July 12, 2023 Breakfast Meeting Notes

 

Guests: Bill and Julianne, originally from Colorado and now in Holderness, returned for the second time.

 

50/50: Beth, won and gave it to Tom

Card game: Lora won the chance to draw but pulled the two of hearts.

 

Mike started with a Rotary minute with trivia from the last issue of Rotary Magazine.

 

Announcements: 

 

1.  Pinkham Notch (the Mt. Washington Auto Road) cleanup is Saturday, July 22nd.. We have 10 people signed up and we need 30 to do it right; the committee is considering rescheduling or even canceling the event. If you are interested in volunteering, NOW is the time to sign up at RotaryCleans.org. 

 

2. Golf with Ted Smith: Ted was president of Lincoln/Woodstock last year. He is an avid golfer and sent an invitation to play with other Rotarians at the Jack (perhaps a Monday or Wednesday afternoon). Get in touch with him at tpsmith3882@yahoo.com to pick a date.  

 

3. Club Engagement Survey: Lora has created an online version and she will send this out to all members shortly.

 

4. Thank you notes for scholarships were received from Samantha Sanborne and Natalie Boyer. We also received a thanks from Danielle for our gift of $300 to Pemi Baker Hospice and Home Health. 

 

5.  The Vermont Community Foundation has opened a website for donations to help Vermont in the recent flooding. There will be service opportunities in the near future from other organizations.

 

Our speaker today is Kelly Hillier from NH Job Corps, Admissions Dept. This is a federally funded program under the US Dept of Labor.  It was started in 1964 to help young people who were not college bound. The program is 100% free for eligible low income youngsters 16-24 years old (but they also can take older people with disabilities).  Many conditions such as depression, anxieties, or having had an individual eduction plan in high schools can be considered disabilities, and these will result in waiver of the income qualifications.The program includes housing, medical care, food, books and supplies, a living allowance and even transportation to programs in other parts of the country. 

 

If NH doesn’t have the type of training the student needs, the Job Corps can send students to another program elsewhere in the country. Kelly has sent a student as far as Oregon. They can also get a high school diploma or GED, Driver’s Ed training and driver’s licensing. There is a bus to pick up students in Manchester. The students wear uniforms pertaining to their trade. Completion times for the programs vary; students get up to 2 years to stay on their campus and finish the program. This helps families who don’t have to pay to feed and house their children while they are being trained. Job Corps has a large medical facility on site including 2 mental health professionals. 

 

Programs: Job Corps in NH offers training in 9 trades: advanced manufacturing using computer assisted design, electrical trade, facilities maintenance, medical admin assistant, licensed nursing assistant, clinical medical assistant and phlebotomy, hotel and lodging, security and protective services, and culinary arts. HVAC and plumbing are available in Vermont. 

 

Students also get training in resume writing. They get interview clothes and coaching on interviews. Facilities include dorms, a cafeteria, recreational opportunities and a gym. 

 

The facility is never full; students are constantly coming in and others are graduating on a monthly basis. Application takes 4 to 5 weeks; students need high school transcripts, medical forms, and have to pass a criminal background check. Students with suicidal ideation currently or within the last 6 months are not eligible; violent incidents are also a cause for rejection unless longer than 8 months ago. The center has capacity for 300 students (highest they have gotten is 270). Currently the student population is 140. Job Corps also has a free college (associate’s degree) program for students who have completed the basic program.  

 

Mike had a Happy Dollar: He is happy that Beth is here to run the meeting. Denise also had a Happy Dollar: the first session at Circle Camp is ending on Thursday.

Denise also had a Happy Dollar  to Russ for singing at the Fun Fair and to Mike for making lemonade.

 

Please note that membership dues are due! Ken Evans did not attend today but he should be present at the next meeting so you can pay him then, or mail or Venmo the payment to him.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Lora Miller, secretary