President's Message (August 13, 2024)

Dear Rotarians,

Our next Jaffrey-Rindge Rotary Club meeting will be held on Thursday, August 15th, at 7:15am at the Cathedral of the Pines in Rindge.  Pancakes are on the agenda, so bring your appetite, as Chef Bill and Chef Bob will flip the flapjacks, and Don Upton brings the maple syrup.  We look forward to seeing you and your guests on this beautiful morning. We always appreciate seeing all members with their Rotary name tags (badges), which makes it easier for our newer Rotarians and guests to know who YOU are!

The club's Board will meet on Wednesday, August 14th, at 8:00am to schedule and review various club activities, including preparing our yearly calendar, committees, and member participation. We strongly encourage all Rotarians to send any agenda items in advance by Tuesday, August 13th to Secretary Bob Schaumann (rsta@tellink.net) if they wish the Board to include your topic for discussion.

Last week, on Wednesday, August 7th, many Rotarians volunteered for various roles at the 107th Fair Falls, held at the Jaffrey Center Common and The First Church. Their contributions included managing car "pahking," cooking hot dogs, setting up games for children, overseeing cupcake decorating by the small fry, performing live music, and various other activities. As club President, I am incredibly proud of the dozen Rotarians who were there to support, directly and indirectly, the Church Fair's success!

At our last meeting, we presented a check to the Jaffrey Grade School Destination Imagination Team. Our club remains committed to supporting the team and contributing to the success of our local schools.

Your presence and participation make our club vibrant and dynamic!

Yours in Service,

Rudra

 
 
The roving photographer caught Rotarians having a good time!
 
 
Tom Ahlborn-Hsu and A Truly Unique Invocation
 
Over the years, we've heard dozens of Invocations.  Rotarians at our August 8th Breakfast Meeting heard a truly original Invocation sung by our very own Tom Ahlborn-Hsu -- one that he had written himself and sang.  Tom's Invocation will be a hard act to follow! 
 
 
Destination Imagination Receives Donation from Jaffrey-Rindge Rotary
 
Rotarian Gail Therriault, Charitable Giving Committee Chairperson, presents a check to four Jaffrey-Rindge School District educators who joined us, each of whom has been very involved with schools in both Jaffrey and Rindge.  Two of the Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District’s Destination Imagination teams moved on to the Global Finals in Kansas City.  Destination Imagination - originally known as "Odyssey of the Mind," is an international organization that allows young people to problem-solve STEM, fine arts, and service learning challenges!
 
 
Two Chefs and Pancakes for our August 15th Breakfast Meeting
 
Pancakes will again be the menu for our next Breakfast meeting, courtesy of Rotarian Chefs Bob Schaumann (L) and Bill Coleman, who flipped the flapjacks that fed hungry Rotarians at one of our earlier summer meetings at the Cathedral of the Pines.  Rotarian Don Upton will again donate a quart of his sweet maple syrup (thanks, Don!!).  
 
 
Happy Fines with Ben Wheeler
 
 
Ben Wheeler hosted our Happy Fines this week, sans wearing the creative chapeau that often adorns the head of our own Sam LaFortune.
 
 
Rotarian Owen Houghton "Pahking Cars"!
 
It's not summertime in Jaffrey unless Rotarians "pahk cars" at the Church Fair.  Owen corralled several Rotarians on August 7th Wednesday to manage the "pahking" at The First Church.  Other Rotarians - a dozen all told - contributed their time and talents towards other venues at the 107th Church Fair Falls.