Charlotte-Shelburne Rotary Club
Meeting of 8/17/2016
Minutes by Bob Sanders
 

President Judy, reclaiming her gavel after returning from extensive Alpine travel, called the meeting to
order and led the Pledge of Allegiance. Kris Engstrom offered another of her original and thoughtful
morning invocations.

Guests are District Governor Jay Polimeno and District Governor Elect Eric Denu.

Upcoming Meetings:
August 24 program is a RYLA Report and Recognition .
August 30 program is Al Getler, President of Burlington Free Press & Media

Announcements/Business:
The Annual Fund Drive is now underway. Ric reported about $9K in donations thus far.

Linda Gilbert reported on Shelburne Day on Saturday, August 20. Rotarian volunteers will be serving
local organic, free-range, grass-fed, non-GMO burgers, tomatoes, and corn on the cob. Volunteers
should wear Rotary T-Shirts and refrain from parking on Church Street.

George Schiavone reported on the Shelburne Fire Department Anniversary party on Saturday, August
27. Rotary will provide hot dogs and soda. George suggested the Club donate the cost of dogs and
soda not to exceed $500. Our club is already being recognized as the sponsor of this event. George
would like a few more volunteers to help.

Todd Whitaker reported that food shelf would like to offer holiday turkeys and hams instead of 2
turkeys.

Under John Dupee’s leadership, the club will conduct a Golf Ball Drop in conjunction with the Shelburne
Halloween Parade. He has located a zillion golf balls and a template for the ticket used several years
ago.

President Judy announced that tentative planning is underway to install benches on Shelburne Green.
Harvest Festival is September 17. We will need about 12 volunteers for parking detail.

Sergeant-at- Arms:
Long-serving Rotarian Bill Root was Acting SAA and collected happy fines.

Bill reported that Russ Blodgett suffered a heart attack last Wednesday. He was released on Friday with
3 stents and has returned to his usual activities.
Ric Flood had to scoot to make an important meeting at the Stowe Mountain Club.
John Hammer is happy to be off antibiotics and out of the hospital.
Sam Feitelberg is happy with 62 years of marriage to Gail.
Susan Grimes visited her son and Catalina Island.
Joan Lenes is happy.
DGE Eric Denu is happy to be visiting and sitting next to father Phil.
Phil Denu is happy to have Eric here.
Kris Engstrom is happy to have our visiting Rotarian dignitaries.
Steve Dates is happy for DG Jay’s visit this morning.
President Judy is also happy for DG Jay’s visit and looking forward to a successful year.
DG Jay Polimeno is very happy (as are we) that his official visit bumped the scheduled club assembly
and committee meetings.
Richard Fox is happy to have spent a week of down time with a lot of reading.
Alan Bates is happy about the upcoming NFL football pool. Sign up soon.
Erik Kolomzanik is happy about his mother visiting.
Linda Schiavone is happy about Bill Root’s Camp Ta-Kum- Ta T-shirt.
Carol Obuchowski is happy that Russ is doing well.
Michael Clapp is happy for Russ and John H.
Terry Kennaugh is happy.
Gary Marcotte is happy that he cleaned up his yard.
Jane McKnight is happy about a trip with sisters.
Todd Whitaker is happy that the food shelf is stocked with lots of fresh produce.
Fritz Horton is happy that Russ and John can no longer drink cheap wine.
Dennis Delaney is happy about his son’s family from Japan visit.
Alan Hathaway is happy.
Bill Deming is happy that the local massage parlor is out of business.

The 50-50 ticket belonged to Alan Bates but he failed to draw the Joker.

Program highlights:
This morning’s program is the official visit of our District 7850 Governor Jay Polimeno. His home is the
Rotary Club of Lincoln-Woodstock NH. Governor Jay introduced his district theme of Sustainability. Jay
took a photo op with President Judy, Assistant Governor Richard Fox, DGE Eric Denu, and Past District
Governor Steve Dates.
Governor Jay asked us to think about Sustainability in terms of advancing this year’s RI Theme: Rotary
Serving Humanity. He challenged us to think about our Rotary experience and to improve the Rotary
experience for everyone. Jay discussed his personal Rotary experience when 22 years ago he and his
young family moved from Boston to NH and started a business.
His first stint as a Rotarian was in a sedentary dinner club from which he was expelled after 6 months of
poor attendance. He explained that the club had made little effort to engage him and others in
meaningful activities. Consequently, club membership gradually declined. At some point later, he was
asked to rejoin the club. After some back and forth, he rejoined the club, which had reformed as a
breakfast meeting club. He and other like minded members were able to grow the Lincoln-Woodstock
club to 36 engaged members who donate $25,000 in scholarships, support Interact and Rotoract clubs
in local schools, etc. Governor Jay asked us to consider the impact of our Rotary traditions on
recruitment, engagement, and innovation. What engages members? What will attract new members,
young members, female members? Clubs should value what members do, not just their attendance
record. Meetings should be fun, speakers should be inspiring, engaging.
Rotary needs continual innovation and meaningful engagement to ensure we can continue to serve
humanity. Governor Jay exhorted us to find our own passion. His passion is about youth programs. He
started an EarlyAct Club at the local elementary school; 4th and 5th graders are engaged in helping
their community. Jay played a short recording of one of the members explaining service above self and
what it means to see their impact on David’s Home at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Hospital. Jay described
how this group of youngsters wanted to build a sidewalk and how they managed to overcome
bureaucratic and financial obstacles. Young people don’t know what they can’t do! Rotary should be
growing Rotarians through EarlyAct, Interact, speech contests, youth exchange, RYLA, etc.
Closing, Governor Jay asked that we consider supporting The Rotary Foundation’s 100th Anniversary
Challenge so we can continue doing good in the world. He invited all of us to the 2017 District
Conference, 2-4 June at Loon Mountain. The Rotary International Convention is 10-14 June in Atlanta.