Residents join together for the weekly Cup of Conversation
You have probably heard of the town-hall style meeting we have each week called Cup of Conversation. Its origin goes back to the beginning of Wake Robin while still under construction, as a means to keep everyone apprised of progress, changes, and updates.
These days, Cup is a forum for the exchange of information, and it is all over the map. We draw about 150 people as the live audience in our Meeting Room and more can join via the livestream camera. Meagan Buckley, CEO/President, presides at the podium with many guests over the course of the one-hour meeting. We get reports from various departments as well as announcements from committees and individual residents. After the meeting, we produce an electronic record known as “Written Cup” that serves as a summary of all that transpired. It’s fascinating to see the variety of issues addressed in one session.
At one recent Cup, details from a number of different sources were shared:
- The annual Pancake Breakfast for staff and residents celebrating the wonderful end result of the maple syrup production season.
- The schedule of maintenance from Environmental Services to service and repair heating and cooling systems in each home. There are 250 homes here.
- Announcement of the first session of the Russian Literature class.
- Part 3 of the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum Archaeology Series- Underwater Archaeology of Commerce: Steamboat and Canal Boat Wrecks of Lake Champlain.
- Scam of the Week identified by a resident who suspected something wasn’t right about the guy on the phone claiming to be from a prominent bank. The resident did not get fooled and reported the incident to the Vermont Attorney General’s office.
- Sign up for Green Up Day (statewide effort in Vermont to clean up roadside trash).
- An upcoming presentation from the Racial Justice Committee focusing on race and our criminal justice system. The speakers were two professors emerita from UVM.
From pancakes to racial justice…you never know where the next Cup will take you.
