Stories
The Public is invited to viewLearn what Communities can do |
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Rotary sponsors "Angst-The Movie"Grand Monadnock Rotary Sponsors "Angst" - The Movie  Angst, an lndieFlix documentary designed to raise awareness around anxiety, includes interviews with kids, teens, educators, experts, parents and a very special interview with Michael Phelps. Screened in schools and theaters around the world, the film and materials provide tools, resources and above all, hope. Click for more info |
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Watch Community Walk For Recovery video |
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Community Walk For Recovery - Great Success! Monadnock Rotary Club hosted its first annual Community Walk for Recovery from Substance Use Disorder on October 20, 2019, from Dublin School to Historic Harrisville (3 miles). One hundred people walked and then attended presentations about recovery. The exhibitors were Monadnock Voices for Prevention, The Doorway (Cheshire Medical Center), Phoenix House (Dublin), Monadnock Family Services, Maps Counseling Services, Reality Check, Keene Serenity Center, and Better Life Partners. Speakers presented information about the community and state efforts including Jay Kahn, NH State Senator; Polly Morris, PRSS-FO, Harbor Homes, Dr. Rudy Fedrizzi, WRJ Public Health Services District. Life stories were told by recovery advocates: Shawn Maguire, Sam Abbot, and Tom Davison. Financial Sponsors included: Monadnock Rotary District 7870, local Rotarians, Aldworth Manor, All Saints Church-Peterborough, anonymous donors, Rev Sandi Albom, Bar Harbor Bank, Belletetes, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Monadnock Community Hospital, Monadnock Paper Mills/Verney Foundation, Rivermead, Peterborough Rotary Club, Phoenix House, and Yankee Publishing. Donors included the walkers and others who attended presentations. Media supporters included Monadnock Ledger Transcript, Keene Sentinel, Monadnock Radio Group and Silver Direct. This fundraiser is to provide Rotary grants to support front line organizations in the recovery and prevention community. |
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MRC Community Walk For Recovery
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June 11 Meeting NotesThis morning's meeting format was a forum. After June 25, 2018, we are going to meet in forum to discuss our upcoming community service/fundraising event. John Goodhue presented letters and asked people to give to the Rotary Foundation. Our club goal is for each member contribute $100 to The Rotary Foundation. This is the foundation that supports serious Rotary projects worldwide. He is asking at least from a donation from each person from each person. Opening words: Pegg about D-Day Pledge and song: Dale Forum: Harry read a description of the Maine Program to De-Stigmatize Opioid Recovery. Importantly, he quoted there were 47,000 overdose deaths in US in just 2017, nearly the same number 50,000+ US deaths in the entire Vietnam War. Also, the gateway drug for 80% of addicts is a doctor's prescription. He described the event, as education/public awareness, described along a walking/running path from Dublin to Harrisville (possibly to Historic Harrisville Inc-HHI) with information described along the way. Kevin suggested that we make the walk reflective of the twists and turns along the way, and a bit hard, possible a full 5 miles. The distance from Dublin Yankee parking lot to Historic Harrisville parking lot is about 5 miles with a gathering in the large meeting room in HHI. Possible major sponsors are Phoenix House, Monadnock Hospital, Sentinel, Peterbourgh Ledger-Transcript, Cheshire Hospital, VFW Marlborough, Yankee Magazine, (We also have a long list from Bob M. ) Possible partners include Rotary's from Peterborough (Bob McDonald), Jaffrey Rindge, Hollis Brookline (Dale), Keene Rotary, Elm City Rotary (Craig Stockwell), ConVal Interact, Keene High Interact, Monadnock Regional Interact, Keene Rotaract (Keene and Elm City group), Yankee Magazine, Historic Harrisville, Dublin Store Harry asked the group if all agreed that we should go forward (Jerry, Bill Gurney, and Rick were not there). This group agreed. Harry mentioned but we didn't talk about a possible small fundraiser this summer. Date not yet unknown or nor a name for "Walk" Next week's speaker is Laine Baraket, Director of Monadnock Music June 25th is Passing of the Gavel, at McDowell Dam Park. July 9-Forum July 16-Need speaker July 23-Forum July 30-Dale will provide speaker Aug. 6- Forum Aug. 13-Kevin will provide speaker Aug. 20- Harry and Pegg are away Aug. 27-Forum Standing in as President for Jim Guy, Pegg Pegg Monahan PO Box 326 26 Tuttle Lane Harrisville, NH 03450 Home-603 827-3139 Cell 603 852 8166 |
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June 4 Meeting Notes |
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May 21 Meeting NotesGood Morning Rotarians. Here are the notes for the May 21st Meeting. Tom Warren gave the Opening Words. There was no Hat Story. Announcements:
Doug Waitt of New Ipswich was our speaker. He is a volunteer for the NH Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), an organization that recruits, trains and supervises volunteers to serve as advocates for abused and neglected children, a segment of the population that is the most vulnerable. He related stories that were disturbing. The organization does important and necessary work. For tomorrow’s meeting: Opening Words: Jim Guy Hat Story Jerry Branch Speaker assignment for July: Jerry Branch and Tom Warren The speaker will be Sherry Metivier of WKNE radio station in Keene. I look forward to seeing you in the morning. Best regards, Jim Guy |
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May 14 Meeting NotesGood Morning Rotarians, Here are the meeting notes for May 14th. Opening Words: Dale Gabel Hat Story: Rob Harris The assembly meeting, headed by Harry Wolhandler, was a continuation of our discussions around the planning and implementation of the proposed Substance abuse Walk/Run. Bob Meissner’s work, prior to his resignation, was helpful in terms of listing potential partners, donors, exhibitors, and fund recipients. There was further discussion about local people who may be willing to work on behalf of the MRC event. Further discussion will be held at the June 11th assembly meeting. Tomorrow’s meeting: Opening Words: Tom Warren Hat Story: Vance Finch The speaker for the tomorrow’s meeting will be Doug Waitt of New Ipswich speaking about CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). See you in the morning. Best regards, Jim Guy |
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May 7 Meeting NotesGood Morning Rotarians, Here are the meeting notes for the May7th evening meeting held at the Dublin Community Center. Opening Words Kevin McElhinney Hat Story Rick MacMillan Announcements:
The speaker was Eric Masterson who works at the Harris Center in Hancock, NH. He gave a presentation about his work with the Broad Winged Hawk. He told of of the migration patterns of the Hawk and his attempt to follow their migration path on bicycle through the US and Central America. Tommorow’s meeting: Opening Words: Dale Gabel Hat Story: Rob Harris No speaker this week. Assembly meeting. |
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April 30 Meeting NotesGood Morning Rotarians, Here are the meeting notes for April 30th. Jim Guy gave the opening words. Tom Warren gave the Hat story. Announcements:
The speaker was Erin Hammerstedt, Executive Director of Historic Harrisville. She gave an interesting and informative presentation about the Harrisville Cheshire Mills Hydroelectric project. She told of the conception, reconstruction, and commissioning of the plant that was inoperable since the late days of the Harrisville Mill economy. Please note that tomorrow’s meeting will be at 5:30PM at the Dublin Community Center. This would be an opportune time to invite prospective members. Opening words: Kevin McElhinney Hat story: Rick MacMillan The Speaker will be Erick Masterson of the Harris Center. He will give a presentation on his work with Broad-winged Hawks. See you tomorrow evening. |
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April 23 Meeting NotesGood Morning Rotarians. Please note that we will be meeting at the Dublin Community Center tomorrow morning because the Church basement is being used to stage their rummage sale scheduled for the end of this week. Here are the meeting notes for the April 23rd meeting, Jerry Branch gave the opening words. Announcements:
The Speaker was Chick Colony who talked about the formation and operation of the Historic Harrisville Organization and their goal to preserve and enhance the quality, beauty, and historical significance of Harrisville village. Chick gave examples of the successful programs instituted by the group to make Harrisville a desirable place for families to live. For tomorrow’ meeting: Tod Blodgett has the opening words. Tom Warren has the Hat Story. The speaker will be Erin Hammerstedt, Historic Harrisville, Exec Diriector. She will talk about the new Cheshire Mills Hydroelectric Project and the Harrisville General Store. Attached are the assignments for the next 3 months for Opening Words, the Hat Story, and Speaker assignments. If any of these dates are not convenient please make arrangements with another club member to swap assignment dates. See you at the Community Center tomorrow morning. Jim Guy |
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April 16 Meeting NotesGood morning Rotarians. Here are the meeting notes from April 16th. Opening Words: Jim Guy Announcements & Club Business & Correspondence
Jerry Branch offered to provide guidance to club members on how to conduct a conversation with a prospective member. Please contact Jerry directly to take advantage of his offer. The assembly meeting on Tuesday was led by Harry Wolhnadler. We discussed the Wellness Festival and each member’s roll in the event and why the WF was meaningful to the community and worth considering to doing again. We also discussed ideas for other fund raisers such as a dinner dance, trivia night, as well as the Awareness walk/run, and how to obtain greater community involvement in club events. Further discussion will be had at the next Assembly meeting scheduled for May 14th. |
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April 9 Meeting NotesGood morning Rotarians. Here are the meeting notes for April 9th. Jim Guy gave the opening words. Harry Wohlhandler gave the Hat story about his early experiences and observations about the internet back in the 1990’s when it was in its early stages of commercialization. Announcements:
Our Speaker was Phil Gargan, a former Zimbabwe Rotarian and resident of Harrisville, NH. He shared his story of the long process of immigration from from Zimbabwe to the United States for him and his wife, as well as their experience in obtaining US citizenship. An interesting story. Tuesday’s meeting will be a continuation of discussions to develop details for the Awareness run fund raising event, to be led by Harry Wohlhandler. Please make an effort to attend. Jerry Branch will say a few words about membership. Opening words: Rick MacMillan No Hat story for the meeting. No Speaker is scheduled. See you in the morning. Best regards, Jim Guy |
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April 2 Meeting NotesGood morning Rotarians. Here are the meeting note for the April 2nd. Bill Gurney gave the opening words. Jim Guy gave the Hat story about experiencing 2 earthquakes and a hurricane in 2012. One earthquake while in a high-rise hotel in Tokyo. Announcements:
Our speaker was Brett Ann Thelan from the Harris Conservation Center who gave an interesting presentation about her experiences as head of the citizen volunteer program that collects data about the Spring amphibian migration which include salamanders, frogs, and turtles as well as efforts to protect the creatures during the migration. For tomorrow’s meeting: Opening Words: Jim Guy Hat Story: Harry Wolhandler Our Speaker will be Phil Gargan, a former Zimbabwe Rotarian. He will share his story of the long process of immigration and obtaining US citizenship. |
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March 26 meeting notesGood Morning Rotarians, Here are the March 26th meeting notes: Vance Finch gave the opening words. Dale Gabel gave the Hat Story. He related a few of his experiences about his duties on board a ship as a young officer in the Coast Guard. Announcements:
The speaker was Max Mitchell, Exec Dir. Jaffrey Chamber of Commerce. He gave us an overview of some of the challenges that small towns in New Hampshire face, in terms of infrastructure, taxes, schools, and other related issues. Next meeting: Opening Words: Bill Gurney Hat Story: Jim Guy Speaker: Beth Ann Thelan, Harris Center for Conservation Education. Her topic will be Harris Center's Amphibian Migration - part of their Citizen Scientists Programs See you tomorrow morning. Best regards, Jim Guy |
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March 19 meeting notesGood Morning Rotarians, Following are the March 19th meeting notes. Pegg Monohan gave the opening words. Jerry Branch gave the Hat story and told us of his duties as a young army officer during the Vietnam War years. Announcements:
The Speaker for the meeting was Ed Walker, Chief of the Peterborough Fire Department. He related stories of various incidents and experiences of the PFD related to drug overdose emergencies. Chief Walker provided useful suggestions about the awareness event when he was asked for input. Tomorrow's meeting: Opening Words Vance Finch Hat Story Dale Gabel. The scheduled Speaker for tomorrow’s meeting is Max Mitchell, Exec Dir. Jaffrey Chamber of Commerce. His topic will be 'Discussing the challenges and opportunities of a small community." Membership is a ongoing issue for Rotary. Attached is a template for recruiting new members that I received from the District Secretary. Please keep on file for reference. See you tomorrow morning. Jim Guy |
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March 12 meeting notesGood Morning Rotarians. Here are the March 12th meeting notes. Harry Wohlhandler gave the opening words. Bob Vecchiotti gave the Hat story and he presented interesting facts about the St. Louis Arch. Announcements:
Harry Wolhandler led a discussion with the membership about the Awareness Run. Each member had the opportunity to provide input on ideas, expectations, goals, and objectives of the event. The discussion was lively and useful. For tomorrow’s meeting. Opening Words: Pegg Monohan Hat story: Jerry Branch The speaker for tomorrow’s meeting is Ed Walker, Fire Chief, Peterborough Fire & Rescue. He will be giving an overview of today's Fire & Rescue mission in the Eastern Monadnock region |
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March 5th meeting notesGood Morning Rotarians. Here are the notes from the March 5th meeting. Kevin McElhinney gave the opening words. Announcements:
Jerry Branch and Bob Vecchiotti gave a presentation and led a discussion on how to attract and maintain members. Suggestions included having members actively recruit individuals by asking friends and coworkers to attend meetings, boosting the MRC profile in the region, as well as having “fun” fund raising events such as a dinner dance and contests. Getting High School students involved with Rotary was also suggested. Discussion about some of the challenges that service organizations like Rotary are having in attracting and sustaining membership on national and local levels followed. Tomorrows meeting: Opening Words: Harry Wohlhandler Hat Story: Bob Vecchiotti |
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February 26 meeting notesGood Morning Rotarians. Here are the meeting notes from February 26th. Tom Warren gave the opening words. Announcements:
Our speaker was Jim Earle from Franklin Pierce University. He gave us an brief overview of some of the financial challenges facing colleges and universities in the US, as well as a description of a variety of the issues around student behavior as they mature in to adults during the time they attend the university. Next Meeting: Kevin McElhinney has opening words. Rick MacMillan has the Hat story. Jerry Branch and Bob Vecchiotti will be giving the club a talk about membership and what we can do to attract prospective candidates to the club. See you in the morning! |
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February 19 Meeting NotesGood Morning Rotarians. Here are the notes from the February 19th meeting. Bob Meissner gave the opening words. Bill Gurney gave the Hat Story Announcements:
Our speaker was Eileen Fernandes, Director of Operations for the Center for Population Health and her coworker Jane Skantze, gave a presentation on the demographics of substance abuse in New Hampshire and highlighted the importance of informing the youth of the community in the dangers of abuse. For tomorrow’s meeting: Opening Words – Tom Warren Hat Story – Tom Blodgett Our speaker will be Dr. Kim Mooney, President of Franklin Pierce who will inform us of developments at the University. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow morning. Best regards, Jim Guy |
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February 12 Meeting NotesGood Morning Rotarians, Here are the meeting notes for the February 12th meeting: Jim Guy gave the opening words. Announcements:
The club had a discussion about the Opioid Awareness event that has been proposed and debated for the last 2-3 months. The club voted to proceed with the event. Bob Meissner has requested volunteers to work on obtaining goods and services that will be necessary run a successful the event. We are under a time constraint, so your help would be very much appreciated. Attached is a spreadsheet with the Opening Words, Hat, and Speaker assignments through April. Bob Meissner has the Opening Words. Bill Gurney will have the Hat Story. The speaker tomorrow is Eileen Fernandes, Director of Operations for the Center for Population Health. I hope to see you tomorrow. Jim Guy |
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Minutes of February 5 MeetingThe Club was called to order at 7:45 After the Pledge and National Anthem Bob Vecchiotti read the Six Criteria of Emotional Maturity We had two guests Jay Schecter and Tom Andrew our speaker Vance gave an update of the FACTS program with a sample portfolio. There were several volunteers to join the program Sign up sheets were passed out to fill openings in March and April for opening words, hat story, and guest speakers It was announced that for the next club assembly (Feb 12th) the club will discuss the pros and cons in whatever order was decided then vote after our current fundraising proposal was presented. Our speaker Tom Andrew, M.D. was introduced by Bob Meissner. Dr. Andrew is a forensic pathologist and the current NH State Director of Forensic Pathology. A few highlights from his presentation include:
On February 12 Dale has the opening words, and there is no hat story |
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Meeting Minutes January 29, 2019Bob Vecchiotti opened our meeting and announced that Jim Guy is on vacation for the next two weeks. Vance Finch announced that the FACTS program has been requested by Dublin Consolidated School and Dublin Christian Academy. The program portfolios have been prepared but we need volunteers to do the presentations. Contact Vance for more information. Bill Gurney announced that a few applications for RYLA have been received. Deadline for applications is February 25. Next meeting of the committee will be February 12 after the Club meeting to discuss goals for the day and member assignments for March 23. Bob Meissner passed out printed copies of his presentation then began his slide show version on the Drug and Alcohol Misuse Awareness Run being proposed for the April 27, 2019. Bob reported
Discussion followed the presentation. Vance asked if the Club is in a position to cover any shortfall in the proceeds. Bob responded that he is confident that sponsorships, ticket sales and the raffle would cover our expense. Bob Vecchiotti asked if cancelling the event would adversely affect our reputation. Bob and others felt the need to cancel in a timely manner due to lack of funds would be understood by the community. Jerry Branch asked if there would be sufficient interest amongst local runners to participate in the event given that the annual race in Dublin was cancelled a few years ago due to poor participation. Bob believes there is continued interest in the greater Monadnock community for 5K races. Bill Gurney asked if a “drop dead” date has been determined when the event would be cancelled if the Club had not raised sufficient funds to cover costs and charitable donations. At present, a date has not been set. Dale made a motion which was seconded to call a vote on the proposal. The vote was 4 in favor, 4 opposed and 2 abstentions. Therefore, the motion failed. After a brief discussion, it was agreed that another vote would be taken on February 12 to determine the fate of the race. It was hoped that more Club members would be present for the final vote and that some additional information on finances would be available. Respectfully submitted, Bob Vecchiotti |
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Novermber 13th Meeting NotesGood Morning Rotarians, Please note that there will not be a meeting tomorrow morning (November 20th) because of the Thanksgiving Holiday this week. Our next meeting, on November 27th, will be an assembly meeting where we will discuss the fundraising opportunities that have been presented to the club. The November 13th meeting notes are as follows: Pegg Monohan gave the opening words. Bob Meisner gave the Hat story about how his dog was dognapped and sold by his neighbor,when Bob was living in Costa Rica. Getting the dog back proved to be a bit awkward. Announcements:
Our speakers were Shelley Goguen-Hulbert, Executive Director & Grant Butler, Facilities Director Camp Glen Brook. Glen Brook has been in existence since 1946 and is affiliated with the Association of Waldorf Schools. Glen Brook provides opportunities to inner city youth to experience the NH countryside by providing camping facilities and activities. The age group that generally attends the camp is 9-14 years old. A large percentage of the food served at the camp is raised by the attendees. For the November 27th meeting: Opening Words – Tom Warren Hat Story, - Jerry Branch I hope everyone has an enjoyable Thanksgiving. |
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November 6 Meeting NotesGood Morning Rotarians. Here are the notes for last week’s meeting. Jim Fearnside gave the opening words. Jim Guy gave the Hat story about the experience of attending a baseball game in Japan and how it compares to the game in the US. Announcements:
The speaker was Kevin Moody, President of the Dublin Christian Academy. Kevin gave a presentation of the history and objectives of the Academy. F. Nelson Blount started the academy in the 1964 after recruiting Kevin’s father from Florida to help with the Academy’s establishment. The DCA typically recruits students from the surrounding area but does have dormitories for foreign students and students that are not able to commute. The school has a vigorous academic program taught in a Christian environment. The majority of graduates pursue a college education. Tuesdays meeting: Opening Words: Pegg Monohan Hat Story: Bob Meissner Speaker: Shelley Goguen-Hulbert, Executive Director & Grant Butler, Facilities Director Camp Glen Brook. Topic: Look at the rich 70+ yr. history of Marlborough’s Camp Glen Brook. See you on tomorrow! |
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October 30 Meeting NotesGood morning Rotarians. Here are the notes from last week’s meeting. Harry Wohlander gave the opening words. Bill Guney gave the Hat story about his time in Morocco when things went awry when the basketball team he was working with acquired some stereo equipment in an unusual fashion. The speaker was Roy Schlieben, director of the Maker Space (MAxT) facility in Peterborough NH. Roy gave us a history of MAxT, how it is funded, and the services it provides the community through membership and public events. The Vose Farm facility has a wide variety of equipment that is available to the public on a subscription basis. An event called Repair Café is an held monthly. Repair Café is open to the public and is an event where anyone, who has something that needs fixed can bring it in and have experienced personnel attempt to restore it to usefulness. MAxT moved to the large Vose Farm facility earlier this year after starting up in a small space in south Peterborough. Announcements:
Our speaker on Tuesday is Shelley Goguen-Hulbert, Executive Director & Grant Butler, Facilities Director Camp Glen Brook. Topic: Look at the rich 70+ yr. history of Marlborough’s Camp Glen Brook. Jim Guy will have the Hat story. Jim Fearnside will have the opening words. Below are the Opening Word, Hat Story and Speaker Assignments for the next 3 months.
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October 23 Meeting NotesGood Morning. Last Tuesday we had our 2nd evening meeting which was in conjunction with Rotary Week. The main purpose of the meeting was to attract new members by giving information about how Rotary provides humanitarian services on International, National, and local levels. The meeting attendance was lower than we anticipated, but we have identified 2-3 new prospective members. I want to thank Bob Vecchiotti again for his superb job of organizing the event, as well as Bob Schumann and Bob MacDonald for highlighting the activities of their Rotary clubs. Thanks to the members of the MRC who helped with setup and those who contributed to the dialogue during the course of the meeting. Tomorrow’s meeting will feature Roy Schlieben of Maker Space in Peterborough. Harry Wolhandler has opening words. Bill Gurney has the Hat Story this week. See you tomorrow morning. Jim Guy |
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October 16 Meeting NotesHappy Rotary Week Rotarians! The evening meeting tomorrow is shaping up nicely. Thanks to Bob Vecchiotti for his excellent job of planning and coordination. The event will be held as a regular meeting, without the Hat story or Speaker, however the normal meeting agenda will be followed. Instead of the Hat story and Speaker presentation, I will present a brief history of Rotary International, including how the organization was established, past accomplishments, ideals, future goals, as well as a list of club activities and accomplishments. Bob Schuman of the Jaffery Rindge Club, and Bob MacDonald of the Peterborough Club are planning to attend. I will ask them to briefly describe activities that their respective clubs are involved. Each member should be ready to comment their past and current Rotary activities. The primary goal for the meeting is to attract new members so please invite as many of your friends, acquaintances, town officials, and colleagues as you can. Please bring beer or wine to the event for yourself and guests. To recap October 16th meeting: Jim Guy gave the opening words. There was no Hat story given. The speaker was George Sterling of the Windy Row Learning Center who gave a interesting presentation about Windy Row’s effort to identify and treat children who are dyslexic. George described the symptoms and traits of people who have dyslexia and how they are helped to overcome their difficulties. Dyslexia is a learning difficulty and not a disease. There are many successful and highly functional people who have dyslexia. Be prepared for tomorrow evening’s meeting! Thanks and regards, Jim Guy |
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October 9 Meeting NotesGood Morning Rotarians, First and foremost, please note that Tuesday’s morning meeting will be held in the basement of Dublin Town Hall. The entrance is located at the back of building, accessible from the parking lot. Please make an effort to invite and bring guests to the evening meeting next week at the Dublin Community Center (October 23rd at 5:30 PM). We are having this meeting in conjunction with Rotary week (October 21-18). This will an excellent opportunity to attract new members. Notes from last week’s meeting. Dale Gabel gave the opening words. Rick MacMillan gave the Hat story about his encounter with pests that had had nested in the interior of his swimming pool and how he used his propane blowtorch as a pest removal tool with a not so pleasant outcome. Lists for Speaker assignment, The Hat, Opening Words, and School Speaker program were circulated last meeting, but it appears that all of the lists did not circulate through the meeting room. I will circulate the lists again at tomorrow’s meeting. Our Speaker was Volkert Volkersz who is the Program Coordinator at the Dublin Community Center. Volkert gave us an overview of the progress that the Community Center has achieved since he became Program Coordinator one year ago. The Community Center has become more active in providing a space for community based activities such as Yoga, art exhibits, as well as a place for learning for children who have an interest in computer coding. The Center is also a convenient place for functions for organizations and individuals who need a convenient place to meet between Keene and Peterborogh. For tomorrow’s meeting: Tom Blodgett has the opening words. Jim Fearnside has the Hat. Our speaker will be George Sterling The Windy Row Learning Center Board Treasurer. Windy Row is an organization that helps students who have dyslexia. |
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October 2 Meeting NotesHello Rotarians, Here are the notes from last Tuesday’s meeting. Bill Gurney gave the opening words. Kevin McElhinney gave the Hat Story about how he stood in the rain for several hours to do a story on the Pope as a reporter for his college radio station. He recorded his report on a portable tape device that got soaked while he was waiting for several hours in the rain and would not play when he returned to the station. A colleague suggested drying the with an electric hair dryer and the report was saved. Announcements: A site needs to be found for the October 16th meeting because the church is unavailable because the rummage sale, and the Community Center is booked for that morning. Bob Meissner will ask the Dublin School if they have space available. Wendy White has resigned from the club because she will be staying in Rome to help care for her newly arrived granddaughter. We hope she will rejoin when she returns. Bob Vecchiotti gave an update on the progress of the October 23rd meeting (happening during Rotary Week) which will be in the evening. Everyone in the club needs to invite and bring at least one guest to the meeting. The event will be run as a regular meeting and the goal is to find prospective members. Bob Meissner gave an update on the Opioid Run fund raiser. Bob reported that he has identified several potential sponsors and partners for the project. The numerous accounts of the opioid epidemic in the media suggest that there will be significant interest in this initiative. Jim Fearnside and Harry Wolhandler gave a detailed presentation of their trip to Portland to investigate if windowdressers.org could be used as a fund raising vehicle for the club. Windowdressers.org is local to Maine and builds wood frame window inserts to decrease heat loss and thereby reducing energy waste and carbon emissions. Jim and Harry felt that windowdressers.org could be used as a means to raise funds, however the club would need to partner with other local organizations to make it work, as the task would be too large for our club to implement on its own. The next step is to decide if the club is willing to expend the effort to make it work. Jim and Harry’s presentation is attached. Opening Words will be given by Dale Gabel. The Hat Story will be given by Rick MacMillan. Our Speaker this week will be Volkert Voltersz, Program Coordinator, Dublin Community Center (DubHub) Topic: A review of Volkert’s first year at the DubHub and outlook for 2019. |
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Semtember 25 Meeting NotesGood Morning Rotarians, Here are the meeting notes from last week. The opening words were given by Jerry Branch The Hat was given by Vance Finch. She told us a story about a family vacation to a place were the accommodations were several miles off of the beaten path and was quite rustic. To keep her young daughters entertained, the family engaged in a brief investigation of bats which turned out to be a highlight, including the “bat quiz” which was given to the girls. Announcements:
The speaker was Venu Rao, who is the District Governor of Rotary district 7870 this year. Venu gave an inspirational talk about his goals for district clubs which include recruitment of new members as well as retaining current members, having each club participate in a Global and District Grants. He pointed out that fund raising is important for all Rotary clubs as well as personal contributions to help fund and promote club charitable activities. Venu’s message was well received and we hope he will have another opportunity to speak to our club at a future meeting. This week’s meeting: Opening Words Bill Gurney Hat Kevin McElhinney Speaker assignments for October Bill Gurney and Jamie Hamilton. |
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September 18 Meeting Notes Good Morning Rotarians. Here the meeting notes from last Tuesday’s meeting. Jim Guy gave the opening words. Bob Meisner gave the Hat story about his experience in Costa Rica about business party at his home went horribly awry. Announcements:
Tyler Sweeny, the NH state director for the Concord Coalition, which is an organization started by Warren Rudman and Paul Tsongas that focuses on making citizens aware of the problems with the national debt so that citizens can be informed and take action to elect representatives that will deal with the ever increasing debt. The focus of the talk was what causes of the debt, what the US current debt position is and why it is unsustainable. Tyler is a recent college graduate and in his mid-twenties. He is motivated by his concern as how the crushing debt will affect his and future generations. A very sobering presentation. This week Jerry Branch has the opening words. Vance Finch has the Hat. See you tomorrow. |
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September 11 Meeting NotesJim Guy gave the opening words. Dale Gabel gave the hat story in which he described what he was doing and his observations during his commute into Washington DC on the morning of the 9/11 attacks. Announcements: Venu Rao, District Governor for Rotary will be our guest at the September 25th meeting. Jim Fearnside and Harry Wohlander will be travelling to Portland Maine to on September 21st to investigate the possibility of using Windowdressers.org as a fund raising opportunity. Anyone wishing to attend the event should coordinate with Jim. Rotary week will be October 22 – 28. It will be an opportune time to have an evening meeting on October 23rd at the Dublin Community Center. Bob Vecchiotti has volunteered to oversee promotional activities for Rotary Week. Our speaker was Mary Drew, the founder and CEO of Reality Check in Jaffery, NH. Reality Check is an organization whose mission is to help reduce alcohol and drug use, addiction, and overdose and help those with addiction problems find assistance. Mary told us her own story of recovery and how it led to the establishment of Reality Check as well as the difficulties facing NH communities from the exploitation of big Phrma to state and federal funding for addiction and recovery. September 18 meeting: Opening Words: Peg Monahan Hat: Rick McMillan Speaker: Tyler Sweeney of the Concord Coalition. The CC have striven to maintain a nonpartisan approach to fiscal policy. A true grassroots effort, for the past 26 years they have educated fellow citizens on the reality of our fiscal outlook, and advocated for responsible fiscal policy. By talking with people about the causes and consequences of rising deficits their hope is that voters carry that message to educate their friends, family and representatives. |
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August 28 Meeting NotesGood Morning Rotarians. Please note that there is no meeting tomorrow September 4th because of the Labor Day Holiday. Jim Fearnside gave the opening words. John Goodhue gave the Hat Story about how his career in ocean transportation after he stopped World War II by enlisting in the military. Announcements: Jim Fearnside will investigate the fund raising potential at windowdressing.org by attending a workshop in Portland Maine September 20th. Any members wishing to participate in the workshop are welcome to attend. Please discuss with Jim. Bob Meissner will continue to work on the Opioid Run to next Spring. Other smaller effort fund-raising activities are still being considered. October 2nd meeting will be an assembly. Venu Rao, Rotary District Governor will be our guest on September 25th. Speaker: The speakers last Tuesday Shane and Tammy Long who are the owners of The Alworth Manor in Harrisville. We were give a short history of the Manor, which was purchased by the Long family in 2014. The are completely renovating the property as an event venue for weddings and other functions. A complete history can be found at their website www.thealdworthmanor.com. Our next meeting on September 11th. Opening words: Kevin McElhinney. Hat Story : Dale Gabel Ms. Mary Drew, Founder & CEO of Reality Check in Jaffrey will be the speaker. Have a great Labor Day, and see you Tuesday September 11th. |
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August 21 Meeting NotesHello Rotarians. Tom Warren gave the opening words. Tom Blodgett gave the Hat story. The speaker did not show up for our meeting and Tom was able to give us an extended hat story about his upcoming journey to Malaga Spain to participate in a seniors track and field tournament. He had on display a discus, shot put, two javalins, as well as a pole vaulting pole and demonstrated techniques used to employ them on the field. Tom’s talk was entertaining and left us wondering why he didn’t consider golf as an alternative. Thanks again to Tom. Announcements: The club raised $350 in individual donations for Brentwood camp and with the matching $250 from the club the total contribution presented to Brentwood was $600.00. Venu Rao, our Rotary District Governor will be visiting the MRC on September 25th. The membership decided that holding the Opioid Run in October was a bit ambitious and decided that we would plan to hold the event next Spring. Many Thanks to Bob Meissner for collecting information to and presenting the details of the proposed event to the club. Jim Fearnside has offered to go to Maine in September to determine if the Windowdressers.org company presents a viable opportunity for the club to raise funds and to attend a workshop on the construction and installation of their product. Jim has invited other members to join him if they would like to participate in the workshops. Thanks to Jim Fearnside for his efforts determining the feasibility of this project. For August 28th meeting: Opening Words this week will be Jim Fearnside. The Hat Story – John Goodhue. The Speakers on Tuesday: Tammy and Shane Long, Owner/Managers Aldworth Manor, Harrisville. Topic: Rebirth of Aldworth Manor. |
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August 14 Meeting NotesJim Guy gave the opening words. Harry Wolhandler gave the hat story about how his experience as a young entrepreneur prepared him for his business career better than business school. Announcements:
Mark Fernald, a lawyer who practices in Peterborough and resident of Sharon, talked about the reliance of NH on property tax for the primary source of state income. NH has the second highest per capita property tax in the US. Payment of real estate taxes is more likely to be a burden for seniors and others on a fixed income. As a result, people are losing their homes that they have owned for years because they cannot afford to pay rising real estate taxes. Funding for education, mental health services, opioid treatment, infrastructure maintenance, environmental protection and other critical state provided services are being reduced as tax cuts are being enacted and revenue is declining. According to Mr. Fernald, these cuts contribute to the aging of the NH population, because the state makes it unattractive for young people to stay or move to NH as state services are curtailed. Lively discussion proceeded. Remember no meeting tomorrow morning (August 14th). For the meeting on August 21st: Opening words: Jim Fearnside Hat story: Tom Blodgett Speaker: Roy Schlieben: Fundraising & Communications Consultant. Topic: ‘Fundraising ins & outs with Not for Profits’ See you next week! |
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July 31 Meeting notesGood morning Rotarians, We had a great meeting last Tuesday. Vance Finch gave the opening words and Bob Veccchioti gave the had story about his primary school experience in in New York. Announcements:
We had the pleasure of hosting Balmeet Kalhsa, Christine Robidoux and a group of young adults from the Cyprus Friendship Program, at our meeting. The Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been coming together to meet and build relationships and leadership skills, through the program in hopes that they will be able to build a generation that has a better understanding between people on the island. As part of that program, they spend several weeks in the United States – including the Monadnock region – with host families. Christina and Barack were gracious enough to tell the group stories about how the program changed their views and understanding of the relationship between the Greeks and Turks, as well as how to bridge differences through meeting others and developing friendships. Like in so many cases in the world today , the younger generation are not accepting the old beliefs and stereotypes passed on by their elders. These young individuals were inspiring and give us hope for a more accepting and peaceful world. Our Speaker for Tuesday will be Mark Fernald,. lawyer and local activist in Peterborough. He is a long-time resident of Peterborough where he practices law. His topic will be about the essential functions of the NH state government, and how we pay for them. For Tuesday’s meeting: Opening Words – John Goodue Hat Story – Harry Wolhandler See you tomorrow! |
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July 24 Meeting NotesHere the meeting notes from last week’s meeting. Kevin McElhiney gave the opening words. The Evans – Reilly award winner, Daisy Young, and her parents Susan and David were in attendance. Daisy is a Conval High School student and active member in the community who works with the Peterborough Cornucopia Food Project in growing and distributing food to families and individuals in the region. Daisy will be going to Vienna Austria later this year where she will get a chance to practice her German language skills. There was further discussion regarding the fund raising opportunities discussed at the July 17th assembly meeting. Jim Fearnside agreed to lead the investigation to see if windowdressers.org is a viable option for fundraising. Harry Wohlander, Bill Gurney, Dale Gabel, and Jerry Branch are other members of the committee. Bob Meisner agreed to head up the committee to look into the feasibility of an opioid Run/Walk fund raising event. Rob Harris, Peg Monahan, and Jim Guy round out the committee. The executive committee has decided to match donations up to $250 for donations to Brantwood Camp. The check to Brantwood is presented at the annual luncheon to be held on August 13th. We need to get our donations in soon! Assignments for the Hat, Opening Words, and Speaker assignments will be issued shortly. Joshua Houle, Partner and Wealth Manager at Steward Partners Global Advisory, LLC. in Keene, gave an informative talk on Social Security benefits. There are more than 2,700 rules and regulation that govern Social Security benefits and payments. Joshua made it clear that because there are numerous options, each individual and their spouse should do research to determine which retirement/payment scenario will maximize Social Security payments before signing up for the program. The message was loud and clear - do your research so won’t leave money on the table. Announcements:
July 31st meeting. Invocation Vance Finch Hat Bob Vecchioti Speaker Balmeet Khalsa See you Tuesday morning! |
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July 10, 2018 MeetingWe have an Assembly meeting on July 17th 7:30AM at the Dublin School PRISM Building, Room PR3. Please note revised directions: Take New Harrisville Rd. (Dublin Fire department at the intersection of New Harrisville Rd. and 101). Take the first entrance to Dublin School (Emmanuel Church), and Park in the church parking lot. The Prism Building is directly across from the parking lot adjacent to the church, and across from the Administration Building. See the link https://www.dublinschool.org/admissions-2/. The PRISM Center is Blue B1 on the map. The main agenda items for the meeting are:
Below are the meeting notes from the July 17th meeting: Bill Gurney gave the opening words. Bob Schaumann, Sam LaFortune, and Travis Kumpf gave a talk about the $45,000 district grant from Rotary International that the Jaffery Rotary Club has applied for use in Nicaragua for the purpose of buying schoolbooks as well as building and repairing school buildings. Bob, Sam, and Travis are appealing local Rotary Clubs for support to help raise funds for the project and pointed out that donations for the project will be matched $3.50 for every dollar donated by Rotary Foundation. FNE International and Just Hope are the organizations on the ground in Nicaragua that will work on the projects using local builders and Highschool volunteers to do the work on the school projects in the town of Chacraseca, just outside of León . The political situation in Nicaragua is of concern as recent trips by students have been postponed because of safety concerns, however current projects have not been affected.
I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday at Dublin School. |
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June 19 Meeting UpdateGreetings Monadnock Rotarians! The storms on Monday night did little to deter our membership from attending our meeting this morning. Bob Vecchiotti introduced our guest and speaker Tim Pipp, owner of Beeze Tees located in Keene with a production plant in Marlborough. Wendy had Opening Words and Tom Warren had “The Hat” and spoke about his bird watching trip to Ontario. Announcements included the following:
Bob Vecchioti introduced our speaker, Tim Pipp. The company name is a curiosity to many customers and was his parents’ nickname for him. Tim had the entrepreneurial spirit from a young age. He sold Pokemon cards to neighborhood kids and had other jobs. He quickly learned that he enjoyed the challenge and rewards of building businesses from scratch. Tim attended Mascenic High School and Keene State College. He ran track and was also involved in other school activities. At KSC, Tim built a press for making t-shirts and quickly realized that there was money to be made from a relatively small investment. He moved his facilities several times seeking more space for storage and production. With a loan from his parents, he continued to expand his business on a regional and nation-wide basis. By 2013, Tim had 6 employees and introduced a night shift to boost production. The following year he opened a retail/production storefront on Main Street in Keene. Two years later, Tim had 15 employees and had outgrown Main Street location. He saw this as the time to separate the retail and production sides of the business and bought a mill building in Marlborough. Currently, Beeze Tees occupies a portion of the building with 22,000 square feet leased to another company. In addition, Tim moved the retail and design side of the business to a new storefront on Main Street next to Ted’s Shoe & Sport. Tim is now in the planning phase of a new entrepreneurial adventure. He will return to tell us about the new venture once the plans are complete. Notes: Please let Bill know if you will be attending and bringing guests to the Pass the Gavel meeting. Quest Dates: Sunday June 24 11:30am - 2pm Registration of Campers Monday June 25 6pm - 8pm Dinner/ Ice Breaker event (Campers and Rotarians) Tuesday June 26 4pm - 6pm Collaboration exercise with Campers and Rotarians, Interact) Wednesday June 27 6pm - 8pm Guest Speaker- Richard Haynes (UNH Admissions) Peterborough Rotary could use some helping hands on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. See you Tuesday afternoon! Bill |
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June 12 Meeting NotesGreetings Monadnock Rotarians! Our evening meeting and social was a great success. We had a nice representation from the local community and family members. The format was informative and highlighted the projects most important to our Club. Rosemary Guy provided some wonderful food for the festivities. Thank you to Rosemary, Jim Guy, Jerry Branch and Bob Meissner for their efforts to make the night a success. Announcements:
For our June 19 meeting, Wendy White has Opening Words and Tom Warren has “The Hat”. Our speaker will be Tim Pipp. See you tomorrow! Bill |
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June 5, 2018 Meeting NotesGreetings Monadnock Rotarians! Sorry for delay in reporting on our last meeting. Our guest was Nerissa Osborne of the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript. Bill read a passage on the process of developing new products from idea to production using the development of Velcro as an example. Jerry had “The Hat” and spoke about canoe club adventures he shared along with Ramona in Texas. Announcements included the following:
Bob Meissner introduced our speaker, Nerissa Osborne. Nerissa is a resident of Harrisville and grew up in Walpole, NH. Nerissa is a member of the Keene Business Network Group and a member of the Marlborough (VT) Dance Team of Morris and Sword Dancers. She is the Marketing Director for the Ledger-Transcript and has been working to reach out to tradesmen and other advertisers in the greater Monadnock Region. The 16 communities served by the Ledger have the potential to draw businesses from Keene and beyond to serve clients. The newspaper has added staff to enhance their media presence and marketing efforts. They have recently moved their offices at 20 Grove Street to improve communication among departments. Their overarching goals are to provide regional news and advocate for positive change. Many in the area rely upon the Ledger to stay current with local activities and news. They are part of the New England Digital Team which is a consortium of regional newspapers. The work of helping companies and organizations identify potential customers has become more sophisticated. A new publication is being offered by mail to homes in the Antrim-Bennington area which promotes local businesses. The model has been showing promise and could be applied to other smaller markets. The newspaper is printed at the Concord Monitor and distributed twice a week. Please make an extra effort to attend the meeting on June 12 at the Community Center. Jerry and Jim are working hard to make this a rewarding evening for the Club. Special thanks to Rosemary Guy for helping prepare the food for the evening. See you tomorrow! Bill |
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May 22 Meeting UpdateGreetings Monadnock Rotarians! It was a pleasure to welcome Wendy back to the club this morning. She introduced our guest and speaker for the meeting, Michelle Bishop. Michelle is Manager of Carr’s Store located at the intersection of Routes 101 & 202 in Dublin. Jim Guy began the meeting with a quote from Albert Camus about truth and liberty. A club discussion was held regarding possible community service opportunities. Suggestions included an energy saving project for local families, working with a neighboring club and other good ideas. Pegg spoke about the possibility of identifying a project that positively affects a wide range of age groups. A few minutes will be set aside on June 5 to continue the discussion. Announcements included the following:
Wendy White introduced our speaker, Michelle Branch. Michelle has been Manager of Carr’s Store which is a part of Cheshire Oil for 12 years. Michelle’s family members have been residents of Dublin for six generations. Her great-grandfather built the home she lives in today and she recalled spending summers in the community as a young child. Michelle’s grandfather was the Dublin Postmaster and also worked at Worcester’s Garage in the village. Michelle recalled working summers with her grandmother catering dinners in Dublin and housekeeping for large homes. The experiences led her to a career which includes hospice care, catering, house caretaking and retail management. Michelle moved permanently to Dublin in 2000 and began working at Carr’s Store with Yummy, Diddy and Cles. In 2007, Cles and Diddy retired and Michelle became the bookkeeper and helped manage the store. Upon Yummy’s retirement, she became the store manager. Michelle enjoys her work which offers ample opportunity to interact with family and friends. They still pump gas for shoppers unable to do so themselves and staff work hard to offer customers a place to meet friends and keep informed about local activities. She does her best to hire local folks to staff the store and offers local businesses an opportunity to advertise on their business card board. See you on June 5!! Bill |
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May 15 Meeting UpdateGreetings Monadnock Rotarians! We welcomed Tony Gilmore to our meeting. Tony is a member of the Capital City Sunrise Club and was our speaker today. Jamie Hamilton had Opening Words. She spoke about her friendship with her local librarian and how the relationship fostered her life-long love of books and reading. A club discussion was held regarding the 2018 Wellness Festival. Jim Fearnside recounted a meeting he and Bill had with one of our sponsors. The sponsor will not be able to offer the same level of financial support as in prior years. A motion was made to cancel the Wellness Festival next fall and explore other options for community service including the possibility of identifying new funding streams for the Festival in 2019. The motion carried and further discussion will be held to determine our next steps as a club. Announcements included the following:
Bob Meissner introduced our speaker, Tony Gilmore. Tony has been a Rotarian for many years. He has combined his background in photo journalism with a deep commitment to addressing the needs of people in Honduras and Haiti for potable water and sanitation. Tony and his colleagues have made many trips to the region and have supported the work of Pure Water for the World which offers communities and families a safe and inexpensive way to filter their drinking water. The need is great with families still losing children to water-born diseases. Tony reported that most families in the area do not name their children until two years of age in response to the likelihood that disease will kill the children as infants. Through films, Tony illustrated the difficult living conditions that include garbage strewn neighborhoods and humans sharing their water supply with domestic animals. Deforestation has led to flooding during the rainy season which pollutes community drinking water with human and animal waste. Pure Water for the World is based in Haiti and produces filters using sand and a cement container. The filters are effective and rely upon a culture of healthy bacteria growing in the sand to filter out the toxins. New more easily transported filters are coming on the market making them more accessible for remote rural areas. Families and communities must make a small financial commitment and agree to regular maintenance of the filters to ensure sustainability. The cost of a filter is about $7.00 which is the equivalent of a week’s pay for most folks. Along with the filters, emphasis is placed upon the use of latrines for sanitation and improving the understanding of personal hygiene. Larger projects addressing villages and schools are underway and progress is being monitored with indicators such as infant mortality and work days lost by parents having to stay home with sick children. Vance Finch has visited the Honduran villages during a Rotary trip and can share her experiences with the region and people. Tony will be sending out information on how Rotarians may contribute to his work. Their website is https://purewaterfortheworld.org/. See you Tuesday! Bill |
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May 8, 2018Greetings Monadnock Rotarians On May 8, Rick had Opening Words. He read a quote written by a relative that is included in a new biography of U.S. Grant written by Ron Chernow. Our guests this morning were Margaret Gurney and our speaker, Jillian Miner of Monadnock Maple Farm, LLC. Rob Harris had “The Hat” and spoke about a lesson learned as a youngster in his grandfather’s garden. After discovering that Rob had weeded only the front of the garden, his grandfather told him there are two ways to do a job—the right way and the wrong way. Since that day, Rob has had the opportunity to repeat those words of wisdom to his own child and grandchild in his garden. Announcements included the following:
Bob Meissner introduced our speaker, Jillian Miner. Jill and her husband, Jonathan Miner founded Monadnock Maple Farm in 2011. They began by selling sap to local syrup producers until their sugar house was built. Their farm has about 1,000 trees. Jill noted that in the 1940’s, NH farmers sold 500,000 gallons of syrup. Today, only about 125,000 gallons are produced in the state. Jon and Jill are first generation maple producers and have slowly added products and new methods to the production system. They use a vacuum system to collect the sap which is easier for the tree and prevents bacteria from entering the trunk. Once the syrup is collected, reverse osmosis reduces the amount to water in the sap which makes the boiling process more efficient. They use an oil fired burner to heat the evaporation pans which also makes the process more efficient. They usually begin making syrup about Valentine’s Day. Conditions this year were good for sap production with cold nights and an adequate snow cover which promote the flow of sap from the roots to the crown of the tree. The tapping of the trees can be time consuming as new tap holes are drilled each year and the 12 miles of tubing must be checked and repaired. The addition of a new filter system and bottling equipment have made the production more efficient. At the end of the season, the tubing must be washed thoroughly with clean water and the taps removed to protect the health of the tree. Jill and Jon plan to expand their product line in the next few years to include other agricultural products. I’ll send out a quick email later this week with more details about the roadside cleanup project scheduled for Saturday morning. Bill |
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May 1Greetings Monadnock Rotarians: On May 1, Jim Guy had Opening Words. We welcomed old friend and Dublin resident Travis Krumph as our speaker for the meeting. Kevin had “the Hat” and spoke about his first career as a radio announcer and news reporter. He recalled the veteran reporters who had mentored him at the start of his career. Announcements included the following:
Bob Meissner introduced our speaker, Travis Krumph. Travis has continued his work in Chacaresca, Nicaragua and has been working with FNE International and preparing an International Education Grant to build homes, schools and renovations to the local jails. He will be leading 8-10 day trips to support building projects and to give Rotarians a better understanding of the local culture and the needs of the people. Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with an average income of $2.00/day . The need is great and the country is relatively safe and easily reached from the U.S.A. The cost of building a home is $2,900. A pavilion for the women’s prison has been built to help ease the shortage of space. Most incarcerated women are in prison voluntarily to escape domestic abuse. A kitchen has been built at the men’s prison where food has not been available for prisoners who have had to rely upon handouts from guards and local folks. Focus going forward will be on improving educational opportunities. Latrines are a priority to improve sanitation on the school campus. Doors and windows are also needed to keep out the dust during the dry season. A key to the success of their programs has been involvement with local Rotary clubs in Nicaragua. The grant is in the final stages of preparation and Travis will meet with local clubs to inform them and seek donations. To date, the J-R Club has committed $10,000 to the project. See you Tuesday! Bill |
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April 24, 2018 Meeting UpdateApril 26, 2018 Greetings Monadnock Rotarians On April 24, Bill had Opening Words. We welcomed Dublin resident Pat Donnelly as our guest for the meeting. In lieu of a Hat story, the Club officially welcomed Pegg Monahan and Harry Wolhandler as members. Pegg and Harry have been attending our meetings for several months as guests and it is a pleasure to have them on our official club roster. Announcements included the following:
Bob Meissner introduced our speaker, Jim Hall. Jim is a Physical Therapist at Cheshire Medical Center and an Adjunct Professor at Franklin Pierce University. Jim gave a brief overview of how the Physical Therapy profession has been adapting to increases in patient caseloads and the level of responsibility for therapy being assumed by PTs. Jim has a doctorate in his field and the program at FPU graduates doctoral candidates. Another reason for greater educational expectations for PTs is the realization that patients are not usually best served by surgery or pain medication. The key to successful treatment for back injuries is exercise to strengthen supporting muscles and promote flexibility. Low back pain is the leading disability resulting in loss of work time in the world. Patients receiving surgery for a back injury have a 70% chance of undergoing additional surgeries. Treatment for back pain is a $75 billion industry and is a leading cause of permanent disability and chronic depression. Most back injuries are the result of the spine not properly aligned to counter gravity. Muscle and bone deterioration can begin as early as 35 years of age. Women are more prone to back issues with 80% experiencing pain during their lifetimes. Osteoporosis due to hormone imbalances can lead to compression fractures. Curvature of the spine or scoliosis is another back disease that is more prevalent in women. As with other back ailments, exercise, stretching and joint manipulation can help alleviate the symptoms. Americans need to be more active. Desk jobs, travel and couch surfing contribute to back issues. New studies have shown that opioid based medications are not effective in alleviating pain after six months of regular use. Jim believes patients must “own” the problem. Most back issues can be addressed when patients work cooperatively with their Physical Therapists to follow recommended exercise plans. On April 25, the Executive Committee met at the Dublin General Store. Items discussed included:
See you Tuesday! Bill |
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Club Assembly April 17, 2018Greetings Monadnock Rotarians Meeting notes for our Club Assembly. Bill had Opening Words. There was no “Hat” or speaker today to allow more time for the assembly. Bob Meissner and Dale gave a brief review of the recent district meeting. Jerry gave an update on the Rotary Park. He will be organizing a trail clearing day to clean up winter damage. Tom Warren noted that a tree had fallen and is blocking the driveway to the campsite. Jerry and Bill plan to remove the tree Thursday afternoon. Folks are welcome to join us about 2:30. A spring picnic is in the planning stages. Jerry also reported on membership and that applications are complete for Pegg and Harry. Pegg suggested we send an article to the Harrisville newsletter, The Thread, with information about our meetings. Following discussion, it was agreed that we would begin preliminary planning for the annual Wellness Festival. Vance noted that the festival is associated with Monadnock Rotary in the local community and Jerry spoke about the importance of supporting local health initiatives and providing operating income for non-profits. Jim Fearnside gave a list of the key positions that need to be filled to make the event a success:
Jim will send an email to club members asking about their willingness to serve in one of the roles listed above. A final decision on the Festival for 2018 will be made at the May 1st club meeting. Kevin gave an overview of the key requirements of the Youth Exchange Officer. We currently work with the Peterborough Rotary Club to support efforts at ConVal High School. While the job can be stressful, Kevin noted that the accomplishments are rewarding on a personal level. Some of the required duties include:
Kevin deserves our appreciation and respect for a job very well done over the years. There are no outbound or inbound students this coming school year. Anyone interested in organizing the program for the 2019-20 school year should speak with Jim Guy. Dale reported that the Club has a checking account balance of $8,000. Quarterly invoices were recently sent via email and folks are encouraged to pay by check to help us avoid processing fees for credit cards. Following the meeting, Dale gave a presentation on using the ClubRunner website. The discussions today reminded me of a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote that I would like to share. The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to make some difference that you have lived, and lived well. Announcements: Roadside cleanup is scheduled for the morning of May 12. The Executive Board will next meet April 25 at DGS at 7:30 a.m. All are welcome. On April 24, Chuck Simpson has “The Hat” and our speaker will be Jim Hall, Certified Physical Therapist, CMC. If anyone would like to offer Opening Words, please let me know. See you Tuesday! Bill |
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April 10, 2018April 10, 2018 Greetings Monadnock Rotarians It may have been snowing in Dublin today but the first major game of the baseball season is scheduled for tonight when the Yankees visit Fenway Park. Another sure sign of spring was the return of Jim Fearnside from the Green Valley of Arizona. Bill had Opening Words and Jim Fearnside had “The Hat”. Jim spoke about two experiences with immigrant families and how the interactions have shaped his views on the current immigration discussions. The first experience was volunteering to help a Russian family learn to use a computer and how the children quickly learned English and excelled at their local high school. The second experiences were more recent and involved families crossing the southern border and the local folks helping them survive the journey. Roy Baldwin, Executive Director of the Monadnock Christian Center (formerly known as the Bible Conference) located at the foot of Mount Monadnock in Jaffrey was our speaker. Monadnock Christian Ministries exists to inspire and equip the local church, community, and families to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ through biblical teaching, excellent programming, and service. Roy was born in Pittsburg and grew up with the hope of becoming a youth pastor. His early career was spent in the New York City boroughs working with at-risk children. He and his wife were dorm parents at Hershey School before working with Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs. He moved to Jaffrey at a time when the camp was in challenging financial and leadership situations. The Camp is visited by 15,000 people each year and serves families from from New Jersey to New England. The main program is the summer camp and retreats are held through the rest of the year. Recently, the Camp partnered with SAU 47 to offer an after school program. In conjunction with the after school program, Roy has offered parenting classes with an emphasis upon fostering positive family dynamics. Roy and his staff are in the midst of strategic planning with a goal of creating a new master plan to address future programming and financial sustainability. Their fourth annual golf tournament will be held soon. More information can be found on their website: monadnockchristianministries.org. Announcements: Roadside cleanup is scheduled for the morning of May 12. The Executive Board will next meet April 25 at DGS at 7:30 a.m. All are welcome. On April 17, we will have a club assembly. On April 24, Bob V. has Opening Words and Chuck has “The Hat”. See you Tuesday! Bill |
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Meeting Notes April 3, 2018April 9, 2018 Greetings Monadnock Rotarians Sorry for delay in sending out this update. On April 3, Vance had Opening Words and Jerry Branch had “The Hat”. Jerry spoke about his introduction to working as a geologist for a petroleum company in Indonesia. He noted his responsibility on the rig was stressful but racing about the sand dunes in the company Landrover was an enjoyable pastime. Ken Abbott of ABTech was our speaker. Ken graduated from Wentworth Institute with a degree in mechanical engineering. He began ABTech in 1998 and recently moved his plant to Fitzwilliam. ABTech is a leader in air bearing technologies. His company purchases raw materials and adds value through design and manufacturing. He has discovered a niche market and his products have generally been application specific. In short, ABTech designs and manufactures bearings that float on compressed air. The work is very precise with tolerances of ten millionth of an inch. The company has expanded into developing software and entire machines rather than just components. As the company grew, NASA and other government related contracts were their main customers. More recently, G.E. Aviation has become a key customer with contracts for equipment related to measuring jet engine blades. The challenge facing Ken and other local manufacturers continues to be attracting talented employees willing to develop the necessary skills and commitment to a strong work ethic. Both Ken’s sons have joined the business and he is optimistic about the long term prospects for ABTech. Ken has worked with Hannah Grimes Center to develop a new leadership structure for the company which emphasizes listening skills and a stronger reliance upon relationship skills for employees and management. Being fully present when speaking with colleagues is a key factor in the successful change in leadership style. Announcements: Roadside cleanup is scheduled for the morning of May 12. The Executive Board will next meet April 25 at DGS at 7:30 a.m. All are welcome. On April 17, we will have a club assembly. On April 24, Bob V. has Opening Words and Chuck has “The Hat”. See you Tuesday! Bill |
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HARRY WOLHANDLER & PEGG MONAHAN ARE PROPOSED FOR MEMBERSHIP
They are experienced Rotarians and were active in the Elm City Club in Keene. We have enjoyed their visits to our weekly meetings and are fortunate that they want to join our club. I have shown their bio's below:
Harry Wolhandler It’s hard to capture 70 years of life experience in a brief bio, but here we go: I’ve mostly retired from 35 years in marketing research and market research (there is a difference). My recent clients are primarily traditional publishers but also well-funded internet startup ventures with a need to better understand their audience. My work has focused on documenting audiences to support ad sales, exploring business opportunities for products and services, studying youth at risk and evaluating substance abuse prevention programs, and new product development in technical fields. My current business, Accelara Research, is focused on the needs of publishers, but from 1995 through 2001 I served as VP of Research for ActivMedia Research in Peterborough, exploring the emerging business patterns of the internet. Our benchmark reports, “The Real Story Behind ‘Net Profits”, and custom research offered insight to help companies like Yahoo, AT&T, VISA, Intel and many smaller clients take advantage of the new ways of doing business. As the first researchers to study the Web as a business platform, our seminal works helped the first generation of web business navigate the unknown online waters in areas ranging from emerging online technologies to unfolding online business patterns and rapidly evolving consumer shopping patterns. I’ve always loved studying patterns of social change and how innovative technologies become adopted. Prior to Activmedia, I was VP for Projections, Inc., a small custom research firm in Keene, NH for 15 years. Our wide-ranging practice included clients like Ray Kurzweil, who invented speech synthesis and text recognition and was designing a reading machine for the blind (later purchased and further developed by Xerox) and wanted to know who would adopt this technology and how to put it in their hands. Other clients included Callard & Bowser, a candy company later purchased by Kraft Foods, Blue Cross-Blue Shield, Byte Magazine, Dartmouth College’s Thayer School of Engineering, Cheshire Medical Center (now Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene), and non-profit efforts including the launch of the Castle Center for adult day-care, helping the Monadnock Regional School District gather support for their budgets, and studying internet potential for the Town of Peterborough. Back in the late ‘70s I was marketing director for Contemporary Systems, Inc., promoting adoption of warm-air solar space heating systems and helping develop over 100 solar-heated, super-insulated building projects. Before that, I founded Kathy Manufacturing and designed and produced women’s and children’s fashion accessories in furs and leathers. Way in the deep recesses of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s I began my career first as a hippie leather-crafter, and then as designer of Sheepskin Waterbed-Spreads with bold designs crafted in brightly-colored 2” deep shearling fur. Along the way I’ve gathered a little post-graduate study of organizational behavior and environmental management at Antioch New England, where I also taught marketing for non-profits, and an MBA in global strategy and entrepreneurship from the Whittemore School of Business and Economics at UNH. I love innovation and change. But my biggest change was marrying Mary Margaret Monahan in 1986. We met at the founding meeting of a regional solid waste initiative comprised of 27 towns banding together to create a regional solution to our common problems. I chaired that first meeting, where Pegg nominated me to chair the district. I then nominated her to be Secretary and a member of the four-person executive committee. So we have a marriage built on solid waste, now almost 32 years ago. We have four children - Justin Howe, 48, who moved in with me when he was 14, Ann Goodrich Bazan, 44, Pegg’s first daughter, Jeanne Monahan Wolhandler, 31, our birth-daughter, and Cassandra Ericson Wolfe, 31, first our foster daughter, later our adopted daughter. Life hasn’t slowed down since. It’s nice to be back in Rotary. Pegg and I were both members of the Keene Elm City Rotary Club until a few years ago. We both love the social service side of Rotary and look forward to being part of the Monadnock Rotary now that we’re retired.
Pegg Monahan I am interested in personal growth opportunities, loving to learn and explore. As a result, I drive myself a little crazy, trying to do it all. Monadnock Rotary is another opportunity for community service and the exploration of new ideas. My focus has been on raising my family, managing human resources, participating in community service, and managing non-profit organizations: I arrived at Keene State in 1965 from Lakeport (neighborhood of Laconia, NH) and haven’t left the Monadnock area since, reinventing myself along the way. I have been married to husband, Harry Wolhandler for 31 years. He and I have four children and four grandchildren. Justin is 48 married to Leneille with two children Jaxon -15 and Jillian 13. Ann is 45 is married to Kevin with two kids: Connor-8 and Amelia-5, Jeannie is 30 and with her high school sweetheart and Cassandra also 30 is married to Alex. We are quite the collection. Harry was raising his friend’s adopted son, Justin, (from age 15) when we were married. I had a daughter from my first marriage, Ann, who was 12. We have own child, Jeannie who is now 30 almost 31. We adopted Jeannie’s friend, Cassandra, when she was 15, she is now 30. Work:
Feel free to send comments to me at jerrybranch2@gmail.com |
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March 27, 2018
Greetings Monadnock Rotarians With only two days remaining until the start of the baseball season, club members were upbeat during the meeting yesterday. John Goodhue gave a summary of his childhood and career in the maritime industry for Opening Words and Dale Gable had “The Hat”. His ship was on patrol in the Bering Strait and was the first U.S. Coast Guard ship to respond on March 25, 1989 to the grounding of the Exxon Valdez in Prince William Sound while entering the port the previous day. He described the efforts of his crew and local residents to mitigate the effects of the oil spill and the lack of response equipment available to address the damage. Our speakers were Kristen Leach, Artistic Director and Tim Conrow, Administrative Assistant of the New Hampshire Dance Institute. NHDI has been inexistence for 32 years and has served thousands of greater Monadnock area children through its’ school programs. NHDI teachers work with students in their school buildings during the year to learn dance techniques in preparation for the annual Memorial Day event held at Keene State College. All rehearsals and more importantly, Kristin called their activities a “non-competitive sport” where children learn to work together and enjoy dance as part of their weekly schedule. All rehearsals and shows are accompanied by professional musicians with Kristin responsible for the choreography and story lines. While all families are expected to contribute financially and by volunteering, children are not turned away due to a lack of funds. Announcements: The Peterborough Rotary Pancake Breakfast will be held on April 1. On April 2, the 4 Way Test lunch will be held. Judges are needed and lunch will be provided. May 7, Monadnock Chorus will be performing during lunch. Roadside cleanup is scheduled for the morning of May 12. The Executive Board will meet March 28 at DGS at 7:30 a.m. All are welcome. On April 3, the scheduled speaker will be Ken Abbott of ABTech. Vance has Opening Words and Jerry has “The Hat”. On April 10, Tom B. has Opening Words and Jim F has “The Hat” (if he has returned from the SW). See you Tuesday! Bill |
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March 20, 2018Greetings Monadnock Rotarians We had a full house for our meeting on March 20. Bob Meissner recited a poem from memory and Bill had “The Hat” and spoke about a hiking trip with a group of eighth graders that was ill-planned and almost led to his being fired. Our speaker was Kathy Harrington, Executive Director of the Monadnock Humane Society. She was joined by a new member of her executive team, Rianna Hutchinson. Kathy has served as Executive Director of several important non-profit organizations in the Monadnock Region including Stonewall Farm and the Monadnock United Way. Kathy offered a history of the organization which began as a human service organization in 1874 and served both animals and children. As human services organizations began to develop, the main issue became animal neglect caused by overpopulation. Nationwide, 20,000,000 animals were euthanized each year. Over the years, the number has declined to about 1,000,000 per year. Monadnock serves the needs of 1,400 animals per year. They provide adoption services, kennel boarding, daycare, medical and financial help, chips for pets, puppy school and as an emergency shelter. Monadnock has become a “destination shelter” for animals from the South and Puerto Rico. The Board is in the midst of a new strategic plan and the Society recently opened a satellite office in Depot Square. Announcements: Steve Kim joined us and noted that the Peterborough Rotary Pancake Breakfast will be held on April 1. On April 2, the 4 Way Test lunch will be held. Judges are needed and lunch will be provided. May 7, Monadnock Chorus will be performing during lunch. Chuck Simpson has again agreed to organize our roadside cleanup scheduled for the morning of May 12. On March 27, the scheduled speakers will be Jennifer Marshall and Kristen Leach from N.H. Dance Institute. John Goodhue has Opening Words and Dale Gable has “The Hat”. On April 3, Vance has Opening Words and Jerry has “The Hat”. See you Tuesday! Bill |
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Meeting Update 3.12.18March 12, 2018 Greetings Monadnock Rotarians: Weather forecasts are warning of blizzard conditions tomorrow morning so please check the WMUR website to determine if ConVal is in session before heading to the church. On March 6, Rick read one of Nelson Mandela’s favorite poems, Invictus written by William E. Henley. Rob Harris had “The Hat” and spoke about his experiences as a teaching fellow at Case Western Reserve University. Guests included Roy Baldwin, Executive Director of Monadnock Christian Ministries. Francis May of Dublin. Harry Wolhandler and Pegg Monahan of Harrisville were also in attendance. I am pleased to report that Harry and Pegg have decided to become members of our Club. Welcome aboard! Our speaker was Steve Reinhart of Rindge. Steve is the Founder and Chief Optimist of Optimism Plus, LLC. Steve gave an inspiring presentation about the importance of not being influenced by negative, pessimistic energy. And, the importance of not reacting or responding to negativity. He gave us worksheets and had us engage in activities to recognize our positive attributes. Steve stressed the following:
During announcements, we discussed the lack of students enrolled in the RYLA event scheduled for March 24. It was the sense of the meeting that we cancel RYLA and consider holding the event in early fall. On March 13, the scheduled speaker will be Kathy Collinsworth, Executive Director of the Monadnock Humane Society . Jamie Hamilton has Opening Words and Adam Hamilton has “The Hat”. On March 20, Jim Guy has Opening Words and Bill has “The Hat”. We received an email from Travis Krumph. Travis sends his regards to club members and reported that he has applied for a $35,000 Rotary district grant to upgrade school facilities in Nicaragua. More information from Travis will be forthcoming. On March 9, I met with Nicole Peas of DCS. We discussed the Rotary park payments to the Harris Center, a trip to the Park being planned for the late spring and the birdhouse project to be scheduled in May before the birds need a new home. Nicole agreed to attend an upcoming Rotary meeting to give an update on the school and get feedback on future collaborations. We also spoke about opportunities to read with the children and to organize afternoon board game time. I’ll have a full report at our next meeting. See you Tuesday! Bill |
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Minutes 2.27.18Greetings Monadnock Rotarians: We had a busy meeting on Tuesday, February 27. Bob Meissner read a poem by Roger Housdon for Opening Words and Kevin had “The Hat” and spoke about taking a ride on a nuclear submarine commissioned in Groton, Connecticut. Becky Sakallarion was our speaker. Becky lived in Greece for several years and has returned to work with refugees arriving from Syria and other countries. She offered a brief history of the recent migration beginning in 2015 with the Syrian civil war escalation. The original waves of refugees were members of the Syrian professional class and were welcomed by European countries. As the war progressed, less educated migrants placed greater stress on available services and countries began restricting entry. Refugees found themselves unable to move beyond Greece—a country already facing financial difficulties. As a result, migrants found themselves living in crowded refugee camps during the winter with only tents for shelter. By 2016, 365,000 people had arrived in Greece most through the island of Lesbos…a 4 mile journey from Turkey over open water. Many people drowned during the journey. The European Union paid Turkey 3.5 billion Euros to establish camps and discourage people from moving to Greece. People smuggling is big business and before long the number of immigrants reaching Greek soil increased. Currently, there are 40 camps in Greece housing 65,000 refugees. Greece has delegated supervision of the camps to international NGOs. Becky is currently raising funds to return to Greece with clothing and other necessary supplies. She has also been interviewing women to compile their “life stories”. Generally, men have been given the opportunity to serve as spokespersons for the migrants and little attention has been paid to women and their roles in organizing their journeys and keeping their families together in difficult times. On March 6, the scheduled speaker will be Steve Reinhart. We will also have a brief discussion about the future of RYLA originally scheduled for March 24 but the number of students is not sufficient to move forward with the event. Rick has Opening Words and Rob has “The Hat”. On March 13, Jamie Hamilton has Opening Words and Adam Hamilton has “The Hat”. During our Executive Committee meeting on February 28, we discussed future committee assignments. We established March 3 as the “drop dead” for students wishing to attend RYLA. Two members have anonymously offered to make donations to Brantwood Camp through the Monadnock Rotary Club. Dale offered a motion to donate $200 to the camp when the checks have been deposited in our account. May 12 was selected as the possible date for our roadside clean-up project. Bill will contact Chuck Simpson to learn of his interest in participating. We also discussed our process for selecting speakers and noted the great job Bob Meissner has done in helping identify speakers. Bob has agreed to continue to help organize speakers for us and will work with the designated “speaker seekers”. See you Tuesday! Bill |
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February 20 MeetingFebruary 25, 2018 Greetings Monadnock Rotarians We had a busy meeting on Tuesday. Guests included Pegg Monahan and Harry Wolhandler from Harrisville. We had an informative meeting last Tuesday. Bill offered Opening Words and Tom Warren gave an overview about bank employee compensation as his Hat presentation. Nate Morison was our speaker. Nate recently purchased Vicuna Chocolates in Peterborough from Neely Cowen. Nate’s family has a long history in the area and Nate is a recent graduate of ConVal High School. He was drawn to Vicuna because high quality chocolate is part of the local food revival, preparing the chocolate using “direct trade” ingredients is challenging and the procedures established by Neely were shared with him. Nate explained the difference between a chocolatier and a chocolate maker. Nate, a chocolate maker produces the chocolate with raw materials from scratch. The entire process requires 60-70 hours. On February 27, Bob M. has Opening Words and Kevin has “The Hat”. The scheduled speaker will be Becky Sakellarion. We will also have a brief discussion on our upcoming RYLA event scheduled for March 24. Looking forward to March 6, Rick has Opening words and Rob has “The Hat”. See you Tuesday! Bill |
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February 13, 2018February 17, 2018 Greetings Monadnock Rotarians! I hope you are enjoying this beautiful day before another storm drops some snow tomorrow. We had an informative meeting last Tuesday. Dublin resident Paul Cooper was our guest and came to hear our speaker’s presentation on elder law. He had heard about our meeting from the article submitted to The Advocate by Bob Meissner. Wendy offered Opening Words and the Hat time was used to discuss a suggestion offered during our last Club Assembly to give our speakers locally sourced maple syrup rather than the traditional box of chocolates. A container was selected and ten weeks of syrup have been ordered. A discussion was held regarding waiving RYLA fees for local Interact students. The sense of the meeting was to offer to split the cost with our Peterborough cousins. Susan R. Abert, Esq. was our speaker. She is a member of the Norton & Albert, P.C. law firm located in Keene. She has chosen to devote her professional practice to elderly law. Her topics covered estate planning, changes in trust law and, guardianships. Ms. Abert gave a review of the Uniform Durable Power of Attorney Act that went into law on January 1, 2018. Greater authority now rests with people designated to make decisions on an elderly person’s behalf. Power of Attorney documents drawn up prior to the new year are still in effect but it is important to consult with your attorney to ensure your wishes will be honored. She noted the importance of making decisions clear for people (Agents) designated to help the elderly. Susan also highlighted the Uniform Fiduciary Act that will allow a person’s assigned agent to alter beneficiaries in one’s will. Ms. Albert also recommended establishing a bank account so your agent is able to draw funds for after death expenses such as funerals. On February 20, Bob V.has Opening Words and Chuck Simpson has “The Hat”. Our speaker is scheduled to be Nate Morison. On February 27, Bob M. has Opening Words and Kevin has “The Hat”. The scheduled speaker will be Becky Sakellarion. See you Tuesday! Bill |
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January 16, 2018January 16, 2018 Greetings Monadnock Rotarians! A small but hearty group was present for our meeting today. Jim Guy had Opening Words and Bill spoke about a conversation several years ago with an acquaintance that had committed serious crimes and spent time in prison. Our scheduled speaker was not available due to influenza which gave us additional time for socializing. Mr. Reinhart has offered to speak at a later date. On January 23, John Goodhue has Opening Words and Dale has “The Hat. Speaker seekers for January 16, 23 and 30 are Bob M., Chuck S. and Bob V. Wendy and Tom Warren have speaker responsibilities for February 6-20. A discussion was held during the meeting regarding upcoming speakers. Bob Meissner has recruited a number of upcoming speakers and has updated our web page. Upcoming speakers include (check our ClubRunner website for more details):
Announcements included:
See you Tuesday! Bill |
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December 5, 2017 Meeting
Greetings Monadnock Rotarians! Sorry for delay in getting these meeting notes to you. Looks like we have some weather headed our way. There is a chance we will not meet tomorrow as the forecast calls for snow beginning about 5 a.m. and continuing through the day. As usual, if ConVal closes for the day, we will not hold our meeting. Snow cancelations are posted on WMUR. Weather permitting; we will follow an informal agenda for the meeting. There will not be a speaker and extra time will be provided for conversation and socializing. On December 5th, Kevin had “The Hat” and spoke about attending his first Patriots game. When he was 11, his uncle, a season ticket holder gave Kevin his ticket. His father drove him to the game and bought a ticket on the opposite side of the stadium. A fire started under the wooden bleachers near his father and spectators were told to move onto the field. Kevin ended up on the Cleveland Browns bench and had the opportunity to talk with the players. Margaret Gurney was our Speaker and discussed her role as Editor of the Dublin Advocate. Mary Loftis and Ramona Brown were also in attendance and are part of the newsletter team of writers and editors. The Advocate was started by John Nelson in 1999. Rotarians Rick MacMillan and Matt Wagner have also served as editor over the years. Margaret explained how the monthly articles are selected and the steps leading to publication of the issues. The newsletter is supported by the Town and advertising revenue from local businesses. Margaret believes that a local newsletter should emphasize positive activities and avoid taking sides on political issues. Circulation is 800 printed copies and the newsletters are posted to the town website. Suggestions for articles are always welcome. Our annual holiday dinner is scheduled for December 19 and will be held at the Dublin Community Center. Guests, friends, former club members are welcome to join us for this event. The format will be different this year. Dinner will not be served but there will be plenty of hearty appetizers (BYOB). Festivities will begin at 5:30 with our meeting commencing at 6:00. The Wellness Committee will present their monetary awards to local non-profits and folks are welcome to linger afterwards. Please RSVP to wbg1953@gmail.com. Deadline for reservations is our December 12th meeting. Bill |
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November 28, 2017 Meeting
November 28, 2017 Greetings Monadnock Rotarians! It was nice to get back together after the Thanksgiving break. Bob Vecchiotti offered Opening Words. In lieu of a Hat Story, Bill read a brief passage regarding a Mt. Monadnock hike taken by Henry Thoreau. Announcements included:
Jim Guy introduced our speaker, Sarah Bauhan. Sarah grew up in Peterborough and Dublin. She now manages Bauhan Publishing, started by Bill Bauhan in the late 1950s. Ms. Bauhan is also a professional musician and recently released a new album entitled Elmwood Station. Patronage for artists has changed dramatically from individual wealthy benefactors to corporations and government subsidies. Sarah offered an overview of how the publishing business has evolved in response to technology innovation, mergers by publishing companies and Amazon.com. She also explained how musicians have changed their business models in response to similar conditions. For more information about Sarah, her website is: http://www.bauhanpublishing.com/ For December 5, Bob Meissner has Opening Words and Kevin has “The Hat.” Rob Harris will introduce our speaker, Margaret Gurney. She will give a presentation about managing a small town newsletter. Our annual holiday dinner is scheduled for December 19 and will be held at the Dublin Community Center. Guests, friends, former club members are welcome to join us for this event. The format will be different this year. Dinner will not be served but there will be plenty of hearty appetizers (BYOB). Festivities will begin at 5:30 with our meeting commencing at 6:00. The Wellness Committee will present their monetary awards to local non-profits and folks are welcome to linger afterwards. Please RSVP to wbg1953@gmail.com. Deadline for reservations is our December 5th meeting. The Executive Committee held a brief meeting. Agenda items included:
Bill |
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Nov 14, 2017 Meeting
Greetings Monadnock Rotarians! The first coating of snow greeted us this morning. Tom Warren read a passage provided by Wendy White to begin our meeting. Tom reported that Wendy is feeling better and hopes to return to our meetings in the near future. Tom also had “The Hat” and spoke about how a friendship with a junior high school classmate led to his interest in the natural world. Following announcements, we had the pleasure of presenting Jim Fearnside with a Paul Harris Fellowship. The honor is in recognition of his many years of service as a Rotarian and for his outstanding leadership in organizing our Wellness Festival this year. Adam Hamilton introduced our speaker Danya Landis. Ms. Landis and Rebecca Hamilton formed Machina Arts to encourage and organize art events in the Keene area. Their company is based at Hannah Grimes. Danya has a background in metal sculpturing and interior or spatial design. They currently host a Friday afternoon social gathering at the “Hive” at Hannah Grimes which is open to the public and gives local artists a venue to share their work. Their goals include:
Machina Arts longer term goals include the development of a gallery/venue space with bar and bistro. The company website is www.machinaarts.org. There is no meeting scheduled for next week in observance of Thanksgiving. For November 28, Bob Vecchiotti has Opening Words and Chuck Simpson has “The Hat.” Tom Warren will also conclude a presentation begun at the meeting yesterday. Speaker Seekers for November 28, December 5 and December 12 are Rob H., Rick M. and Kevin M. Jim Guy has a possible speaker – Nancy Jackson, a Dublin resident and professional facilitator. Please see Jim if you are responsible for that date. Jerry will talk about options to purchase clothing and hats with our Monadnock Rotary logo…just in time for the holidays! Our annual holiday dinner is scheduled for December 19 and will be held at the Dublin Community Center. Guests, friends, former club members are welcome to join us for this event. There will not be a morning meeting on that date. More information will be forthcoming next week. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Bill |
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Monadnock Rotary Celebratory Dinner!
Dear Members and Friends of Monadnock Rotary,  Thank you all for your participation at last Wednesday's Post Holiday Dinner Celebration! It was such an uplifting evening, with a delicious catered meal prepared and served by Lou Ann Poor (with the able assistance of Chuck Simpson) and the opportunity to chat with Rotarians and guests throughout the evening. We appreciate Rotarian Rev. Jamie Hamilton and her All Saint's parish for letting Rotary use its lovely Reynolds Hall with its soft lighting and even a welcoming log fire in the fireplace as the setting for our special evening. Past President Rob Harris shared a very moving poem for the Opening Words, and Dale Gabel led the Flag Salute. Then the room burst forth with an amazing rendition of 'America the Beautiful' led by Raylynmor Opera's Director Ben Robinson, assisted by the active Rotarian supporter Ramona Branch (wife of our Jerry Branch), and Peterborough Rotary's Andy Peterson. It was a "Wow!" beginning to a truly wonderful evening. The program included the introduction of Monadnock Rotary's Executive Board, followed by Membership Chair Jerry Branch honoring retired Rotarian John Vance and his induction of our newest club member Bob Meissner (please see the accompanying photo, courtesy of Romona Branch, of Bob's wife pinning Bob with his Rotary new membership pin). We also welcomed three month old Charlotte, the daughter of Travis Kumph and his lovely wife. Dale Gabel, chair of the 2016 Monadnock Wellness Festival, then introduced the representatives of the many community non-profits that each received a check from the MWF's largesse -- with each person taking a few minutes to share a brief description of their organization and its latest initiatives to support local children and families in need. President Sue Copley ended the evening with a poem by a Nobel Prize Laureate. Bill Gurney and others stayed on to help Lou Ann and Chuck with the clean-up. An inspiring and very enjoyable evening for sure!! The Tuesday, Jan. 17th breakfast meeting will feature guests Esther Rhoades and Maria Belva presenting on the Grand Monadnock Youth Choirs for motivated, high ability singers -- and the incredible experiences these choristers have, including touring Europe when they reach the high school level choir! John Goodhue will give the Opening Words, and Sue Copley will share a brief story about her first job -- what was it, and what did she learn from this experience? Mary Loftis will give us an up-date on RYLA, and we will circulate a sign up sheet for opportunities to "do your part" at upcoming Rotary meetings! With gratitude, Sue Copley, 2016-2017 President By request, here is what I read Wed. evening from the Words of Peace: Selections From the Speeches of the Winners of the Nobel Peace Prize. "We live in hope because we believe, like St. Paul, that love never dies... "We must apply our humble efforts to the construction of a more just and humane world. And I want to declare emphatically: Such a world is possible. To create this new society, we must present outstretched and friendly hands, without hatred and rancor, even as we show great determination and never waver in the defense of truth and justice. Because we know that we cannot sow seeds with clenched fists. To sow we must open our hands." -- Adolfo Perez Esquivel (1980 winner) ""Let it never be said by future generations that indifference, cynicism or selfishness made us fail to live up to the ideals of humanism which the Nobel Peace Prize encapsulates. Let the strivings of us all prove Martin Luther King, Jr., to have been correct when he said that humanity can no longer be tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war. Let the efforts of us all prove that he was not a mere dreamer when he spoke of the beauty of genuine brotherhood and peace being more precious than diamonds or silver or gold..." -- Nelson Mandela (1993 winner) |
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Dec. 27th Monadnock Rotary Mtg with Guest Speaker Emily GarlandDear Members and Friends of Monadnock Rotary,  On December 27th our club had a special treat: Emily Garland, a recent ConVal graduate who is now a student at Endicott College, shared her work with children and families in refugee camps in northern Greece. This was not a travelogue, but rather a glimpse into the life of a young woman's decision to do something very concrete to make this world a better place. Emily's talk included photos of the endless rows of temporary tents housing refugees, unaccompanied minors as well as families from many different countries who fled because of war, famine, violence, and losing their homes to bombings. She also introduced us to numerous refugee friends who were helping with the NGO projects to improve the sanitation and overall health and nutrition of those in the camps. When she returned to the U.S. in the fall, Emily continued to volunteer to support refugee families in Boston one day a week -- and she leaves on January 10th for further learning and service projects in various refugee camps in different parts of Greece. She is a young woman of tremendous courage and compassion, and I think we were all incredibly inspired by her talk and what is perhaps evolving into her life work.At this December 27th meeting Jim Guy gave the Opening Words, a wonderful poem by author Don Miguel Ruiz (on the basis of Jim's Invocation, I subsequently ordered Ruiz's book, "The Four Agreements"). Tom Warren shared a terrific 'hat story' about how how his father, grandfather, and middle school science teacher influenced his life. And I think we will all remember Tom's 'ice cream cone' story! January 11th 5 - 8 pm is our annual supper at Reynolds Hall to celebrate the success of the fall's Monadnock Wellness Festival, and to present checks to the local non-profits with whom our club shares the financial success of the 2016 MWF, skilfully chaired by Dale Gabel. The evening event is also a special time to enjoy the company of club members, friends, potential new members, and representatives of the invited non-profits who will each briefly describe their organization's mission, programs, and services. So... 1. Please invite potential new members to be your guests at this celebratory supper party. 2. Go on clubrunner (or email Dale Gabel) with the names of your attendees -- your name, the name of your spouse/partner, the names of your other guests. This is really important as a firm number is needed in order to have the appropriate amount of food, tables, etc. 3. Please bring something to contribute to the "drinks table" to be shared with those present. 4. As Rotarians, please try to "spread out" among the tables so that we can all meet guests and help host. We don't want "some tables of Rotarians and some tables of guests"! 5. Come and enjoy stimulating conversations, delicious appetizers, and a special buffet dinner, all prepared by Lou-Ann Poor with the able assistance of Chuck Simpson; it will be a worthwhile and fun event!! And please Remember: o Tuesday, Jan. 10th: No Club meeting o Tuesday, Jan. 17th -- YES!! Monadnock Rotary will meet for its usual hot breakfast (with thanks to The Dublin General Store) and a meeting featuring a presentation by the Directors of The Grand Monadnock Youth Choirs, Maria Belva and Esther Rhoads. John Goodhue will share Opening Words, and Chuck Simpson will tell us a "Hat Story." Chuck will be the first club member to start our Winter/Spring theme for hat stories: What was your first paid job? (not necessarily full-time) What was it, where was it, what did you actually do, and -- most importantly -- what were the "lessons learned" that have remained with you? Of course you actually have the option of choosing from any one of your first paid jobs, since the rest of us will probably not know whether it was actually 'the first' or not! See you at the January 11th, 5 - 8 pm, Post Holiday Monadnock Rotary party at Reynolds Hall! With gratitude, Sue Copley, 2016-2017 President |
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Dec. 6th, 2016, Monadnock Rotary mtg
Dear Rotarians, With  your President still "on the mend" [see photo!] after a hiking injury, I'm very grateful that your President-Elect (who has chaired/ facilitated hundreds of meetings in his professional life!) Bill Gurney was willing to lead last Tuesday's November 29th meeting! As you know, we were very pleased to host Gil Morris, a teacher at the Applied Technology Center at our local ConVal High School. Our other speaker was Noah Bell, a ConVal Senior who has been very involved with Mr. Morris' Engineering classes through the high school's Extended Learning Opportunity program. Noah has built and is in the process of refining a model of Tesla’s Coil -- quite a challenge! Gil Morris worked as a software engineer before changing careers and becoming a teacher. At the Nov. 29th meeting, Gil described his engineering classes and some of the impressive projects his students have completed. He also discussed “Running Start” and the opportunity his students have to take his classes for college credit from the New Hampshire Technical Institute. At this 11/29 meeting, Kevin McElhinney gave the Opening Words, traveling over the early morning icy roads from Brattleboro to be with us! Travis Kumpf shared a "hat story" about his first trip overseas, helping build homes for families in Peru. This experience has led to a life-long interest in helping to develop sustainable communities; since that life-altering trip to Peru, Travis has continued to travel on service trips. Over time he became a sought-after leader for such trips, including this spring's Conant/ConVal Rotary Interact service work trip to a Central American rural village. Thank you, Kevin and Travis, for your inspired start to a very interesting meeting! At this Tuesday's meeting on December 6th, we welcome Suzanne Margarit, the Link Program Coordinator for the NH Children's Cancer Lifeline. Suzanne is a teacher in Goffstown (quite a journey on an early Tuesday morning!) and has been involved with the CCL for two and a half years. We look forward to learning more about this organization and its support for families who are dealing with terribly difficult situations with very ill children. Also please welcome Lisa Koziell-Betz, the Program Coordinator at the Peterborough Recreation Department. Lisa is a wonderful person who has been deeply involved with providing a plethora of meaningful and enjoyable activities for area residents. She is also the mother of Ryan, a star graduate of ConVal High School, and his younger sister Morgan whom I knew when she was a student at Peterborough Elementary School -- and who taught me and so many others a great deal about friendship, courage, and living life to the fullest each and every day that we are granted on this good earth. At this Dec. 6th meeting, Vance Finch will offer the Opening Words, and Adam Hamilton will share a "hat story" about a person, event, or experience that influenced his interest in in public service and social justice. These stories shared by our Rotarian friends help inspire us all to continue working hard to make our local, national, and global communities a better place for every person -- and helping to make "Service Above Self" more than just the words that we recite at the end of each meeting. |
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Roger Swain, "Mr. Victory Garden" Talks ToolsRoger Swain, TV's "Mr. Victory Garden" On Tuesday, November 15th, Monadnock Rotary welcomed Roger Swain, the master gardener and local celebrity who once hosted over 500 programs of public television's "Victory Garden." He is still a very fit and active gentleman who continues to present and consult all over the country, including speaking to the more than 600 gardeners at Florida's DisneyLand! Since it's late in the gardening year, rather than talking about plants and planting, Roger talked about the crucial hand tools that every gardener should own. Each tool needs to be selected for its premium quality (good ones last for many years!) and be a good fit for the user. He noted that as we get taller each generation, the handles on inexpensive versions of tools continue to get shorter -- and thus cause a multitude of back problems among their owners. Roger also described how before winter sets in, it is important to prepare your tools for storage, and even gave a demonstration on how to sharpen your spade! Numerous Rotarians asked questions while also expressing appreciation for Roger so generously sharing his immense expertise and decades of experiences growing 'back yard' vegetables. Roger noted that during WWII, a huge percentage of Americans grew most of their own veggies, and now a much smaller percentage do so -- and their gardens are much smaller in size. His hope and dream is for many more Americans to grow their own food -- which provides healthier nutrition and promotes excellent fitness! Thank you, Roger Swain, for reminding us of the importance and value of having high quality hand tools and the importance of growing our own veggies!
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Ben Conant, Sports Journalist, visits Monadnock Rotary! Ben Conant, Sports Editor, Writer, & Photographer
 On November 8th, 2016, our Monadnock Rotary Club hosted Ben Conant, the Sports Editor and Photographer for the Monadnock Ledger Transcript newspaper. Ben showed a sampling of his excellent action photos of special moments in team competitions representing numerous sports in the many area schools. He also described growing up in Peterborough, attending and graduating from Keene State College, and then working at the Concord (NH) Monitor newspaper for a number of years before returning to his hometown in Peterborough. He mentioned that he was fortunate that he could remember so many players' names and 'stats,' and enjoyed following them through their high school sports careers. He highlighted various teams that have excelled in the last year or so, and described the excitement generated by local teams that host hundreds of spectators for each game. Rotarians complimented Ben on his lively writing and his huge outpouring of articles that demonstrate a genuine understanding of so many varied boys' and girls' sports. When asked, Rotarians shared how they value job applicants (in a variety of businesses) who have competed in high school and even college sports. They mentioned that these experiences support teen-agers' ability to collaborate and help develop a strong work ethic and 'willingness to learn' that are keys to success in most adult work situations. It was also heartening to hear that a local high school graduate has returned to this area to a job which he truly enjoys. Thank you, Ben, for sharing your love of sports! |
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