Prayer delivered by Dan Whitney: "Gracious and loving God, we are gathered today in gratitude for the gift of service, and for the men and women in this Rotary family who embody it so fully. You call each of us to lift our community, but there are some quiet, steadfast, and humble who give far beyond what is expected. Today, we pause to honor those few whose lives shine with service and devotion. As we continue all our good works, remind us that every act of kindness, large or small, builds a better world. Help us follow the path set by those we honor, serving not for recognition, but from a heart committed to doing good. In your holy name we pray, amen."
Guests
Jan Gulezian — Spouse of Dean Gulezian
Eliza Leadbeater — Community Service Award recipient
Announcements
Welcome Back — Jack Foster
Members welcomed Jack Foster back after recent medical procedures
District Conference Recap — Gary Dehnel, Brian Harris, Monica Cashin
Gary Dehnel, Brian Harris, and Monica Cashin attended the district conference on Saturday
Key highlights included:
A story shared by the district governor about her brother, who was living in Mexico and needed medical help; local Mexican Rotarians rallied to assist him without being asked, arranging hospital transport and follow-up care
A memorial recognition for deceased members
A panel discussion on finding your way back; Matt Dodge, a former club member, participated and is now doing notable work through the Bull Rotary Club
The Four-Way Test speech contest finals featured three strong student speakers who engaged audiences without notes; topics included sleep deprivation, a self-referential test of the Four-Way Test itself, and food insecurity
Youth exchange students gave farewell presentations to the district, described as upbeat and heartfelt
The afternoon service project assembled supplies for the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, a poverty-stricken community that the district has supported for years
One club shared a program buying sneakers for all second graders at local elementary schools to promote physical activity; Brian Harris is looking into whether this could be adapted locally
A club celebrating its 50th anniversary made a single transformative $50,000 donation to Habitat for Humanity, building a complete home and workshop facility rather than spreading funds across multiple recipients; noted as a model worth considering for our club's upcoming centennial
Connor Demetriou Recognition
Lexi Demetriou's fiancé, Connor, donated all electrical work in-kind for the new two-story baseball field dugout
Connor also completed the wiring for the mini-splits at the Grange
250th Parade Float — Bonnie Ireland
The club will have a landscape trailer in the parade with raised roof panels at the back
Dan Whitney and Bonnie Ireland designed the layout
A large printed poster will cover the full back panel, showcasing the fishing derby and 2027 dates; the poster is double-sided and reusable for 2028
Display items on the trailer will include a pop-up ice fishing tank and related equipment
Tent, decorations, and all ordered supplies have arrived
Members who want to march in the parade should let Bonnie know
Trailer decorating will take place Thursday, July 3rd at Bruce's house; the parade is Saturday, July 5th
Make-A-Wish Tent Challenge — Bruce Reichlen
Bruce Reichlen is forming a team for the Make-A-Wish 24-hour tent challenge
The challenge requires keeping a tent occupied around the clock, with two-hour shift rotations recommended
The midnight to 6:00 AM shift is optional but encouraged
Participants must be 21 or older from 10:00 PM to 8:00 AM
The club will make a $3,000 donation to support the event regardless of team participation
Bonnie Ireland and Bruce Reichlen are attending a training session for the event the following evening
Members interested in joining the team should contact Bruce Reichlen
The club awarded $41,000 in scholarships this year, a significant increase from prior years
Scholarships were presented at Moultonborough Academy, where 13 students received awards
The club represented the largest single scholarship provider at the ceremony; other organizations typically gave two to four scholarships each
Presentations
Community Service Award — Julieanne Gilchrist presenting; Erin Apostolos nominating
Each year the club recognizes a non-Rotarian with a Community Service Award to expand Rotary's impact and inspire others to serve
Nominations were collected in March; the committee voted and selected this year's recipient
The 2026 Community Service Award was presented to Eliza Leadbeater for her work with the Meredith Public Library
Nominator remarks — Erin Apostolos:
Eliza has volunteered with the Friends of the Meredith Library for 15 years
Her primary role is sorting donated books and materials, determining where they can best be sold, and preparing them for the library's book sales
Her work has raised thousands of dollars to support library programs and services, funding improvements including the teen zone, new furniture, and summer reading programs
When libraries in underserved communities reached out about their collections, Eliza researched those communities, selected appropriate books, and helped prepare and ship donations; the receiving librarians noted both the generosity and the care shown in selecting books suited to their patrons
Eliza helped create and sustain the Friends' bookstore in the library's basement, which provides an ongoing source of support for the library
She often volunteers as many hours as paid staff
Recipient remarks — Eliza Leadbeater:
Accepted the award on behalf of all Friends of the Library volunteers
Described her work in the basement as deeply enjoyable; she finds meaning in tracing the interests and histories of donors through the books they give
Books have been donated and distributed to the Boys and Girls Club, cafes, Little Free Libraries, and online; the club sold books at markets and through Martha Grace
Shared a memorable story: a man came into the bookstore, found a book on knots from his childhood, called his wife, and then ran in with great excitement; that book had led to his career as a marine firefighter
Described a plan to create a small exhibit later in the year showcasing unusual items found inside donated books, including money, plane tickets, flowers, and handwritten notes
Referenced her prior career as the first executive director of the Belmont County Economic Development Council, a role she held for approximately 15 years; noted projects including securing financing for local businesses, raising tax credits that enabled construction of the playhouse, helping Meredith Village Savings Bank acquire historic preservation tax credits for the Historical Society building on Main Street, and efforts to retain a major employer that had been recruited by companies in the Carolinas
Expressed that the opportunity to direct the donation split toward the Interlakes Hot Lunch Program and the library's teen program was meaningful, given her background in workforce and community development
Award details:
Along with the award, the club donates $1,000 to a nonprofit of the recipient's choice
Eliza directed the donation as follows: $500 to the Meredith Public Library and $500 to the Interlakes Hot Lunch Program
Rotarian of the Year — Julieanne Gilchrist presenting; Brian Harris adding remarks
The Rotarian of the Year is the club's highest annual honor, awarded based on service, commitment, visibility, and leadership
Nomination keywords from fellow Rotarians included: tireless effort, leadership, perseverance, substantial skill with planning and organizing, significant involvement, crisis manager, and service above self
The 2026 Rotarian of the Year was presented to Dean Gulezian
Remarks — Brian Harris:
Dean chairs the Youth Exchange Committee, where he is constantly recruiting host families and exchange students, which Brian described as genuinely difficult work
Dean also serves at the district level as the District Youth Exchange Officer and as a compliance committee member, helping to coordinate youth exchange across the entire East Coast of Rotary
Dean organizes Columbus Day Weekend, a multi-day event bringing together youth exchange students from across New Hampshire and Vermont
Dean manages the committee budget carefully and consistently
Brian highlighted Dean's meeting facilitation style: he always distributes an agenda in advance, circulates meeting notes within approximately seven minutes of adjournment, asks for input authentically, and builds consensus in ways that motivate committee members to stay engaged and take ownership
Dean also volunteers many shifts at the fishing derby each year
Recipient remarks — Dean Gulezian:
Thanked the club and noted he prefers operating in the background rather than receiving public recognition
Credited his committee entirely, saying the youth exchange program cannot be done by one person, and that every committee member has contributed meaningfully
Noted he is entering his 15th year leading the youth exchange program and described it as a labor of love driven by belief in young people as the future
Expressed particular pride in Columbus Day Weekend and the district-level work that few people see
Award details:
Dean received a new Paul Harris Fellow Plus Three recognition pin
He also received a book of weather photography as a lighthearted nod to his love of meteorology
Committee Overview — Jim McFarlin
Jim walked members through the club's full committee structure to help new members make informed decisions about where to get involved
Emphasized that committee work is the heart of the club; attendance at weekly meetings is secondary to active engagement in service
Noted that an updated committee description document from 2024 was distributed; members should disregard outdated chair names
Core Committees:
Program Committee: Bruce Reichlen and Julieanne Gilchrist will co-chair; Ron Maher was thanked for his years of service as program chair
Membership Committee: Jack Foster is continuing as chair; focus has shifted in recent years toward proactive strategy for attracting and retaining members
Youth Exchange Committee: Dean Gulezian and committee; described as exemplary and widely admired across the district
Major Projects Committee: Tim Bergquist led this year; the primary project was building a wheelchair access ramp for the son of a longtime Meredith Rotarian who developed aggressive Parkinson's disease at age 62; the ramp was completed in early November; Wendy Bagley noted that the recipient's wife expressed deep gratitude and moved to tears when speaking about the club's help
Looking ahead: the club's 100th anniversary is in 2028; Jim encouraged forming a centennial committee to plan a transformative major project, possibly modeled after the 50th-anniversary club referenced at the district conference; Brian Harris suggested a community-wide application and selection process
Kevin Kelly volunteered to chair the Centennial Committee
Non-Major Projects Committee: Gary Dehnel leads; serves as a resource for members with smaller project ideas
Seasonal Committees:
Fishing Derby Committee: described as all-hands-on-deck; Bruce Reichlen emphasized that meaningful volunteer work begins as early as June, with the brochure going to print by August and ticket sales launching in September; online ticket sales now represent approximately 90% of total sales
Environmental Committee: focuses on lake cleanup in partnership with Lakes Region organizations; meets periodically
Youth Leadership and Four-Way Test Committee: Rick Goodby leads
Scholarship Committee: Heidi Barrett-Kitchen leads; described as doing excellent work behind the scenes
Senior Citizens Christmas Dinner Committee: ongoing for over 30 years; Wendy Bagley coordinates; the Circle Program has been invited to return as volunteers after a pandemic-era pause, and Beth Dever, executive director of the Circle Program, confirmed they will coordinate with Wendy to make that happen
The board recently approved a $4,000 grant to the Circle Program; they will be the program speaker at the next Wednesday meeting
Loon Center Committee: Ted Fodero is now leading; the club participates in the Loon Center's annual July family event
Club Service Committees:
Public Relations and Derby Website: Lexi Demetriou leads; she recently updated theDderby site for 2027 dates
Club Website: Ellen Dearborn leads; she recently completed a major website refresh; committee chairs were asked to review their sections and send Ellen any updates
Rotary Foundation: Kevin Kelly, Richard Gerken, and Gary Dehnel lead; the Foundation holds a four-star Charity Navigator rating; Jim encouraged members to consider donating when they have the ability, noting that foundation grants can return to the local community, as happened with the washer-dryer grant to four area fire departments
Investment Committee: Robert Kennelly leads
Community Service Award and Rotarian of the Year Committee: Julieanne Gilchrist leads; meets two to three times per year
Social Committee: Bonnie Ireland has led this; incoming president will be asked to identify a new social committee chair
Bylaws Revision Committee: Heidi Barrett-Kitchen led; updated bylaws were passed this year
Technology Committee and Bulletin Committee: both have been retired; these are no longer needed
Happy Dollars
Kevin Kelly: Happy dollar for the behind-the-scenes work going into scholarships and the Community Service Award
Harry Reichlen: Happy dollar because his wife was named Person of the Year by the Moultonborough Women's Club after serving as co-president
Jan Gulezian: Expressed gratitude for being part of the Rotary family and moved to recognize the club's good works with a round of applause
Dean Gulezian: Happy dollar for the Rotarian of the Year honor; also shared that he and his wife spent time in New York, where they attended their daughter's performance and later watched a recording of it together with their six-month-old granddaughter; leaving for Ireland the following Monday to avoid Bike Week
Fred Strader: Congratulations, Dean Gulezian; he also celebrated the birth of his grandson, Tucker Adventure Strader, now three weeks old, whom he visited in Michigan
John Moulton: Celebrating Eliza Leadbeater's award and recognizing her longtime impact on economic development in Meredith; shared that Eliza was instrumental in keeping key businesses in the area during his time on the Economic Development Council; also congratulated Dean Gulezian
Janine Neggers: Happy dollar, announcing that her daughter was married on May 22nd
Jim McFarlin: Congratulations to Dean and Eliza.
Winner: Steve Aiken
Adjournment
Four-way test recited by the full membership
Members were reminded to sign up for the Centennial Committee on the way out
