President Carl Lynde welcomed all to the November 19^th meeting of the Brattleboro Rotary Club held via ZOOM. <ED NOTE: 32 Rotarians attended.> John Mabie offered the following motivational thought:

When there is turmoil swirling around us,

Let us be calm.

When the world is dark and full of fear,

Let us bring the light of dawn.

When voices shout and conflict reigns,

Let us be there for relief.

When hope is needed everywhere,

Let us raise a voice for peace.

<ED NOTE: Weekly assignments for the invocation or motivational thought can be found on the club website. The following would be the next people on the list: Mike Mandracchia (12/3), Rick Manson (12/10), Bill McKim (12/17)>

This was followed by the pledge of allegiance. Birthday greetings were extended to Tom French.

JOKE OF THE WEEK

For the Joke of Week, Meg Donahue told the following:

A priest, a minister, and a rabbit walk into a bar. The rabbit says, “I might be a typo.”
A guy walks into a bar after a stressful day at work and gets a beer for himself. As he sits there, alone in the bar, he hears a high-pitched voice say, "That shirt looks great on you!” The man looks around, doesn’t see anyone, and returns to his drink thinking nothing more of it. But then, a moment later, the voice returns, this time offering, “You seem like a really cool guy!” Again, the man looks around, sees nothing, and returns to his drink, wondering if he should get checked out by a professional. Finally, when his nerves have cooled and he believes the voice is gone, he hears, “I bet your parents are really proud of you!” He slams down his drink and looks around wildly. Frustrated and finding no possible source of the voice, he calls over the bartender. He says, “Hey beerman! Where's that voice coming from?” “Oh, those are the peanuts,” the bartender replies. “They’re complimentary.”

At our December 3^rdmeeting, Milt Eaton will tell a joke or lead us in song and Cyndi Ferrante will offer a Rotary Minute. <ED NOTE: There is no meeting next week as we safely celebrate Thanksgiving.> 2020-21 weekly assignments are posted on the club website.

ROTARY MINUTE

For the Rotary Minute, Dart Everett reminded us about the small world of Rotary.

About 30 years ago, Joy and I were at the “new” small Latchis theater. We had gotten there early and shortly after we entered, a group of foreign men came in with an American woman. I asked where they were from and they replied, Napa. I asked why they were in Brattleboro and they said they were rug merchants on a selling trip paid for by the U.S. government. I asked if they were here to sell to Candle in the Night and they said yes, they were having dinner with Larry and Donna after the movie.

I then recalled that the boy who took their tickets was Prasun Subedi, and mentioned it to them. They said they had spoken to him. His parents were from Napa, lived on Greenhill Parkway.

Then it dawned on me that his uncle had moved to Virginia and, I believe, started a Rotary Club in Prides Crossing. Thinking small, like in Vermont where we know everyone or someone who knows someone... I asked the American woman where she was from. Well, she was from Washington and acting as a guide for this group. I said, by any chance do you know Bishnu Poudel.

She looked at me like I was a fool, and said, “well no.”

Then, one of the men from Nepal spoke up and said, “I know Bishnu. I met him at a Rotary International Conference in Kathmandu. I was Gov. of my District and he was Gov. of his District in Virginia,

Another one…

Shortly after PWW was underway, Dr. Nassau, a Brattleboro pediatrician, called me. He went to a village in, I think Cambodia, every year to put on clinics. He said the water was bad, could we help. I said I had no idea but would look into it. He said we are funded by a Rotary Club in Newport, RI. Would I mind if the man in charge of the project for the Rotary Club call me. I said I’d be happy to talk to him. The next day a man called and said, Dart, this if Guenther Hausen. I think I met you, your nephew married my daughter.

By the way, when Guenther died, he was given Rotary International’s highest honor.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

11/26 – No meeting – Happy Thanksgiving!
12/3 – Greg Worden, TBA
12/10 - Margaret Atkinson, Windham Region Hunger Council
12/17 - Mary Ellen Copeland, Deer Run Nature Preserve
12/24 – No meeting – Merry Christmas!
12/31 – No meeting – Happy New Year!

NOTE: 2020-21 weekly assignments, are posted on the club website.

REMINDERS

Please bring your bottles and cans to Putney Road redemption center to benefit Pure Water for the World. Please remember to inform the staff that the bottles and cans should be credited to the club.
“Like” the club’s Facebook page.

This is the 21st newsletter of the 2020-2021 club year.

There has only been 4 brags so far????????

FINES

NONE ;-(

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The following members were acknowledged for their years of service: Mike Mandracchia (23).
If you are interested in helping out with Sugar on Snow, contact Milt Gilmore.
Sixteen Rotarians both Brattleboro clubs will be sending holiday cards to area nursing homes. For more info, contact Marty Cohn.
It’s time to sign up for Christmas Tree sales. Volunteers are especially needed for December 12 & 13.. To schedule, click here.
For Thanksgiving, there is a pretty significant list of requested items. It is a huge endeavor on their part, here is their wish list. Of course, they are requesting multiple units of each. Please consider more than one item. Items can be dropped off at the Quality Inn either on Wednesday, November 25^th from 2:00 -4:00 PM or Thanksgiving Day, November 25^th from 10:00 AM-noon. For more information, contact Stan Nowakowski.

Spiral Sliced Ham – 8 pounds – fully cooked
Turkey – 14 pounds or more – fully cooked
Turkey Breast – fully cooked
Turkey Gravy – 1 quart
Mashed Potato – half hotel pan
Stuffing – half hotel pan
Sweet Potatoes – half hotel pan
Green Salad – half hotel pan
20 rolls
Pie
Gallon of Ice Cream
Misc. donation food dish you would like to share

BRAGS / HAPPY DOLLARS

<ED NOTE: Yes, we are keeping track of these happy dollars and brags.
Unless noted, happy dollars and brags are $1>

Bill McKim ($5) - for getting a flock of chickadees to eat out of his hand.
Carla Lineback – for Bill Vermouth’s help in setting up this year’s Christmas tree sale.
Mara Williams ($10) - for Andy Rome being back on his bicycle.
Jim Haine – for his daughter Ali West being nominated as a Brattleboro Reformer Woman of the Year.
Rob Szpila – for Governor Scott’s leadership during COVID.
John Mabie ($10) – for his daughter Lauren's annual 17-mile walk to bring awareness to the issue of Veterans suicide.
Phil Stecker – for Marty Cohn keeping the club informed. <ED NOTE: Phil made a $100 donation in Marty’s name to the Gateway Foundation; an example each member is strongly encouraged to follow.> <ED NOTE: This is only the fourth brag this year for this bulletin. Readers are encouraged to brag!>
Carl Lynde ($10) – for Stephanie Bonin’s leadership with Everyone Eats in providing Thanksgiving meals to over 1000 community members. <ED NOTE: Stephanie received the Entrepreneurial Leader Award at the Brattleboro Reformer’s third annual Remarkable Women Awards.
Mara Williams – for the Gateway Foundation and the Rotary International Foundation being two great choices for end-of-year giving.
Jeremy Coleman ($10) – for Mara Williams and BMAC
Dave Neumeister ($10) – for arriving safely back in Florida.

PROGRAM

Past President and Chief Curator Mara Williams told us about BMAC’s updated website that offers virtual tours of the exhibits.

<ED NOTE: On BCTV you can now watch the club’s new show, “Brattleboro Rotary Club Speaker Series” by clicking here.>

Rotary Cares - TV Show

Rotary Cares, Episode 29 – PolioPlus

Rotary Cares, Episode 29 – PolioPlus: In episode 29 of the award-winning, monthly show, Rotary Cares, Brattleboro Rotary Club past president Marty Cohn discusses Polio Plus with his guest, Mike McGovern, chair of the International PolioPlus Committee. The show is produced by Brattleboro Community Television. The show coincides with World Polio Day on October 24^th.

To watch the show, click here.

To listen to the podcast, click here.

DISCLAIMER

Past President Martin Cohn who attempts to give a gist of the meeting respectfully submitted this bulletin. However, it is always better to attend. If you have any complaints about the contents of this bulletin...

ANSWER TO TRIVIA QUESTION

President Franklin Roosevelt signed the resolution on December 26, 1941, establishing the fourth Thursday in November as the Federal Thanksgiving Day holiday.