Club President Catherine Moller (left) presents a book to be donated in Kevin Chu's (right) name to the Pierson Library in Shelburne.
CSH Rotary Club Meeting Summary
It was a full house for our weekly meeting, with visitors from out of town and plenty of cider donuts to go around as we heard about Vermont's economic future and planned for our busy fall schedule.
Club Business and Community Service
The meeting started with immediate volunteer needs and initiatives. The Shelburne Farms 5K needs parking volunteers this Sunday from 6:45 to 8:00 A.M. It's a short shift pointing runners in the right direction and organizing cars in the field.
Lori announced a new initiative collecting hoodies for "Hoodies for Hope," which distributes warm clothing to unhoused Vermonters. The drive runs through October 10th, and the need is urgent as some Harbor Place residents, including families with children, face displacement this week.
The board approved a $500 donation to the Veterans Memorial Fund to support their $100,000 sustainability campaign. Charlie Kofman brought this proposal forward after presenting it to the board first, demonstrating the proper process for member initiatives.
Halloween Parade preparations continue with just over a month until the event. Nineteen volunteers have signed up so far, but Richard emphasized we need more club participation before recruiting from other organizations. Signs will be available next week for those willing to post them on private property (not public right of ways where they'll be removed).
Vermont's Path Forward
Following the pledge and club business, the club welcomed Kevin Chu from the Vermont Futures Project. Kevin, whose parents immigrated to Shelburne in 1986, presented his organization's plan to grow Vermont's population to 802,000 by 2035.
The numbers tell the story: Vermont sees about 17,500 retirements annually but only has 5,000 high school seniors statewide. This workforce gap threatens our ability to maintain schools, hospitals, and other essential services. Kevin argued for choosing growth over contraction, noting that reaching 802,000 would only modestly increase our population density from 70 to 87 people per square mile.
Members pushed back on questions of job quality and housing affordability. Kevin pointed out that Vermont ranks 17th nationally in median household income but 43rd in cost of living. The solution involves both attracting new residents and building more housing to address affordability. Surprisingly, more 25 to 29 year olds moved to Vermont in recent years than people over 65, suggesting young people do want to live here when given the opportunity.
Fellowship and Recognition
Happy Fines celebrated both personal and community achievements. Joan Lenes received multiple contributions in recognition of her Madeleine Kunin Achievement Award from Emerge Vermont. Over 100 people attended the ceremony, including many who don't typically attend political events, showing Joan's ability to bridge divides.
Members shared various milestones: Dan and Lori’s 29th wedding anniversary, relief at restored hot water after ten days without, and a sister’s upcoming departure back to Silver Spring after three weeks visiting. A Rotarian from Dubuque, Iowa joined us while visiting her daughter who just started graduate school at UVM.
The Alzheimer's Walk at Shelburne Museum happens this Sunday morning, and Charlie Kofman received recognition at the Veterans Memorial celebration. Members also noted the upcoming Wood for Good splitting session on October 5th for those interested in helping.
Next Steps
Looking ahead, the vision session is scheduled for October 30th, and members should mark their calendars.
The meeting closed with Voltaire's words about defending free speech, dedicated to Joan Lenes, before members headed out to tackle another week of service to our community. Next week promises updates on all our fall initiatives as we move into the heart of our busiest season.