Charlotte-Shelburne Rotary Club
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Trinity Episcopal Church Community Room
 
President-Elect Trafton Crandall led the pledge. Kris Engstrom gave the devotional.
 
Trafton introduced the visitors:
Suzanne Johnson, Founder and Executive Director, Healing Winds, Vermont
Glen Findholt, Board Member and Lead USCG Captain
 
Upcoming events:
May 6, 2015
Ken Puzey
Founder of QuantaSpec in Burlington on clean water for Africa mission
May 13
Club Assembly
May 20, 2015
Joe Colangelo
Shelburne Town Manager
May 27, 2015
Scholarship winners
June 19, 2015 (not June 26 as posted on the website)
BOWLATHON FUNDRAISER/CHANGING OF THE GUARD
 
Announcements:
Michael Clapp: Michael said he couldn’t give an update on the Food Drive because he still needed to talk to Todd Whitaker who wasn’t present. To Michael’s surprise, Todd (at the next table no less) said, “I’m here.” A lot got done in the next few minutes so read up! The Food Drive for Shelburne/Charlotte will be held at the Shelburne Farmer’s Market on May 30. The Food Drive for Hinesburg will be held at their Farmer’s Market, but the date is not yet set. Mike will be looking for volunteers over the next few weeks.
Lara Keenan: Lara announced that this week is “Tech Week” at the library. Bring in any or all of your devices with whatever questions you have. Lara will be glad to help figure out what you need to know. (She likes the challenge of trying out different smart phones, tablets, etc.)
 
Sergeant at Arms: Evan Webster opened with the comment – “I think we should be happy for the sunshine…it’s finally spring” or words to that effect.
HAPPY FINES: I’m happy for…
Denny Bowen: Road trip to Williamsburg with his wife looking for spring but ended up in long-sleeves the whole time!
Fritz Horton: For Suzanne and Glen and the Healing Winds program (see below)
Doris Sage: Sunshine
Terrell Titus: To be back and our speakers
Sam Feitelberg: Son’s birthday
Ric Flood: Wife is back home, Terrell is back to Rotary, and the golf course is open!
Linda Barker: Going to South Beach next week.
Steve Dates: Terrell
Linda Gilbert: Family visit
Phil Denu: Evan’s new house
Kris Engstrom: No one found my father’s ring in the muffins last week, but I found the ring anyway
Todd Whitaker: North, South and Oahu Islands
Pat Sokolowski: Son’s wedding
Chris Davis: Evan’s house
Carole Obuchowski: 7 month old granddaughter in Florida
Lara Keenan: Daffodils in bloom
Judy Christensen: Just love taking these notes. I missed what Rick Benson and Howard Seaver were happy about!
 
 
Lucky Draw: $?. In the pot. This writer forgot to write it all down! Rollover
 
Guest Speaker:
Lara Keenan introduced Suzanne Johnson, founder and Director of Healing Winds Vermont. Suzanne lives in Shelburne, formerly owned Tilley’s Café in Burlington and is a realtor. She also acknowledged know about ½ the members in the room so one of you should invite her to be a member of Charlotte-Shelburne Rotary Club! (NOTE: Some of the following information is based on brochures and website information.)
 
Suzanne told her how she became inspired to launch a non-profit organization dedicated to using sailing as a way to offer respite to cancer patients in chemotherapy, radiation or with terminal diagnoses. She was diagnosed with stage 2 cancer a few years ago. As she was completing her treatment, she asked herself what she could do to help other cancer patients in treatment – something meaningful – as a payback for her own experience. She asked a counselor at the hospital and found a need. The hospital was chartering sailboats from Winds of Ireland but that cost money; families didn’t always have the money and there wasn’t always funding to cover it. Suzanne thought of doing the same thing, but as a non-profit. She found a non-profit group in England that had been doing something similar for the past 12 years. Some members came to Vermont for a visit and it became clear that this could be a viable endeavor. She mentioned sharing her vison with several people including Terrell Titus and the appreciation she felt for all the encouragement she got.
 
But what about a boat? To make the project work, Suzanne knew she needed a signature boat. By chance at a barbeque, she met someone whose uncle had terminal cancer. When she met the uncle, he asked her if she wanted his boat “Jubilee”, a 28 ft. O’Day sloop with room for 6 in the cockpit, a bathroom and galley. It was a perfect match.  Shortly after his death, the boat rolled into Shelburne Shipyard. The final challenge was finding a slip on the waterfront, preferably in Burlington, but rarely does a spot come open and the cost could put the end to even a well-intentioned non-profit startup. Much to Suzanne’s surprise, they were offered a spot at Perkin’s Pier! In its first year last summer, 114 people were served on 14 sails. This year, they are hoping to double the number.
 
 
Suzanne introduced Glen Findholt, a board member and Lead USCC Lead Captain who got involved early in the organization after his wife died from a glioblastoma (brain tumor). Both Suzanne and Glen stressed the importance of giving families with a loved one in treatment for cancer or dealing with it as a terminal illness a chance to get away. There is no better way to take a break from the stress of cancer than getting in a boat and sailing on the waters of Lake Champlain. It has a healing effect. There are days when things seem tolerable, but many others when people find they can’t even get off the couch. Many cancer patients say that even their typical symptoms – pain, fatigue - seem to disappear on a sail. Their goal, now that the Vermont program is up and running, is to bring the program down the Eastern Seaboard. Healing Winds Vermont will be the governing board and all new endeavors will be subsidiary boards. Suzanne is excited to be pursuing an active possibility in Boston and other areas are showing interest as well.