity' while enjoying the fun and fellowship of others, please contact any Rotarian or drop a note to Ludlow Rotary, PO Box 216, Ludlow Vermont.
At its recent Tuesday luncheon meeting at DJs Restaurant, members of the Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC) listened to Paul Alcorn, a leader of Bridges to Community, describe the role his organization played in assisting rural communities in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic create homes and community development in areas lacking any such facilities. He noted that, with the help of American students during the summer, they would settle in remote areas in these two countries, build homes for residents using concrete, and assist the local people in developing community projects. In certain cases, Mr. Alcorn indicated that the group would build small mdical facilities in under-served areas. He indicated that this was a long, labor-intense effort since the areas being served lack the resources usually associated with such projects.
Pictured below is Suzanne Garvey, LRC Rotarian, Paul Alcorn, and Mary Crowley, LRC President. LRC meets for lunch on most Tuesdays at 12:15 pm at DJ's Restaurant. The LRC is small and is always looking to welcome new members. If you would like to attend a meeting and learn how you may 'Serve Humanity' while enjoying the fun and fellowship of others, please contact any Rotarian or drop a note to Ludlow Rotary, PO Box 216, Ludlow Vermont.
Sean Perry of the organization We R H.O.P.E., INC talked about the increasing anxiety that people face to the point of it crippling their daily activities including their ability to thrive in society. He founded an organization whose mission is “Preparing the people of today for the anxieties of tomorrow. “
We R H.O.P.E. is a non profit organization that brings anxiety education, coaching, trauma informed interactive services and suicide prevention to individuals and schools struggling to find affordable support options. Sean spoke about the schools they work in to increase a student’s ability to focus on their studies and control the anxiety that plagues many students today. He also counsels adults who suffer from extreme anxiety and other mental illnesses.
Rotarians asked many questions and discussed bringing him to a broader local audience. He can be contacted at sean@werhope.org.
World Polio Day will come and go again as it does every year. This year clubs in Rotary District 7870 are pledging $20.19 per member in an effort to make 2019 the first year around the world as Polio Free!
The Ludlow Rotary Club is just one of 60 clubs that comprise District 7870 and the club has always been active in Polio efforts for years now. Ludlow Rotarians collect pennies all year long and make a club contribution annually. In 2018 the club has collected over $50 in just pennies! Along with pennies Rotarians pledge individual monetary contributions.
In 1988, the World Health Assembly launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to help eliminate the disease through a mass immunization campaign. At this time Polio was in more than 125 countries; paralyzing 350,000 people every year. In 2007, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation joined other health organizations; to help eradicate polio. The Gates Foundation is committing to contributing $450 million toward eradicating polio to the end. As of today, there are now 2 countries with this dreadful virus. Rotary has committed to raising $50 million per year since 2017 and every dollar will be matched by two additional dollars from the Gates Foundation. Any amount of donation will help through the Gates Foundation efforts; coins or dollars. All donations are tax deductible. For more information please visit www.ludlowrotary.com.
This is just one of the many projects the Ludlow Rotary Club is proud to support. The Ludlow Rotary Club meets Tuesdays at DJ’s Restaurant in downtown Ludlow from 12:15 –
1:30. 
Donations can be made payable to: Ludlow Area Rotary Charitable Fund, Inc. (LARCF, Inc.) and mailed to: PO Box 216, Ludlow, VT 05149
