President Phil George welcomed all to the March 31 meeting of the Brattleboro Rotary Club www.brattlebororotaryclub.org held at the American Legion. <ED NOTE: 21 members + no guests = 21 attended.>.
The invocation was offered by Gina via President Phil as Gina couldn’t make the meeting. The invocation was a call for peace throughout the world.
ED NOTE: Weekly assignments for the invocation or motivational thought can be found on the club website.>
Guests: none today
TRIVIA QUESTION
Who was on a Brattleboro Rotary Club committee before officially joining the club?
(Answer below)
JOKE OF THE WEEK
For our joke of the week: Phil presented : Did you hear about the restaurant on the moon? It has great food but no atmosphere.
ED NOTE: 2021-22 weekly assignments are posted on the club website.
ROTARY MINUTE
For the Rotary Minute, Chris Hart spoke of a recent visit to Jamaica where she saw clean water containers in various locations. She was able to determine that the water containers were related to Pure Water for the World and apparently a rotary club in Texas coordinated with a club in Montego Bay to sponsor the project. Chris said she saw many such water tanks during her stay in Jamaica.
Rotary anniversaries : Gina has been with the club for six years.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
no program yet for April 7;
April 14 the new executive Director for Brattleboro Memorial Hospital ;
April 21 will be our next zoom meeting.
April 28 will be a roadshow at Brattleboro high school.
NOTE: 2021-22 weekly assignments, are posted on the club website.
REMINDERS
Please bring your bottles and cans to the 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.
Jerry bragged $10 for today being his first day of retirement.
Ruben bragged for the feel good basketball story of the year. He said it is not St. Peter’s University, but rather the team sponsored by Rich Carroll’s law firm, which won their division title in the recent Brattleboro men’s league playoffs.
Rich bragged for the team, which hadn’t won the championship in quite a number of years.
Jennifer bragged for her trips, including a recent one, to El Salvador where she still sees Pure Water storage tanks in use, and advised that the students in the schools get safe drinking water by use of the tanks.
George W. bragged for himself and his neighbors on Main Street for arranging for composting at four neighboring commercial buildings.
Anna was cajoled to brag for having lots of kittens.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Bill Vermouth stated he has five bottles of syrup for sale, $10 per bottle - Gina has additional.
Greg advised that the welcome center fundraiser will be Saturday, July 2nd. He encourages club members to think about baked goods or other items they could prepare or donate to be sold at the fundraiser.
Rob spoke about the Afghani refugees our club is aiding, who are doing well in the community. Brattleboro Memorial Hospital has offered translation services for doctor visits. Carl has been able to receive donations of ten bicycles so far. Carl bragged for Woody at Burrows who donated two refurbished bicycles as well as a bike owned previously by Tom Yahn for a total of three. Seven other people have volunteered bikes. They will need to go through a safety check first, before being given to our new Afghani neighbors.
Upcoming events:
Apr. 14 – Groundworks Meal to be managed by the students. Stan will keep members apprised of if help needed.
Apr. 29 – Bowling Social with Sunrise Club 5:30
Jun. 9 – Golf Tournament
BRAGS / HAPPY DOLLARS
<ED NOTE: Yes, we are keeping track of these happy dollars and brags.
Unless noted, happy dollars and brags are $1>
Jerry bragged $10 for today being his first day of retirement.
Ruben bragged for the feel good basketball story of the year. He said it is not St. Peter’s University, but rather the team sponsored by Rich Carroll’s law firm, which won their division title in the recent Brattleboro men’s league playoffs.
Rich bragged for the team, which hadn’t won the championship in quite a number of years.
Jennifer bragged for her trips, including a recent one, to El Salvador where she still sees Pure Water storage tanks in use, and advised that the students in the schools get safe drinking water by use of the tanks.
George W. bragged for himself and his neighbors on Main Street for arranging for composting at four neighboring commercial buildings.
Anna was cajoled to brag for having lots of kittens.
PROGRAM
The program featured Laura Goldblatt of the Garland School. She was introduced by Rob. Laura is the program director of this school which is housed at the Winston Prouty campus. It is a Waldorf inspired school for young children. Local area kids from Southeastern Vermont and neighboring areas attend the school. Laura has a child there herself. She has a master’s in education and a certificate in elementary teaching. She loves the early education program the Garland School offers. It is a nature-based program and is also a public Pre-K program that partners with local, state and federal organizations and funding sources to provide its educational programs. The school was founded in 2009. They currently have 28 kids ages 1-6. There are five teachers, two assistant teachers and one cook. Laura showed a picture of the woods on the Winston Prouty campus. The goal of the school is to provide purposeful instruction to the children. Outdoor activities include building bridges and learning via nature. There is a pond for exploration and it provides a laboratory for all-season learning. It is near the disc golf course on the Winston Prouty campus. The campus has over 200 acres of woods and provides a great view at its highest point. The children walk daily through the woods. Winston Prouty is a collaborative and very supportive landlord, providing access to all of its land. The school has a number of community gatherings throughout the year, including one in May where 25 families dance around the maypole. There is also a lantern walk in the woods and a bonfire each November. The kids spend a considerable amount of time outside, expect in cases of extreme cold, when it is 10° or below. The kids are taught to be hardy and eat breakfast outside when the weather permits, with their breakfast mittens. The children learn to observe staff who cook over the campfire and do other tasks. The school supports families by assisting them with getting outdoor gear if needed. Food is an important part of the program and the rhythm of the day for the children. The meals bring the students together. There are moments of pause and quiet throughout the day to teach the kids the importance of a calm approach to life. The school’s environment is designed to be peaceful and gentle and not provide overstimulation. Watercolor painting is one of the important arts activities. The children take naps in specially designed wooden sleepers which have a light gauze cover and provide a cozy environment for a nap. The graduation ceremony is a big event each June. The school has defined goals specifically to grow and serve more families. They are in a process of economic recovery and have received assistance from State and other funding sources. They are committed to providing financial assistance and aid to the students. Approximately 46% of the children receive some form of financial assistance. The school’s other goal is to increase community connections. The school has grown in size significantly in the last year or two. Laura answered a few additional questions and seemed a very engaging and vibrant program director.
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