Newsletter - Archive  Apr 1, 2009

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Charlotte Shelburne Rotary Club

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Trinity Episcopal Church Community Room

Welcome back to Denny Bowen who has been in California, and Katie Camardo who has been away because of children’s sports transportation conflicts with Rotary meetings. Glad you are both back.

Rotary Foundation Thought

This week's Rotary Foundation Thought is about Matching Grants.

Rotary clubs in Honduras and Pennsylvania, USA partnered together to receive a Matching Grant to provide eye and vision care to needy people in Honduras. During a 10-day long mission, Rotarians from both clubs worked to provide a wide variety of vision services through clinics held at local schools and neighborhoods. Over 1,200 individuals were evaluated and 600 received prescription eyeglasses. A local non-governmental organization will continue to provide eyeglasses and medications to those in need. Improved eyesight can translate into improved educational or occupational opportunities, contributing greatly to improved quality of life. To be a Rotarian means to give of our time, talent and financial resources. Will you make that sacrifice so others may have a better life?

Law Enforcement Unity Tour

Josh Flore of the Shelburne Police Department came to the meeting to ask for support for his participation in the national Law Enforcement Unity Tour, a bike ride from New Jersey to DC to raise funds for the Law Enforcement Museum and the Law Enforcement Memorial. There will be 1,100 participants in the May 9 to 13 event which honors the sacrifice of the police killed in the line of duty each year. This is the four time Josh has participated and he is hoping to raise $1,700.

Good News

Kris Engstrom has agreed to be President Elect, filling a gap in the slate of officers created when Julie Won moved to California.

Not Good News

John Hancock is in hospital – reports following the meeting indicate that he was taken to hospital with a gall bladder attack but had also suffered a heart attack. The word is that he is resting comfortably and is able to have visitors.

Bowl-a-Thon

Get those lists of names to Ric Flood so his office can send out your personalized appeal letters for sponsorship.

Brochure

The new simplified brochure to be used as a hand-out to anyone interested in Rotary, as a first step towards attracting new members, as well as a companion piece focusing on the use of the money we raise were distributed for members to see.

Double Match

The challenge has been met – we raised $2,200 for Polio Plus

GSE

The group coming from Taiwan from May 8 to 17 is looking for hosts, both home-stays and day tours. Call Steve if you can volunteer.

Coming Events

• April 2-3 – judging the Future Business Leaders of American competition at the Sheraton
• April 5 – Pancake breakfast at Shelburne Community School
• April 8 – regular meeting with speaker Michele Lash discussing ways to reduce and transform stress
• April 18 – District Assembly at Dartmouth Hitchcock with sessions of interest to officers and committee chairs – register online
• May 14-17 – Rotary District  Conference – Basin Harbor Club – register online

Rebuilding Together

There is a conflict between the date Rebuilding Together has chosen for their project this year and the District Conference in May. Adam Bartsch will check whether they might do a project at another time, or we will have to miss working with them this year, as attendance at the District Conference, when it is so close to home, is a priority.

Interact Club

John Beal and Tami Jo Dickenson are working together to organize an Interact Club for the students of Champlain Valley Union High School. John would like to have volunteers for a committee to help with the club start-up.

Kris Engstrom’s fine collector this week was Don Condon, the Sergeant At Arms-Elect – who promises that his new regime will be a dramatic change from the “warm, grandmotherly” Sergeant at Arms.

Kris assessed scoot fines, pine fines, and an anniversary fine on Fritz Horton.

Happy fines:

• Kris for seeing her daughter Brita’s paintings on display at Penny Cluse Restaurant in Burlington
• Bill Root – his dog has been to New Hampshire to be bred
• John Beal – the ice is almost gone from Point Bay
• John Hammer – thanks to the Rotarians who helped serve the pasta lunch at the Charlotte Senior Center – much appreciated – and a special thanks to William for the great meal
• Denny Bowen – for the good work of Dr. James Slater for developing a proton radiation therapy program at Loma Linda Hospital where Denny was impressed with the medicine and the people – and for a 13,000 trip with no flat tires
• Linda Gilbert – two weeks in Florida – and meeting Julie Kennaugh in a shop in Sanibel
• Katie Camardo – nice to be back – her son’s hockey team were state champs and in the top four in the inter-state series
• Elaine Dates – the Smoky Bear poster from the local competition won at the national level
• Terrell Titus – at the Co-operative Insurance meeting Titus Insurance was presented with the Lester Titus Award for customer service.
• Ric Flood – welcome to the guest speaker
• Bob Maynes – heading to South Carolina for two weeks
• Russ Blodgett – it’s the busy season for accountants

Lucky draw:  Mal Parker’s number was drawn but he didn’t find the Joker in the pack and didn’t get the $168 pot.

Ric Flood, Bill Carrigan, and Steve Dates

Ric Flood introduced guest speaker Bill Carrigan, a Securities Examiner with the Vermont Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration’s Securities Division. Carrigan said that as the economy gets worse, he is investigating more complaints by investors and there is also more demand for information on how to avoid scams. He fields questions from individuals who are suspicious of deals “too good to be true,” and from clients who wonder if they are getting good advice from financial advisors.

He described a scam in which people bought “collateralized debt obligations” from a New York City company. This was a Ponzi scheme that had entrapped people from all over the country.

Carrigan said the public does not hear about these frauds because people are embarrassed to admit they were gullible or naïve. He encouraged anyone who is questioning an offer for investment to contact his office. “Our job is to protect Vermont investors,” he said. There are five people in the division, including two examiners, and in addition to investigation and enforcement, they also do investor education programs. His phone number is 802-828-4858.