The year 2020 is one that none of us will forget – it was the year of COVID 19! The year 2021 is going to be better. We have all experienced things we never thought in our lifetime we would this past year.
We need your help in two ways. Curious?
I am asking for your help in two areas for the District History –
First – PLEASE send me the names of any Rotarians in your clubs that may have passed away during the 2019-2020 Rotary year. I unfortunately have 21 names of deceased Rotarians dating from June 28, 2019 thru May 2, 2020. It is important to remember all those Rotarians that passed away the last Rotary year. If you have anyone that passed away during this time, please send me their name, your club’s name and the date of their death, we do not want to miss any names. I will look up their obituary. I have names from the following clubs and one Past District Governor from District 7790 before we became District 7780:
Brunswick – 6 members
Damariscotta-Newcastle – 2 names
Hampton – 2 names
Portland – 3 names
Portsmouth – 2 names
River Valley – 1 name
South Portland-Cape Elizabeth – 1 name
Wells – 2 names
Westbrook-Gorham – 1
Marcel J. Girardeau, DG 1987-1988 District 7790
Second - Last year was a very trying one for everyone with the onset of COVID-19. Our lives changed dramatically personally, professionally and as a Rotarian! A lot of events we would normally have in person were cancelled and we became Zoomies! PLEASE share with me and the District what changes were made in your Rotary Club life. For instance, in my life as a Rotarian (I joined in July 1987) I went from typing our weekly club newsletter and photocopying it for club members, to learning to use a computer for Rotary, then along came ZOOM! I had no idea what it was but I learned how to get into it with the assistance of PDG Andy Glazier for our first Zoom meeting March 31, 2020. I still don’t understand how it all works, but I am getting there. We were meeting at the Kittery Estates but because of COVID-19, they told us that we could no longer meet there because they had to protect their elderly residents which was understandable. I will say meeting via zoom has brought our weekly attendance up but I do miss not being able to chat individually with other members. Our newsletter editor Dave Gooch prints a screen shot of everyone in attendance at our meetings (no idea how that is done) and posts it in our weekly newsletter which is really neat! Our meetings have gone on with adjustments and our fundraisers have been different but we are still supporting our community and our schools and recognizing Students of the month.
I have shared about how the Rotary Club of Kittery is working around COVID, now it is your turn to share with us so I can add it to the District History – tell me if your meetings stopped for a while, whether you are meeting in person or Zoom. How the club is accepting the changes. We have a couple of members that don’t like Zoom meetings and we rarely see them but they are still supportive members. This is history in the making and future generations need to know how Rotary got thru COVID-19.
Please send your deceased members names and the changes your club has made because of COVID, along with your name and your club’s name to mawilliamspdg@comcast.net . It will be added to District 7780’s History pages. You will become part of District 7780’s History that will live on and may help other clubs now and in future situations!
Everyone, stay safe!
Marie
Marie A. Williams, PDG
District 7780 Historian