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THIS WEEK’S PROGRAM
 
Rubi Simon and Julie Stevenson will introduce our current inbound exchange student and next year’s outgoing exchange student. Our current inbound student will share their experience this past year at Hanover High and our Outbound student will share her expectations for the year ahead. Thanks to both Rubi and Julie for stepping in on short notice! 
 
LAST WEEK'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
President Tom Csatari gave an overview of the recent Board meeting, congratulating Deb Blanc for assuming the leadership in soliciting corporate sponsors for the auction and announcing that Heidi Postpak would be developing a formal process for screening applicants for larger grant awards. He also announced that three new members would be joining the club, counting Deecie Denison, a volunteer extraordinaire who will be returning to the Upper Valley after a hiatus. 
 
Tom Csatari’s best news was that the dues for the club would be dropping from $200/year to $180 per year… and as a result he and the board hoped that every club member would be willing to contribute all or a portion of that savings to the Rotary Foundation. You should have gotten an email confirming this good news! 
 
Nick Harvey offered a Happy Dollar in appreciation for all that the club is accomplishing. 

This week’s raffle winner was Dick Booma, who received a $25 gift certificate to the League of New Hampshire Craftsman. 
 
LAST WEEK'S PROGRAM
 
Heather Drinan introduced green funeral advocate Lee Webster who described the movement to “just bury” people instead of conducting costly and environmentally hazardous funeral. Lee reported that surveys indicate that 53.8 percent of the people would consider a “green option” to a conventional burial, but “people don’t order what’s not on the menu” and very few people are aware that there is a green option. 
 
Lee’s informative and thought provoking presentation included the following “factoids”:
  • Embalming and vaults are not legally required
  • Bodies don’t pollute... but furniture (i.e. coffins), ashes that remain after cremation, and embalming fluids do
  • Conventional burials require 1.6 million tons of concrete, 64,500 tons steel and 4.3 million gallons of embalming fluid
  • The ashes that remain after cremation ultimately breaks down into calcium phosphate and sodium… which kills plants 
  • America is an outlier in the practice of “lifetime burial sites”. As a counter-example, Lee noted that the EU has just adopted a 21 year limit to a site. 
     
Lee described the green burial parameters, which require a grave depth of 3.5 to 4 feet and an 18-24 inch “smell barrier” that ensures that animals will not be attracted to the grave site. She also described a “re-composition” process that results in the deceased individual producing compost that can be used in a garden within a month of the burial.  This website will offer more information on green burials: New Hampshire Funeral Resources, Education & Advocacy 
  
COMING ATTRACTIONS
 
June 12 – Dave Allen will introduce a representative from ACTS Honduras, a not-for-profit based in the Upper Valley that promotes sustainable programs for health, education, agriculture and economic development in the El Rosario area of Honduras.
 
June 19 – Back by popular demand!!! Rubi Simon and the Howe staff will do 30-books-in-30-minutes. Bring your notebook, stopwatch, and a bag to carry home some books to read during the Summer break. 
 
June 26 ONWARD: With the exception of July 3, which is our “cross-over” meeting, we have no speakers identified. We only have great speakers because of the connections of club members! Let us know of ideas you have for speakers in the months ahead.
 
July 3 – Our new President, Liam McCarthy, takes over for Tom Csatari and will offer an inaugural address for us! 
 
July 4 – Our Cook Out on the Common and a chance to march in the parade! 
 
A final note on speakers: while it is a blessing that Rotarians can find good speakers on short notice, it is better for your friendly scribe and the Club President if we can have speakers lined up well in advance. If you have any ideas for speakers, let me, Liam, or whoever is serving on the speakers committee know ASAP. THANKS! 
 
Wayne Gersen
Russell Hampton
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