The Rotary Club of Portsmouth
CLUB LOG/JANUARY 2017
 
We opened the New Year with a blessing from Paris Khavari, a local Baha’is leader. He filled-in admirably for our beloved Rev. Gordon Allen, who died just before Christmas. Since then John Rice, one of Gordon’s former parishioners has done the honors.
 
The Club approved $5000 from the Ray Jones Fund to replace 12 windows at the Portsmouth Discovery Center. Ray’s wife Marlene was on hand to receive the Christmas Ornament marked #1. This has become a club tradition. Back in the day, Ray outbid everyone to own the First Ornament. Speaking of Christmas - our Christmas Tree Sales Leader and President-Elect Ben Wheeler earned high praise from James. The net total raised was in excess of $50,000.
 
Rotarians were traveling world-wide during the month. Jon Flagg went to Belize with assist from Leonard Seagren and a Belizean Rotarian. The William Cash Committee funded Past President Ted Alex’s airfare on his Rotoplast trip to Bangladesh. President James journeyed to India on a Rotary NID library project there. 
 
Volunteer extraordinaire Bob Lewis was given a well-deserved Paul Harris Award.
 
 
Left to right:  Mort Schmidt, James Petersen, PHF recipient Bob Lewis, and DG-Elect Dave Underhill
 
Guest speakers for the period included Katy Kramer author of Portsmouth Naval Prison (Images of America Series.) Seacoast Mental Health Center Executive Director Jay Couture and the Concord Coalition’s Chase Hagaman also gave presentations. The Coalition is a nationwide bi-partisan watch dog group established to educate voters on the country’s fiscal health and economic policies.
 
 
Guest speakers left to right:  Katy Kramer, Jay Couture, and Chase Hagaman