President Bill Vermouth welcomed all to the December 20th meeting of the Brattleboro Rotary Club held at the American Legion in Brattleboro. He asked members of the George Weir and Greg Worden, champions of the club’s Christmas Tree and Wreaths Fundraisers to welcome members and guests to the meeting. <ED NOTE: George and Greg spoke in perfect unison.> For the invocation, Steve Gordon offered the following invocation:
For friends, food, fun and fellowship, especially the fellowship of Rotary we get our sincere thanks. May these tokens of your bounty nourish our physical bodies in preparation for the challenges that are ours in Rotary. Keep us always mindful of the needs of others and keep us always attuned to our calling in Rotary. We ask these things in the Name of your eternal truth. Amen.
As a delicious luncheon of turkey, pork loin, mashed potatoes, corn/black bean medley, salad, bread and chocolate chips cookies for dessert was being digested, the meeting continued.
GUESTS: Rachel Cohn
TRIVIA QUESTION
Who wrote the lyrics for “Deck the Halls”?
(Answer below.)
JOKE
For our weekly joke, Cindy Jerome told the following joke:
Obama, Hillary and Trump are standing at the throne of heaven. God looks at them and says, "Before granting you a place at my side, I must ask you what you have learned, what you believe in."
God asks Obama first: “What do you believe?"
He thinks long and hard, looks God in the eye, and says, "I believe in hard work, and in staying true to family and friends. I believe in giving. I was lucky, but I always tried to do right by my countrymen".
God can’t help but see the essential goodness of Obama , and offers him a seat to his left.
Then God turns to Hillary and says, "What do you believe?"
Hillary says, "I believe passion, discipline, courage and honor are the fundamentals of life. Like Obama I believe in hard work. I, too, have been lucky, but win or lose, I've always tried to be a true patriot and a loyal American."
God is greatly moved by Hillary's high-pitched eloquence, and he offers her a seat to his right.
Finally, God turns to Trump and says, "And you, Donald, what do you believe?"
Trump replies, "I believe you're in my seat."
ROTARY MINUTE
For our Rotary Minute, Immediate Past President George reflected on the success of this year’s Christmas Tree sale fundraiser. He noted that as the last tree was sold, members had stepped up to clean up the site. Also, the number of buyers who stated that they always get their trees from Rotary impressed him.
At our December 27th meeting, Mike Mandracchia will tell a joke or lead us in song and Lisa Mendelsund will offer a Rotary Minute.
At our December 27th meeting, Mike Mandracchia will tell a joke or lead us in song and Lisa Mendelsund will offer a Rotary Minute.
NOTE: 2018-19 weekly assignments are posted on club website.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
12/20 – TBA, “With Interest – the 1926 Vermont Peoples National Bank”
12/27 – Elliott Greenblatt, AARP
01/03 – Tim Weed, author, “Field Guide to Murder & Fly Fishing”
NOTE: 2018-19 weekly assignments are posted on club website.
REMINDERS
Bottles and cans can be brought 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.
If you like this newsletter, brag at next Club meeting.
So far, still only FOUR.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Annual Christmas Attire contest was held. There was a tie between Cheri Ann Brodhurst and Jim Haine. <ED NOTE: the other participants only wore Christmas ties>
A Christmas card was received by Howard Printing.
The District Conference will take place in Danvers, Massachusetts May 3-5, 2019. For more info, click here.
Cyndi Ferrante (7) and Jim Haine (38) were recognized for their years of service. <ED NOTE: Jim has perfect attendance.>
Bird seed wreaths are on sale at Vermont Artisans for $20 each. Get your quickly because they are flying off the shelf.
Less than 10 pumpkin pies remain to be sold.
Seasonal Overflow Shelter meal on 12/19 was a success. Photo (l-r): Servers Cyndi Ferrante, Padma Mendelsund, Lucy Szpila, Lisa Mendelsund, and Sharon Dunn. Missing from photo: Gina Pattison, Rob Szpila, and Stan Nowakowski.On December 19, 2018, members and family of Brattleboro Rotary Club, captained by Stan Nowakowski, served 30 dinner guests at the Seasonal Overflow Shelter. Additionally, it assembled and delivered a full meal to the Brattleboro Fire Station. The following festive menu was supplied by Brattleboro Memorial Hospital: Tossed garden salad with house vinaigrette, multi grain baguette with butter, baked maple glazed ham roasted pineapple, stuffed Italian shells with marinara, garlic mashed potato, local organic butternut squash, local organic apple crisp with vanilla bean ice cream, local apple cider, and milk. Jeff Hagstrom supplied the disposable dinnerware and Cyndi Ferrante brought freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and milk too.
Bill Bedard is recovering nicely and would welcome calls and cards.
The next VT Foodbank project will take place on January 12, 2019.. For more info, contact Stan Nowakowski.
We wished our American Legion servers, Maureen and Ginny, a wonderful Christmas.
FINES
President Bill Vermouth was fined for not knowing warning the Christmas Attire Contest.
BRAGS
George Weir – for all the participants who made this year’s Christmas Tree Sale Fundraiser a success.
Cindy Jerome – for Dane Rank recommending her to a headhunter.
Cindy Jerome – for her new job as executive director Executive Director at Alice Peck Day Lifecare <ED NOTE: Cindy will be transferring her membership to Rotary Club of Lebanon NH>
Sophia Howlett – for her presentation before the Rotary Club of Rutland <ED NOTE: A banner was presented to the club>
Sophia Howlett – for becoming a great aunt.
Gina Pattison – for her son scoring his first goal with the BUHS hockey team.
Ana Saavedra – for becoming a grandmother aunt.
Greg Worden – for George Weir’s time spent making the Christmas Tree Sale Fundraiser a success.
Carl Lynde – for the speed of selling out all the Christmas Trees. <ED NOTE: This is the first time in 47 years that Carl will not have a Rotary Christmas tree.>
Jenifer Ambler – for the speed of selling out all the Christmas Trees that forced her to buy a tree from somewhere else.
Bill McKim – for the great Rotary year.
Joe Little – for Bill McKim being a good Rotarian.
Joe Little – for John Kohler skating early in the morning on Retreat Meadows with his dog
John Kohler – for Joe Little taking his lunch break skating on Retreat Meadows.
PROGRAM
Dane Rank informed us about the history of Brattleboro Hospital by reading from a pamphlet “With Interest” that was produced by Vermont Peoples National Bank in 1926.
The meeting ended with a everyone singing “Deck the Halls”
Rotary Cares - TV Show or Podcast
Rotary Cares, Episode 12 – Community Service
In episode 12 of Rotary Cares, Brattleboro Rotary Club past president Marty Cohn talks about Rotary local community projects with Brattleboro Sunrise Rotary Club’s Ali Barry and Brattleboro Rotary Club’s Stan Nowakowski. Produced in the studio of 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
Thomas Oliphant in 1862. For more info, click here.
