Posted by Leigh Carpenter on Oct 20, 2017
President Garcia leading her fist Club Assembly -- a job VERY well done!
 
 
Pledge lead by Mary
Words by Howard: be inspired that we CAN make a difference during these times of natural disasters and violence.

Visitor
  • Jeff Lobb, Maynard shared he has traveled to, and works with children in Ecuador.  As a jazz pianist, organizing 5th annual concert at South Acton Congregational Church where they will also live skype with Ecuador during event. 
    • Brenda Lau, vocalist and AB High School Jazz Club also performing. 
    • Friday, November 10th all proceeds go to Ubeci Foundation   
    • www.brownpapertickets.com $18 | $20 at the door
Happy/Sad
  • Richard happy our institutions are so resilient
  • Howard happy Steve helped publicize Repair Café in Sudbury (let Howard know if you can help)
  • Carl happy they had a great meeting for Wine Fellowship and how well things are coming together for the group
  • Ron is happy his son will be home for first visit since going to Marist College
  •  Bob saw a famous Rotarian, Peter (from Peter Paul & Mary), who was at Lions Club promoting Rotary
  • Ray is happy good things going on with Repair Cafes.  Sad that father-in-law, who was just put into assisted living, is going downhill and needs to  be moved into memory unit. 
  • Rich & Mary are frustrated with computers
  • Steve – Heritage Sherborn is location of next Wine Fellowship.  Also looking forward to an Interact training workshop on Sat, 10/28 at Sheridan in Needham
  • Laura happy to see Natasha F, former Rotarian, who brought friends to Wine Fellowship meeting, great to see Rotarians at Airfield ribbon ceremony, went to Zone Institute and pleased with presentation.  Dean, Rotarian VP, was sitting up front and complemented Laura as well which brought great joy.  Happy Chris is back home from Germany
  • Carolyn wishes oldest son a happy 20th birthday, wine tasting tonight for Habitat!
  • Jacky is happy the TV up at senior center but sad at process.  She and her husband enjoyed a trip to Vermont without any incidents
  • Leigh enjoyed airfield celebration with her brother & 2 year old niece.  Also shared Catherine Pfau has organized a Get Your Glam on event for tonight at the Healing Garden
  • Chris great to be back (gave 5 euro)
  • Catherine happy son has been to Americorp for last 8 months, in PR for 3 weeks, and was just accepted into REMA Reserve Corp.  Happy daughter is going to Skidmore College.
Announcements/Discussion
  • Thanksgiving basket items needed and also help delivering in Bolton (weekend before Thanksgiving delivery).  Contact Laura if you would like to participate
  • Laura wonders when we should help at Stow Community Dinner again since they appreciated our help
  • Mary shared that we had a really nice joint meeting with Ayer last week.
  • Board voted to collect and match funds, to be donated to Rotary, which will be earmarked to provide aid in hurricane & earthquake devastated areas.  Voluntary contributions will be collected through November with our Club matching up to $500.
Assembly
  • Mary shared that her view of our club is: generous, kind, young, vibrant, and more!
  • Upcoming events:
    • 10/21: Ray shared there is a huge recycle event at Middle School, Shirley, 9-2pm
    • 10/21 District Service Day
    • 10/24-25: Purple Pinkie Day (look at NV website for dates & locations)
    • 10/27: Visit to Dismas House meal
    • 10/28: Repair Café in Sudbury
    • 11/2: visioning
    • 11/4: Salem & Littleton Repair Café, Allston Library Fix It
    • 11/10: Veterans Breakfast in Stow.  Retired General will speak
    • 11/15-20: Thanksgiving baskets put together and distributed
    • 11/24: Pass the hat relief fundraiser
    • 12/10: District Holiday party at Colonial Inn
    • TBD in January: NV Club Holiday party
  • A year of promise
    • District Conference at Mt. Washington
  • Committee Work
    • Membership: nothing more important than membership to carry out Service Above Self.  35 active members.  Goal to recruit 3 more.  Nanci has been reaching out to connect with less active members to be sure we are meeting everyone’s expectations.  Mary & Nanci are listening and talk to each other to avoid member burn out!
    • Global Grant: FOCUS DREAM CENTER.  Committee on “the other side” has happened, reviewing budget & meeting tonight.  Grant is looking to provide meal assistance, community AIDS/HIV education, clean water supply.  World class education, LAB IN A BOX model by Professor Mecca, kindergarten through grad school.  Additionally, will provide Microflush toilets where they will be adopting program to train people, sewing machines to tailor clothes, farming to grow own food with skills training, drug/alcohol counseling.  Community Resource Center in addition to orphanage.  Power and water well are now functioning. Goal to be self-sustaining!  Carl has initial presentation if anyone would like a copy
    • Distract Grant: Cultivate Counseling on 117 in Bolton.  Karin Gaffney is leading this
    • Youth activity: Interact club has started to meet. 
    • Scholarship: program being expanded.  $2,500 to Nashoba Regional will remain the same but direction changed – now open for students planning a career in any area of Rotary focus (no longer just medical).  Interviews with finalists will be part of process now.  Opening a new tool scholarship $500 for Minuteman Technical HS.
    • Reality Fair, April 6th
    • Foundation: literally the foundation or work that all of us do.  Fund that helps provide Global Grant which our club has taken advantage more than others.  We have done one EVERY year. 
      • Exceeded $7,500 goal last year with $9,091 donated by members.   Goal $8,500 for this year.  Many ways to give (once, monthly, etc.)
    • 2018 Fundraisers: Dogs 2 Vets & Brew Fest
  • Areas of Concern on Mary’s mind:
    • Meeting Attendance: better in the mornings so we need to think about evenings since consistently low attendance
    • Engaging all members: honor the way you can give through service and/or meetings and committees
    • Burn out: Mary worried about a lot of incredible people doing a lot of work.  Need to watch for each other.  Howard suggested delegation! 
    • Balancing requests from the community: happy that we can do a program for some organizations who present to us but worried about being able to support all.  We need to keep in context with what can we do well, and do joyfully
    • Building leadership skills: RLI training is phenomenal!  Mary emailed schedule on 10/18 and encourages folks to attend (half of cost reimbursed by Club)
  • Open discussion
    • Marketing/Sales Management background (Howard).  If one person is providing majority of support, that is a danger point.  Howard proposes to have a fundraising committee to ensure we have a balance.  Concerned that large majority of money comes from 1 event (Brewfest).  This may help with burnout. 
      • Laura commented that fundraising will be a part of visioning, including an exercise that will narrow down our focus. 
      • Encouraged to pick 3 to do well (new or recurring) so that we do not do it all. 
      • Recommendation that post-visioning Committee should be separate from board
      • Richard: we did visioning process, club ran with the spirit afterwards and agrees with Howard that we need to be cognizant of the risks he described.  
      • How do we manage those risks?
      • Steve – if fundraising effort survives dot process, be glad to serve on visioning committee (Carl as well)
    • Laura – reminder that she tracks service hours.  Pretty impressive!
    • Jeff – Maynard member shared how impressed he is by all that we do. 
    • Chris complemented Mary on her job this year!