Greetings fellow Rotarians! We started today’s meeting by inducting Tim Gendron and Jeffrey Spencer as our 62^nd and 63^rd members of our Club.  If you haven’t done so already, please take the time to introduce yourselves to Tim and Jeffrey and make them feel welcome.  Our speaker was Cheryl Morse, a professor from the University of Vermont. Dr. Morse is a native Vermonter who has long been fascinated by the reasons behind Vermont’s aging population and our inability to keep young professionals from moving to different states. This interest prompted her to commence a study that analyzed these reasons and to test the many theories behind this exodus. Thus far, Dr. Morse’s research has verified many long-held beliefs that the lack of jobs and the high cost of living have played a role in the departure of many Vermonters.  She has also found, however, that there are many other reasons behind people’s departures and that there is not one single reason that has been cited by the majority of people leaving.  Other factors included the lousy weather and a desire to live in more urban environments.  Her studies have also focused on the reasons why people stay in Vermont and why people return.  The landscape, the sense of community and the desire to be close to family are some of the main reasons why Vermonters either choose to stay here or ultimately return to our State. At some point, Dr. Morse hopes that her findings will be used to find ways to reverse the trend of young Vermonters leaving.  She also hopes to help launch similar studies in other states that face the same problems.  For more information about Dr. Morse’s research, please visit her website at:

 https://www.vtrootsmigration.org/

 

 

            Our Club will once again be providing volunteers for the Essex Eats Out dinner at the First Congregational Church.  We are looking for several volunteers to help with set up, serving and clean up for the dinner that will be held on Friday, October 7^th.  We also need people to assist with preparation of the food.  A sign-up sheet will be circulating at our next meeting, but you may also sign up by contacting Penny Klein at penny@sugarmaplecollegeconsulting.com

 

 

            We still need several volunteers for the Feed My Starving Children food packing event. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, October 20^th at the Albert D. Lawton Middle School in Essex Junction from 9:00am to 11:00am. If you and your families are interested in helping out, please sign up at future meetings or e-mail Amy Jackman at amymj@us.ibm.com

 

 

            We are looking for volunteers to help staff the Heavenly Pantry Food Shelf in the next few months.  We will need volunteers for the following dates: Monday, October 8; Thursday, October 25; Monday, November 12; Thursday, November 15; Monday, December 10; and Thursday, December 20. Please contact Sharon Dettenrieder at sharon.dettenrieder@gmail.com if you are able to fill any of these shifts.

 

Upcoming Meeting Schedule:  Wednesday, September 26, 2018 – Our speaker will be Terry Sabens, Pet Coordinator for Blue Star Mothers of Vermont.

 

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