Charlotte-Shelburne Rotary - Newsletter

Last year Rotary clubs in Brazil and Mexico and the United states joined together in a matching grant to aid the Lar das Criancas Children's Home in Tanabi, Brazil. This institution provides free extracurricular activities and much needed daycare for low income families. A matching grant was used to help the Home purchase uniforms for all of the children. Each student also received school supplies, gym shoes, swimsuits and caps. Tanabi Rotarians have seen the student's interest in learning and participating in
activities improve as well as the children's sense of self worth after the uniforms and equipment arrived. This is just one of the many examples of how the Foundation's humanitarian grants programs can make positive changes for children.

Announcements

Halloween Parade

Thank you from Betsy Cieplicki of Shelburne Parks & Recreation for the Rotary participation in the very successful Halloween Parade.

Nat Gould

Salute to Nat Gould a long-time member of the club who has continued to be supportive though living in Florida, with his annual purchase of #8 in the Car Raffle. He died last week. There will be a memorial service on Dec. 12 at Temple Sinai.

Friendship Exchange

There are spots for 10 Rotarians and their spouses/partners to take part in the Friendship Exchange that will visit the Rotary Clubs of Idaho, Washington and British Columbia from April 29 to May 9. Round trip airfare is only $435 per person. Contact Steve for further information and to apply.

ShelburneMuseum

Anne Pardee announced that Shelburne Museum has completed a draft of a design of their new entrance, a project that will be financed by the Charlotte Shelburne Rotary Club with funds from the Pardee Trust. The design will include plantings from their seasonal gardens, with design and hands-on help from the Burlington Garden Club and Elaine Dates, as well as Rotary.

Future Programs

Nov. 19 – Committee meetings
Nov. 20 – Board meeting
Nov. 26 – No meeting – Thanksgiving holiday
Dec. 3 – Lt. Col. Hank Harder – F-16 pilot

Sergeant at Arms

Welcome back to our Sergeant at Arms Kris Engstrom, and many thanks to Trafton Crandall who carried the torch during her visit to Peru.

Kris levied a scoot fine for Ric Floor, a late fine from Carole Obuchowski and pin fines where appropriate.

Happy Fines

Kris led off with a happy fine for the fine job Britta did in running the shop during her absence, and for her grandson Max celebrating his first birthday, and for Trafton’s good job as sergeant at arms.
John Hancock – a request that everyone speak up so he (and all the others who are hearing-challenged) can hear – especially the jokes.
Jim Spadacinni – happy to be sitting with his friend Jim Rice – and a salute to Nat Gould, an orthopedic surgeon who traveled the world to help children walk, and who invented a device to stimulate muscles after surgery with electric impulses – and who played golf with Jim during Florida visits – and for the years of good jokes he told at Rotary.
Alan Hathaway – back from South Carolina – and going back to bring his wife home next week.
Denny Bowen – for Grandparents’ Day at his granddaughter’s school
Ric Flood – for finally figuring out the remote start on his black Jeep – after owning it for three months – and for his daughter returning to New England (Boston specifically) as a new fixed annuity wholesaler.
Emily Morrow – for the completion of the renovation work on her house
Robert Maynes – for a weekend spent painting the nursery for his daughter’s new baby.
John Hammer – for an upcoming trip to California.
Michele Lash – for three happy phone calls from her three daughters yesterday.
Anne Pardee – glad Kris is back – and Dec. 3 will be her last Rotary meeting at Charlotte Shelburne before moving to California

Lucky draw: Debbie Hanley won the draw but didn’t choose the right card to get the $237.50 pot.

Guest Speaker

Rotary Club members Jim Spadacinni, John Beal and Elaine Dates talking after the meeting with guest

speaker George Rice of Montpelier who is a member of the Rotary Foundation board.

George Rice, a member of the Rotary Foundation Board, talked about the good work of the Foundation and the importance of Rotary members supporting it.

He said that while people join Rotary for many reasons, a frequently-expressed reason for staying in Rotary is the feeling of satisfaction of helping others, both locally and around the world through the work of the Rotary Foundation.

“Why do we care about polio, AIDs, water quality, malaria when it affects people in far-off countries,” he asked. “We are fortunately to have been born and educated in North America,” he said – and it is purely a matter of good luck – we could as easily have been born in Balngladesh where 240 million people live in an area the size of Idaho, or in a village in Africa where Guinea worm wreaks havoc, or in Pakistan where they have had terrible earthquakes, or in Malasia where the Sunami killed thousands.

Through Rotary Foundation we are able to combine our dollars with those of other Rotary members around the world to make a difference, he said. “Our organization does amazing things.” The Foundation uses its endowment, currently at $800 million, hoping to reach $1 billion, to support Ambassadorial Scholarships, youth exchanges, providing matching grants.

Our individual and club contributions to the Foundation are vital to the work. As Mr. Rice said, “Ask not what Rotary can do for you, ask what you can do for Rotary – and Rotary can do for the rest of the world.”