Jack Mayer aka Mountain Poet

Posted by Dan York on Apr 21, 2021
 
Our guest speaker this morning is Jack Mayer. Throughout his career, Dr. Mayer has written short stories, poems, and essays about his years in pediatric practice and hiking The Long Trail in Vermont. He was a participant at Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference in 2003 and 2005 for fiction, and in 2008 for poetry. LIFE IN A JAR: The Irena Sendler Project is his first book of non-fiction. He recently completed his first novel, BEFORE THE COURT OF HEAVEN.

Dr. Mayer’s collection of poetry, Poems From The Wilderness was published Nov. 2020. These poems were all composed while solo hiking or skiing in the wilderness of Vermont and New Hampshire. Mayer shares his love of the backcountry, trail-walking, camping, and the “wilderness effect,” a unique sensation of aliveness and deep connection. Though deeply personal, he hopes they will resonate with those pieces of wilderness we all carry within us, and offer respite in these challenging pandemic times.

He lives in Middlebury, Vermont

CSH Rotary - April 21, 2021
Chris Davis opened the meeting at 7:35am.

Nancy Danforth provided the opening words.

Chris presented the proposed slate of officers for next year:

  • President - Susan Grimes

  • President-elect - Carrie Fenn

  • Vice President - Dan York

  • Secretary - Nancy Danforth

The election of officers will happen at our May 5, 2021, meeting.

Chris asked for votes on proposed donations.

  • $4500 to the three angel funds of the schools in our towns ($1,500)

    • Approved unanimously

  • Scholarships - approval to move from two to three scholarships of $2,000

    • Approved unanimously

  • Scholarships - we had seven applications that were all excellent. There was a suggestion that we also award some amount to the other four excellent candidates. 

    • After some discussion, the group decided to continue with only the three scholarships.

  • AgeWell

    • It was confirmed that we are good to go with the $2,500 

  • Request to support $300 to support Memorial Day program on the green

    • Approved unanimously

  • Suggestion to donate to the Rotary Foundation in honor of District Governor Jamie Milne, after receiving this request from the District.

    • There was some discussion on this with the result that Chris will speak with Carole Obuchowski about what we have done in the past and what is most appropriate.

There will be a group cleaning the Rotary water garden in the center of Shelburne this coming Saturday, April 24, 2021, between 9 and 11am. There is also a discussion about changing that water garden to something that is more environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Susan Grimes reported that the spin-a-thon fundraising is going well. Over $2,000 has been raised. Five bikes are remaining. The word is getting out and people are donating. The bike rack has been installed and is covered for the big unveiling on May 22. Ric Flood will be the emcee. Charlie Kofman reported that Local Motion will be there at 11:00 am to help with bike safety.

Laurie Burke introduced our speaker, Dr. Jack Mayer. (Visit https://www.jackmayer.net/ to learn more.) Dr. Mayer spoke about how grew up in New York CIty and found a lifelong love of hiking. He read some of his poems and spoke about hiking, trail names, “nature deficit disorder”, and the healing power of wilderness and time in nature. 

Laurie indicated that a copy of Dr Mayer’s poetry book will be given to the Hinesburg library in his honor.

Dr. Mayer provided the closing words by reading one of his poems.