Sunrise Rotary Rag - September 12, 2018

Rotary Weekly Newsletter
A.K.A. Brattleboro Sunrise Rotary Rag

DATE: Wednesday, September 12, 2018
 

GREETER: MANY hands (and arms) helped greet this morning – and all hugs were appreciated.

          NEXT WEEK’S GREETER: Lois hopes to make it on time!
 

SCRIBE: This week’s fill-in scribe – Ali - stepping in for Tristam who begged out (is that even a ‘thing’?)
   NEXT WEEK’S SCRIBE – 9/26/18 - Josh Goldberg - in for Damon Kindopp.   
                              And on 9/26/18 – Staci Leffel
 

QUOTE OF THE DAY:          “Every child is an artist. 
            The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”  
                            ~ Pablo Picasso
 

On This Day in 1940 -- Lascaux cave paintings are discovered.  Near Montignac, France, a collection of prehistoric cave paintings are discovered by four teenagers who stumbled upon the ancient artwork after following their dog down a narrow entrance into a cavern.  The 15,000-17,000 year old paintings, consisting mostly of animal representations, are among the finest examples of art from the Upper Paleolithic period.
 

On This Day in 1909 -- the world’s first patent for synthetic rubber is granted to German chemist Fritz Hofmann.
 

Kevin introduced an old softball pal and Rotary Noon’er -Ted Kramer;
Lady Di ‘produced’ then introduced our Guest Speakers: Tom Green & Marilyn Chiarello from Edible Brattleboro;
And Josh T introduced Mary Hayward – ‘Queen of Empty Bowls’ – Saturday, October 6^th at 5:00pm & again at 6:30pm seatings will include a simple meal of homemade soup, bread, cheese and a handcrafted bowl you get to keep.  Area potters donate 1,000+ bowls each year; and local food vendors donate over 110 gallons of soup!
 

Booie Fagelson is ‘somewhere out there’… so if you see her, wish her a happy one.
 

Josh G – September 13^th celebrates his FIRST year anniversary as a Sunrise Rotarian!
Michelle – September 14^th celebrates her 8^th year as a Brattleboro Sunrise’r (although many years past was a member of some OTHER lesser club, so exact time actually a member of RI is unclear.)
 

Sadie so good with so many details had reminders for the following club events requiring our participation:  (See your email Inbox for similar details… thanks Sadie!)

                1) September 22^nd – OUR CLUB PROJECT: Build the Turning Point Pergola and BBQ Bash!  You can participate that day and/or beforehand if you can’t be there.  Sign up w/this link and get times/info:
_{https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eiqT-MZirpmt40nNTdycgv5hTPB78ZipBtgwn-ZDowU/edit?usp=sharing}

                2) September 29^th – CT River Conservancy Clean Up day – We have had 2 presentations from this group and they are a Fall Trivia charity partner as well.  This is NOT an official rotary event, but the Noon Rotary has started a team.  You can sign up with their team, being organized by George Weir here:
_{https://www.ctriver.org/our-work/source-to-sea-cleanup/join-a-group/join-a-group-map/entry/1491/}

                3) October 5^th and 6^th – Groundworks Empty Bowls Dinner – we have a strong relationship with Groundworks and the Noon Rotary is helping out with this one as well.  They need help on the 5^th setting up 7-10pm OR on the 6^th in a 2 (or more)-hour shift doing all kinds of things from checking people in to floral arrangements, 2-9pm.  For more information or to sign up, contact Stan (Noon Rotarian) at Stan@Firsthomeland.com.  Let him know for which shift(s) you’re available.

               4) October 14^th – A JOINT PROJECT w/the Noon Rotary club—Disc Golf Tournament 2018.  This will be an afternoon event.  You can help organize and/or come and play!  For info and to sign up, contact Josh Traeger – JoshTraeger@comcast.net.
 

THIS MONDAY: Sandy Shriver is preparing for our upcoming Trivia Night – Monday, September 17^th – 6:00-9pm.  We still need another scorer or two – Turner can easily explain the rules – and it’s an easy and fun evening.  Consider coming as a trivia player and participant if keeping score isn’t your thing… This month’s Charity Partner will be the Boys and Girls Club.

 

Tristam – Coffee for Sale – Yummie Stuff!  (Ali swears by it) $12/bag – with half going to support our Honduran scholarship program.

 

Erin – Pergola Project – ground work will start this Saturday and they are looking for volunteers to help; they’ll be digging 4 holes 4 feet deep.  Big push still for signing up to volunteer on September 22^nd for the Big “BBQ and Build” – a project affiliated with United Way’s Day of Caring, so there should be some community support with construction.  See link above (in announcements) to sign up to volunteer.

 

8 of Clubs drawn – Diane won an undocumented sum, but some inside sources were thought to hear mumblings of about $29 THOUSAND Dollars having accrued.

 

BRAGS:
 

Marcy -- Hungry Lion Bike Tour (flyers present) – Held on the last Saturday in September at Town Hill, Whitingham, VT.  Participants can choose from several rides to satisfy every cyclist level:  from 5 to 75 miles.  Plus, a challenging Gravel Grinder for back-road cyclists.  Post-ride party with live music and BBQ.  Great Raffle Prizes and Goodie Bags for participants – For more info: www.hungrylionbiketour.com

Toni – A brag for Dan, Deb, Ali and Josh for taking Lucy out last Sunday to play a bit of Disc Golf.  This opportunity with Lucy visiting from Croatia for the school year is one to consider sharing with your whole family – Lucy is great company, a very interesting and fun loving girl who has bravely come across the world to experience America, and self-reports that she’d like any/all experiences we might want to share with her.   Check with Toni if you have any upcoming weekend ideas or plans that would be fun to include Lucy in.

Alisa – (who guiltily admits to still owing the dollar for this brag – oops!)  Ali seconded Toni’s sentiment that she greatly enjoyed time spent playing disc golf and getting to know Lucy, and will be looking forward to more opportunities to plan Rotary social activities Lucy would be interested in joining. 

Valerie – Celebrating her 1-31 Anniversary with hubby John.  Also they traveled to Aruba to enjoy nuptials Venezuelan-style.  They were witness to the bad shape the country is currently in… for instance, the bride rode her procession in an armored car.  However, it was still beautiful and despite the turmoil there, the people can still party!

Lois – She’s sorry to’ve missed the past 3 weeks of Rotary meetings!   While delivering training in India to Madrassa teachers a month ago, she had an accident on the stairs and pulled a tendon in her foot.  But a brag for her – she still finished the training with a wobbly walker!  After a long period of recovery, today marks her FIRST DAY without crutches to assist – this garnered her group applause.

Kevin – First of all, Kevin proposed a fine on EVERYONE not wearing their rotary pin.  And bragged, first -one ‘huge brag’ for our own Ed Dews who really stepped up and contributed from Champion Overhead Doors so that the fire department could purchase 8 new life vests!  Kevin thanked Ed who always tirelessly demonstrates the Rotary motto, ‘Service Above Self’.   Then a brag for son Eric who was recently promoted to manager, complete with a raise and a company car!

Damon – with his Running-Brag-of-the-Day --  Keene High School won this past weekend’s Cross Country event with both sons placing: Torin posting a 4^th place finish and Aidan came in 6^th … out of 107 boys total!   (Numbers were intentionally captured and verified for authenticity to ensure that Jon Secrest in absentia doesn’t miss all the details he has been known to long for and appreciate.)

Josh – New England Street Food Fest – September 22^nd – 11am – 6pm at Kampfires Campground in East Dummerston.  15 food vendors will be present and everyone has been asked to offer at least one $6 item on their menu so that folks can come and enjoy and eat without going broke.  Music by Guilty Pleasures and Gas Light Tinkers.  Also offering entertainment from NECCA throughout the day.

Debra – One brag for the beautiful mums Damon provided from his boys’ school fundraiser.  Another for Ali for watching over her little babies – Ava and Shoshanna --between small delays in parent swaps, so the girls can feel safe.

Toni – Lucy will be playing in a few BUHS games coming up and she’d love to have some of us Rotarians cheering her on… Toni will share the schedule with us or we can also research the schedule online:  buhscolonels.digitalsports.com.

Marcy – Seemed to’ve forgotten to acknowledge hubby’s new job in food services.  Marcy notes it’s nice for him to finally have a job that he deserves. 

Josh – Disc Golf volunteers needed – See Josh for more details.  Also, a brag about successfully completing a roller skating development project in California that has been his focus for the past 3 years!

Tom Greene and Marilyn Chiarello – He a retired teacher leaving behind a trail of gardens everywhere he’s lived, she a self-reported “re-wired” teacher from NY.
 

You may’ve noticed the community garden down by the Food Co-op, one of a handful that make up Edible Brattleboro -- A not-for-profit group, started as one 4’x8’ raised garden bed, the cedar wood for which was their very first donation.  They began taking over the garden at Turning Point.  In September 2016 they received their first grant for $1,000.  Their current goal is to raise their profile and increase community awareness of their efforts. 
 

They use an interesting method called Sheet Mulching - a way of working the ground with layers to form raised beds in order to ensure healthy soil for growing edible produce.  You start with the ground as it is… Existing Soil.  Then add a layer of Unfinished Compost, then a Weed Barrier, Green Material, Finished Compost, and lastly a layer of Mulch.  Tom finds the results to be so lush and successful; he will never go back to doing it any other way.  He strongly suggests to all garden enthusiasts that we do our research and implement this super cool garden bed process.

 

Edible Brattleboro is transforming public spaces in Brattleboro into a help-yourself edible landscapes.  They’ve started small but enthusiastically, and continue to grow significantly.  Even though their gardens post signs clearly stating, “Help Yourself”, it remains difficult for people to believe what they are reading. 
 

Edible Brattleboro is looking to pioneer growth and increase the number of their volunteers.  Knowing how up-front gardening labor can yield huge pay-offs, they will assist groups with initial set up and construction of gardens if we have donate-able public spaces for them, but then they’ll need volunteers to continue maintaining these newly developed spaces.
 

For more information visit: www.ediblebrattleboro.org

To contact Marilyn: Ediblebrattleboro@gmail.com

 

The meeting was adjourned with the recitation of the Four Way Test:
 

 

Respectfully Submitted* by Alisa -- standing in for Tristam