Past President Chris opened the meeting at the meeting site: Holiday Inn Express of Brattleboro, VT. Mark welcomed all to the August 13, 2026 meeting of the Brattleboro Rotary Club,www.brattlebororotaryclub.org
Invocation:
Cheri Anne presented.
Chris led the club with the Pledge of Allegiance
Theresa led the club with the Rotary motto and Four Way Test.
Rotary Motto: Service Above Self
Four Way Test -
Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
21 Members, 0 Student Rotarians and 3 guest attended the meeting.
Guests:
Maeve, Ben, Shoshanna
JOKE OF THE WEEK - For our joke or song of the week:
Jenifer Ambler, Song #1: All Hail to Rotary
EDITOR NOTE: 2026-27 weekly assignments are posted on the club website.
Rotarians for Rotarians:
New Members:Two New Members
Sarah Weiler was inducted by President Mark. She lives in West Brattleboro and is the Operations Manager at BMAC
Mike Wagner recently moved to Chesterfield after living in Arizona for 30 years. Had a career in technology sales and then spent 5 fives teaching English globally
ROTARY MINUTE
Rick - We talked about the high school kids, which reminded me of a story from about 25 years ago. One of my jobs was to visit different clubs, give a short talk, and try to raise money. I would go to about 12 clubs, and if I got $100 from one, I felt like I had really succeeded. After one presentation, I got a call from a young man who said he wanted to come to Brattleboro and give us a check. He showed up with a check for $5,000. I remember one of the high school fundraisers where they put pink flamingos on your front lawn. For $100, you could have them removed and placed on someone else’s lawn. That was one of the fundraisers I ended up involved in, and it cost me $100 to get rid of the flamingos.
Years of Service in our Club
George Karabakakis was recognized for 4 years of membership.
On Behalf of our Club and all Rotarians, thank you for your Service Above Self
Rhonda in 8 days, Sang today because she will not be here next week
Point of Order: Bill Vermouth, Rhonda has opportunity to speak (she declined)
Announcements
Greg Worden: Welcome Center event, need 2:30pm-4:30pm support; also need more food items. Event starts at 8:30 and go until 5:30pm Could use 2x more coolers. Can pick up cooler or please drop off at Vermont Artisan. Past President Chris offered to bring a cooler to her shift at 11am. Cindy also volunteered her cooler.
Happy Dollars and Brags and Fines
Cindy: Two weeks ago, I had a heart attack. I am so grateful to everyone in Brattleboro, especially the first responders and hospital staff, for their support. The day after, more than half of my heart was 'stunned' and not moving, and the rest could only pump out 30% of my blood, when it should be about 65%. At my follow-up ECG on Monday, that area showed blood flow again. It is beating, still weak, but working, and my heart function is now up to 60-65%. I haven’t had to reschedule any trips, and my health is getting better. I am especially thankful for my husband and friends—my husband deserves the biggest shout-out.
Rudy: Bragged for Cindy, “amazing healing” and for the family and friends to help as well as their kids.
Bill Vermouth: Weekend, 3 day hike with son up in the white mountains. Stayed in AMC huts.
Mara: Going to Isle Lamont
Maeve: went up to memorial park with daughter to try and see meteor shower late at night. Felt pride and gratitude due to Rotary's involvement in making the top of memorial park look wonderful and she is excited to be a part of the community
Jenifer Ambler: Pure water for the world. House building project in El Salvador
Greg Worden: Brag for all the helpers of Rotary for all the events
Sarah: Bragged for Cindy’s recovery
(Post Program)
Mara : For Shoshanna, knew her since she was a toddler. Recalled instance of the magic she created as a child and now knowing her as she is now, engaged and running the theater
Cindy: for Shoshanna for coming and sharing.
Ben (Guest) For Shoshanna, for what she has done, has known her since they were together at NEYT
Rudy: Bragged for Mara having a puppet made in her image/resemblance. Which was created and introduced during her 25th anniversary at the Museum
Fines:
Walk of Shame for Sarah’s book.
Walk of Shame for Mike Wagner’s book.
ED NOTE: Weekly assignments for the invocation or motivational thought can be found on the club website.>
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
Jim announced the upcoming programs as follows:
20AUG: Rick Manson, Parkinson’s disease
27AUG: Quenton Reynolds, VT DPH
03SEPT: District Governor visit
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.
Sheriff Mark Anderson on the Regional Policing Project
Sandglass is dedicated to the arts of theater and puppetry as a means of exploring contemporary issues, inspiring dialogue, and sparking wonder. We create original ensemble performances and collaborations, present diverse theater artists, produce events that serve our communities, and teach our art.
Sandglass is a bridge in our local, national, and international communities for artistic and social development. We inspire new generations of diverse artists and audiences to further embrace puppetry and theater as thriving art forms that seek truth, a broader perspective, generate compassion, and celebrate the human spirit.
Sandglass Theater was founded in 1982 in Munich, Germany by Eric Bass and Ines Zeller Bass. In 1986 the company and the Zeller Bass family moved to Putney, Vermont, USA, where in 1996 they officially opened their own performance venue and established themselves as a not-for-profit entity:
Scribe: Andrew George
DISCLAIMER
Weekly changing scribes and questionable IT may have resulted in oversights and errors. We regret any mistakes.
