Rotary Meeting – 02/15/23
Caroline Earle
Falling in Love
The Valentine’s Day holiday seemed to linger as our meeting started with Joe Shadroui & Art Zorn reuniting to sing a heartfelt version of Cole Porter’s classic – Let’s Fall In Love – before the members all joined to sign a love song to the United States, with Our Country ‘Tis of Thee.
Feeling the Love
Barre Rotary felt the love from having so many visitors at our meeting this week!
We warmly welcomed Kendall Manning, who had moved back to Vermont recently, was in Rotary in Maine briefly, and was also involved in Interact, Rotaract & RYLA as a young person.
Alice Farrell, a member of the Barre Unified Union School Board & Career Center Board heard about our presenter this week on FB and decided to join us.
CVCC Superintendent Jodi Emerson was also in the house, to connect with our speaker.
Finally, Barre Rotary showered Angelina Debeaupuis with love at the second reading of her membership application. 
Sharing the Love
Members shared the love with a cascade of happy dollars. Caroline started off with $3 happy dollars, in appreciation of Jodi Emerson, Kendall Manning & Angelina being at the meeting.
Eddie Rousse next offered a $1 for Karen Canari, who has helped in the past with the Barre Rotary Art Splash & who is also his Pickleball partner. 
Joe Shadroui’s love overflowed to the tune of $1 to Art Zorn for being back but regretted not doing a better job with the opening number, observing that some Rotary members had suggested that in the future perhaps Joe should “not do it.”
Tom Babic redeemed Joe, however, by offering $1 in celebration of his great performance in the Mystery Theatre this past weekend where Joe was “the star.”
Finally, a few members (Caroline & Bob Blow) also offered dollars to End Polio.
Crazy in Love
Barre Rotary is batty about Barre! And we show it in so many ways….
Each year Barre Rotary has assisted the Kiwanis by volunteering during the Basketball season at the BOR. Contact Ted if you can help this season.
President Nicole provided updates from the Library Breakfast Committee, which has established a goal of $16,000 to benefit the Aldrich Library this year. If you want to join that Committee, connect with Chair Eddie Rousse or Nicole.
We also love our local youth! Caroline gave an update on efforts to amplify attendance by local Sophomores to the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy. She will also post about this opportunity on FB & FPF. 
Karl gave an update on Barre Art Splash 2023, a fundraising event that showers love on our local businesses & the downtown. This year, Barre Main Street will host late model & coupe race cars, bears, frogs, one cat, some dogs & maybe even some pigs! The animals are in and artists will begin to work their creative magic on the fiberglass forms. Barre Art Splash 2021 grossed $40,000, from which the Club netted $30,000 in profit to contribute toward local projects. Karl warned that profits may be down this year because the of the increased cost of materials & advertising.
President Nicole highlighted the Pie for Brunch Community Grants & Awards Ceremony taking place on April 8th at the Mutuo Club. We will be inviting non-profits to apply for fundraising grants of up to $500 from Barre Rotary & we will unveil those prizes at the All You Can Eat Pie for Brunch event. We will also be awarding Paul Harris honors at that time. At least two of our guests offered to donate pies - they love Barre too!
Making Love Last
Rhoni Basden, the Executive Director of Vermont Works for Women, joined us this week to talk about this statewide non-profit’s efforts to advance economic gender equity & opportunity for all Vermonters. Vermont Works acts in three ways: Women’s Support, Training & Connection, Youth Career Exploration & Building Curiosity, and Advocacy in Changings Systems for Long Term Success. Vermont Works offers all of its youth programs at no charge. It also offers women a seven week free Trail Blazers Hard Skills Training, which promotes women’s interest and participation in the trades. Since Vermont Works inception in 1987, there has been no meaningful progress in terms of economic equity & women’s participation in the hard trades. This realization focuses its public advocacy efforts, as it is clear that without systemic change, there will be no lasting progress in these areas.
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