Greetings fellow Rotarians! Our speaker today was Lindsay Longe, the Development Director of Camp Ta Kum Ta.  Located in South Hero, Vermont, Camp Ta Kum Ta was founded in 1984 as a place where children with cancer could enjoy being kids through fun and rewarding experiences. These experiences are provided to these children at no cost to their families and afford them the opportunities to do things they otherwise wouldn’t have a chance to do.  For example, children who are undergoing chemotherapy don’t have the chance to swim in lakes, rivers or chlorine pools due to the risks of bacterial infections and the adverse effects of chlorine.  Camp Ta Kum Ta’s saline pool provides these children the opportunity to actually enjoy swimming and splashing in the water.  For many of these kids, this camp gives them the chance to create lasting memories that help get them through their difficult times.  For others, it may sadly be the last and only opportunities they have to enjoy themselves. Lindsay concluded her talk with a very touching video that detailed the huge impact Camp Ta Kum Ta has on the lives of these children and their families.  For more information about Camp Ta Kum Ta, please visit their website at http://www.takumta.org/

 

 

            Even though it feels like summer has just begun, the Champlain Valley Fair is right around the corner.  Each year our Club sells freshly picked corn at the Fair as a means of raising funds for our charitable endeavors.  Not only do we raise money for charity, but our Club gets a lot of exposure as thousands of Fair patrons walk by our booth each day. We need to have the booth staffed for the entire Fair which means this is an all-hands on deck event. The morning shifts (10:00 to 2:00) each have 3 slots, the afternoon shifts (2:00 to 6:00) and the evening shifts (6:00 to 10:00) each have four slots.  Our hope is that each Rotarian will be responsible for providing coverage for at least two slots.  Members are encouraged to fill slots with friends and family members as well.  For information about the Corn Booth, please contact either Mike Dimitroff or Ray Allaire.

 

 

            Please join Bill, Lois Parmelee and the rest of Team Life is Good for the Champlain Valley Walk to End Alzheimer’s event.  This fund-raiser will be held at the Shelburne Museum on September 16^th.  Bill and Lois are looking for fellow Rotarians who can either round out their team or come to cheer them on.  For more information about how you can support this cause please visit www.alz.org or contact Bill Parmelee at wparmelee@gmail.com

 

 

            The next opportunities to volunteer will be on Thursday, July 26th at 6:15pm; Monday, August 13th at 5:15pm; Thursday, August 23rd at 3:30pm; Monday, September 10th at 5:15pm; and Thursday, September 27th at 3:30pm. Please let Sharon Dettenrieder know if you are able to fill any of these shifts.

 

Upcoming Meeting Schedule:  Wednesday, July 25, 2018 – Our speaker will be Jill Evans, Director of the Community Justice Center.  She will discuss their Circle of Support and Accountability program.

 

 

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