Events

The Essex Rotary Environment Committee has a goal of increasing the number of residents from Essex Town, Essex Junction, Westford, Jericho and Underhill who take advantage of existing programs that use state-of-the-art technology to weatherize / seal-up / insulate homes.  

There are three programs that are currently operating in Chittenden County: Vermont Gas Systems (VGS) for larger natural gas users; Low-Income Weatherization Program run by Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO); and, Efficiency Vermont and the range of incentives we pay for through our electric bills monthly. 

The Environment Committee has asked Efficiency Vermont to emphasize virtual audits - stthe latest starting point to assess home energy efficiency.   This online chat vehicle is a great way to start the process that can lead to major home upgrades subsidized by Efficiency Vermont and Vermont Gas, and free from CVOEO, upgrades that can save you money every day. 

Essex Rotary has several committees who serve multiple functions: 

• • Develop and run service projects (i.e. food drives; pollinator garden creation; Green-Up Day, etc.) 
  • Decide how to distribute their annual donation budget; 
  • Connect Essex Rotary members at a personal level and to Rotary's mission.

President Edith and President-elect Lois will use this time to help our newer members who seek a committee assignment to learn more about the work of our Committees and to sign up to participate.  Part of the "learning" will include a "recruitment talk" by the Chair's of our committees:

Service Committees:  

• Shelter Committee
• Nutrition Committee 
• Youth Committee
• International Committee 
• Scholarship Committee 
• Environment Committee

​Fund Raising Committees:

• Golf
• Corn Booth
• Hockey

​Operations Committees:

• Public Relations / Social Media 
• Finance 
• Other

Annually, Essex Rotary awards post-secondary education scholarships to high school seniors from Essex High School and Mount Mansfield Union High School.  Students are invited to join Essex Rotary for lunch to share their story and future plans.  The Scholarship effort at Essex Rotary is chaired by Patrick Hutton and a group of volunteers review applications screened originally by VSAC to determine the recipients.  

Every year at the end of June, Rotary Clubs around the world "Change Over" - where officers at all levels change.  This year, Essex Rotary's change over meeting will be from 5 to 6:30 PM at the Holy Family Parish Hall in Essex Junction.  At this time, President-elect Lois will take over our President role from President Edith.  Also, the awards will be presented to Club members.  

Now 

This quarter's social gathering will be at 1st Republic Brewing - located at 39 River Road.  Since 1st Republic does not serve food on a regular basis, the Club will bring in pizza to round out the evening.  We will gather from 5 PM to 6:30 PM at 1st Republic.  Hope to see you there to celebrate the summer.    

Essex Rotary is honored to host our new District Governor, Luc Pomerleau.  As members know, Rotary District 7850 covers northern and central Vermont, northern New Hampshire and southern Quebec.  For the first time in recent memory, our District Governor hails from the region surrounding Sherbrooke, PQ, a geographical fact that highlights the close relationship between our Canadian neighbors and New England. 

Please read his biography here - a history that recognizes his international experience. If Essex Rotary members have any symbols of the strong, enduring relationship between Canada and Quebec and Vermont and the United States, this would be a great moment to wear or display them.  For example, lapel pins, t-shirts, sports paraphenalia, or whatever you might find appropriate.   

RYLA is the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy - an annual weekend conference held by our District 7850.  Essex Rotary member Amy Jackman works with school staff to find students with an interest in developing leadership skills though a group process with peers from around our Rotary District which includes high schools in southern Quebec, northern Vermont and New Hampshire.  

The format will include reports from each of the students - and Patrick Hutton will continue the conversation by asking thought provoking questions to draw out additional thoughts and insights. 

If schedule allows, we will be joined by the new EWSD Superintendent Dr. Mark Holodick will join us for the presentation.  Will be great to meet him as he starts his new job.  

Here is a link to Rotary District 7850's explanation of RYLA. 

The City of Essex Junction is creating a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Master Plan for the City Center, Pearl Street Corridor, and Park Street area.  The Plan is called "Connect the Junction."   Transit-Oriented Development is aimed at creating walkable communities centered around transportation hubs, which allow people to walk, bike, and ride transit to destinations for work and leisure. This study area contains stops for Green Mountain Transit Bus Lines 2 and 10, as well as the Amtrak Station.

This project builds upon previous planning efforts that have envisioned how Essex Junction can grow thoughtfully, incorporating more diverse housing options and encouraging multi-modal transportation. Through a robust community engagement process, the team will devise strategies for future development in the area, looking at opportunities for new land uses, the expansion of public space, and the improvement of facilities for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders.

Myers Container Service, the Red Can Family, provides service to much of northwest Vermont.  Here is how they describe their service: 

Myers Container Service Corp. is the area's most reliable in garbage removal and recycling services. We are a locally owned company with 12 years of industry experience, we've grown from construction site cleaning to a full-service hauling company. We offer an array of commercial and residential services to suit your needs, so call us today. Schedule convenient trash removal, as well as residential and commercial recycling, with our professionals in South Burlington, Vermont. 

Rob Coburn will describe issues that face the Red Can Family as they deal with the regions recycling and trash issues.  Hopefully he will touch on the need to site additional lined landfill capacity - an issue that challenges our state as Vermont has only working landfill in Coventry. 

Essex Rotary - and our Golf Committee - are very thankful that Myers has been the presenting sponsor of annual Golf Classic, one of the club's largest fund raisers.  Will be great to have Rob "in the house".  

Grace Gray is an "honorary member" of Essex Rotary - and joins us when she can for lunch.  Her current day job involves production of food at the Intervale.  

She is a bit of a celebrity at the District 7850 level, as the District and Essex Rotary (thank you Edith) worked with her to receive a $30,000 plus grant to study and work in Italy beginning in December 2025 and lasting through the end of the year.  Grace will fill us in on her plans and work to promote sustainable agriculture across the globe.  

Here is a description of her project from the District 7850 Newsletter: 

A Global Grant Scholarship was recently approved and awarded to Grace Gray who will be attending the Peace Center at the University of Rome Graduate School.  Grace’s Field of Study is Environmental Food Studies Program.  Her research/thesis will focus on reforming factory farming in collaboration with the global non-profit Compassion in World Farming. 

Grace has experience as a manager at an organic vegetable farm in Vermont.  Her passion in this field is very evident in her commitment to advance ethical and safe environmental farming practices within an unprecedented climate crisis.  We are very proud of what she has already achieved both academically and socially within the communities she has lived.  Grace already has excelled in leadership skills and championed many projects such as: 

• She helped divert 17,000 pounds of food waste by delivering surplus food to local shelters in Virginia 
• She volunteered weekly at free-food giveaways for low-income residents  
• She collaborated in a sovereignty movement with Dakota tribal leaders to revive traditional foodways for the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate in South Dakota. 

Rotary members are encouraged to bring friends and family - especially those who might consider joining the Essex Rotary.    The Club will provide the pizza from VESPAS - with First Republic brews available at the bar.