With rituals completed and having helped ourselves to soup, wraps, chips and apple crisp, twelve Barre Rotarians and six guests sat down to eat and converse. President Liane gave a Sad Dollar lamenting the loss of a family wine opener at the cookout. If it is not found, “her mother will kill her.” She also gave a Happy Dollar for bringing dollars to the meeting that she fanned out before us. John gave a Sad/Happy Dollar when he reported that he had taken his son to college and lost his buddy, but happy that the launch from home was successful. Eddie gave a Happy Dollar for the happy time that he and his family had spent on Karl’s boat which included lunch and a swim. Ted gave a Happy Dollar in announcing that the new grills had arrived and that they will be seasoned and ready to go for next year’s breakfast. Tony gave a Happy Dollar in recounting his “epic” journey to Fenway Park and being recognized on the field as “Blood Donor of the Game.” He felt overwhelmed. Tom proposed a fine of one-and-nine on Tony for being too serious. He retorted: “I hate being nice. I want a receipt.” Fine passed. Eddie gave a self-imposed fine dollar as he asked Barre residents present to sign his petition to qualify for running for a seat on the local school board. Caroline gave a Happy Dollar for a successful cookout where she canvassed members about her interest in running for district governor in 2021-2022. Club support is necessary and those present were certainly in favor of her “putting her hat in the ring” or her “bonnet in the basket.”

Sue recognized the presence of John Steinman and Bruce Fisher who have applied for membership in the Barre Rotary Club. This is the second announcement for their intention. The following introductions were made by Barre Rotarians: Caroline introduced a new member of her staff, Jo Perreault; Lauren Polk, Acting Director of the Aldrich Public Library by Elizabeth; and Doug Bullett, our summer resident from Bon Air, Virginia, by Ted.

 

 

 

Michael Lazorchak introduced himself. He is an attorney with Caroline’s law firm, a conservationist and a member of a federal hotshot fire crew. Hotshot crews typically fight forest fires in the western states. Michael began his presentation with parts of a 2015 film which showed fires and interviews with agency heads. Seasons are longer, fires more volatile and more costly. One fire raged for six weeks in Idaho and it took a two foot snowfall to extinguish it. Often fires are allowed to burn and one in Rocky Mountain National Park in October 2012, burned for two months and then with strong winds in the night it traveled three miles. In providing us with statistics, he reported that currently there are forty-nine fires in the United States with the Northwest of most concern. He told us that 85% of all forest fires are man-made: 50 % deliberate /50% accidental. A routine shift is fourteen days and each “day” can last up to thirty-six hours with intermittent rest periods. Members of the crew usually work from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. In answering what motivated him to join a crew, he said that after two years as an attorney in Montana, he was let go and couldn’t find a position in the law profession and someone suggested Hotshot Firefighting. He talked about the job’s dangers, not only the activity itself, but suicide as well. Most firefighters are males between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five. When asked about the participation of prisoners in fighting fires, he said that they were under the control of departments of corrections from the several states. When asked about the reduction of logging as a contribution to adding to fuel of forest fires, he didn’t think that was an important factor. In answering a question about creating a buffer, he said that for many fires you can’t control the origin and embers can travel two miles and restart the fire. In responding to a question about why Vermont doesn’t have forest fires, he said “you have too much rain.” We will settle for that!

A great presentation was greeted with an appreciated round of applause.