This week, Todd Allen will introduce Raymond Prado, an Art History and Fine Arts graduate of Dartmouth College who has extensive experience working in the film industry. According to his website, Raymond has worked as a Storyboard Artist and 2nd Unit Director for over two decades on over 50 film and television projects, collaborating with directors such as Taylor Hackford, Walter Hill, John Woo, Francis Lawrence, and Errol Morris.  Raymond has directed everything from opening credit sequences, stunts, visual effects shots, scenes with lead actors on location, and montages featuring lead actors in movies ranging from serious dramas to broad comedies. When he isn’t making movies, he is running a bakery in the hills of Vermont with his wife, Gesine. 

 

At last week's meeting Phil McCaull announced that Rob Adams' father-in-law, John Girard, a beloved teacher at Marion Cross School, passed away and that an August 25 memorial service was planned. President Csatari awarded a Paul Harris fellow "+ 4" to Dave Allen, praising Dave for his good work in the months since he joined our club. Kathy Geraghty announced that we have donated $308 to Listen thus far thanks to our Happy Dollars. President Tom noted that those dollars and the ones we raise in our Christmas bell-ringing would be crucial for needy Upper Valley residents given the forecasted spike in oil prices. 

 

Our speaker last week was Hanover High School teacher Matt Prince, who coordinates the March Intensive program. Matt, Rotarian and Hanover High Dean of Students Julie Stevenson, and visiting Hanover High RYLA participant and student Lauren Eisley offered their personal perspectives on March Intensive, which offers students a wide array of opportunities to spend four days exploring topics of interest to them, topics that typically fall outside the traditional curriculum. Lauren described her experience working at the Haven as a Freshman and spending a week at a yoga retreat center last year. Julie described her offerings as a faculty member and Dean: seminars on literature topics and ethics. Matt described his service trips to Nicaragua where he and teams of students worked on Habitat for Humanity projects. Their experiences gave members a sense of the breadth of the offerings and some of the positive aspects of the program, especially the relationship-building and in-depth learning that took place. Matt concluded his talk by inviting club members to consider offering a week-long project on a topic of interest to them or a project that might engage students in the life of the community. He and Julie emphasized that the high school will provide a teacher to assist with designing the program and handling the logistics. 

 

Looking ahead, a reminder that there is no luncheon meeting next week, August 29. Instead we have a social gathering at the Life Science building at Dartmouth College. The event begins at 4:30 in the atrium of the building, but for those who are interested and available there will be a tour of the entire building beginning at 3:30. The charge for the wine and cheese spread will be our usual lunch fee of $18. Tom will have more details Wednesday.

 

And beyond August? Apart from September 5 and Halloween, where we are still seeking speakers, we're booked into November! Here's the slate of speakers we have lined up: 

 

9-5 No speaker as yet... Any ideas welcome!