Members (9): Rod, Michelle, Debbie, Tom, Emma, Ed M, Jeff, Sue, John
Guests: Tirah Brothers (speaker)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
• Penny Sale is set for October 25. Jeff has a list of prizes available for purchase, For more info, contact Jeff.
• We need volunteers to help direct parking at the 10/11 Apple Festival. For more info, contact President Sue.
• District Governor is coming on October 14th.
TREX PLASTIC CHALLENGE UPDATE
We have collected 766 pounds of plastic film towards our goal of 1000 pounds for the fourteenth bench which will honor Lori Muse Gurney and the club’s 95th anniversary. To date, 11,913 pounds of plastic film (over 5.75 tons!) have been removed from the waste stream since we started this project in February of 2023, delivered to Shaw’s Supermarket, and heading to Trex Company for recycling. Please continue to bring your plastic film to the Springfield Town Library. NOTE: We need volunteers to help sort the plastic at the Library. For more info, contact Alan.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
September 30
No Regular Club Meeting
October 7
No Regular Club Meeting
October 14
Rotary 7870 District Governor
Donna Deos
NOTE: Programs are updated on the club website.
The next board meeting will be at noon on Tues., Sept. 30, 2025 in the conference room of Senior Solutions. Minutes of the board meetings can be found on the club website. All members are welcome to all board meetings, your input is valued, please come!
SERVICE ABOVE SELF
President Sue welcomed all to the September 23, 2025 club meeting held at the Springfield Area Parent Child Training Center. For the thought of the day, she offered this quote attributed to Andy Rooney:“It’s paradoxical tht the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn’t appeal to anyone."
BOWL OF LIFE: (members put three things about themselves on paper and place into a bowl and then we try to identify the member)
This member's clue was: "I was born in Alaska." — It was Emma, but no one guessed correctly.
HAPPY EVENTS:
Sue - Visited the Big E for the first time ever on Saturday
Sue - helped press cider at a friend’s farm on Sunday.
Jeff - The Selectboard has accepted his resignation as Town Manager effective January 3.
Emma - young Mason took another step towards self-mobility this week.
RAFFLE:
The weekly prize of $5 was won by Rod. The big raffle grows to $118.
PROGRAM:
Tirah Brothers, State Health Insurance Program Coordinator for Senior Solutions, spoke with the Springfield Rotary this week about upcoming changes to Medicare programs and how they may impact both individuals and their employees.
Brothers, who guides seniors through the often-complex world of Medicare, emphasized that it is never too early to start exploring coverage options. “Medicare is complicated,” she said, adding that her role is to help people balance affordability with the coverage they need. The shift from employer-based health insurance to Medicare is already a stressful transition, and federal-level changes are now making it even more difficult.
The biggest impacts, Brothers explained, will be felt in Medicare Advantage plans, which are offered by private, for-profit insurers. These plans, which help cover gaps in traditional Medicare, come at an added cost. But starting in 2026, many Vermonters will no longer have access to them.
Because Medicare Advantage insurers focus on profitability, they are pulling out of unprofitable markets. Already, two major insurers have announced they will exit Vermont in 2026, leaving an estimated 25,000 Vermonters with gaps in their coverage. While Brothers is working with affected individuals to find alternatives, she cautioned that it will be impossible to fully replace all of the benefits they are losing.
There is some good news, however. Vermont has expanded its Medicare Savings Program, which helps residents pay their Medicare premiums.
Brothers also reminded Rotarians that the Medicare Open Enrollment period is approaching soon. Vermonters seeking assistance with reviewing or changing their coverage can contact Senior Solutions through their Helpline at 802-885-2669.
NOTE: Thank you Rod Arnold for supplying the notes for this week's meeting
This bulletin attempts to give a gist of the meeting. However, it is always better to attend. If you have any complaints about the contents of this bulletin...
