President Rob opened the meeting at our lunch meeting site: Holiday Inn Express Brattleboro, VT. Rob welcomed all to the August 22, 2024 meeting of the Brattleboro Rotary www.brattlebororotaryclub.org

Invocation:

Read by Past President Dart

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?

27 Members, 0 Student Rotarians and 2 guests attended the meeting.

Guests:

First posting Theresa Glabach;

JOKE OF THE WEEK - For our joke or song of the week:

Ron. A senior citizen driving a brand new convertible.

ED NOTE: 2023-24 weekly assignments are posted on the club website.

Rotarians for Rotarians: Greg/Gina/Anyone. Bill Bedard is getting ready to go to his granddaughter’s wedding. He sends his best.

New Members:

ROTARY MINUTE

CheriAnn for Mara. Vocational service. Personal commitment to represent our vocation to fellow Rotarians, while exemplifying rotary values within our profession. Student Rotarians. Norm Kuebler Four-way test Award. Worthiness of every professional path.

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

Student Rotarian updates:

Birthday greetings -

BIRTHDAYS FROM RUBIN -

Rhonda when she returns for song.

Meeting location -Brattleboro Holiday Inn Express off of Putney Rd.

Announcements

Carla: Windham World Affairs Council Galbraith talk at SIT next Thursday. Rob: Young Afghan woman looking for a new home in exchange for cooking, cleaning,etc. Bus accessible to Goodwill. Retreat Farm lunch location. Food.

ED NOTE: Weekly assignments for the invocation or motivational thought can be found on the club website.>

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

Jim Haine announced

August 22 Community Farming at Moonscape Farm

Moonscape Farm; farm and food systems; art in the community by Mollie Burke; and the guardian ad litem program.

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.
“Like” the club’s Facebook page

FINES & Happy Dollars

President Rob - George

Greg Frank for taking care of a tire change.

Bill McKim – Keith and Becky at Retreat Farm

Chris- Martha’s Vineyard with family

Cindy F – Gabriel job as St Anselm’s resident director. Art show at Harmony Collective on Saturday 4:00-6:00.

Bill – Cindy’s painting.

Rob – refugee families being able to work their plots at Moonscape Community Farm.

Lou / Tom – vegetable output of Moonscape Farm.

Cindy F – neighbor of Moonscape Farm

PROGRAM

Tom F introduced:

Brennan and Lou of Moonscape Community Farm. Upper Dummerston Road, but started at Retreat Farm. Lost the 2023 growing season as a result of West River flooding, as well as community gardens and gardens for refugee gardeners. Community heavily helped. 80 people showed up for volunteer day. We’re running free CSA for refugees and seniors. Other farmers and VT Dept of Ag stepped up to provide produce for that.

Miller Farm loaned a refrigerated truck for the season.

Began leasing a piece of bare field owned by Retreat Farm up the road at a higher elevation. Brush clearing, clearing invasive species. Staff, volunteers, HCRS, New Chapter, NYC school group. Drilled well, installed power and access road. After setup, no-till in order to focus on soil health.

CSA now serves 40-50 refugees and 15 seniors. Farm stand is by donation. Org is funded by private donations, grants and philanthropy, so not looking to compete with wild carrot or other CSA businesses. Looking to give fresh produce and dairy to people who otherwise might not be able to get it.

Volunteers welcome. Fieldwork on Wednesday mornings. Simple daily tasks in running the farmstand. Come to our events. Support us financially. Transportation of recent arriving refugees at SIT.

Vtcommunityfood.org

Scribe: Greg W

REMINDERS

FINES & Happy Dollars

DISCLAIMER