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Brattleboro Rotary Club celebrates 60 years

By BOB AUDETTE / Reformer Staff

Friday May 14, 2010

BRATTLEBORO -- For the past 60 years, the Brattleboro Rotary Club has been serving the local community.

On May 4, the Brattleboro Selectboard proclaimed the week of May 10 through 16 as Brattleboro Rotary Week.

The Brattleboro club is part of Rotary International. The Rotary name derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members’ offices.

The Rotary Club was founded in 1905 and by 1921, it had members on all the continents except Antarctica. Today, 1.2 million Rotarians belong to over 32,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. There are 90 members in the Brattleboro area.

The Rotary Club’s motto is "Service Above Self," and the Brattleboro club has lived up to that standard.

In 2009, the Brattleboro Rotary Club and the Sunrise Rotary Club, which was founded by the Brattleboro Club in 1995, conducted an "Indian Film and Food Festival," which raised $8,500 towards the matching grant.

Rotary’s efforts are also focused on literacy and providing clean water.

The roots of Pure Water for the World began in Brattleboro in 1994 when Peter Abell, a member of the Brattleboro Rotary Club, volunteered to go to a small Salvadoran village to provide medical services.

With the support of the local club, Abell decided to help the people by providing rural villages with potable water.

This year, the Brattleboro Rotary Club is partnering with the Rotary Club of San Miguel de Allende-Midday in the State of Guanajuato, Mexico, to support Casita Linda, which builds adobe brick homes for families who are among the poorest of the poor in San Miguel de Allende and the surrounding areas.

Locally, the members of the Brattleboro Rotary have supplied elbow grease for projects benefiting the Reformer Christmas Stocking, Habitat for Humanity, the Gibson-Aiken Center, Living Memorial Park and Youth Services.

The Rotary Club also awards annual Gateway Scholarships to the region’s high school graduates.

Rotary International was the world’s first service club when it was formed in Chicago on Feb. 23, 1905, by Paul P. Harris, who became a resident of Wallingford when he was 3 years old.

Harris, who eventually became an attorney, founded Rotary International in an effort to capture what he had learned while growing up in Wallingford.

"Vermont farmers were tenacious," wrote Harris, in "The Story of a Boy, a Vermont Community and Rotary." "Having once gotten a grip on a place they could call home, only the direst of calamities or death could break it."

Harris was also impressed by the fortitude of the state’s residents.

"When Vermonters have a purpose in mind, they are not easily discouraged," he wrote.

Harris was born in 1868 in Racine, Wis. Three years later, he, his brother and their father moved to Vermont.

In 1886, the University of Vermont "indefinitely suspended" Harris from the school after he was wrongfully accused of hazing another student. In 1919, UVM awarded him an honorary Bachelor of Arts degree and presented him with an apology for his expulsion. It awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws in 1933.

In 1891 he received his law degree from the University of Iowa and in 1896 he moved to Chicago to practice law. He died in 1947 in Chicago, shortly after he wrote his autobiography.

Things haven’t really changed in Vermont in the 63 years since he wrote his story.

"While the majority of the newcomers to my New England valley are retired business folks who wish to spend their remaining days in the restfulness of the country, there are a considerable number of writers, artists and educators who have no intention of retiring," he wrote. "They are attracted to the mountains by their love of beauty and their desire to rid themselves of the useless complexities of life in order that they may apply themselves more effectively to their chosen tasks. Vermont has attracted more than its proportionate share of these folks."

As it grew, its mission expanded beyond serving club members’ professional and social interests. Rotarians began pooling their resources and contributing their talents to help serve communities in need.

May 21 is the deadline to apply for one of the eight $3,000 Gateway scholarships. Submit applications to: John C. Mabie, Esq., c/o Corum Mabie Cook Prodan Angell & Secrest, PLC, 45 Linden St., Brattleboro, VT 05301.

And on June 10 at the Brattleboro Country Club, the Rotary is hosting its 35th Annual Charity Golf Tournament. Proceeds from this year’s tournament will benefit three local projects: The Vernon Recreation Department Playground Restoration, the Boys and Girls Club of Brattleboro and the Gateway Scholarships.

While regional Rotary clubs are putting together teams for the tournament, members of the public are encouraged to participate either as a golfer or a sponsor.

The cost is $125 for an individual and $460 for a foursome.

To register for the tournament, e-mail Rotarian Cathy Coonan or call her at 802-251-3782.

Bob Audette can be reached at raudette@reformer.com, or at 802-254-2311, ext. 273.

http://www.reformer.com/localnews/ci_15083311

Brattleboro and Burlington Chosen in Top 25 Arts Destinations Poll

MONTPELIER – Two Vermont cities are among the Top Arts Destinations in AmericanStyle magazine’s annual readers’ poll. Burlington and Brattleboro were named in the 25 Small Cities category (populations of up to 100,000). Santa Fe, New Mexico took the top spot on the list which also included Boulder, CO, Chapel Hill, NC, Key West, FL and Carmel, CA.

The 12th annual poll showcases the nation’s small, medium and large cities that roll out the red carpet for art tourists and cultural travelers. Unique performance venues, premier galleries and year-round festivals are among the reasons readers selected these Vermont communities.

“I’m delighted for both Burlington and Brattleboro and not at all surprised at their selection,” said Alex Aldrich, the Executive Director of the Vermont Arts Council.

“Frankly, I am surprised that only two Vermont cities were named. My hope is that people visiting as a result of this article will discover that they have to return again and again to experience all the art and culture that Vermont has to offer.”

"Remember the vital roles played by artists during the last recession," said Wendy Rosen, publisher of AmericanStyle, a lifestyle magazine for art enthusiasts, collectors and travelers. "They moved in to dying Main Streets, shuttered factories and warehouse districts, and converted them into galleries and art scenes. Their murals, outdoor sculpture and other public art enchanted tourists and helped spark new investment. Artists led the way then, and they are leading the way now."

"Tough economic times also make consumers conscious of where their products come from," Ms. Rosen added. "Art lovers know they can make a positive impact by buying from local galleries and local artists, so their dollars recycle in the community and support homegrown talent. We all know that art and handcraft galleries are among the few remaining places where you can find authentic, made-in-America gifts and art products."

With so many Vermont communities to choose from, arts lovers will be itching to hit the road this summer. The diversity of cultural options for all interests will provide Vermont vacationers and "staycationers" dozens of delightful destinations within easy driving distance.

White House charm offensive pays off: Wiesel says tension is ‘gone’

By Ron Kampeas · May 4, 2010

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- When Elie Wiesel says it's all kosher, it's good.

For now, anyway.

President Obama capped an intensive two weeks of administration make-nice with Israeli officials and the American Jewish community by hosting Wiesel, the Nobel peace laureate and Holocaust memoirist, for lunch at the White House.

"It was a good kosher lunch," was the first thing Wiesel pronounced, emerging from the White House to a gaggle of reporters.

And not just the food.

"There were moments of tension,” Wiesel said. “But the tension I think is gone, which is good.”

That echoed Ehud Barak, the Israeli defense minister, who a few days earlier told leaders of the American Jewish Committee that the "slight disagreements are behind us."

The tension and the "slight" disagreements, of course, were between the United States and Israel -- and by extension, the mainstream pro-Israel community -- and started March 8, when Israel announced a major housing start in eastern Jerusalem during a visit by Vice President Joe Biden.

Biden rebuked Israel, but it didn't stop there. Next came an extended phoned-in dressing down from Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and claims by Clinton and other U.S. officials that Israel had "insulted" Biden.

Then, when Netanyahu arrived in Washington to address the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference, Obama all but snubbed the Israeli leader, agreeing to meet him only without photo ops.

The pro-Israel community was virtually unified in its reaction: Yes, Netanyahu had screwed up, but this was piling on.

As the recriminations grew more pronounced, so did concerns about the relationship: Did this portend a major shake-up? Was Obama distancing himself from Israel?

In private, Jewish organizational leaders reached out to White House friends and said whatever you're selling, you need to explain it before "tensions" become a full-fledged "crisis."

There were signs of that, with messages -- some blunt, some oblique -- about the dangers of pressing Israel on Jerusalem. The author of one of the messages, in the form of a full-page New York Times ad, was Wiesel.

In response to such rumblings -- around the time of Israel Independence Day, mid-to-late April -- the Obama administration launched its love assault. If you were a Jewish organization, no matter how particularized, you would get administration face time from Clinton (the American Jewish Committee) through Attorney General Eric Holder (the Anti-Defamation League) down to Chuck Hagel, the co-chairman of Obama's Intelligence Advisory Board (American Friends of Hebrew University.)

Clearly there was a checklist for the speakers:

* Mention that there is "no gap -- no gap" (and say it like that) between the United States and Israel when it comes to Israel's security. (Jim Jones, the national security advisor, to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy; his deputy, Daniel Shapiro, to the ADL.)

* Repeat, ad infinitum, the administration’s "commitment to preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons." (Clinton to the AJC; Dennis Ross, the top White House official handling Iran policy, to the ADL and just about everyone else.

* Make it clear that while resolving the conflict would make it easier to address an array of other issues, the notion that Israel is responsible for the deaths of U.S. soldiers in the region is a calumny. (Robert Gates, the defense secretary, at a news conference with Barak: "No one in this department, in or out of uniform, believes that." Shapiro to the ADL: "We do not believe this conflict endangers the lives of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq.")

* Resolve to resolve differences "as allies" and don't forget to criticize the Palestinians as well, for incitement and for recalcitrance in refusing to come to direct talks (proximity talks are resuming this week).

* And explain the fundaments of what is good about the relationship: defense cooperation.

The most pronounced evidence of this approach was in the ADL's double whammy: The civil rights group got two speeches from two officials, Ross and Shapiro, who had not spoken publicly since taking their jobs in the administration. Each was in a position to go into detail about the details of the defense relationship, Ross handling the Iran perspective, and Shapiro handling Israel and its neighbors.

"We have reinvigorated defense cooperation, including on missile defense, highlighted by the 1,000 U.S. service members who traveled to Israel to participate in the Juniper Cobra military exercises last fall," Shapiro said. "We have intensive dialogues and exchanges with Israel -- in political, military and intelligence channels -- on regional security issues and counterterrorism, from which we both benefit, and which enable us to coordinate our strategies whenever possible.

"We have redoubled our efforts to ensure Israel's qualitative military edge in the region, which has been publicly recognized and appreciated by numerous senior Israeli security officials. And we continue to support the development of Israeli missile defense systems, such as Arrow and David’s Sling, to upgrade Patriot missile defense systems first deployed during the Gulf War, and to work cooperatively with Israel on an advanced radar system to provide early warning of incoming missiles."

Abraham Foxman, the ADL's national director, was impressed, saying this was more than just rhetoric.

"We've heard all kinds of phraseology in the last few weeks, but this is an inventory," he said.

Tom Neumann, who heads the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, agreed that the defense relationship remains strong -- but wondered whether the rhetoric did not portend more substantive changes.

"On a soldier-to-soldier basis it remains solid," Neumann said. "But much of the defense relationship is ultimately dictated by the administration. Obama may yet put pressure on Israel through the transfer of arms through how to confront Iran."

http://www.jta.org/news/article/2010/05/04/2394667/charm-offensive-pays-off-wiesel-says-tension-is-gone

Leslie Buck, Designer of Iconic Coffee Cup, Dies at 87

April 29, 2010

Leslie Buck, Designer of Iconic Coffee Cup, Dies at 87

By MARGALIT FOX

It was for decades the most enduring piece of ephemera in New York City and is still among the most recognizable. Trim, blue and white, it fits neatly in the hand, sized so its contents can be downed in a New York minute. It is as vivid an emblem of the city as the Statue of Liberty, beloved of property masters who need to evoke Gotham at a glance in films and on television.

It is, of course, the Anthora, the cardboard cup of Grecian design that has held New Yorkers’ coffee securely for nearly half a century. Introduced in the 1960s, the Anthora was long made by the hundreds of millions annually, nearly every cup destined for the New York area.

A pop-cultural totem, the Anthora has been enshrined in museums; its likeness has adorned tourist memorabilia like T-shirts and ceramic mugs. Like many once-celebrated artifacts, though, the cup may now be endangered, the victim of urban gentrification.

The Anthora seems to have been here forever, as if bestowed by the gods at the city’s creation. But in fact, it was created by man — one man in particular, a refugee from Nazi Europe named Leslie Buck.

Mr. Buck, a retired paper-cup company executive, died on Monday, at 87, at his home on Long Island, in Glen Cove. The cause was complications of Parkinson’s disease, his son Robert said. Mr. Buck, previously a longtime resident of Syosset, N.Y., also had a home in Delray Beach, Fla.

The Anthora has spawned a flock of imitations by competitors over the years, but it was first designed by Mr. Buck for the Sherri Cup Company in Kensington, Conn.

Mr. Buck’s cup was blue, with a white meander ringing the top and bottom; down each side was a drawing of the Greek vase known as an amphora. (“Anthora” comes from “amphora,” as filtered through Mr. Buck’s Eastern European accent, his son said.) Some later imitators depict fluted white columns; others show a discus thrower.

On front and back, Mr. Buck emblazoned the Anthora with three steaming golden coffee cups. Above them, in lettering that suggests a Classical inscription, was the Anthora’s very soul — the motto. It has appeared in many variant texts since then; Mr. Buck’s original, with its welcome intimations of tenderness, succor and humility, was simply this:

We Are Happy

To Serve You.

Though the Anthora no longer dominates the urban landscape as it once did, it can still be found at diners, delis and food carts citywide, a squat, stalwart island in a sea of tall, grande and venti. On the street, it warms the harried hands of pedestrians. Without the Anthora, “Law & Order” could scarcely exist.

Laszlo Büch was born on Sept. 20, 1922, to a Jewish family in Khust, then in Czechoslovakia. (It is today in Ukraine.) His parents were killed by the Nazis during World War II; Laszlo himself survived Auschwitz and Buchenwald.

After the war, Mr. Buck made his way to New York, where he Americanized his name and ran an import-export business with his brother, Eugene, who had also survived the camps. In the late 1950s or thereabouts, the brothers started Premier Cup, a paper-cup manufacturer in Mount Vernon, N.Y.

Leslie Buck joined Sherri Cup, then a startup, in the mid-’60s. Originally the company’s sales manager (for a time, he was its entire sales force), he later became its director of marketing.

Sherri was keen to crack New York’s hot-cup market. Since many of the city’s diners were owned by Greeks, Mr. Buck hit on the idea of a Classical cup in the colors of the Greek flag. Though he had no formal training in art, he executed the design himself. It was an instant success.

Mr. Buck made no royalties from the cup, but he did so well in sales commissions that it hardly mattered, his son said. On his retirement from Sherri in 1992, the company presented Mr. Buck with 10,000 specially made Anthoras, printed with a testimonial inscription.

Besides his son, Robert, and brother, Eugene, Mr. Buck is survived by his wife, the former Ella Farkas, whom he married in 1949; two daughters, Beverly Eisenoff and Linda Rush; and four grandchildren.

In recent years, with the gentrification of the city and its brew, demand for the humble Anthora has waned. In 1994, Sherri sold 500 million of the cups, as The New York Times reported afterward. In 2005, the Solo Cup Company, into which Sherri had been absorbed, was selling about 200 million cups a year, The Times reported.

Today, Solo no longer carries the Anthora as a stock item, making it only on request. Other companies still turn out versions of the cup, though not in the quantities of its 20th-century heyday.

But given the tenacious traditionalism of many locals (“Avenue of the Americas,” anyone?), it is safe to assume that the Anthora and its heirs will endure, at least for a while, in the city’s steadfast precincts. For some time to come, on any given day, somewhere a New Yorker will be cradling the cup, with its crisp design and snug white lid, the stuff of life inside.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/30/nyregion/30buck.html