Charlotte Shelburne Rotary
Wednesday, September 5, 2012, 7:15 a.m.
Trinity Episcopal Church Community Room

Welcome

President Adam Bartsch opened the meeting with the Pledge and called on Kris Engstrom to give the devotional.

Guests were introduced:

  • Brian Precourt, Owner of Shelburne Shopping Park
  • Ann Irwin, VNA Director of Development and Community Relations
  • Christine Werneke, VNA Director of Business Development & Marketing

Announcements

Upcoming:

  • September 12: Club Assembly – RYLA Report
  • September 13:  Board Meeting, 7:30 AM at the Trinity Church Hall
  • September 15: Shelburne Farms Harvest Fest – Club provides parkers
  • September 19: GSE Team from France will visit and make their presentation prior to a visit to Shelburne Farms.
  • September 26: Nancy Herman of the AAA
  • October 3: District Governor Visit (All members are encouraged to attend)
  • October 24: Zack Clemmons – a regular visitor and very popular motivational speaker.  Here is a prime opportunity to invite potential new members.
  • October 28: Shelburne Halloween Parade
  • November 4: Bowlathon (a Sunday afternoon 3-5:30).  This is always a lot of fun and is also an ideal opportunity to invite potential new members.

The Hands to Honduras Group will hold a Latin Dance Party on the evening of September 7th at the Shelburne Farms Coach Barn.  There will be a silent auction and Victoria Moore of the Salsa Linda Dance Studio will give dance classes again.  Linda noted that Roz Graham has broken out her Flamenco dress for the occasion and Dennis Webster has been practicing up his special “moves.”

The Golf Ball Drop tickets are still on sale and members were urged to redouble  their sales efforts. John Dupee said he had more than $5810 in hand.  Tickets can be paid for with PayPal. Colleen, who recently won the 50/50 raffle, generously donated 50% of her winnings to the Golf ball drop.  Thank you Colleen – real Rotary spirit there.
Steve Dates brought sign-up sheets for the Halloween Parade, which will be held this year on Sunday, October 28th.

Bill Root still was in the need of persons for the front gate duty at the Shelburne Farms Harvest Fest.  He also mentioned that he had tickets to the Rutland Rotary’s South Community Raffle for $9,000.  Tickets are $100 apiece and Bill has information.  Event and drawing are on September 28th.

Sergeant at Arms

Richard Fox went to work with the following Happy Fines:

  • Gary Marcotte – Front lawn plantings have been delivered
  • John Cranmer – Happy
  • Roz Graham – For the rain
  • Kris Engstrom – For the rain as well
  • Linda Barker – Son just got married in Hawaii
  • Ric Flood – Scoot
  • Steve Dates –For the great folks at the Vermont Nurses Association
  • Russ Blodgett – Going to traffic court today – wish him luck – he’s defending himself
  • Jim Spadaccini – Big poker win
  • Terry Kennaugh – Happy to see the lake coming up and for his great weekend in Maine
  • John Dupee – Happy – is it because of all that cash in hand for the golf ball drop?
  • Michael Clapp – 90-year-old mother going strong.
  • Alan Hathaway – Happy to see John Dupee counting all the ticket revenues  in a big wad
  • Dave Rice – For a great family visit to Oakville, Ontario
  • Denny Bowen – For a wonderful wife who put up with him when they were caught out in the lake as the wind rose and it took four hours of rough riding to get back.
  • Fritz Horton – For a wonderful granddaughter
  • Tom Glaser – For a forthcoming trip to Hawaii
  • Bill Deming – Attended an alumni meeting of Breadloaf for four days – great time!
  • Howard Seaver – Just finished babysitting for his two-year-old granddaughter
  • Chris Davis – For the wonderful organization that is the VNA
  • George Schiavonne – Progress is being made on selecting the Fire and Rescue boat for Shelburne
  • Carol Obuchowski – Going to Brooklyn where her daughter will be performing a reading from her new book.
  • Rick Fox – “What happens in pre-school stays in pre-school”.

Apologies to those who were missed.

Robert Maynes’ ticket was drawn and he drew the 5 of Clubs.  The $30.50 pot was rolled over.

Advance Speaker

Brian Precourt, Chairman of the Shelburne Planning Commission and owner of the Shelburne Shopping Park

The topic of Brian’s talk was an update on the rezoning activity for north Route 7.  The idea was born in 2007 when a plan was proposed for the northern stretch off Route 7.  A small grant was given by the American Institute for Architects to hold a mini-charette to determine public sentiment for a plan for the stretch of the bridge.  Not much further progressed until recently when the Route Seven Steering Committee and the Planning Commission put out an RFP calling for consultants to develop a “form-based code” for that area.  The RFP has been whittled down to three and the Planning Commission is looking to the Selectboard for a grant to do the code development.  The expenditures involved will have to be voted on the November ballot and the deadline is fast approaching.

What will be needed is the solicitation of more public input in the formulation of regulating plans for the zoning rules.  The form-based code will be more restrictive than the current redevelopment of unused buildings.  The thought is that the sector will be “reinvented.”  The costs of the three bidders range from $57-$72,000. There is a good chance that the Metropolitan Planning Organization might ante up $50,000 of the cost.

Speaker – Ms. Christine Werneke of the Vermont Nurses Association

Christine opened with a general definition of what the Vermont Nurses Association does. VNA is a group of Family Care Givers. It is the largest home care agency in Vermont, having serving 154,000 Vermonters over 106 years. They provide universal access to children, families, adults and seniors in homes and communities. They generally handle 1,200 clients a day - that’s 1,200 individual visits a day, quite a feat. In doing this, the 650 staff and 700 volunteers rack up 1.4 million miles of travel a year just for home visitations.

Among the services performed are:

  • Family and Children’s Services
  • Home visitations
  • VNA Family Room in a Parent-Child Center (helps to orient new parents)
  • Home Care for Adults (licensed personnel)
  • Post injury or surgery services in the home.
  • Rehabilitation and therapy
  • Chronic or complex illnesses requiring sophisticated equipment
  • Long-term Care
  • Medicaid
  • High tech and Traumatic Brain Injury Visits
  • Community-based Care
  • Private – visitations
  • Adult day Care Centers
  • End of Life Services
  • Hospice & Palliative Care (Palliative care is to relieve pain and suffering, not necessarily to cure the cause)

She went on to discuss family caregivers and the services provided by the VNA.  26% of the US population is caring for some family member.  Six of ten caregivers  are also employed and the majority are 35-64 years old, giving - on average - 20 hours a week of care. Family care is most often provided to parents and the term averages 4.3 years.  The VNA helps these caregivers through support and education.
They provide workshops that are free and open to the public.  The next one is at 5PM on October 3 at the South Burlington office (Behind the new Walgreens Drug Store at the Burlington Gateway on Shelburne Road).

A new program that is being rolled out is a course called “Powerful Tools for Caregivers.”  It is six, one and a half hour classes (once a week) beginning on September 27th.  They are every Thursday from 5:30 – 7PM at the Essex Junction Senior Center. These courses empower caregivers in establishing better communications with the cared-for and other family members.  It is most useful as a networking tool for others in the same position.  There was a general conversation on what many of the members thought was a problem – how to convince an elderly relative or friend to relinquish their driving license.  This course would help.

Another program just starting is called “Start the Conversation” which asks the question, “ What do we want for ourselves or other loved ones at the end of life?”  It is an educational program to provide information and planning for end of life.  It provides resources and tools to start what is often a difficult conversation.  It also provides guidance in establishing advanced directives and living wills, particularly in the naming of an appropriate health care agent in the family or friends’ circle.  There is a free and comprehensive guide available at www.Starttheconversation.org.

The VNA is available at vnacares.org or by telephone at 802-658-1900.

In closing, President Adam Bartsch presented Ms. Irwin with a $250 check.