Greetings fellow Rotarians! We started things off by appreciating the service of so many of our members in 2018.  Dave Johnson delivered a report on the generosity of the members who have donated to the Rotary Foundation.  During our most recent drive, members donated over $6,000.00 to the Foundation!  Dave was pleased to present Paul Harris Plus One recognition to Penny Pillsbury whose donations to the Foundation have eclipsed the $2,000.00 mark.  He then recognized Paul Watson for donating over $1,000.00 to the Foundation, thereby attaining Paul Harris Fellow status.  Thank you to Penny, Paul and the many other Rotarians who have generously donated to the Foundation over the years.  Sharon Dettenrieder followed Dave’s presentations by individually naming and thanking the Rotarians who have graciously volunteered at the Heavenly Pantry Food Shelf in 2018. Thank you to all who have helped support this cause.  Rusty Brink then delivered a report on last week’s bell-ringing service project.  Together, 22 Rotarians braved the elements and collected $1,775.04 in front of the Essex Discount Beverage and Price Chopper in Essex Center. This money will help the Salvation Army provide meals and support for people in our community. We then moved on to our annual Club elections. The races were hotly contested and, in spite of grumblings about hanging chads and allegations of graveyard voting, our board members for the 2018-2019 Rotary year have been elected. In all seriousness, thank you to the Rotarians who have stepped up to fill these positions for the upcoming Rotary year.  We concluded the meeting with a beautiful performance by members of the Mount Mansfield Union High School choirs.  In addition to performing some holiday tunes, these talented young men and women treated us to pieces they have performed at recent competitions.  Thank you to Choir Director, Caleb Pillsbury and his talented group of singers for delivering an amazing performance.

            The arrival of winter means that preparations for the annual Rotary Hockey Classic have begun! Every year on the second or third Saturday in March, our Club puts on this event that features two hockey games between the best high school seniors in the state. For many of these young men and women, this event will be their last opportunity to step on the ice for a competitive hockey game. The event begins with the women’s game and concludes with the men’s game. As this is our Club’s second largest fundraiser, it is our hope that we can get the support and help from as many Rotarians as possible. Stay tuned for more information about this event and the exact date on which it will be held.  In the meantime, if you are interested in helping out with the preparations, or if you would like to learn more about the Hockey Classic, please contact Jeff Cabanaw at tarrisonus@comcast.net

 

            We are looking for volunteers to help staff the Heavenly Pantry Food Shelf on the following dates: Monday, January 8^th (5:15pm); Thursday, January 24^th (3:30pm); Monday, February 11^th (5:15pm); Thursday, February 28^th (3:30pm); Monday, March 11^th (3:30pm); and Thursday, March 28^th (3:30pm). Please contact Sharon Dettenrieder at sharon.dettenrieder@gmail.com if you are able to fill any of the shifts on that date.

 

Upcoming Meeting Schedule:  Wednesday, December 19, 2018 – Our speaker for the last Rotary meeting of 2018 will be Mark Redmond, Executive Director of Spectrum Youth and Family Services.