President Chris opened the meeting at the meeting site: Holiday Inn Express of Brattleboro, VT. Chris welcomed all to the July 3, 2025 meeting of the Brattleboro Rotary www.brattlebororotaryclub.org
Invocation:
Betsy Gentile offered an invocation inviting everyone to join according to their own beliefs.
Chris lead the club with the Pledge of Allegiance
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?
27 Members, 2 Student Rotarians and 1 guests attended the meeting.
Guests:
John Mabie introduced 2 student scholarship recipients: 1) Charley is attending Leeds Becket in London. Notably, Charley ran 105 times around the track to run a marathon! 2) Olivia is heading to Colby Sawyer for nursing. She works at Bradley House currently.
Phil introduced Andrew George as a prospective new member. Stan happily offered to sponsor Andrew.
JOKE OF THE WEEK - For our joke or song of the week:
Roger lead us in song #2 from the Rotary Songbooks found by Chris Hart at Ramuntos: "R-O-T-A-R-Y". Chris Hart found and took the songbooks along with The Sunrise badges at Ramuntos. Chris promises to return the Sunrise badges and other things of theirs that she took!
ED NOTE: 2023-24 weekly assignments are posted on the club website.
Rotarians for Rotarians:
Greg invited all of us to keep every club member in our thoughts because we all need help.
New Members:
Rudy - remember to sign his book.
ROTARY MINUTE
Frank Rucker - provided a Rotary minute on how the RI Foundation. Some of his findings are that the RI Foundation has 1.4 billion in net assets, 57 million over expenses last fiscal year, 418 million is total revenue 351 million comes from Rotarians, 100 million in liabilities, rating agency rates RI and the foundation in the upper tear of making sure money goes to programs and not administration. They have different funds: 736 million in the endowment fund, up from 480 million 5 years ago, last year it earned 12%.
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 March:
On Behalf of our Club and all Rotarians, thank you for your Service Above Self
Stan announced a summer picnic themed Groundworks meal for next Wednesday.
Wednesday 7/9 Plan:
Stan & Barb BBQ Chicken & Ribs
Betsy Pasta Salad
Frank Tossed Green Salad
Liz Milk & soft drinks
Rudy Dessert
Mara announced that there are 2 garden beds needed to clean out by Adam Palmiter. We need 2 crews of 4. Mara is looking for volunteers for next Saturday morning.
$1,118 was donated to Agua Pura from bottle drive!
John Mabie Announced the scholarship recipients who each received $3,800! from our club:
• Ben Bebimbo - in the name of Bob Gannett
• Chris Phelps - in the name of Lily Stockwell
• Jada Wood - in the name of Phil Steckler
• Charles Kinnersley in the name of Bruce Campbell
• Olivia Maillet - justice holden
• Kialuna Holmes - in the name of Jesse Corum - in the CCV program - award to be delivered next Tuesday - award is for $2,500
Happy Dollars and Brags
Rick bragged for Chris - for not missing a beat since becoming president.
Bill McKim bragged for being able to play concerts and playing at American House, telling jokes and giving background info, playing at Bradley House and Pine Heights. Having a great time playing piano in his 90th year!
Frank's son graduated from Keene State and got a job at Polyonics in Keene - they do high tech labeling.
Jenifer bragged for Bill - attending his concert recently, and for having the songbooks here.
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:
Jim shared upcoming program topics will include:
7/10 Brattleboro Retreat
7/17 History Lesson from Former Member
7/24 Kate Kirkwood - Windham County Lead Hazard 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.
Greg Worden presented a retrospective on downtowns and Brattleboro. Here are some notes about the beginnings of Greg in Brattleboro and his businesses. Greg visited 53 years ago to visit Phil and Marcia, took a job at the Reformer for 15 years, his future wife was working there, and became 'serial entrepreneurs', Phil sold a craft store to Greg. Vermont Artisan Designs started in 1972 by John Serkin with his wife on Elliot St. Sold it to a woman who moved it to where Beadnicks used to be. Greg bought it and tried to expand the yarn shop, but it didn't have much income. Susie did the Kitchen Sink. Kim Mann was leasing the building across the street and set up the kitchen sync there. They had a bath and body shop upstairs - Melange. Then moved to where Bakers Hallmark was. Tried opening business during the summers in Grafton and Putney. Dexters was selling their tuxedo business and they bought that. They now represent 200-300 local crafts people. Greg also listed a large number of downtown stores that have come and gone, a list of businesses that have been there for a long time, and a list of businesses that are opening now or soon.
Mara bragged for Greg's history.
Mark bragged for growing up here and delivering the Town Crier to many of those places.
Chris bragged for Greg giving so much to the town.
Greg bragged for the club.
Scribe: Rob
DISCLAIMER
Weekly changing scribes and questionable IT may have resulted in oversights and errors. We regret any mistakes.
