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President Carl Lynde welcomed all to the February 4, 2021 meeting of the Brattleboro Rotary Club held via ZOOM. <ED NOTE: 33 members + 4 student Rotarians + 4 guests = 37 attended.> Stan Nowakowski offered the following quotes: 
 
  • Nothing is impossible, the word itself says “I’m possible”!
    -- Audrey Hepburn
  • Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.
    -- Vince Lombardi
  • Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover.
    -- Mark Twain
  • We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.
    -- Ronald Reagan
  • Believe in yourself and others will believe in you too
    – Stan Nowakowski
<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: Stan Nowakowski (2/11), Gina Pattison (2/18), Tami Purcell (2/25)>
 
This was followed by the pledge of allegiance. 
 
Guests: Andrew Skarzynski, Robert Oeser, Maggie Lewis, and Karen Carroll (speaker)
 

TRIVIA QUESTION

Who was the first female Vermont Supreme Court Justice?
(Answer below)
 
JOKE OF THE WEEK
 
For the joke of the week, Marty Cohn told the following on behalf of Milt Gilmore:
 
Mrs. Rabin comes to visit her son Bernie for dinner.

He lives with a female roommate, Elaine. During the course of the meal, his mother couldn't help but notice how pretty Bernie's roommate is. Over the course of the evening, while watching the two interact, she started to wonder if there was more between Bernie and his roommate than met the eye. Reading his mom's thoughts, Bernie volunteered, "I know what you must be thinking, but I assure you, Elaine and I are just roommates.''
 
About a week later, Elaine came to Bernie saying, "Ever since your mother came to dinner, I've been unable to find the silver sugar bowl. You don't suppose she took it, do you?" "Well, I doubt it, but I'll email her, just to be sure."
 
So, he sat down and wrote an email: Dear Mom: I'm not saying that you "did" take the sugar bowl from my house; I'm not saying that you "did not" take it. But the fact remains that it has been missing ever since you were here for dinner. Your Loving Son, Bernie.
 
Several days later, Bernie received a response email from his Mom which read:  Dear son, I'm not saying that you "do" sleep with Elaine, and I'm not saying that you "do not" sleep with her. But the fact remains that if she was sleeping in her OWN bed, she would have found the sugar bowl by now. Your Loving Mother.
 
At our February 11th meeting, Steve Gordon will tell a joke or lead us in song and Liz Harrison will offer a Rotary Minute.  2020-21 weekly assignments are posted on the club website.
 
ROTARY MINUTE
 
For the Rotary Minute, Jim Haine reminded us that you can order a wide assortment of high-quality Rotary-branded merchandise from official RI licensed vendors. To see a list of vendors, click here.
 
At our February 11th meeting, Steve Gordon will tell a joke or lead us in song and Liz Harrison will offer a Rotary Minute.  2020-21 weekly assignments are posted on the club website.
 
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
  • 02/11 - Jon Ruybalid, founder, Whiteclay Makerspace
  • 02/18 – Jeremy Coleman
  • 02/25 - Rob Szpila "The Passing On"
  • 03/11 - Russell Bradbury-Carlin, Executive Director, Youth Services
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 29th newsletter of the 2020-2021 club year. 
The editor would like to take this opportunity to thank the 4 people who have bragged so far. A quick check of readership reveals that over 50% of the club is reading this newsletter. Don't be shy to brag, readers.
 

FINES

NONE ;-(

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  1. Rick Manson was acknowledged for his 31 years of service.
  2. 24 pledges totaling $4500 was raised for the repair of Sno Gun motor at Living Memorial Park.
  3. Student Rotarians gave their monthly reports: Elias Gradinger (BUHS), Padma Mendelsund (BUHS), Alex Schriver (WRCC), and Arth Patel (Hinsdale).
BRAGS / HAPPY DOLLARS
<ED NOTE: Yes, we are keeping track of these happy dollars and brags.
Unless noted, happy dollars and brags are $1>
 
 
  1. Mara Williams – for the Rotary Valentine’s Day card project which is sending 279 cards to area nursing home residents.
  2. Mara Williams ($9) – for the memory of her father.
  3. Gina Pattison ($5) – for Elias Gradinger becoming president of the student council.
  4. Gina Pattison ($5) – for the return of 2-day a week in-person classes.
  5. Gina Pattison ($5) – for the speaker Justice Karen Carroll.
  6. Bill McKim ($5) – for Mother Nature dumping beautiful, fluffy snow this week.
  7. Carl Lynde ($10) – for all the folks who pledged money to repair the Living Memorial Park Sno Gun motor
PROGRAM
 
 
Rich Carroll presented the Honorable Karen Carroll, a Justice on the Vermont Supreme Court, who discussed how the Vermont court system is responding to COVID-19.
 
<ED NOTE: Last week’s presentation by renowned local author Archer Mayor can be seen in episode 25 of the BCTV show, “Brattleboro Rotary Club Speaker Series.” You can view the show by visiting https://www.brattleborotv.org/brattleboro-rotary-club-speaker-series
 
Rotary Cares - TV Show 
 
 
Rotary Cares, Episode 32 –
Meet the District 7870 Governor Steve Puderbaugh
 
In episode 32 of the award-winning, monthly show, Rotary Cares, Brattleboro Rotary Club past president Marty Cohn talks to District 7870 District Governor Steve Puderbaugh. The show is produced by Brattleboro Community Television.
 
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

 
Denise Reinka Johnson (born July 13, 1947) is a Vermont attorney and judge. She was an Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court from 1990 to 2011 and was the first woman to serve on this court. One of Johnson's most significant moments was her opinion in Baker v. Vermont in which a majority of the Supreme Court of Vermont ruled the state must establish civil unions for same-sex couples. Johnson dissented, arguing that the court should have granted the plaintiffs' marriage licenses instead.
 
Russell Hampton
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