Jim Donovan presents Shelburne Museum curator Korey Rogers with a book that will be donated to the Shelburne Pierson Library.
Wednesday’s meeting at the Charlotte-Shelburne-Hinesburg Rotary Club packed a lot into a brisk hour and change: part planning session, part museum field trip, part midsummer catch-up.
We began with a round of opening words and the Four-Way Test before moving straight into logistics.
Susan and Dan gave an update on Dragon Boat Festival prep. Rainy practice didn’t deter a solid turnout, and thanks to some reshuffling with another team, we’ll have an almost full boat for race day on August 3 (but if you still want to come, please do, anyone is welcome, and more crew are always needed). There’s no confirmed race time yet, but it’s an all-day event and worth showing up for - whether to paddle or cheer. The event supports Dragonheart Vermont, Sail Beyond Cancer, and other regional cancer support groups. Donations are encouraged.
The club voted unanimously to send $500 to District 5840 in support of Texas flood relief.
Shelburne Day (August 16) is shaping up. Corn: 200 ears confirmed, another 200 pending. Chris will bring water buckets and John Hammer will be rounding up the various grills. Rotary will have a presence beyond the corn booth - expect posters, conversation, and a steady rotation of members helping represent the club. Local businesses will also be setting up all along the town green and Falls Road in a return to the event’s original format.
Jim reported that Rice Lumber will donate materials for the Howard Center raised beds project. If you're interested in helping assemble it, stay after next week’s meeting to coordinate dates. Harriet continues collecting food shelf items - thanks to those contributing, including a notable donation of baby diapers from John Hammer.
In Happy Fines, members covered the usual mix of travel updates, mechanical mishaps, family milestones, and general summer check-ins. Vermont Green FC's playoff hopes got a shoutout, as did kids' track performances, blueberry yields, and impromptu Rotary reunions in Scotland.
The morning’s featured speaker was Korey Rogers, Senior Curator of American Art at the Shelburne Museum. Korey walked us through the museum’s current exhibits, covering everything from the design philosophy behind their Higher Ground concert poster collection to an interactive Indigenous sound art installation and a range of contemporary sculpture and ceramic work. He also provided a look behind the curtain - budgeting for exhibitions, artist compensation, the rotating schedule of textile exhibits, and the experience of living at the Brick House (which includes the occasional early-morning alarm triggered by spiders).
The exhibits will run through October 26. Several are tactile or interactive and designed to bring new audiences through the door - especially locals who may not have set foot inside despite attending outdoor concerts on the grounds.
Next week’s meeting will feature Dan, Richard, and Amanda sharing their experiences from the Rotary International Convention in Calgary. We’ll also be joined by our esteemed District Governor. If you’ve been meaning to show up in person, it would be a wonderful time to have a packed house.