Members (10): Rod, Marty, Deb, Carol, Alan, Ed G., Emma, Ed M., Jeff, Sue
Guests: Visiting Rotarian Susan Burnett, Ashley Newton, and Michael Arace (speaker)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
• Waterbury VT Rotary's annual "Pie for Breakfast" is on 2/14. For more info, click here.
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 443 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, 13,584 pounds of plastic film (over 6-1/2 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
February 17, 2026
Rick Pembroke
Springfield School Budget
February 24, 2026
No Regular Club Meeting
NOTE: Programs are updated on the club website.
The next board meeting will be at 11 AM on Tuesday, Mar 3, 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 Feb. 10, 2026 club meeting held at the Springfield Area Parent Child Training Center. For the thought of the day, she offered this quote attributed to Ruth Bader Ginsburg:"Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you."
BOWL OF LIFE: (members put three things about themselves on paper and place into a bowl and then we try to identify the member)
"My mother played intro for Guy Lombardo". - Ed Grossman whose mother played the accordion.
HAPPY EVENTS:
Sue: Watched the Super Bowl and won $250.
Sue: Ashley's induction
Sue: For all the support she's received for her brother
Alan: The Olympics; especially the courage of Lindsay Vonn
Alan: Michael Arace
Alan: All Rotary does
Jeff: Groundhog Day
Jeff: Visit to Dallas
Carol: Decided not to retire
Carol: Surprised her daughter by celebrating with her in Kentucky
Ed G: Nephew's recital upon graduation from University of Miami
Ashley: Being inducted
Ashley: Week 2 of everyone being happy & healthy at home
Susan: Attended pottery class despite snow storm
RAFFLE
The weekly prize of $3 was won by Marty who gave it back to the club. The big raffle grows to $177.
PROGRAM:
Michael Arace, District Manager for Springfield Probation and Parole, offered insight into the mission, challenges, and community impact of probation and parole services in the region.
During his presentation, Arace discussed the critical role probation and parole play in promoting public safety while supporting rehabilitation and successful reintegration for individuals returning to the community. He highlighted how supervision, accountability, and access to resources such as treatment programs and employment support help reduce recidivism and strengthen communities.
Arace also addressed common misconceptions about probation and parole, emphasizing that the work extends beyond enforcement to include collaboration with local partners, service providers, and community organizations. He underscored the importance of public understanding and community engagement in achieving positive outcomes.
Members of the Springfield Rotary Club engaged in a question-and-answer session following the presentation, discussing topics ranging from staffing challenges to evolving approaches in community corrections.
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...
