Matt Garcia will be introduced by Todd Allen and offer us insights into where our food comes from and how the people who produced it were treated. Here’s a picture of Matt from the Valley News. Matt's the one standing up on the right.... 

 

 

 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88229582283?pwd=aS9Hd3o1cS9ZK0hQL0ZhUHZXSEdxQT09

 

Meeting ID: 882 2958 2283

Password: 254494

 

The Zoom Room officially opens at NOON.  After the Pledge of Allegiance and opening inspirational quotes, David Allen will make some announcements, Dave Bradley will update us on birthdays and anniversaries, and Happy Dollars will be distributed. 

 

Apologies for last week’s failure to Zoom! In my capacity as Tech Guru I talked to Jesse’s and we are hopeful that a repositioning of the computer that we use to connect to their wifi will solve the problems we encountered. 

 

 

John Vogel gave his new member talk, which focused on how lucky and blessed he has been throughout his life. After beginning his career as a High School teacher he went into real estate before returning to teaching at Tuck where he helped launch programs in the management of non-profits. As a retiree he now serves on many local non-profit boards, volunteers for many local non-profits, including COVER, and is joyful at finding a new partner, Tina Weldon. 

 

David Allen presented new members John Vogel and Tina Weldon with pins, a hat, and other Rotary paraphernalia as members stood in applause of their joining the club. 

 

Kevin Wenger requested that someone in the club consider serving as Charities Treasurer, emphasizing the relative ease of the assignment. He needs a replacement because he will be President in 2022-23. 

 

David Allen gave an overview of the Board meeting, offering the following updates:

Todd Allen offered Happy Dollars because the Owl was operative and ECFiber placed a hub at the foot of his driveway.  

 

Todd Allen won the raffle which entitles him a ten-dollar-off coupon for a future lunch at Jesse’s. This is the third time he’s done so of late. I trust that the Raffle Management Team is being reactivated to look into this… but given Todd’s ability to find speakers he should get $10 off EVERY week! 

 

 

What is COVER you ask? A simple description might be a local version of Habit for Humanity. They help needy families within the 45-mile radius from the COVER store (near the train station in White River Junction).

 

And what is the fall event? It is called Stuff-A-Truck, and the plan will be to collect donations of used household items that COVER can use or sell. We will plan to have a truck parked in a central location and will ask Hanover, Norwich, and other locals to bring donations. (Pick-ups can be scheduled for larger items.) Rotary volunteers will direct traffic in the parking lot and accept the donated items. COVER staff will lift and pack them into their truck.

 

What can you do NOW? Please tell your friends and neighbors and begin looking around your house for old tools: rakes, hammers, drills, even lawnmowers. Other items they can use are working appliances, furniture in good conditions, building materials, and household items in good condition. Also, COVER has a recycling operation for metal objects. They even resell books that are in good condition. If you have questions about whether a particular item is acceptable it’s best to email COVER at info@coverhomerepair.org.

 

When is this happening? The Stuff-A-Truck event will take place in September. The executive director of COVER will be a speaker at Hanover Rotary’s meeting on September 1 (see below) but we expect to have the date and details announced well in advance of that date. 

 

 

Todd Allen introduced FXFlinn, the Chair of ECFiber, who provided the club with an update on their efforts to provide high speed internet to Vermont. He explained the convoluted governance structure of the organization, which has representatives and alternates from each of the 30+ communities it serves in the Upper Valley. He reported that initially 23 communities signed on for the service in 2008 because those communities had only dial-up services. The stock market meltdown that year meant that the towns had to wait until 2011 to begin the connection to fiber, and the complexities of providing services to low income and rural residences make the service provision difficult. By 2024 ECFiber will provide services to 31,000 customers who would otherwise have been without high speed internet because they were in regions that too sparsely populated to meet the profit margins needed by the private providers. 

 

One pitch FX made was for linesman! He reported that anyone who likes to work outdoors can begin a career that pays six figures once experience is gained. Given the pending passage of the infrastructure bill the opportunities in this trade look secure for the future! 

 

 

August 11 – Todd Allen introduces Matt Slaughter, Tuck’s Dean, who will offer his insights into how the economy is REALLY working

 

August 18 – Dana Michalovac, from the Good Neighbor Health Clinic will be introduced by Todd Allen. Note that Todd Allen will also be giving Willing Hands a check at this meeting for the funds our club raised during the final months of his tenure when we were attending meetings virtually. 

 

August 25 – Todd Allen introduces Kevin Geiger, who will offer a report on the housing situation in the Upper Valley

 

September 1 – Greg B introduces Bill Neukomm from COVER, whose Stuff-a-Truck fundraiser is being supported by the club (see above). 

 

September 8 – Planning for a Social Event are in the works… David Allen MAY have an announcement on this by Wednesday! 

 

September 15 – David Allen will introduce Dartmouth’s Interim AD Peter Roby 

 

September 22 – Todd Allen introduces Valley News publisher Dan McCrory

 

September 29 – Sweetland Farm CSA’s Nora Lake will be introduced by Todd Allen. 

 

Our next opening is the third Wednesday in December! Yes… you read that correctly, the second week in December! Thanks to those who helped sign-up speakers early! 

 

 

Wayne Gersen