Morrisville Rotary Club

Meeting was held at Stonegrill Restaurant in Morrisville.

Present: Mark Cattelona, Phil Chiaravalle, Mary Metcalf, Tim Sargent, Phil Grant, Davis Koier, Marcia Marble, Bruce Shields, Gary Nolan, Deanna Wood, Jim Mahoney, Ted Lambert and Linda Martin.

Guests: Peter Ingvoldstad from Lamoille Valley Mentoring Partnership and Cambridge Rotary and Scott Hinman from College Planning Associates in Colchester, VT.

 Vice President/ Sargent at Arms Tim Sargent asked for Happy Dollars:

Tim, Jim, Phil, Mary, Dr. Phil, Mark and Davis.

Fine by Tim on Mark Cattelona.  Mark C. reminded Tim of the fine imposed last week by Susan on Tim and Ted for not attending last week’s meeting.

 AGENDA ITEM FOR NEXT WEEK.

VP Tim Sargent spoke about moving our meeting to Breakfast. When asked about the price and location, Tim spoke that the Stonegrill breakfast price was similar to the $12.00 + $1.00 now charged for lunch.

Tim introduced Peter Ingolstadt who came to speak about the sandwich board that Corse Fuels is sharing with the Lamoille Valley Mentoring Partnership. Peter is seeking businesses or Morrisville Rotary who will buy additional sandwich boards to place in visible areas to promote

Mentoring as well as our own upcoming programs.  To purchase a similar one with Corse’s information on the top would be $500.00. To purchase a sandwich board with Morrisville Rotary contact information and letters would be $1500.00.   (photo attached)

Mark C. then introduced Scott Hinman. Scott’s business works with families who may not qualify for college financial aid through VSAC. Besides financial planning that can or should start with the child’s birth, Scott can help families with picking the right college.

1.      Regardless of a family’s financial need, be sure to apply for aid as merit funds are based on the completed financial application.

2.      Prepare the college financial applications with your best estimates and submit them no later than the college deadline date.

Scott can be contacted at 802-861-3424 or by email at info@CollegePlanningAssociates.com

Raffle: Dr. Phil drew the 10 of Hearts!  The Queen of Hearts is still in the pack.

Submitted by Marcia Marble

Minutes

Seven Days made a great video summarizing the entire event!  Check it out below!

Events, Polar Plunge

Present: Susan Bartlett, Mark Cattelona, Phil Chiaravalle, Patti Coultas, Rich Furlong, Becky Gonyea, Davis Koier, Mary Metcalf, Gary Nolan, and Linda Martin

Guests: Greg Stefanski, Laraway Youth and Family Services

There was discussion about the decision last week to have the meeting today (Presidents’ Day) since not very many people showed up. Fines were levied on Tim Sargent and Ted Lambert in the amount of $10 for not attending.

Happy dollars:  Rich, Davis, Gary, Becky, Patti

Susan introduced Greg Stefanski, Executive Director of Laraway Youth and Family Services in Johnson. She said that Laraway has been an important organization in Lamoille County and the State for over 30 years. They are well regarded in the state and they have an exciting new project that needs support.

Greg said that Laraway started as an idea of Rumsey Jesser, an artist in Waterville who invited out of school youth to get off the street and do pottery. Though that was a simple solution to a complex problem, today we know more about supporting the needs of students who have been separated from their families. The issue is more than just with their immediate family, but also their extended families, their friends, schools, and their community.

Laraway helps students with their identify and help them rebuild their sense of community. There are 30 students who live there and go to school. They also have foster kids across Vermont and some at public schools who they work with in a preventative role.  They work with approximately 70 kids, and working with their families extend their work to approximately 200+ people.  The kids they work with are currently in grades 4-12, but they will request a change to their next license to work with children as young as kindergarten aged.

Laraway has 110 employees, both full and part time. Their budget is 5 ½ million. Most of their funds come from tuition from schools, foster care, and Medicaid (2-3 million).

Their future plans is to move out of the told trailers that Johnson Elementary lets them use into a barn and house on the old Hopkins 37-acres farm. This farm was recently purchased. They house was renovated about 10 years ago and the plan is to turn the barn into the school with administrative offices on the 3^rd floor.  They are currently fundraising, with both private and public funds.  They hope to start construction this spring.  Their plan is to have the students work the farm (plants at first) and reconnect with their families through activities (instead of behind a 2-way mirror in a room at DCF.  The farm is ideally located, near the river, trails, community gardens, and skate park.

They are also working to help end hunger in Lamoille County. During the summers they prepare meals for different programs and they hope to provide vegetables in the future.

Submitted by Patti Coultas

Minutes

Present: Susan Bartlett, Mark Cattelona, Phil Chiaravalle, Patti Coultas, Rich Furlong, Becky Gonyea, Davis Koier, Ted Lambert, Jim Mahoney, Howard Manosh, Marcia Marble, Sharon Menard, Mary Metcalf, Gary Nolan, Mel Patashnick, Tim Sargent, Bruce Shields, and Deanna Wood

Guests: Don George (CEO, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Vermont); Bob Parson (Manosh Corp.), Todd Wright (Hoagie’s Restaurant), and Nicole Colcogni (Edward Jones)

Happy dollars: Mark, Dr. Phil, Davis, Susan, Ted, Mel, Gary ($2), Bruce, Marcia, Patti, Deanna ($2) and Tim.

Johnson Food Shelf basket: $43

Tim gave a Polar Plunge Report. He said $12,500 had been turned in to date. There may be more still coming in so he will give an updated report next week. There were 77 people who went into the water. This Rotary Club had 5and Stowe had 4-5. Sharon suggested that we have bigger parking signs next year as the side of the bridge was used and the ambulance had a hard time getting through when it had to leave for a call. Habitat did a nice write up about it, and Seven Days has a good video on their web site /YouTube. Tim asked about donations to the Fire Departments. Last year it was $200. Susan thanked Tim for his hard work and he received a round of applause. Marcia gave Patti information that said that last year the donation to United Way was $5,392.17.

Susan introduced Don George, CEO of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Vermont. He said that BC/BS is a partner that will help the state move health care reform forward.

Don said he became CEO in March 2009. BC/BS is a non-profit with a single state focus. He said in 1993 there were 77 non-profit health insurance companies in the nation and now there are only 39. BC/BS of Vermont is just one of 3 in New England. He said that although there are different (some would say more rigorous) regulations on them compared to for-profit companies, he sees this as an opportunity. They are committed to saying non-profit. He said that current for every $1.00 they receive in premiums, they pay out $0.92; whereas the average is $0.85/$1.00 in premiums collected. They are member/customer focused. They live here, work here, and know many people in the community, or in a story he told, they know a family member. He likes to remind his employees of this. He said that their mission now includes being a partner/instrument in health care reform. Part of their new vision for transformation includes being a partner with the government to find a solution.

Submitted by Patti Coultas

Minutes