With rituals complete, twelve Rotarians sat down to a lunch of mac and cheese, sausage, salad and assorted pastries. Caroline was first on her feet with a Happy Dollar because District Governor Richard Fox was here to speak. She went on to announce that only 50 tickets @ $150.00 will be sold for the New Year’s Event at Moruzzi’s. Washington County Family Center will receive the first $5000.00 dollars raised and there will be a 50/50 split with Barre Rotary of any additional dollars raised.  President Eddie announced that we will again be collaborating with Central Vermont Rotary on the World Santa Project in December. He also reported that a tree had been planted in Gladys Agell’s honor and that a more formal dedication ceremony will take place in the future.  Tony announced that work continues on a video series on veterans called “A Soldier’s Story.”

 

 

Bruce announced that Tom Babic and his wife Linda celebrated 49 years of marriage. John Pandolfo celebrated 3 years as a Barre Rotary Club member.

 

 

Doug gave a Happy/Sad Dollar as he is leaving for Bon Air, but stopping in New York State for his son’s wedding. Karl asked President Eddie to pass the gavel and then proposed a fine of one-and-nine on him for not briefing District Governor Fox on not needing a projector for his presentation since we are fully equipped with a television hookup. Caroline offered to pay the fine since she had made the arrangements. Governor Fox added to the defense by saying that regardless he always travels with his “presentation kit” which includes a projector. Fine passed and Caroline paid. John gave a Happy Dollar in crediting President Eddie’s selling his car to John which allowed his son to attend his daughter’s 16^th birthday dinner. President Eddie gave a Happy Dollar for the undefeated season of his daughter’s field hockey team. Governor Fox gave two Happy Dollars, one in celebration of his 9^th wedding anniversary and one for being here.

 

 

 

 

 

Governor Fox began his presentation by talking about how he got into Rotary. He was volunteering for a myriad of organizations including the Cub Scouts, Shelburne Rescue, the Miss Vermont Scholarship Program and the Vermont Bar Association. Nine years ago he became a husband and a father and gained a father-in-law. It was his father-in-law who convinced him to attend a Rotary social event and he was hooked. What he learned was that instead of individual volunteering as a Rotarian he and his club would help more organizations achieve their goals. The Shelburne-Charlotte Club includes community service to not only several of the organizations named above, but also Camp Ta-Kum-Ta, the Charlotte Senior Center, United Way, Shelburne Emergency Food Shelf and several others. He introduced the concept of synergy, this year’s district theme: “the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.  From the Greek synergia, meaning working together.”  He emphasized the importance of working with the community, other organizations and other Rotary clubs. He pointed to the successful collaboration of the Gates Foundation and Rotary International in their battle to eradicate polio. He asked us to join him in making four agreements: 1) Rotary is important to our local and global communities; 2) Rotary needs to be in our communities after we are not longer here: 3) Our Rotary clubs are important for the impact and success of our District and Rotary International, both globally and locally; and 4) We need to grow our Rotary clubs to ensure sustained community engagement and long-term impact of our Rotary clubs.  You have to know your why. If you have a why, the how will follow. He made the following requests for 2019-20: 1) Support Rotarians beyond your own club; 2) Share ideas with other groups in your community; 3) Conduct service projects with members of your community and elsewhere; 4) Plan your attendance at District events; and 5) Have fun! At the conclusion of his presentation he presented President Eddie with the District Synergy Banner and received a warm round of applause from Barre Rotarians.