Brattleboro Sunrise Rotary Club Meeting Summary

Date: Late September 2025 (Next meeting October 8)

Attendance & Roles

• Servers: John Seacrest (current), Londa & MJ (Oct 8)
• Scribe: John Blake (current), Nick (Oct 8)
• Student Rotarians: Riley (junior - plays softball/basketball, plans nursing) and Taylor (senior - involved in NHS, Student Council)
• Guest Speaker: Hank Lang, endurance coach

Key Announcements

• NO MEETING next week (October 3)
• 30th Anniversary Happy Hour at Saxton River, Friday October 3 at 5:30 PM

• 10th annual tournament coming up
• Friday night kickoff party planned (October 3)
• Still need volunteers to fill spots
• Sponsorships coming along well
• Nick hosting tutorial Sunday Sept 28, 10 AM at Kiwanis shelter

• New simplified menu implemented
• Switching from omelets to scrambles
• Eliminating calzones
• Faster service times achieved

• Katya has arrived safely in Ireland, sent thank you note
• $356 raised for scholarship fund (Rosie the pig)
• Tristan recovering from surgery, meal train ongoing (4 slots left)
• Bulb planting party needs organizer for post-disc golf tournament

• Invasive species removal at West River Trail completed
• 5 volunteers pulled bittersweet plants
• Mona's house construction project with all volunteer labor proposed as next project

Service Above Self & Brags

• Major deck and roof construction with all volunteer labor
• 54' x 8' front porch completed
• Metal roof installation pending weather
• May need help with metal installation in coming weeks

• Wife's retirement after 40 years teaching (heading to Greece)
• Sarah Lang won silver at USA Cycling national gravel championships
• Jason Posternak raised $20,000+ through poker tournaments (former member tribute)
• Youth soccer season successes
• D2R2 100km bike ride completed

• Flew without ID after leaving it on bicycle
• Passed security questionnaire including social security card state of issue
• Extensive additional screening but made flight

Guest Speaker: Hank Lang - "Finding Your Personal Best"

• Balance between "ant" (task-focused) and "grasshopper" (being-focused) mindsets
• Stress as inherent part of living - response matters most
• Task-Positive Network vs Default Mode Network in brain
• Importance of play: "We don't quit playing because we grow old; we grow old because we quit playing"

• 11-year journey with "Joe" to embrace bilateral breathing
• Daughter Sarah's recovery from anorexia to championship cyclist
• 2003 Tour of Hope raising $5.2M for cancer research
• Riding with Lance Armstrong before his fall from grace

• Exercise as key intervention for wellbeing
• Get outside and move every day
• Take breaks every 20-30 minutes
• Balance work with play for optimal performance
• Trust body's subjective feelings, not just fitness trackers

Other Business

• New England Youth Theatre fundraiser "Broadway in Brattleboro" November 1
• Social committee coordinating group attendance at NYT event
• Window Dressers volunteer opportunity with signup sheet circulated
• Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in North Carolina being explored for potential global grant

Upcoming Events

• October 3: Anniversary Party at Saxton River (5:30 PM)
• October 8: Next regular meeting with District Governor Donna Dios
• November 1: NYT Broadway in Brattleboro fundraiser

Meeting Closed

• Card drawing: Queen of Diamonds (stayed in deck)
• Four-Way Test recited