Carrie opened the meeting at 7:30.
Deirdre Holmes, Sustainability Consultant, is our guest today.
The budget is being discussed by the board and will be voted upon when Susan returns.
The tractor parade will be starting at 11, per Linda Gilbert. Further details will be forthcoming.
Richard Fox reported on the parade. The carts are lined up from Kwiniaska. He needs to know if we are doing the hot dogs and other food items, packaged food or none of the above at the post parade event. He is sending out a sign up list within seventy two hours. Volunteers are needed for packaging of candy, marshalls, etc. Wear Rotary apparel. Shelburne Parks and Recreation Dept will be having their usual post parade events. Rick’s recommendation is pre packaged food! The members were in agreement and the board needs to make the decision and let Rick know as soon as possible. It is important the club have a presence at the post event festivities.
Carrie shared that the John Able Foundation grant is being awarded. She shared the board is leaning toward another scholarship or enhancing the current scholarship awards.
Ric Flood will be working soon on the annual lists for the Foundation drive and requesting a list of names once again.
No final dollar numbers yet on the Golf Ball Drop. The publicity was excellent!
The Charlotte Council chose the beach for the bike station, per Jim Donovan.
Denis Barton collected happy fines.
Laurie Burke and Linda Gilbert introduced Deirdre Holmes. She was our contact for working in the Charlotte gardens, oriented toward providing food to the community, food shelf and children in the school programs. She serves on the Energy committee in Charlotte and her husband and she own a recording studio there as well.
Deirdre shared that her father was a dedicated Rotarian in Lexington, MA. She presented us with a pen from that club, a Rotary tradition.
They began the garden project with a grant about eight years ago, with the intent of providing farm to school food. They utilized the “lasagna” method of gardening, creating soil while growing. Another grant was awarded by Chittenden Solid Waste District to begin composting and with the help of our club, building the composting shed.
Pandemic occurred in the spring of 2020 and she had to scramble to keep the garden going as the children were no longer at the school, enlisting help from our Rotary Club. Items were provided to the Food Shelf and the school program throughout the past two summers. Late summer vegetables are still being donated to the Food shelf.
Deirdre shared the story of the pollinator garden and its evolution at the Charlotte school. Working with Michael Kiernan of “Bee The Change” (who spoke to our club a couple of years ago), the garden was developed. The Energy committee also assisted with the installation of a small solar panel on the composter shed during this same project.
Deirdre shared that all three towns we serve have Energy committees in some capacity though Shelburne is without an official committee.
Finally, Deirdre discussed her work on the committee with the Charlotte library to purchase an Electric bike, in partnership with Local Motion. Due to insurance and liability however, this became complicated so the library does have vouchers that you can borrow to be used through Local Motion to rent an eBike.
Jim Donovan presented Deirdre with the book “Good Energy” which will be donated to the Charlotte Library in her name by the club.
Laurie Burke shared closing words.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:30.