Charlotte-Shelburne Rotary - Newsletter

Past President and current AG Steve Dates lead the meeting in the absence of skiing John Beal. He introduced guest Kevin Hitton, a volunteer in Shelburne who is raising awareness of an application the town is making to Google to be a test site for a fiber optic distribution system which would increase the speed of communications greatly over cable or DSL. He is asking for Rotary support for the application.

Member Induction

Carol Geske induction: Left to right, Linda Gilbert, Carol Geske, Debby Hanley and Steve Dates

Carol Geske, a resident of Shelburne who went to Honduras with the Hands to Honduras team in 2009, was inducted into the club, sponsored by Linda Gilbert and Debby Hanley. Carol has a background in investment planning and worked with AIG until last year, primarily servicing their Fletcher Allen account. Now she is pursuing new ideas, is doing some business consulting and hoping to find work in an energy efficiency support business.

Upcoming Events

Mark Nash of Vermont Stage Company will be the speaker at the March 17 meeting.
March 20 – Rotary Leadership Institute in Rutland (repeating on March 27 at Dartmouth Hitchcok. The fee is $65 and the club will send two or three people. John Hammer commented that this is the best way to learn everything about Rotary’s inner workings.
April 17 – District Assembly in Lebanon with the semi-finals of the speaking competition in which Sidney Hilker from CVU will be competing.
June 11 – the District Conference at the Davis Center at UVM where the finals of the speaking competition will take place.
June 20-23 – Rotary International Conference in Montreal

Announcements

Ric Flood is handing out lists of last year’s donors to the Bowl-a-thon and encouraging additions to the requests for support. If every member asked 20 people, we could raise $40,000, he says.
Steve Dates said the District is doing an Ambassadorial Scholarship again – our club can nominate a candidate
A request from Tami Jo Dickenson for judges for the Future Business Leaders of America competition at the Sheraton on April 1
John Dupee has received a request from Charlotte Senior Center for helpers to set up, serve and clean up at the regular seniors’ dinner. Colleen Haag and Carol Geske volunteered.

Sergeant at Arms

Kris Engstrom announced birthday fines for Linda Barker and Michael Lash.

Happy fines:

Jim Spadaccini – for Alexis’s 18^th birthday which they celebrated with a bowling party for him and his friends
Kris Engstrom – they are going green at In Full Bloom with their Green Goddess delivery van back on the road and a handsome new sign painted by Britta.
Ric Flood – March 10 – the anniversary of the Dow dive
Linda Gilbert – a great trip to Honduras – 44 people who worked hard, got a lot done and learned that in Honduras it’s best to go with the flow.
Jim Spadaccini – for Linda’s reports during and after the trip – that’s what Rotary is all about, he says
Sam Feitelberg – four people including him are going to Honduras on Saturday – the cleanup crew
Bruce – Spring really is coming
George Ewins – just happy
Mal Parker – a successful tax free day – a new addition to the family, four-legged fluffy little Nina adopted in Florida
Tom Glaser – Marsha Parker and Jill Glaser will be walking their dogs together – vacationing in Florida, Steamboat Springs and back to Florida
Alan Hathaway – missed some meetings – appreciates the club reports by Roz and from H2h
Fritz Horton – a scoot fine
Michele Lash – for Michael’s birthday
Robert Maynes – going to Maine
Colleen Haag – a great-aunt again
John Dupee – a trip to the Caribbean
John Hammer – glad to be back in America where he can drink the water – and a plug for Hertz who got them home
Tod Whitaker – reminder of the Computer network Security workshop with Frank Thornton at noon and 7 p.m. at the Town Center.
John Hancock – two wins for the Red Sox

Lucky draw: Trafton’s number was drawn but he chose the wrong card.

Guest Speaker Don George

Steve Dates and guest speaker Don George, President and CEO of Vermont Blue Cross/Blue Shield

Adam Bartsch introduced Don George who has been with Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Vermont since 1993 and President and CEO of BC/BS & Vermont Health Plan since 2009. A native Barre, he lives in Richmond

Don said Charlotte Shelburne is the 12^th Rotary Club he has spoken to about the current health care situation, recognizing that Rotary Clubs are an ideal way to reach the people of Vermont.

He gave a brief synopsis of the history of BC/BS. Founded in the 1940s as a New Hampshire company, it expanded into Vermont and served both states until 1989 when BC/BS of Vermont was formed. In the years since that there has been a lot of consolidation in the health insurance industry and Vermont Blue Cross was threatened. The other five New England Blue Cross plans contributed to help Vermont remain independent. Now Vermont is unusual in that it is a small, independent, not for profit company.

He said his vision is to fund health care locally – health care needs to be delivered locally -- there is a value to the customer and to the marketplace. Big for-profits can’t deliver care locally.

Blue Cross/Blue Shield is a not for profit with a Vermont board, it employs Vermonters. It is not part of the big national company and is therefore not influenced when rates in California rise by 39%.

Health care services have come to be seen as cold and impersonal but Vermont BC/BS is not cold and impersonal because they are serving neighbors, friends and relatives.

It is important to simplify and standardize the rules.

“Our principal is that everyone should be covered and should pay toward their coverage – and that costs need to be made affordable,” he said. “We see ourselves as strong advocates and proponents of health care reform.”