Newsletter for the march 11, 2015 meeting
Charlotte Shelburne Rotary
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Trinity Episcopal Church Community Room
President Richard Fox led the Rotarians in the pledge and Kris O’Engstrom gave a charming Irish devotional.
Announcements:
3/12 – board meeting
3/13 – Williston Rotary Ski Challenge
3/18 – David Carlson, Coordinator of Student Veteran Services at UVM
3/25 – Mike Smiles, New Executive Director at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
4/1 – Dawn Anderson, Public Educator for State 911 System
Note-taking can be fun
Dave Rice, the Chairman of the Keep Everything Running Smoothly at Meetings Committee, is circulating a sign-up sheet for people to take the notes and write up the reports to be posted online for everyone who missed the meeting to keep up to date with what’s happening. Speaking as one who has done it for quite a few years, Roz Graham says it is a very good way to get to know everyone’s name.
Charlotte Shelburne Rotary will have an ad in the Playbill for the Shelburne Players’ production of Calendar Girls, a modestly racy play being staged in April.
Projects:
Ric Flood reported that we will have a Maple Sugar Party at Palmer’s Sugarhouse during sugaring season. Date to be announced. Club members agreed that Sunday would be the preferred day.
Bienvenue Rotarians
We are invited to attend a celebration of the International Month of Francophonie 2015, on behalf of the Honorary Consul of France, Mr. Ernest Pomerleau, a Burlington Rotarian. The 2015 Francophonie Flag Raising Ceremony will be held on Monday, March 23 at 4:30 p.m.at Burlington City Hall in the Salle Contois. Coffee and Cookies will be served beginning at4 p.m.
RSVP before March 17 to Victoria at victorias@aflcr.org
Thanks from Charlotte Central School
We received a thank you letter from the teachers of Charlotte Central School for the work our Rotarians did to build the compost shed at the school.
Veterans’ Memorial update
Sam Feitleberg said that the dedication of the memorial is scheduled for July 19. They would welcome any volunteers who would like to help to plan the event.
The final date for donating bricks for the project is Friday, March 27. They have sold 250 bricks. Sam reminded everyone that bricks can be purchased to honor immediate family members who are vets, and they don’t have to live in Shelburne.
The project to interview vets as part of the memorial project has begun.
Print Your Own
Evan Webster is offering a day-long workshop, a hands-on chance to learn about the art of screen printing, and creating t-shirts or tote bags. The workshop at Evan Webster Ink in the Shelburne Center, 6221 Shelburne Rd. will be on Saturday, March 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The fee is $100 per person and you will go home with 6 tees or 6 totes -- that you've created from concept to finished product in one fun-filled and informative afternoon. Info and registration at evanwebsterink.com/store/workshop.
A nice surprise
We received an anonymous donation of $750, a check that came in the mail with a note of appreciation for the work of Rotary in our communities. Much appreciated.
Sergeant at Arms
Evan Webster encouraged Happy Fines with a “What I Saw That Indicated Spring Is Near” theme.
Kris Engstrom – her robin is back
Dave Jonah – the CVU Girls’ Basketball Victory
Linda Gilbert – attended Burlington Rotary where they made a Hands to Honduras presentation – makes her glad we’re not a singing club
Carol Obuchowski – watching the ice retreating on her sidewalk
Richard Fox – the ice is gone
Roz Graham – has a copy of the Agritourism handbook prepared by UVM Extension, for anyone interested in learning more about making their farm an agritourism mecca
Fritz Horton – missed last week’s meeting – Friday he is seeing a friend he hasn’t seen for 50 years
Dave Rice – his birthday
Denny Bowen – completed the Camel’s Hump Challenge, a fund-raiser for Alzheimer’s Research – appreciated the marshalls and friends who waited … and waited … and waited for him to finish the arduous course. But he did finish!! Congratulations, Denny!!
Lara Keenan – the Selectboard approved the continued progress of the new library plans
Trafton Crandall – survived a flooded floor
Terrell Titus – her two granddaughters came to visit
Ric Flood – for Denny’s ski success – the 6 ½ foot stalactite/icicle that had been growing steadily by his office building, fell down yesterday
Judy Christensen – loves Terrell’s Facebook postings – especially the pictures of food – sign of spring – students aren’t back
Sam Feitleberg – congratulations to Denny
Doris Sage – the birds are back
Ric Flood, Mark Joczik, Phil Denu – sorry the note taker missed your happy fines.
Lucky draw
John Beal drew his own ticket – but he chose the wrong card and missed the $153 pot.
Club Assembly
Bylaws
The Board has been reviewing the Bylaws of the Club and had some additions to suggest.
Currently committees are not required to publish budgets for projects they are planning. It is recommended that they should publish their plans in the newsletter and distribute copies at the meeting so members will have a chance to express their concerns. This would promote greater transparency.
The Board recommends a ‘yes’ vote. The vote will be on March 25.
Food Drive
Michael Clapp, Chair of Projects Committee, reported that we will be having a Food Drive to benefit the food shelves in our three towns on a Saturday within the next few weeks, with Rotarians greeting customers at Shelburne Supermarket, Lantman’s and a site to be decided in Charlotte, to encourage shoppers to include an item or items for the food shelf when they shop, or to make a cash donation – or to make a cash donation in addition to dropping canned goods in the collection basket. We will need about 18 people to handle this project – three locations, three people in a team, two shifts. It will be important that everyone participating should wear a Rotary apron or t-shirt to publicize Rotary. More information to follow.
Shortfall
Currently the $145 annual fees and the $11 a week meeting fee do not cover the room rental and catering cost. Since we do not want to take money designated for our charitable activities to cover these costs, we need to raise more money from dues and/or meeting fees. Of the annual membership $144 goes to RI and District.
Several alternatives were presented:
1 – raise the annual dues to $155
2 – increase the meeting weekly fee
3 – sell a 12-meeting meal ticket (creating an incentive for people to attend more regularly – we need 30 or 31 in attendance to break even and January and February are typically below that)
4 – for meetings that predictably have low attendance, have bagels and coffee instead of full breakfast
Discussion:
Sunrise Club sends a quarterly bill to members for their meals, creating an incentive to attend.
Increasing the annual fee would be the simplest, but adding a suggested $11 to the annual fee does not raise much money.
The pay-ahead meal ticket could be a good recruiting tool.
A combination of increased annual dues and serving bagels and coffee on Club Assembly weeks was suggested.
Members will vote on this at the March 25 meeting.
Recorded by Rosalyn Graham