Opening With Tradition and a Couple of Happy Dollars
President Tony opened the meeting with our traditional rituals including a moment of silence as we hoped for good weather on Saturday for our Annual Rotary Breakfast.
Caroline, with pool table and mural in the background, offered two Happy Dollars: one for being here at Tally Game Room and
meeting Seiji Ohashi, the proprietor and our host; and for her and Paul’s upcoming trip to the Big Apple to visit her daughter, Lydia, and to see a Broadway show. Guests: Lena and Riley Stephens
Since Last We Met
Club Anniversaries: Reta Sanders July 11, 2018 7 years; Diane Rossi July 12, 2022 3 years; Nicole DiDomenico July 17, 2002 23 years; Tom Babic July 21, 1981 44 years.
On this day in history: In 2012 U.S. astronaut
Sally Ride, the first American woman to travel in space, died at the age of 61.
On this day in history: In 1903 Ford Motor Company sold its first automobile, a Ford Model A; five years later it introduced the hugely influential Model T.
Announcement
Reminder from Karl: Dues need to be paid for 2025-26 by July 31. The Club will be billed for the number of members on the books and so it is imperative that all members pay their dues by that deadline.
“Rack ‘Em Up!”
Caroline introduced Seiji Ohashi, owner of Tally Game Room.
Seiji started his talk by telling us that his love of billiards began when he was a child. He recalled once needing to stand on a milk crate in order to play pool with his grandfather. His vision for Tally was that his hobby would turn into a business enterprise that would satisfy a dream, fill a vacant storefront, cater to an unmet need and become something of a regional draw. He and his wife Jessia’s idea was that Tally become the living room for Barre and be a clean place to play billiards and have fun. The Ohashis hoped to create a comfortable venue where folks can come and enjoy a drink and wind down after work, possibly rent for special occasions, and play good old-fashioned games with family, friends or new acquaintances.
Tally has three pool tables, two 7-footers and a 9-footer that meet the standards for tournament play. It currently hosts both tournaments and billiard league play. The facility includes a shuffleboard table and a comfortable space to play a variety of other tabletop games. Seiji said that he wants to promote Scrabble , chess tournaments and really promote friendly competition. Music is offered a couple of times a month. Event space is available with a caterer of the choice of the renter.
The room is a nice mix of wood and granite and a 70-foot-long mural designed and painted by local artist Tessa O’Brien which is a focal point in this unique establishment. Tables, chairs, stools and the bar are all custom designed and manufactured in Vermont.
Seiji expressed interest in joining a downtown he believes is on the rebound and potentially partnering with existing businesses, like Pearl Street Pizza, in the future.
Our visit to Tally Game Room ended with a “rack ‘em up” demonstration by Seiji and some pool lessons for Lena and Riley Stephens by mom Emily.
Another great “field trip” --informative and fun and adding to our knowledge of Barre’s divergent business community. Thanks Seiji!
For more information including fees, events and hours click on the link: tallyvt.com
Serve It Up
That’s exactly what Rotarians and volunteers did on Saturday, July 26th for 798 breakfast guests at the 40th Rotary Breakfast. The hungry eaters consumed: 118 lbs of sausage; 40 lbs of ham; 280 lbs of bananas; 100 loaves of bread for French Toast and toast; and 900 8-oz white and chocolate milk. The mode was upbeat and jovial and everyone seemed to be having a good time and enjoying themselves. Mickey mouse pancakes were served to the kids and they seemed delighted to have the chance to guess the number of hour-service beans in the jar as we launched our first 50-50 raffle at the Breakfast. Many guests made it a point to express their support for Rotary and the Aldrich Public Library. Great job everyone!
