October 19th Newsletter

Posted by Jerry Goldberg on Oct 19, 2016
 
October  19, 2016
 
At 7:15, following the ritual Pledge of Allegiance, President Damon bade us welcome. We thanked our greeter and ray of sunshine, KJ -- and, keeping it all in the family, acknowledged Diane as next week's scribe. 
 
On this day in history
  • 1987 -- They called it Black Monday, after the Dow plummeted (interesting how that word seems reserved for gi-normous financial failure) a whopping (that one, too) 22%, or 508 points. 
  • 2004 -- Curt Shilling (in better days) led the Sox to a 4-2 win over the New York Yankees in game six of the Americal League Championship Series
  • 2010 -- Chicago-born Tom Bosley passed away. Bosley, who worked like mad, is probably best know for his role as Ron Howard;s dad, Howard Cunningham, in "Happy Days."  He also had a recurring role, Sheriff Amos Tupper, in "Murder, She Wrote," and won a Tony Award for his title role as NYC's diminutive mayor, Fiorello LaGuardia in the 1959 Broadway musical, "Fiorello!"  Note from scribe: I saw it and can sing or at least hum the score for you if neither of us has anything better to do... 
Not around: Mark Ethier, Lisa Fitzgerald, Drew Hazelton (too much "adventure," say what?), Jeff Keliher, James Maxwell and Sandy Shriver  
 
Rites of Passage  
  • "Happy Birthday to You," Bob, Booie and Diane, was delivered with triple gusto by the Sunrise Birthday Singers  
  • There were no Rotary anniversaries to celebrate 
New to You! 
Erin O'Keefe (approved as a member) will be formally inducted next week.
 
Guests 
  • Amelia introduced Lucy Farnum
  • Kevin intro'd our two Windham Regional Career Center Student Rotarians, Sean Donovan and Sara Gauthier, as well as Evie and mom, Sadie
  • Ross introduced visiting Bill Bennyan (sp?), visiting New England from somewhere in Colorado
  • Turner introduced Kimberly Diamond, on hand to speak to us about Big Brothers, Big Sisters 
Student Rotarian Report 
  • Sean, a member of the Future Business Leaders of America, told us about the frozen food sale and Yankee Candle Sales, both held to raise money for field trips and other special needs.
  • Sara, secretary of the FBLA, received $500 from these sales to help finance her trips to Lake Morey, Anaheim CA and Lake Morey once again.     
                        Full disclosure for absentees: We broke here for our speaker, who had to leave way earlier than 8:30. The report on her presentation will                               follow at end of these notes.    
 
Announcements
  • Josh reported on the great success of last Sunday's Disc Golf tournament. About 74 had registered and 68 showed up to play. The take was maybe $7K which, after expenses, will yield the club about $3K -- pretty awesome! -- as is the PR value. We gave Josh a much-deserved standing O!
  • Tristam read us a letter from Danny, one of our Honduran students, who also sent photos.  Tristam's posting all on his presentation board so you can check it out at a future meeting. Among other things Danny wrote about the School Garden program which provides much-needed vegetables as well as medicinal plants.
  • Dan reported as much as he could on the upcoming blood donation program. He and Debra R are partnering on this one. More to come. 
Cahds 
The Three o' Spades was plucked out of the deck for the second week in a row. This time, however, there was a winner -- Nick -- who claimed the $28.
 
Bowl of Life 
No bowl, so life goes on............
 
Brags
  • KJ bragged for Josh and Rob and Sadie for the Disc Golf event... for for the Adventure Race (we came in third)... for Jim Maxwell, who has volunteered to take over the emcee duties at next month's Trivia Night because KJ will be away getting orientated (is that a word?) for his new job... and finally for his and Diane's celebration of their anniversary 
  • Jen for "Seven by Poe" at the Hooker-Dunham (Halloween-themed theatrical presentation)
  • Shannon for a fundraiser next week (at Fireworks) to raise funds to help the family of a young person just diagnosed with leukemia 
  • Jim V once again for Josh and the whole Disc Golf team and to tell us about Windham Grows, being officially kicked off on 26 Oct, 5-6:60 at the River Garden
  • "15-Second Jon S" with a very funny accounting of the aforementioned Adventure Race, assisted by "The Almost Man," Dan D.  
  • Ali for her daughter, now back from Madagascar
  • Toni with more on the Adventure Race, and for her daughter Kyle on her promotion (she's in the military)
  • Kevin with his chestnut -- a fine for not wearing one's Rotary pin and a special fine for Jon's 10-minute brag and finally for his son Eric and fiancee Danielle who are to be marrked next week in Pittsfield VT
  • Damon, ever-proud of his Aidan, who "ruled" at the Homecoming Races in Keene.  
Guest Speaker – Turner re-introduced Kimberly Diamond, director of Big Brothers, Big Sisters. with the organization for two years. Kimberly's BB/BS highlights (with apologies to her for this distillation of her excellent presentation): 
  • BB/BS began in 1904 
  • Largest national org serving this young population 
  • 350 BB/BS across the country -- with two in Vermont (ours and one in Bennington County). 
  • 41 years in Brattleboro 
  • Serves average of 50+ young people at any one time
  • Two basic programs -- community, where mentors and kids see each other out in the community, and school-based, which means they meet during school day at the school and only during the school year
  • Mentors make a one-year commitment
  • Why mentor?
  • So many young people come from less than ideal home and family circumstances and are subject to less than ideal forces outside the home as well.
  • Helps mentors or partners... check in monthly... offer trainings, etc.
  • Has staff of three
  • Takes a great deal of care making matches
  • Requires annual commitment
  • Mentoring is a preventative measure that studies have shown works.
  • Prepares kids to want to sit around tables like these (she meant those we are sitting at) in the future... (what a great way of putting it)
  • Main annual fundraising event: Bowl for Kids Sake
  • Many volunteers help raise money
  • Are building an advisors council
  • Is a give and take organization -- "We ask (for your support), and we also give (assisting you as needed)... "
  • Current goal: 30 Bigs in 30 Days (to make these matches by the end of the year)
  • Ages of kids: 6 to 18
Q/A: 
  • How do kids "get in?" / Referrals, interviews, many conversations. 
  • Tell me more about mentoring. / It's about relationship-building. Supporting kids around their likes. Mentors introduce their world to the kids
  • What's the time commitment? / It varies, but there's a four hours per month "minimum" 
  • What kinds of homes do most of the kids come from? / All different. Many from foster homes. "Bigs" do NOT play a parental role in the kids' lives. 
  • What's the age of most of your mentors? / Mentors have to be 18 and older.  Most are in the 40-70 year-old range. 
  • What's the gender split? / Pretty even between M and F here in Brattleboro -- against the national trend.  
  • How many do you now have in the program? / Currently 65 matches. Again, there are 30 on on our waiting list. 
Three of our club members have been BB/BS mentors: Ali, Michele and Diane. Each spoke very positively about their experience.      
 
Damon gave us the four-way test and, satisfied that we responded with positive enthusiasm, adjourned the meeting at 8:30 a.m. 
 
Respectfully submitted,
Jerry