Members (7): Marty, Alan, Bob F., Ed G., Emma, Ashley, Sue
Guests: Susan Burnett and Trisha Paradis (speaker)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
• Michaela Merrill, Superintendent of the Southern State Correctional Facility, will be featured speaker at next week's club meeting.
• Governor's Lunch is being planned for 3/24 or 3/31. Stay tuned.
• SAVE THE DATE: Rotary District 7870 Conference will be held on Sat. May 30 in Keene. Check the District Newsletter for more info.
TREX PLASTIC CHALLENGE UPDATE
We are waiting for the update of the Trex program so that we can order the 15th bench which will be given to Union Street School. We have collected 713 pounds of plastic film towards our goal of 1000 pounds for our 16th bench which will be donated to the Springfield Lions Club Dog Park. To date, 13,854 pounds of plastic film (over 6-3/4 tons!) have been removed from the waste stream 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. Update.... Bench 17 will be given to the Springfield VFW and Bench 18 will be given to Elm Street School. NOTE: We need volunteers to help sort the plastic at the Library. For more info, contact Alan.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
March 10, 2026
Michaela Merrill, Superintendent
Southern State Correctional Facility
NOTE: Programs are updated on the club website.
The next board meeting will be at 11 AM on Tuesday, Apr 7, 2026 at Springfield Area Parent Child Training Center. 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
Club President Sue welcomed all to the Mar. 3, 2026 club meeting held at the Springfield Area Parent Child Training Center. For the thought of the day, she offered this quote attributed to Mother Therese:"If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one."
BOWL OF LIFE: (members put three things about themselves on paper and place into a bowl and then we try to identify the member).
Ashley: Publicity around Quinn's donation spearheaded fundraising for the Springfield Human Society.
Sue B: There are only 4 pottery classes instead of 6
Sue B: She got a role in the upcoming River Theater production of "Charlotte's Web".
RAFFLE
The weekly prize of $3 was won by Marty who gave it back to the club. The big raffle grows to $187 and only 18 cards left.
PROGRAM:
Trisha Paradis, Executive Director of the Springfield Family Center, delivered a presentation highlighting the Center’s ongoing efforts to support local families and address rising community needs.
Paradis provided an overview of the Springfield Family Center’s mission and programs, including emergency food assistance, financial support for housing and utilities, and referral services.
She emphasized the growing demand for services amid increasing costs of living and housing challenges across the region.
“Our goal is to meet people where they are and help stabilize families during times of crisis,” said Paradis. “Whether it’s providing food for the week or connecting someone with longer-term resources, we are focused on helping families move forward.”
Paradis shared data on the number of households served in the past year and described how community partnerships and volunteer support play a critical role in the Center’s operations.
She also outlined current priorities, including expanding food access and strengthening collaborative efforts with other local service organizations.
Members of the Springfield Rotary Club engaged in discussion following the presentation, asking questions about volunteer opportunities, funding needs, and ways the broader community can support the Center’s mission.
Paradis concluded her remarks by announcing the Garden Party Fundraiser that will take place on Sat. May 9 from 5 pm to 9 pm at The Elks Club. The proceeds will benefit the Springfield Supported Housing Program and the Springfield Family Center.
The Springfield Family Center has served area residents for six decades, working to reduce hunger and hardship while promoting dignity and self-sufficiency. Paradis encouraged those interested in learning more, volunteering, or donating to contact the organization directly.
For more information about the Springfield Family Center, click here.
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...
