Weekly Bulletin - January 9, 2014 Meeting
Budget Buddies serves the Merrimac Valley and now Nashoba Valley (Acton). They help women who don’t have financial guidance or experience. The organization was started 3 ½ years ago by Anita and Kathy Brough. Within 18 months, they had their 501(c)(3) status. They have served 200+ women, trained 115 coaches, and worked with 11 social service organizations and programs. Their model is to work through a social service organization to screen and serve people who need the help. The service model combines instructional workshops and an individual coach for each individual for 4 to 6 months.
They focus on empowerment and celebrating success. Results include self-confidence, knowledge, and self esteem. Pre-graduation versus graduation results show significant improvement in key areas. For example, 39% agreed that they made a budget pre-graduation, 73% agreed at graduation. 29% agreed they paid bills on time pre-graduation, 53% agreed at graduation. Six months after graduation showed even more improvement.
Budget Buddies is looking for volunteers: women coaches, women and men in all areas. They also would like funding, particularly to build a database.
Next meeting on January 16 Colonial Candies in Bolton, 7:15 a.m., Lee Warren, Community Relations Manager and Rotary Liaison speaks about Stop Hunger Now.
Guests:
- John Moynihan, Rotary Club of Greater Salem, NH
- Theresa Oliver, Rotary Club of Concord
- Chris Carroll, Rotary Club of Fitchburg East
- Jacky Foster, soon-to-be new member
- Deb Kotlarz, soon-to-be new member
- Kathy Cataldo from Bolton
- Anita Saville, Budget Buddies
- Kathy Brough, Budget Buddies
- Deb Kotlarz from Kotlarz & Associates, Keller-Williams: our first soon-to-be corporate member, along with 3 others on her team!
- Barry and Barbara Friedman from Gift of Life New England
Rotary and Club Announcements: (Capitalized events earn points for our club!)
- Local projects:
o Raise the Roof completed the roof on 12/18 – just in time for the holidays and the arctic air!
o Thank you for the Season to be Thankful gift card donations to Warm Hearts of Stow. For Christmas, Warm Hearts served 50 families (some single seniors) and 62 children/young adults. Our little bit helped!
o Stop Hunger Now: January 25 for food packaging at NRHS from 9-1
§ Littleton and Clinton Clubs have both committed to sponsoring, so we are sharing the cost three ways.
§ The NRHS Community Service Club is participating.
§ The public is invited! Invite your friends and family! Help get the word out! (See fliers!)
- International projects:
o Board news: We approved funding two new projects for the Dominican Republic: $500 for a Public Health program and $500 for a Pregnancy Prevention program. Many thanks to Natascha for initiating these and to Chris for offering to be our club liaison and project manager. Additionally, Dr. Compere will contact the sponors of a similar project feature in the December Rotarian.
o Sister Club: The Rotary Club of Aurangabad West (India) is interested in having our club be a sister club. Natascha may be interested in serving as a liaison to this club.
- Dues news:
o H2 dues are due ($60) – you should have received an invoice.
o To cover RI and district dues, we’ll be increasing dues to $150/year ($75 semi-annually) starting July 1, 2014.
- Foundation Minute: Richard Simon
o New We Are One video on YouTube: http://youtu.be/udHv3LQtiIo
- New member installation: Kotlarz Realty Group at Keller Williams
o Welcome Deb Kotlarz, Jacky Foster, Mary O’Hagan, and Carol Greer!
- Laura has posted the Best Club award criteria and the updated 2013-2014 Calendar of Activities on our website www.nashobarotary.org.
- Rotary Club of Marlborough is sponsoring a Texas Hold-em Poker Tournament on January 25. Registration is at noon, and cards start at 1. Register online at www.marlboroughrotary.org. (See flier for more info.)
- John Moynihan: Rotary Club of Greater Salem, NH. His club is holding its 4th annual Polar Plunge on February 1, 10:45 AM, at the Cape Ann Motor Inn in Gloucester. (See flier for more info.)
- Rotary Club of East Fitchburg: Asking us for help with Superbowl brunch on February 2 from 8:30-12. Contact President Mark (markminnucci@yahoo.com) if you’d like to help that day or sell tickets in advance. Contact Laura (laura@spear.net) if you’d like to donate an item for a basket. Chris C. said that the basket will go towards a Chinese auction. The club is also accepting donations of Silent Auction items, such as weekends away.
- Dick Manelis is leading a trip to Brazil this year as part of the Hands-On Service club. He is also looking at donations and participants for a trip to Puerto Rico next year. Contact Dick if interested.
- Check out the new district website! www.rotary7910.org
- First ever Zone 24-32 Avenues of Service - Zone Photo Contest
The most important rule of the contest is to “have fun.”
o The photographer must be a member of a Rotary, Rotaract, or Interact club in Zone 24 or Zone 32 (our club is in Zone 24-32).
o Photos submitted must be in JPEG file format with a maximum size of 3 MB and be submitted on or before March 31, 2014.
o Each photographer may submit up to 3 photos that were taken between July 1, 2013 and March 31, 2014.
o Each photo should represent one of the 5 Avenues of Service that the photo best illustrates.
o To enter the contest and upload a photo, click HERE.
o For contest rules and small print, click HERE, and for the judging criteria, click HERE.
o Rotary Zone 24-32 website - www.RotaryZones24-32.org
Nonclub/public announcements:
- Emma’s Café in Stow (Shaw’s plaza on Route 117) is having a Grand Opening celebration on Saturday, January 11 from 3-5 PM. Free samples of menu items, live children’s music, prizes!
- Hearts for Heart casino night this Saturday, January 11, at the Holiday Inn to benefit an Acton child who received a new heart, sponsored by the Acton Rotary Club. Click here to learn more.
- Minute Man Air Field Annual Kick Off Party: January 23 at 7 PM (right after our club meeting) – We are sharing a review of Wings & Wheels. Everyone is invited to attend!
- Lancaster Community Blood Drive: Wednesday, January 29 from 2-7 PM at the Perkins School gym, 971 Main St. Walk-ins welcome!
- February 1, from 9 – 1 p.m. is the next Bolton Repair Café in Davis Hall (hall attached to the First Parish of Bolton Church on Main Street, Bolton – next to the Houghton Building). Contact ray.pfau@oracle.com if you want to help.
- Nashoba Valley Winery Benefit Event for the Healing Garden: Thursday, February 13, 6:30-9:30 PM.
Birthdays:
- Fatima Serra: January 7
- Matt Tucker: January 11
- Bob Johnson: January 18
Happy/Sad Fines:
- Nanci: thrilled to be here, happy for the new year, happy to have our first corporate membership
- Kathy C: happy to be here
- Rich: happy for a lovely Christmas and a visit with his brother, who is in a bad way and happy that his daughter loves her new job
- Chris C: sad she missed Rotary meetings in December but happy to be back in Rotary again and visiting our club (she plans to visit once a month!) and happy her son wants to study something
- Jacky: happy that her two college kids are home
- Deb: happy that her 24-year-old found her dream apartment in the North End
- Carol: happy that the district will double its membership in three years
- Mary: happy to be here and she just loves everyone
- Richard: happy to have a great Thanksgiving even though he caught pneumonia, happy that his granddaughter turned a year old and is crawling, and happy that Dr. Compere is expecting a daughter any day now
- Kelly: happy that the holidays are over
- Cyndi: happy that Theresa is here and sad that she spent Christmas Eve and part of Christmas in the hospital
- Theresa: happy that Keller-Williams employees are joining our club
- Karin: happy that John joined us tonight (she works with John) and that we have our first corporate membership
- Bob: happy that looking around the room, he sees that the women outnumber the men by three to one
- Jim: happy that next Wednesday is his last day of work ever
- John: happy to be visiting
- Don: happy to have visited family in Houston and Colorado and for Nancy’s holiday party, sad that he doesn’t have to send $ to TD Bank anymore, happy that Karin helped clear up some banking issues
- Laura: sad fine on behalf of the loss of Chris’ mom, happy for the support from the club, happy and sad for the holiday break but mostly happy for having a break