President Carl Lynde welcomed all to the October 8^th meeting of the Brattleboro Rotary Club held via ZOOM. <ED NOTE: 25 Rotarians attended.> Phil George offered the following invocation:

May those assembled here today enjoy the many offerings of Rotary. May we abide by the rules we have established, those of trust, fellowship and ethics, and may we place Service above Self, in our daily endeavors. And may we always test ourselves and our efforts to be sure they are the truth, good for all concerned, of benefit to mankind, and provide peace and understanding. Amen.

<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: Kevin Kilelee (10/15), Ted Kramer (10/22), Teddy Kramer (10/29), Carla Lineback (11/5)>

This was followed by the pledge of allegiance.

GUESTS: Ed Bordas and Damian Costello (speaker). <ED NOTE: Student Rotarian Alex Shriver participated.>

JOKE OF THE WEEK

For the joke of the week, Cheri Ann Brodhurst told a version of the following:

A selection panel traveling together in a car was tragically killed in an accident. Their souls arrived at the Pearly Gates, where St. Peter welcomed them: “I’ve been instructed to let you have a day in hell and a day in heaven, and then you are to choose where you’d like to go for all eternity. Try hell first.” And he ushered them into the down elevator.

As the doors opened in hell, they stepped out onto a beautiful golf course. Around them were many friends - all happy, and calling out how delighted they were to see them.

They played a perfect round of golf, enjoyed a superb steak and lobster dinner, talked about old times over a glass of wine with their friends, and had a wonderful night telling jokes and dancing. They also met the Devil, who actually seemed rather nice. Before they knew it, it was time to leave. The elevator took them back up to heaven where St. Peter was waiting.

Now it’s time to spend a day in heaven, he said. So, they spent the next 24 hours lounging around on clouds and playing the harp and singing, which was almost as enjoyable as their day in hell.

At the day’s end, St Peter returned. So, he said, You’ve seen both. Now it’s time to choose between heaven and hell. The selection panel thought for a second and, glancing at his colleagues, one of them replied, “Well, heaven is certainly lovely, but I actually had a better time in hell. I choose hell.” “So do I,” said all the other panel members in unison.

Accordingly, St. Peter took them to the elevator again and they went back down to hell. When the doors of the elevator opened they found themselves standing in a desolate wasteland covered in garbage and filth. They saw their friends dressed in rags, picking up rubbish and putting it in old sacks. The Devil approached with a smile on his face.

“I don’t understand”, stuttered one of the panel, “Yesterday, we were here, and it was wonderful. Now there’s just a dirty wasteland of garbage and all our friends look miserable.

“Ah”, said the Devil. “Yesterday we were recruiting you, today you’re staff.”

At our October 15^th meeting, Rhonda Calhoun will tell a joke or lead us in song and Marty Cohn will offer a Rotary Minute. 2020-21 weekly assignments are posted on the club website.

ROTARY MINUTE

For the Rotary Minute, President Carl Lynde informed us that, in honor of the club’s 70^th anniversary, the board has voted to make a $600 donation to Groundworks, a $1,000 donation to PolioPlus <ED NOTE: This donation will be doubled by the Gates Foundation>, and a $200 purchase of a brick at the Little Red Schoolhouse. All but the brick are budgeted and everyone is encouraged to add to the donations for Groundworks or PolioPlus.

At our October 15^th meeting, Rhonda Calhoun will tell a joke or lead us in song and Marty Cohn will offer a Rotary Minute. 2020-21 weekly assignments are posted on the club website.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

10/08 - Damian Costello, "How Lakota and Indigenous tradition is relevant for us (non-Natives)"
10/15 – Lynn Levine, “Story walks and virtual wanderings"
10/22 - Professor Elizabeth Cascio, “A Century of the American Woman Voter”
10/29 – Jon Potter, Latchis Arts
11/05 - Stephen Dotson, Brattleboro's Sustainability Coordinator
11/12 – Club Assembly
11/19 – A virtual tour of new BMAC exhibits
11/26 – No meeting – Happy Thanksgiving!

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 15th newsletter of the 2020-2021 club year.

There has only been 2 brags so far????????

FINES

NONE ;-(

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The rebuilding of the chapel at Living Memorial Park project was a success.
Carla Lineback is looking for volunteers to help with scheduling of this year’s Christmas Tree Sales (12/4-14/20). Contact her if you can help out. carla.lineback@yahoo.com
A financial review was completed for the club and everything is in order.
Volunteers are needed for the Southern Vermont Rotary Disc Golf Championship on October 24 and 25. For more info, contact Rob Szpila.
An article about the club’s Source to Sea cleanup project was published in today’s Brattleboro Reformer.
An article about the Whiteclay Makerspace in which Rotary was involved, appeared in the Rapid City Journal.
A news release was issued on the Rotary Dairy Project in which monies were donated to the NH Foodbank to buy dairy products that benefited local dairy farmers and food-insecure residents.
The Gateway Foundation annual meeting will take place during the 10/15 club meeting.

BRAGS / HAPPY DOLLARS

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

Rob Szpila - for Carl Lynde running out to buy more supplies for the chapel at Living Memorial Park project
Rob Szpila - for Mara Williams bringing coffee and donuts for the chapel at Living Memorial Park project
Carl Lynde ($TBD) – for BMH and Dartmouth Hitchcock providing great care to Pam’s mom.
Bill Vermouth – for climbing Mount Lafayette, a 5,249-foot mountain at the northern end of the Franconia Range in the White Mountains of New Hampshire
Rob Szpila - for his two kids taking classes from their dorm rooms.
Jeremy Coleman ($5) – for his Cape Cod camping vacation.
Tom Franks ($31) – for being able to celebrate his son Ben’s 31^st birthday in person.

PROGRAM

Rob Szpila presented Damian Costello, author of Black Elk: Colonialism and Lakota Catholicism. Damian told us about the legacy of Nicholas Black Elk. His talk is a part of the full program that he will be giving at Brooks Library on December 2.

<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 28 – New Club Presidents

In episode 28 of the award-winning, monthly show, Rotary Cares, Brattleboro Rotary Club past president Marty Cohn discusses the goals of a new club president as they begin their one-year term. The guests are Brattleboro Rotary Club President Carl Lynde and Brattleboro Sunrise Rotary Club President Cindy Delgatto. The show is produced by Brattleboro Community Television.

To watch the show, click here.

To listen to the podcast, click here.

<ED NOTE: Episode 29 is recording next week with Mike McGovern, chair of the International PolioPlus Committee>

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

Paul Harris nominated Silvester Schiele because Paul preferred to work behind the scenes to attract new members.