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2021 Year in Review
January 1, 2022
Bennington Rotarians did their best to be of service and continue focus on objectives initiated in 2020.
In true Rotary fashion, Kristi Cross stepped forward to assume the Editor position of the Windmill after the passing of Sally Sugarman. Kristi has admirably carried forward the work Sally Sugarman so loved.
Social Justice, Diversity and Inclusion were frequent topics for Rotary. Examples came from speaker presentations such as the new Equity Coordinator at SVSU, a Ted talk, a Bennington College professor's presentation and book reviews offered by Rotarians in The Windmill.
January was the Million Mask Challenge, and 2,000 masks were picked up in Brattleboro with the majority of these distributed to the Bennington Rescue Squad for their daily use.
January and February saw our first virtual suitcase project. This resulted from a presentation by Nicole Campbell, director of Shire Kids, a local non-profit that has partnered with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program to ensure all kids in the county receive free books from birth to age 5. This resulted in $625 for Shire Kids books.
The March/April virtual suitcase project went to supporting the community raised bed spaces. In June, 90 participants attended the "Grow Your Own Garden" event and was a great success.
Funds from the suitcase project and Rotary volunteers were significant aspects of this success.
In person once again… May began with a return to MACC with numerous Covid restrictions…a long-awaited change!
Rotarians participated in the sendoff of the National Guard unit to their deployment in Kosovo.
The July 4th Bell Ringing event was front and center at the town office and USS Bennington ship's bell. This year's honoree ringing the 14th bell representing Vermont was Patricia Johnson, RN, an emergency room nurse at SVMC, who performed above and beyond during the COVID pandemic.
The August Suitcase project supported the VFW's effort to collect items for the VT National Guard troops in Kosovo.
The Suitcase Project in September was in support of the Window Dressers Project which helps fund window inserts to save energy in homes. A new project was a Pancake Breakfast coupled with a basket raffle in conjunction with the UCS Super Hero 5K Run. Service opportunities were working at the pancake breakfast or providing gift basket raffle items.
In October/November, as part of our Equity and Inclusion Task Force efforts, Bennington Rotary acted in the point capacity to bring together community sponsors (and be a sponsor, as well) for a second program offered by the NAACP of Rutland to provide hair braiding services and instruction for area youth.
Bell ringing to raise money for Warm Your Neighbors (BROC's heating assistance program) during the holiday season was back in action this year. The community-oriented folks at the Ocean State Job Lot were very supportive in allowing us to set up in front of their location, right where we have a long reputation of ringing bells and greeting shoppers.
This year's efforts were outstanding with $2,865.98 contributed and will be 100% matched by GMP for a total of $5,731.96.
Finally, the Feeding Families Initiative allowed Rotarians to bring recommended food and snack items for Head Start to deliver to families for use during the school holiday break when breakfast, lunch and snacks would not be available.
As 2021 concludes, pandemic uncertainties abound, but the Rotarian experiences over the past two years suggest Bennington Rotary will find ways to be of service to those in need in our community and beyond.
Author: Mike Day
Windmill
2021 Year in Review
January 1, 2022Bennington Rotarians did their best to be of service and continue focus on objectives initiated in 2020.
In true Rotary fashion, Kristi Cross stepped forward to assume the Editor position of the Windmill after the passing of Sally Sugarman. Kristi has admirably carried forward the work Sally Sugarman so loved.
Social Justice, Diversity and Inclusion were frequent topics for Rotary. Examples came from speaker presentations such as the new Equity Coordinator at SVSU, a Ted talk, a Bennington College professor's presentation and book reviews offered by Rotarians in The Windmill.
January was the Million Mask Challenge, and 2,000 masks were picked up in Brattleboro with the majority of these distributed to the Bennington Rescue Squad for their daily use.
January and February saw our first virtual suitcase project. This resulted from a presentation by Nicole Campbell, director of Shire Kids, a local non-profit that has partnered with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program to ensure all kids in the county receive free books from birth to age 5. This resulted in $625 for Shire Kids books.
The March/April virtual suitcase project went to supporting the community raised bed spaces. In June, 90 participants attended the "Grow Your Own Garden" event and was a great success.
Funds from the suitcase project and Rotary volunteers were significant aspects of this success.
In person once again… May began with a return to MACC with numerous Covid restrictions…a long-awaited change!
Rotarians participated in the sendoff of the National Guard unit to their deployment in Kosovo.
The July 4th Bell Ringing event was front and center at the town office and USS Bennington ship's bell. This year's honoree ringing the 14th bell representing Vermont was Patricia Johnson, RN, an emergency room nurse at SVMC, who performed above and beyond during the COVID pandemic.
The August Suitcase project supported the VFW's effort to collect items for the VT National Guard troops in Kosovo.
The Suitcase Project in September was in support of the Window Dressers Project which helps fund window inserts to save energy in homes. A new project was a Pancake Breakfast coupled with a basket raffle in conjunction with the UCS Super Hero 5K Run. Service opportunities were working at the pancake breakfast or providing gift basket raffle items.
In October/November, as part of our Equity and Inclusion Task Force efforts, Bennington Rotary acted in the point capacity to bring together community sponsors (and be a sponsor, as well) for a second program offered by the NAACP of Rutland to provide hair braiding services and instruction for area youth.
Bell ringing to raise money for Warm Your Neighbors (BROC's heating assistance program) during the holiday season was back in action this year. The community-oriented folks at the Ocean State Job Lot were very supportive in allowing us to set up in front of their location, right where we have a long reputation of ringing bells and greeting shoppers.
This year's efforts were outstanding with $2,865.98 contributed and will be 100% matched by GMP for a total of $5,731.96.
Finally, the Feeding Families Initiative allowed Rotarians to bring recommended food and snack items for Head Start to deliver to families for use during the school holiday break when breakfast, lunch and snacks would not be available.
As 2021 concludes, pandemic uncertainties abound, but the Rotarian experiences over the past two years suggest Bennington Rotary will find ways to be of service to those in need in our community and beyond.
Author: Mike Day
Windmill