Greetings fellow Rotarians! We started today’s meeting by recognizing fellow Rotarian, Jim Olsen for attaining Paul Harris Fellow Plus 1 status.  Jim earned this distinction by donating over $2,000.00 to the Rotary Foundation since becoming a Rotarian.  Thanks to the generous support of people like Jim, the Rotary Foundation continues to finance the many great things that Rotary does across the globe. Today’s speaker was Executive Director of the Greater Burlington YMCA, Kyle Dodson.  Kyle began his career on Wall Street, but found that he wanted to pursue positions that were better fits for his personal beliefs and sense of serving the community.  Kyle’s search eventually brought him to his current position which he describes as his dream job. Kyle told us that the YMCA has touched the lives of 1 in 3 people in our country and that it has been serving our community for over 150 years. Kyle further explained that the YMCA is more than just a place to swim and exercise.  It is an organization that runs overnight camps for children and provides a variety of health and wellness services. To better meet the needs of our community, the YMCA is proposing the construction of a new, 60,000 square foot facility on College Street in Burlington.  The estimated construction cost is twenty-two million dollars and Kyle was pleased to report that his organization is inching closer to its goal of raising the money necessary for this project.  The completion date for this undertaking is tentatively set for some time in 2019.  For more information about the YMCA of Greater Burlington, please visit its website at: https://www.gbymca.org/

 

 

            Although the weather might make you feel like it is still August, the Holiday Senior Luncheon is only a month and a half away!  On December 6^th, our Club will join forces with the Knights of Columbus to put on a holiday lunch at the Champlain Valley Exposition for over 200 senior citizens in the area.  Right now, we are looking for businesses and individuals to donate small items to be used in the goodie bags that we distribute to the seniors at this event. Examples of items include, but are not limited to, pens, note pads, refrigerator magnets, candy, etc . . . Please contact Lois Parmelee at

Lparmelee01@gmail.com for more information about this event.

 

 

            There is still time to nominate individuals for the annual Service Above Self award. Each year, our Club recognizes an individual in our community who best exemplifies the spirit of our motto of service above self.  Please submit your nominations along with a detailed description of why you feel your nominee is deserving to Dave Johnson at mdkiln@gmail.com by a date no later than November 1^st!

 

 

            The next opportunity to volunteer at the food shelf will be on October 26^th. Please let Sharon Dettenrieder know if you are able to volunteer for this shift.

 

Upcoming Meeting Schedule:  October 25, 2017 –  We will be holding our monthly committee meetings.

 

For the complete list of upcoming speakers and information about the Club, please go to our website at www.essexrotary.org   Be sure to also follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/EssexVermontRotary , on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/essexvermontrotary/ and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/essex_rotary

 

 

       Yours in Rotary,

 

Jason Ruwet