Rustam Sengupta of TukTu speaks with club members during the April 16 meeting.
CSH Rotary Club Meeting Summary - April 16, 2026
The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by opening words read by Nancy: a reflection by Rachel Marie Martin reminding us that light inspires light, kindness manifests kindness, caring creates caring, and that each of us can be the ripple this world needs. After the Four-Way Test, the club turned to a special order of business and officially welcomed new member Matt Lawless. Matt, who works as the town manager in Shelburne, shared that Rotary offers a meaningful way to deepen his roots in the community, both personally and professionally, and that he is looking forward to service, fellowship, and upcoming events.
Announcements highlighted a busy season ahead. Volunteers are still needed to help direct runners at an upcoming race beginning around 7:37 to 7:45 a.m. at Shelburne Community School, and Chris Davis is coordinating that effort. The club will celebrate its 55th anniversary on Thursday, May 8, with a reception beginning at 4:30 p.m. A summer potluck is planned for June 25 at Jessica's house, with a signup to come. Members also discussed the upcoming Snack Shack schedule, dragon boat paddling in early August, and a board meeting the following morning at Town Hall.
Service updates were equally full. Harriet reminded members to bring new books for Amanda's baby shower basket, and she also highlighted the Pearson Library book sale. She corrected a statistic shared in an earlier meeting, noting that 48 million people in the United States face food insecurity, including 14 million children. Members heard that proceeds from the CVU Empty Bowl dinner will support the Williston food shelf this year, with Shelburne's food shelf receiving support next year, and that donations collected at the meeting were nearing $300 to be shared among the club's food shelf partners. RYLA was also discussed as club members continue working with local schools to identify strong student candidates.
Happy Fines brought a lively mix of stories and celebrations. Members shared updates from a draft horse clinic at Sheldon Farms, a salvaged family trip after a last-minute flight cancellation, and the complete sellout of the season's Girl Scout cookies, with Danica topping 2,700 boxes. Brandon recounted an unexpected Sunday detour to Wallingford that led to the discovery of Paul Harris's schoolhouse and a Rotary monument. Other updates included spring walks, dragon boat camp travel, and the general feeling that, despite flooded basements and feisty roosters, spring has finally arrived.
The featured presentation came from Rustam Sengupta, co-founder of TukTu, a community companion network now launching in Vermont. Rustam and his colleagues described TukTu as a flexible, technology-driven platform that connects people who need help with errands, rides, companionship, light housekeeping, and similar everyday supports with vetted neighbors who are willing to provide that help. The organization grew out of volunteer coordination work Rustam began during COVID and has since expanded to serve thousands of families in Canada. Vermont became TukTu's first U.S. market after Rustam and his wife relocated to Burlington, and the company sees Vermont's strong sense of community as a natural fit for the model.
Members learned more about how TukTu works in practice. Providers go through background and reference checks, set their own rates, and can offer anything from companionship visits to transportation and household help. TukTu currently has about 30 helpers in Chittenden County and is working to expand into more rural parts of the state. The club was invited to explore the service at tuktu.us, use the app, or reach out directly to learn more about becoming a helper.
As a thank-you to the speakers, the club donated a book to the Charlotte Library in their honor: Overcoming the Overwhelming: A Guide for Coping with Life's Challenges. The meeting wrapped up with a growing 50/50 raffle pot of about $584, with Dave drawing the winning card, and Nancy closed with a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: "For your own success to be real, it must contribute to the success of others."