President Rob opened the meeting at our lunch meeting site: Holiday Inn Express Brattleboro, VT. Rob welcomed all to the September 5, 2024 meeting of the Brattleboro Rotary www.brattlebororotaryclub.org
Invocation:
Tom Franks
Rob lead the club with the Pledge of Allegiance
Rob presented -
Motto - Service above self
Four Way Test - Is it… the truth? Fair to all concerned? Building goodwill and better friendships? Beneficial to all concerned?
26 Members, 0 Student Rotarians and 3 guests attended the meeting.
Guests:
George Anthes’ mom Jo Moody visiting from Tucson, AZ
Betsy Gentile introduced speaker Mollie Burke
Mike Mandracchia introduced Shawn McMillan from Brattleboro Subaru, who presented a $500 sponsorship check for Brattleboro On Wheels
JOKE OF THE WEEK - For our joke or song of the week:
Jerry Theberge absent but sent a joke for President Rob to read, a variation of this oldie:
An older man was telling his friends about his wife’s longstanding breakfast routine where she would repeatedly go back and forth between table, fridge, stove, sink, taking up to 25 minutes, while he waited for his breakfast to be served. One morning he suggested efficiency improvements to her. The next day his friends asked about the results. He said “Now it takes only 9 minutes… for me to make my own breakfast.”
ED NOTE: 2023-24 weekly assignments are posted on the club website.
Rotarians for Rotarians:
Cheri Ann Brodhurst shared a brag from Bill Bedard about his granddaughter’s wedding
New Members:
Greg introduced Theresa Glabach, former Student Rotarian joining today. Please remember to sign her induction book.
ROTARY MINUTE
Greg Worden reviewed history of Brattleboro On Wheels which is now in its tenth year
Note for future presenters; The Rotary Minute could also have the speaker talk about their personal involvement in Rotary or personal background.
Years of Service in our Club for August:
On Behalf of our Club and all Rotarians, thank you for your Service Above Self
Maybe Dart, but he looks like he is 45 so maybe not.
Meeting location -Brattleboro Holiday Inn Express off of Putney Rd.
Announcements
Betsy Gentile was honored at the Changeover Dinner but was absent, so Rob presented her with her Paul Harris Fellowship pin today.
Mara announced thanks received from Aqua Puro para El Mundo (Pure Water for the World) for $1017.15 we sent from bottle return income. She reminded members to take their bottles and specify Brattleboro Rotary Club for the recipient.
Disc Golf will be 10/5 & 10/6; Rob bragged for Brattleboro Subaru as lead sponsor, and for Mara signing BMAC up for another 3 year sponsorship
Greg thanked BMAC for $100 sponsorship for BOW
Cindy Jerome bragged for the Redemption Center raising money for Rotary
Mara, Tom Franks, Cheri Ann, Rob will be in Harmony Lot for Gallery Walk Friday night selling Dollar A Dream raffle tickets. Looking for someone to staff a raffle ticket table at BOW on 9/14
Mara said Brattleboro Subaru is a lead sponsor at BMAC too
Rob: 9th Annual Disc Golf on October 5 (scramble) & 6 (two round tournament). Check your email for sponsorship and volunteer opportunities. Will need help in fairways with spotters.
ED NOTE: Weekly assignments for the invocation or motivational thought can be found on the club website.>
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
Jim Haine announced
9/12 Mike from Brattleboro Country Club
9/19 Guardian ad Litem
9/26 Gateway Foundation
10/17 Jenny Rowe from Trust Company of VT
REMINDERS
Please bring your bottles and cans to the Putney Road redemption center to benefit APPN. Pure Water for the World is no longer operating in the USA; it continues in Honduras as APPN.
Maria Inestroza, the PWW country director for Honduras is continuing the work in that country under the name APPM, acronym for Agua Pura para El Mundo, or Pure Water for the World in Spanish Pure Water for the World. Please remember to inform the staff that the bottles and cans should be credited to the club.
Mike M for Theresa Glabach getting a BOW sponsor before even being inducted as a member
Jim Haine for Marcy Jones replying with a program within 9 minutes of being asked by email
Marcy for Cheri Ann for not eating sandwiches “Thank you for the hot meals” and Subaru; he and DeeDee have owned Subarus for decades
Rob dropped daughter off for junior year of college in CA
Bill Vermouth for VT now requiring nonprofits to report all employees and their wages, and for George Anthes for being willing to do the difficult task for Gateway Foundation (we have zero employees).
Nina Willson bragged for Mollie Burke helping 10 years ago when her Canadian husband was laid off while on a work visa and couldn’t get a new job until he could get a green card; she found an immigration lawyer for him with the help of Senator Leahy’s office
Dart bragged for moving to 34 Sycamore after 50 years at 41 Sycamore
Mark Anderson bragged for Mara who last week reminded him what bragging is about, for Rhonda for encouragement, for membership committee, and for Caitlin Clark scoring her second triple-double last night
Stan bragged for the helpers for the Groundworks meal, who all increased their food after he heard they were now serving up to 50 people. next meal will be 10/9
Brag for Carla filling-in reading a joke last week
Guest Jo bragged for grandkids; one performed in circus at the Guilford Fair and one is learning to drive
Bill McKim brought flowers and vegetables to give away to any who want them
PROGRAM
Speaker:
Mollie Burke
Introduced by: Betsy Gentile
Program:
Mollie Burke is Executive Director of the Art in the Neighborhood program
She was working as an art teacher in the public schools and Hilltop Montessori, realized most summer programs were serving middle-class students who could afford to pay. Inspired by the Federal Art Project during the New Deal, started Art in the Neighborhood as part of a summer lunch program run by Clark-Canal Community Association in 2008. Got a grant from VT Community Foundation for an afterschool program at Westgate, then expanded to Moore Court and Ledgewood Heights in 2013. They got grants to support hiring staff as it grew, 6-7 staff now. Added Daly Shoe Building last year. Betsy Gentile is now board president.
They do community art projects such as murals (such as Hannah Crossmon Room at Municipal Center) and take kids on field trips to BMAC. They serve children least able to pay and where transportation is not needed. Kids get a sense of pride and ownership; when Ledgewood mural was defaced, they were angry and wanted to redo it, the girl who did the graffiti was repentant later.
Mara said to contact BMAC which can fund a bus for field trips.
Submitted by Jenifer Ambler
DISCLAIMER
Weekly changing scribes and questionable IT may have resulted in oversights and errors. We regret any mistakes.
.png)
