OCTOBER 29 - SOM and AMERICORPS

Student Lance Tyler receiving Student of the Month recognition with Pres. Rene and Rotarian Dan Hart.

BTW: Lance's mom is Rotarian Lorena Tyler and his grandfather is former Bethel Rotarian Roger Conant.

Visiting Rotarian:  Joel Speakman  (Oxford Hills)

Guests: Meryl Kelly  (speaker)  (Hart), Julie Hart  (Hart), Hanna Pelletier  (Finley), Tom Watson  (Hynek), Lance Tyler  (student of the month)  (Tyler), Megan Goodrich  (Tyler), Roger Conant  (Tyler), Lillian Conant  (Tyler)

Members We Missed:  Blair, Dennis, Dunham, Kulik, Laux, Murphy, Roma, Thrall, Whitney, Wight

We were reminded of wood splitting on Saturday, Nov. 2.  Rene advised that our club will contribute $500 to a District 7780 project to aid the families of Lac-Megantic, focusing particularly on children's clothing and toys for Christmas.

Lance Tyler was recognized as student of the month. 

In Meryl Kelly's presentation, she described her involvement as an AmeriCorps volunteer.  Typically, AmeriCorps volunteers serve for two years and receive an allowance for living expenses.  She has been involved in a wide variety of community and youth service activities in the area.   This has included after-school activities for kids, programs at the Bryant Pond 4-H Camp, and experiential education for special-ed students.  She strives for a balance of inside and outside activities.  During  questions/answers after Meryl's talk, Robin brought out Meryl's motivational skills in organizing young people to tackle the voluminous trash remaining on the Common after Harvest Fest and to separate what could be composted -- to avoid everything going to the landfill.  A lesson in sustainability that much impressed observers.

---Walter