Sunrise Rotary minutes April 22, 2026
Pledge of Allegiance
Thanks to server: Roger
Thanks to this week’s scribe: Jim Next week TBD
Thanks to this week’s greeters: Will and Josh
Thanks to Justin, our Sergeant at Arms!
Thanks to treasurer John Blake.
Thanks Melissa, our Secretary.
No guests this week
Kristin will be our speaker today
Announcements
- Sandy: Trivia April 20 cancelled – Legion building had plumbing issues – reschedule Trivia for Monday April 27
- Debra: Club Garden mulch postponed due to rain; small garden this coming Sunday (Apr 26 at noon) and TBD when we will get back to the other one
- Will: Last weekend’s West River Trail cleanup got a lot of work done, our club participating. The project aims to connect West River Trail with Connecticut River and Rice Hill. Alex will speak to us next week about the clean-up challenges for the trail
- Mona: Green Up Day is May 2. Not sure if we will have an organized participation, check in on this next week
- Kristin: Retreat Garden needs volunteers May 15, 8 to 12, help with pre-fab raised beds
- Mona; Bingo May 16
- Diane: Epic Project Day May 16: a worldwide day of service for service organizations, to show the world that somebody still cares. Rotary’s role is significant. Diane will send out information to our members
- Sandy: May 16 also!—Movie & A Walk: Movie at Latchis, The World Before Your Feet, then talk and walk around town with film’s subject, Matt Green
- Mona: Welcome Center June 20. No coffee this year at Welcome Center. All hands needed!
- Sandy: History Tour – Sandy and Jon will do two more history tours on June 20 and 27
(Changeover also June 27!)
Debra: We have received a request from Hospice to help with their garden a couple times a year. Discussion – can Noon club help? – is it too much for us with other gardens? No decision
Request for members to upload photos of club events for archive and for tri-fold we use at Welcome Center and elsewhere
Justin: Rotarian At Work t-shirts available, XL only
Birthdays: Nick not here; serenade him next week
Anniversaries: none this week
30 For 30: West River Trail Cleanup goes on the list
Brags:
- Dan for his herculean efforts with chain saw at trail clean up
- Kevin told us about the drive-by shooting on Chestnut Street
- Jon for Sandy, who is now the incoming president of the Windham County Bar
- Jon also for Alena who is in Lithuania with friends from all the way back at Green Street School
- Mona’s neighbor has moved away but they are looking forward to new friends moving in
8:00 +/- Speaker. Londa introduces Kristin, one of our newest members and the Exec Director of the Land and It’s People initiative at the Retreat Farm. These highlights from Kristin’s life and times:
• Grew up in central New York (Norwich), summers in Eagle Bay (Adirondacks), the youngest of five.
• Strong background in arts: painting, murals, music (piano, guitar), and photography.
• Education pathway: UVM (Art Ed), Buff State (Fashion Design and Philosophy), eventual degree in Religious Studies. Extensive experience in the restaurant industry during “dropout” years.
• Study abroad in India—focus on Buddhist Art and local impacts of tourism; became interested in anthropology.
• Graduate studies in anthropology with an emphasis on cultural and applied anthropology and heritage tourism.
• Dissertation and research focused on decoy carving communities on Chincoteague and Assateague Islands (VA/MD).
• Ethnographic methods: Studied decoy makers, issues of cultural identity, land use, impact of tourism, economic/labor traditions.
• Brought “show and tell” items: decoy duck, prayer flags, Tibetan Tonka painting.
• Museum career: Director and curator at Ward Museum (Maryland), State Folklorist of Washington, led Center for Washington Cultural Traditions, later became Executive Director at Ward Museum.
• Engagement in public programming, education, and expanding representation in arts and migration narratives.
• Retreat Farm: Current work: Land and its People Initiative—explores intersections of human influence and natural environment at Retreat Farm (Brattleboro).
• Upcoming: Workshops and exhibitions over the summer detailing land and cultural connections.
Cards
Of the things we think, say or do:
Is it the truth?
Is it fair to all concerned?
Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
Is it beneficial to all concerned?