THIS WEEK’S PROGRAM
Be ready to tap your feet and snap your fingers as Julie Stevenson introduces a quartet from the Hanover High Jazz band.
LAST WEEK'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
Phil McCaull sought host families for the summer for members of the Upper Valley Nighthawks, a semi-professional baseball team consisting of college-level players. Details on the responsibilities of a host family will be included in a separate email.
Tom Csatari announced the sad news that Arthur Gardiner’s wife, Robin Nuse, passed away over the weekend.
Dick Podolec indicated that one opening remained for the Rotary Friendship Exchange to New Zealand next February. He was also seeking host families for October 14-17 of this year when Friendship Exchange visitors from Calgary will be visiting the Upper Valley.
Tom Csatari expressed appreciation for the work Rotarians did over the past weekend cleaning up the School Street Park. Dave Allen, who facilitated the effort, indicated that nearly a dozen bags of trash were collected.
Jed Williamson announced that he would be helping to put together a team of Rotarians to participate in a September Alzheimer’s walk, indicating that details would be forthcoming in the coming weeks.
Rubi Simon won an especially valuable Raffle Prize: a free pass to a Rotary Board meeting!
LAST WEEK'S PROGRAM
Rubi Simon introduced Tom Badowski, the district’s coordinator for Exchange Programs, a position he has held for several years. Tom explained the two programs available for students: the 6 week Friendship Exchange in the summer, which our club does not participate in, and the traditional year abroad program, which our club has actively participated in almost every year for the past decade or so. Tom Badowski emphasized the connection between the mission of Youth Exchange and Rotary’s mission for world peace, sharing statistics that underscore how exchange students who come to our country leave with a much more favorable impression of the US and how our students gain a deeper understanding of other cultures when they travel abroad. Tom encouraged club members us to invite exchange students to join them for dinner in their homes and to consider being host families since Rotary International wants to have each incoming student reside with three different families. In response to questions from the floor, Tom addressed two common misconceptions: the children and grandchildren of Rotary Club members CAN be exchange students; and it is possible for the year of the exchange to be a “gap year”.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
May 22 – We’ll hear from Dartmouth’s Daniel Chamberlain, the Associate Librarian for Digital Libraries.
May 29 – Heather Drinan will introduce Lee Webster, who will tell us about the green funeral movement.
June 5 – Ginia Allision will introduce Kathy Harvard who will provide additional information on the Alzheimers Walk in September.
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.
