President Carl Lynde welcomed all to the January 7, 2021 meeting of the Brattleboro Rotary Club held via ZOOM. <ED NOTE: Over 60 members, Visiting Rotarians, Student Rotarians, and invited guests attended.> Lisa Mendelsund offered the following meaningful quotes by Thich Nhat Hanh:
Freedom is not given to us by anyone; we have to cultivate it ourselves. It is a daily practice... No one can prevent you from being aware of each step you take or each breath in and breath out.
Suppose you are in the desert, and you only have one glass of muddy water. You have to transform the muddy water into clear water to drink, you cannot just throw it away. So you let it settle for a while, and clear water will appear. In the same way, we have to convert anger into some kind of energy that is more constructive.
Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.
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: John Meyer (1/14), Roger Miller (1/21), Jeff Morse (1/28)>
This was followed by the pledge of allegiance. Birthday greetings were extended to Greg Worden, Roger Miller, and Milt Gilmore.
TRIVIA QUESTION
Who is considered the founder of vaccinology?
(Answer below)
JOKE OF THE WEEK
For the joke of the week, President Carl Lynde told the following submitted by Tom Franks:
A pedestrian stepped off the curb into the road without looking and gets knocked down by a passing cyclist: “You were lucky” said the cyclist “What are you talking about! That really hurt!” said the pedestrian. “Usually I drive a bus!” the cyclist replied.
At our January 14th meeting, Tom French will tell a joke or lead us in song and Phil George will offer a Rotary Minute. 2020-21 weekly assignments are posted on the club website.
ROTARY MINUTE
For the Rotary Minute, Betsy Gentile read an essay by Dennis Wong, a co-founder of the Rotary Action Group for Peace, entitled “The Future of Peace”. The essay can be found on page 35 of the January 2021 issue of Rotary Magazine.
At our January 14th meeting, Tom French will tell a joke or lead us in song and Phil George will offer a Rotary Minute. 2020-21 weekly assignments are posted on the club website.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
01/14 – Club Assembly
01/21 – TBA
01/28 - David Parker, Bird & Wildlife Photography
02/04 – TBA
02/11 - Jon Ruybalid, founder, Whiteclay Makerspace
02/18 – Jeremy Coleman
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.
This is the 25thnewsletter of the 2020-2021 club year.
The editor would like to take this opportunity to thank the 4 people who have bragged so far.
FINES
NONE ;-(
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The following members were acknowledged for their years of service: Ana Saavedra (13), Cathy Coonan (29), Bill McKim (33), Dart Everett (40), Dave Neumeister (44).
Minutes of board meetings can be found on the club’s Website.
Student Rotarians from WRCC, BUHS, and Hinsdale gave their monthly reports.
Another round of PPE will be distributed next week. For more info, contact Rob Szpila.
A Valentine card project is being planned for 279 area nursing home residents. If interested in participating, contact Marty Cohn.
The third part of the Rotary Dairy Project will be completed this week with the purchase of Vermont cheddar cheese that will be distributed by the Vermont Foodbank. For more info, contact Marty Cohn.
The Living Memorial Snow Sports program is in need of money and volunteers. For more info, contact Lisa Mendelsund.
BRAGS / HAPPY DOLLARS
<ED NOTE: Yes, we are keeping track of these happy dollars and brags.
Unless noted, happy dollars and brags are $1>
Dave Twombly - for the Brattleboro Outing Club’s groomers.
Jeremy Coleman ($10) – for his front-line worker children receiving their vaccines.
Jeremy Coleman ($30) – for the wedding engagement of his daughter, Ann.
George Anthes – for being a volunteer for Living Memorial Snow Sports.
George Anthes – for those who actually know the background of their elected officials.
Lisa Mendelsund ($20) – for Joe Little stepping up right away to support the Living Memorial Snow Sports program.
Mike Mandraccia ($10) – for Dr. McGraw and all of BMH’s senior leadership for their work during the on-going COVID pandemic.
PROGRAM
George Anthes presented Dr. Kathleen McGraw, chief medical officer at Brattleboro Hospital, who gave an informative talk on COVID-19 and vaccinations.
<ED NOTE: This presentation will be included in the BCTV show, “Brattleboro Rotary Club Speaker Series.”
Rotary Cares - TV Show
Rotary Cares, Episode 31 – International Service
In episode 31 of the award-winning, monthly show, Rotary Cares, Brattleboro Rotary Club past president Marty Cohn discusses international service with his guests, District 7870 Past District Governor Venu Manohar Rao representing the Hollis-Brookline, NH Rotary Club and, Lawrence Penna, Secretary, Niskayuna Rotary in Schenectady, New York. The show is produced by Brattleboro Community Television.
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
Edward Jenner is considered the founder of vaccinology in the West in 1796, after he inoculated a 13 year-old-boy with vaccinia virus (cowpox), and demonstrated immunity to smallpox. In 1798, the first smallpox vaccine was developed. For more info, click here. To read more about the myths of the smallpox vaccine, click here.>
