Newsletter for Meeting of March 19, 2014
March 19, 2014 Newsletter
By John Hammer
Charlotte Shelburne Rotary
Wednesday, March 19, 2014, 7:15 a.m.
Trinity Episcopal Church Community Room
Welcome
President Dave opened the meeting with the Pledge and Kris Engstrom gave the invocation.
Guests:
Mikie Marcotte – Regular guest and grandson of Member Gary Marcotte
Upcoming:
March 22-23 – Shelburne Farms Maple Fest – Club will be providing parking
March 26 – Joe Signigro of Meyers Waste & Recycling Co.
April 2 – William Young and T.J. Donovan speaking about opiate addition in Vermont.
April 4-12 – Shelburne Players present Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Kris Engstrom will be doing the landscaping for the sets.
April 9 – Dr. Marvin Malik of Vermont Physicians for National Health.
April 11 – Volunteer Support to the Charlotte Senior Center Volunteer Recognition Dinner.
April – Volunteer projects at Shelburne Nature Path, finishing touches on Charlotte Central School Composting Building, and Hinesburg (TBD).
April 25-27 – 7850 District Conference, Hilton Hotel, Burlington. Members are urged to pre-register at http://bit.ly/1gUQJT1 More Below.
Early June – Volunteer work in clearing at Charlotte Demeter Park
District 7850 Calendar: Hot Link http://www.clubrunner.ca/Portal/Events/EventsCalendar.aspx?accountid=50051
Announcements
Shelburne Farms Maple Festival - Bill Root will need a number of parkers for the Shelburne Farms Maple Festival. There will be one shift each on Saturday and Sunday from 8:30AM to 2PM. Five hundred cars are expected so he is looking for three or four per shift.
Charlotte Senior Center Volunteer Recognition Dinner – The dinner will be held on April 11th. Six or seven volunteers will be needed to serve and handle dishes until the end of the evening. Cucina Antica will be providing the meal. Youth will do the busing of tables. Rotary volunteers will be invited to eat as in the past. Timing is from 5:00 (Dinner will be served at 6) until closing (about 8:30-9). This has always been a popular volunteer project as it turns out to be more fun than work.
Rebuilding Together As many of us have worked before on a project called Christmas in July that rebuilds houses for disabled and seniors, there was a call for volunteers by its successor organization, Rebuilding Together. The event will involve work on a South Burlington Senior Center on May 3rd. President Dave has details for those interested in joining.
Bowlathon Coming. Ric Flood, announced that this year’s Bowlathon will be in June with the date TBD. He will be bringing the letter address lists that were submitted last year for distribution next week. The intent is for members to note down the names and addresses of anyone to whom they might want to send sponsorship letters. His office will print up personalized letters and return them to members for their mailing.
Jim Spad’s Humor
A man and his wife checked into a downtown hotel. After checking in the wife, being tired, decided to go up directly to bed while the man stayed at the bar for a few good-night drinks. Just as she lay down, the elevated train just outside the window shook the room so violently she was thrown from the bed. Thinking it must be a freak occurrence she once more she returned to her bed. Five minutes later another train shook the room. and she was thrown out again. Exasperated she called down to the manager who came right up. He didn’t believe it and the wife insisted he lie in the bed to prove that he will be thrown to the floor with the next train. So he lay down next to the woman. Naturally this was the time that the husband returned to the room. He looked in and shouted. “What are you doing here?” The manager looked up and calmly replied, ”Would you believe I’m waiting for a train?”
John Dupee’s Humor
Not to be outdone, John Dupee told of the MIT linguistics professor who was lecturing his class. “In English” he said, “a double negative forms a positive. However, in some languages such as Russian a double negative remains a negative. But there isn’t a single language, not one, where a double positive will express a negative.” A voice piped up from the back of the room yelled, “Yeah, right.”
Sergeant at Arms – Richard reported that there will henceforth not be a meeting unless it has been certified that there is no snow. This will apply equally to the changing of the guard party.
President Dave – Gave a $5 fine for his cancellation of last week’s meeting.
Richard Fox – Celebrating his daughter, Josephine’s, first birthday today.
Ric Flood – Great time in Chicago with his daughter who took him to a Bulls game.
Robert Maynes – Missing his aunt’s 103rd birthday today in Rutland.
Doris Sage – For a good time at PETS last week.
Tod Whitaker – For the successful SBPA’s mixer at Palmer’s Sugarhouse. They beat the storm by having it on Tuesday night.
Lara Keenan – For the wonderful speakers program that is being hosted by the Pearson Library. Happy Kris Engstrom is speaking March 20. Had a wonderful time at the SBPA mixer.
Dave Rice – Birthday last week.
Carole Obuchowski – Apologies for all the meetings she has missed and very happy that it is finally getting lighter in the morning.
Roz Graham – Happy that the weather cooperated for the SBPA event.
Denny Bowen – Can’t afford all his happy thoughts.
Mikie – Happy that he has learned how to swim.
Eric Hanley – Had a great week in the Mad River Valley skiing with his kids.
President Dave – Looking forward to the Catamounts playing Georgia tonight.
District Governor Steve Dates– Happy for Richard Fox’s finishing PETS last week and thankful for Doris Sage’s work as a translator.
Elaine Dates – Her dollar was donated to litigate in defense of President Dave’s position on the snow date.
Evan Webster – SBPA event was great and happy for the morning light.
Howard Seaver – Delighted that it was 20° at his house when he got up.
Eric Hanley’s was the winning ticket. He drew the Five of Hearts. Roll over a paltry pot.
Speaker – The scheduled speaker was absent today. In his place, Elaine Dates presented information on the forthcoming District Conference which will be held at the Hilton in Burlington on April 25-27th. Things are coming together nicely with 70 out of a normal number of 120 attendees having already made reservations. She thanked all who have been working on its planning.
The hotel has just finished a complete renovation.
John Beal and David Rice are still in need of volunteers. John is running the registration desk. David is in charge of the support aspects and needs Ambassadors (the name for this conference’s Sargent at Arms). There will be a parade of flags. Twenty-eight different countries’ flags will be paraded for the Friday night dinner. There will be a need for Rotarians to help carry them in. It will be simple task of just picking up the flag, carrying it in, placing it in its stand and marching off.
The program has been finalized with one workshop yet to be filled. Richard Fox has that in hand.
There will be a concurrent flower show in the Champlain Ballroom put on by the Burlington Flower Club. It is being held in coordination with this District Conference. It will be open to all conference registrants. Hours will be 2-7 on Friday and 10-5 on Saturday.
David Rice will be requiring three or four “Ambassadors” to fill each of the following four-hour shifts (12-4 & 4-8 on Friday), (8-12, 12-4 & 4-8 on Saturday) and (8-12 on Sunday).
Everyone wishing to attend should preregister at http://bit.ly/1gUQJT1. This applies even to our volunteers so the organizers can account and plan for seating and meal planning. Registrants will get color-coded badges that will grant access to different events.
Club Survey- President-Elect Richard circulated Club Surveys as the result of what he learned at PETS. He wants each member to complete one so he can work on planning next year’s club activities. The Rotary International Theme for next year will be “Light Up Rotary.”
The crux of it is to increase Rotary’s visibility in the community and world. The sad part of it is that in North America membership is contracting while elsewhere in the world it is increasing. Putting your name on it is optional. The survey is below. Please print it out and bring it in to the next meeting or as soon as possible.
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2014-15 Charlotte-Shelburne Rotary Survey
PASSION: What one thing keeps you involved and interested in Rotary?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PLANNING: What are the 3 top goals you want Rotary to achieve in 2014-15?
1.__________________________________________ 2.__________________________________________ 3.__________________________________________
PARTICIPATION: What skills, talents, or interests can you contribute to Rotary?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PUBLICITY: What is your preferred shirt size?
Men’s: Ladies:
XS S M L XL XXL S M L XL
Name (optional): ____________________________________________________
Thank you!