November 03, 2021 Newsletter
President Mona started with the Rotary Minute:
The Rotary district governor performs a very significant function in the world of Rotary. He or she is the single officer of Rotary International in the geographic area called a Rotary district, which usually includes about 45 Rotary clubs. The district governors, who have been extensively trained at the worldwide International Assembly, provide the “quality control” for the 27,000 Rotary clubs of the world. They are responsible for maintaining high performance within the clubs of their district. 
The district governor, who must make an official visit to each club in the district, is never regarded as an “inspector general”. Rather, he or she visits as a helpful and friendly adviser to the club officers, as a useful counselor to further the Object of Rotary among the clubs of the district, and as a catalyst to help strengthen the programs of Rotary.
The district governor is a very experienced Rotarian who generously devotes a year to the volunteer task of leadership. The governor has a wealth of knowledge about current Rotary programs, purposes, policies and goals and is a person of recognized high standing in his or her profession, community and Rotary club. The governor must supervise the organization of new clubs and strengthen existing ones. He or she performs a host of specific duties to assure that the quality of Rotary does not falter in the district, and is responsible to promote and implement all programs and activities of the Rotary International president and the RI Board of Directors. The governor plans and directs a district conference and other special events.
Quotes: “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Rohn
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” – Jane Goodlall (DG John Bob weekly quote)
Guests: John Bob Siemienowicz & Bill Stevens
Greeter: Will Shakespeare
Bonus: New member Steven Dodson became official today! 
Birthdays: None
Anniversaries: Toni and Damon – 21 years Rotarians!
Student Rotarians: Ava Whitney, Tenzin Mathes & Sylvie Normandeau
Tenzin: Finished cross country with last meet. Has been doing for 6 years so hard to say goodbye. Starting Nordic over the winter which is his favorite sport due to great coaches. Helping to plan kick-ball game for students against coaches. Applying to college where he’d like to pursue Nordic. Trunk or treat in Guilford is a great event.
Sylvie: Senior at BUHS National Honors Society and an Athletic Consulship member. Their advisors are in the process of selecting new members of NHS. Once new members are selected, Sylvie will be inducting them with a ceremony. Will be in person which is much better than Zoom (last year). Excited to write speeches for close friends that are inducted. Athletic Consulship Meeting topic: How to promote school spirit in a time of Covid. Looking for ideas like how to have an actual homecoming so are trying to get ideas approved. Went “real” trick or treating for the first time this year. Boyfriend is EXCELLENT trick-or-treater.
Announcements: 
Thanks to those who signed up for Deb’s Meal Train. Check Sign-up Genius for open spots. Will need meals until Friday and then again from the 15th – 30th. Her Aunt Helen will meet you at the door.
Tristam: 1) Chenupa (sp?) (a.k.a. quilt guy) now has his car back after getting its engine replaced. $1120 was needed and $1180 was raised. Tristam will request permission from Rotary board to send him remaining money.
2) Today at 10:00 there is a global Zoom call with the Ukraine to discuss a grant for a sewing cooperative. This will benefit Ukrainian women seamstresses in need. Fun fact: Ukraine is huge in land mass and has around 40 million people.
An Ed Dews sighting was made! He’s apparently happy and healthy.
Toni: The gift certificate list went out yesterday. Keep working on getting restaurants on board.
Kevin: Friday is kick off for Feed the Thousands. Sent out Sign-Up Genius for signing up for helping with the project. Please read notes in Kevin’s e-mail for details and do not ask stupid questions. Opens at 9:00 - food must be there at 4:00. Price Chopper and Brattleboro Co-op only. Not Hannaford. Closed on Thursdays. Let Kevin know if something is amiss but you better have read the directions first.
Diane: Trivia is November 8th. Come volunteer or play! 
Cards: Per usual, we’re all losers.
Brags:
Marci: It was a great Halloween year! Everything looked awesome even though a bunch of stuff didn’t get done (like carving 13 pumpkins). Disappointed in black cat who doesn’t like Halloween. Had great volunteers to help and 300-400 trick-or-treaters. Sunday rain brought standing water in spider tunnel – averted disaster of potential mud pit by going to Facebook to request woodchips.  Within 45 minutes they had multiple people bring wood chips to make the area walkable again. Congrats to kind strangers who saved the day after Halloween.
John: Two brags – 1) His fantastic wife is in Boston for business. She’s been traveling a lot but it’s OK since it’s helping keep John living the lifestyle to which he’s become accustomed. 
2) Semi-proud parenting moment: John and Kerri had a list of accomplishments for Alina – one of which was to learn 5 basic knots but she hated it so never learned it. However, while trying to hang a hammock and being unable to remember a knot she DID remember something that Dad always said: “If you can’t tie knots, tie lots”. Brilliant.
Kevin: Two brags – 1) Loves that DIL always sends lots of photos of grandkids. His nine-month old granddaughter, Harper, is beginning to creep and crawl on the floor – small victories for grandparents to experience. Son and DIL now have 2 mobile mini-me’s.
2) Go Braves – Gave homage to some Brave’s player that nobody cares about.
Katja: 1) Thanks to club for stepping up for Deb. 
2) To new District Governor for being here. 
3) To student Rotarians.
Bill Stevens (Guest AG): Says we excel at verbose brags. He will be formally ratified as the 2024-2025 DG. Wanted to remind us that everyone of us will interact with multiple people this week – and those people could make great club members. 
Josh T: 1) Ayla is doing the flying trapeze as an after-school sport. She did the “whoop” and was able to actually connect with someone!
2) Thanks to our guests for attending.
Club Assembly:
John Bob: Check out John’s video for more about him. Steel contractor – landed job because dyslexic but good at math. Very visual person – likes videos, movies etc. David (District governor nominee) is on Zoom.  The three of our guests are dividing and conquering the district governor role. 
His journey: Home Rotary in NH. He asks that we put aside our biases and admits the end of his conversation is dark and harsh but should be pondered on. When he was DG-elect, went to a training session in the NW US. So massive that people were shuttled in from the airport because local parking lot was full. 1500+ attended. Was known as John Bob from Boston. Wore sport jacket but no tie and hiking boots which isn’t Boston looking. As president of Rotary was speaking, John Bob sat with the president’s wife Suzanne and others and asked President why Rotary was unchanged. Then Covid hit (this was Feb 2020) which ironically forced change. Despite the horrible circumstances of Covid, it’s also good because it brought change. 
District tract: Have digital handbook which will be the handbook going forward. Has $36,000 dollars to give away to district for funding. Five out of 23 clubs raised $38K for a soup kitchen in Nashua.
Wants Rotary to be a safe place for all. Wants to tear down barriers as a method of change – gave examples of multiple minority Rotary leaders who had experienced prejudice and felt unsafe as they became leaders.
John Bob challenges us to do things to make change– reminded us of the example that women took Rotary to the Supreme Court to allow them to attend.
Meeting End: Mona ended meeting with Four Way Test.