Charlotte Shelburne Hinesburg Rotary Club
Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, 7:30 a.m.
Trinity Community Room, Shelburne
President Erik Kolomaznik led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance, and Nancy Danforth gave the devotional.
Repeating the Four Way Test was an opportunity for the club to give guests some insight into the goals and objectives of Rotary.
Guests were introduced: Sally Gordon, Executive Director of Kids Safe Collaborative, Bob Manchester, and guest speaker Jolinda LaClair.
Calendar of Meetings for next two months:
Nov. 21 -- NO MEETING - THANKSGIVING
Nov. 28 -- Randy Archer, Gold Panning in Vermont
Dec. 5 -- Adam Bunting, CVU Principal
Dec. 12 -- TBA
Dec. 19 -- Lt. Mikel Arcovitch, VT National Guard Public Affairs Official
Dec. 26 -- NO MEETING - CHRISTMAS
Erik further explained the concept of Friend of Rotary which had been briefly mentioned before. He said this is a simple way to introduce anyone you think might be interested in Rotary to our programs and encourage them to perhaps attend a meeting. A good way to share information.
Veterans’ programs:
Sam Feitelberg announced that although there will not be a ceremony at the Veterans’ Memorial on Veterans’ Day, Sunday, Nov. 11, there will be a wreath at the memorial and visitation is encouraged. On Wednesday, Nov. 14 there will be a Veterans’ Recognition Breakfast at Rotary, with guest speaker Stephanie Obec, a 27-year-old veteran of service in Iraq, Afghan and with the UN.
Request for support:
Rosalyn Graham asked Rotary to consider a donation of support for the Shelburne Library and Historic Town Hall Project. The project is well underway, but several challenges discovered after the work began, including serious deterioration of the pillars on the porch of the Town Hall, asbestos, drainage improvements in perimeter of Town Hall, replacement of chandeliers in Town Hall, and more, for a total of $350,000. Thanks to two generous donors, there is a double/double match offered to any donations that are made by Nov. 15. Moved by Joan Lenes, seconded by Linda Schiavone, that CSH Rotary donate $500 to this campaign, a donation that will become $2,000 after the matches. All in favor. One opposed: Bill Deming raised the subject of the town having voted to support the original budget for the project with their Town Meeting vote.
Service Projects:
Red Cross bears
Sarah Grimes described a project led by the Red Cross that CSH Rotary could help. Volunteers will meet on Monday,.Nov. 12 at 10 a.m. to put holiday stickers on teddy bears that will be gifted to needy children. The sticker project will take place at a Burlington location to be publicized on Sign Up Genius. A dozen volunteers raised their hands to help with this project.
Polar Express decorating
Linda Gilbert relayed a request from Terrell Titus, who is travelling, for volunteers to decorate the train station in Shelburne to add to the seasonal charm for the Polar Express train that will pass through Shelburne – eight trains daily on Dec. 8 and 9. She will have more information at a future meeting.
Sergeant at Arms:
Chris Davis did the Sergeant at Arms duties.
Happy fines:
John Dupee – happy
Bill Deming – happy
Carole Obuchowski – grandchildren came to visit
Sam Feitelberg – thanks for the election
Ric Flood – an interesting Tuesday evening
Erik Kolomaznik – happy
Linda Gilbert – happy about a Rotary letter she received from Mexico
Joan Lenes -- happy
John Hammer – next Sunday
Jessica Brumsted – happy to be re-elected/thanks for George and Linda for their help
Chris Davis – happy to be back
Keith Walsh – another lovely sunrise
Phil Denu – happy
Susan Grimes – happy to be back from trip to Rawanda
Jim Donovan – thanks to Roz for repaying the $1 she borrowed for a happy fine last week
John Lowell – happy Chris is back
Lucky number drawn was held by Susan Grimes. No winner. Roll over.
Guest speaker:
Jessica introduced Jolinda LaClair, Director of Drug Prevention Policy with the Vermont Agency of human Services, mentioning that Jolinda was her first boss in Rep. Jim Jefford’s office, a little while ago!
Jolinda began her political career working for Rep. Jeffords and then was Rural Development Director during his eight years as Senator 2001 to 2008. She worked for NECI, supporting the burgeoning Farm to Table movement, and then was invited by Secretary Chuck Ross to be his Deputy Secretary for Agriculture, Food and Marketing, and then ‘Drug Czar.’
The skill set she brings to her current role is a talent for putting together parts of a puzzle. She knows the state, its services and the holes in the service network, and she understands working across party lines.
Her work on drug prevention has focused on building an increasingly large and diverse council that focuses on implementing prevention, intervention and enforcement plans. The Council’s 22 members represent state government, private business, service providers, law enforcement, first responders and individuals in recovery or with family members who have a substance use disorder. They come from across Vermont
She spoke highly of Principal Adam Bunting’s role on the council, saying, “Adam Bunting has brought more heart to the challenge of bringing drug prevention services to youth.” Programs at CVU have been broader in their outreach, developing innovative youth and family activities, using the traditional role of the school library as a safe place for finding information about addiction, and much more. “If every school was like CVU, embracing youth and families, we’d be stronger in our fight to prevent drug abuse,” she said.
LaClair also pointed to the recovery center in Burlington providing group therapy for addicted new mothers and programs for children to help them to be more resilient in face of life challenges like poverty and divorce. “We can’t work in silos,” she said. The work must be from the ground up, recognizing that many problems begin with prescription pills, understanding that relapse is to be expected, but also that the first day of treatment is the first day of recovery.
“Vermont is ahead of the curve,” she said. There are nine hubs (methadone clinics) with spokes that connect to other services in their area, considered a model of best practice nationally.
She encouraged Rotary to support the idea of a consortium of Rotary Clubs working to support engagement in their communities and helping to provide more data. “We don’t have enough data,” she said. The data they have is alarming: in Vermont, 106 opioid-related deaths in 2016 and 72 through September 2017; over half of the children ages 0 to 5 in state custody are there due to opioid abuse issues.