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District Governor's Message
 
By:  DG Bob MacKenzie, Kennebunk RC
 
February is a short but mighty month for Rotary as it is Peace & Conflict Resolution month.  With regard to Peace, Rotary’s mission is to create environments where peace can be built and maintained.  As it relates to conflict, Rotary works to address the root causes of conflict, such as poverty, lack of education, and unequal distribution of resources.
 
Peace & Conflict Resolution is certainly near to my heart considering what I do for work. I typically relate this to the work I do in law enforcement and on a smaller scale as it’s what I see in my community.  At the same time our Rotary clubs in 7780 help our communities in many ways related to education, poverty and resources which lead to stronger, safer, more peaceful communities.  We may not think about that when we embark on our local service projects.  Once again I want to stress that we create positive experiences and help reduce conflict and help build peace in our own part of the world. 
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ShareForever 7780 Campaign Update - February 2025
 
Sarah MacGillivray, District ShareForever Committee PR, Bath Sunrise RC
 
The Magic of Rotary is the theme for our current Rotary year, and it seems to fit our ShareForever 7780 Campaign as well. What Rotarians have done in our district is just MAGICAL! It all started with one couple’s generous donation and has grown into $4 million dollars in bequests and donations to our Rotary Foundation. 
 
Many of the bequests, benefactors and other gifts have been earmarked for Endowment Fund SHARE (EF-SHARE).  The yearly endowment earnings will perpetually add DDF funds for our district grants, global grants and District 7780 directed programs. Others have chosen to direct their gifts to Rotary Peace Centers, or one of the seven areas of focus: 
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January Was Youth Month In District 7780
 
By Carol Madsen, District Newsletter Editor, Bridgton-Lake Region RC
 
District Youth Services Chair Phil Giordano 
 
January was certainly Youth Month in District 7780 with the highlight being the Mid-Year Brunch in Freeport attended by 100 Rotarians (well, truthfully only 98) from throughout the District. DG Bob MacKenzie welcomed us all, and after that it was all things youth.  Phil Giordano, District Youth Services Chair, played a key role as did Dover Rotarian Sam Klemarzac, a former co-leader of RYLA and new District Interact Chair (see that announcement elsewhere in this newsletter). A panel of four young people expressed their experiences in three of the four youth areas represented in our district: Interact, RYLA, and Youth Exchange.  Only Rotaract wasn’t represented.  As high schoolers still they had not had an opportunity to experience Rotaract, but mentioned that they are looking for Rotoract Clubs at the colleges where they were applying.
 
Who was at the Brunch?
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Sharing Our Foundation Good News
 
The Latest Rotary Peace Center Opens in Istanbul
 
Did you know?
 
Rotary partners with leading universities around the world to offer post-graduate education in peace and related fields, and the newest Rotary Peace Center is opening this month in Istanbul.  Our District has played a unique role in its development:  Marty Helman, member of the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club, past Governor of our District and currently a Trustee of The Rotary Foundation, nailed the financial gift of over $15 million that led both to the Center’s creation and also its name.
 
The Otto and Fran Walter Rotary Peace Center at Bahçeşehir University will bring together peacemakers from across the Middle East and North Africa – people with different backgrounds and cultural and religious viewpoints, but who share common goals – and will provide them with the resources and experiences needed to work together to promote peace within the region.
 
Marty Helman stands with a portrait of Dr. Otto and Fran Walter at the ribbon-cutting for the new Peace Center last year.
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Peace and Conflict Resolution Month
 
February 2025
 
Club News
Click HERE for news about projects and fundraisers from around our district.
 
Bethel
Boothbay Harbor
Bridgton - Lake Region
Damariscotta - Newcastle
Dover
Kennebunkport
Kittery
Oxford Hills
Portland
Portsmouth
 
If we missed your club, 
please know that your work is appreciated. Please send your stories next month to:
 
News
Help Wanted - Newsletter Publisher
 
 
Publisher / Technical Support Sought for District Newsletter
 
Looking for a new role in the New Year?  Love technical challenges? Want to help out more at the District Level?
 
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Announcing Interact Chair for District 7780
Sam Klemarczyk, of the Dover Rotary Club, will be stepping into the position of Interact Chair for our district. Sam is a 7-year Rotarian and is a Youth Service Alumni. He has successfully led and grown both Interact clubs and Rotaract clubs. He is wrapping up his RYLA tenure after leading the program alongside Emily Rumble and passing it on to the wildly capable hands of Co-Camp Directors Tim Moyer and Jacey Chavez. Sam is a husband, dog dad, and Learning Consultant at The Predictive Index.
 
Sam’s goals as Interact Chair:
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Purple Pinky Project
By: Rachel Bachrach, Dover High School Interact Club
 
This summer, I volunteered at the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) program for my region of the country. This program, sponsored by Rotary, is a four-day summer camp in the woods of Maine with the goal of instilling leadership values in incoming juniors to high school. I was a camper the previous summer, and returned as a staff member to continue the program. As staff members, we were encouraged to take what we had learned during camp week and bring it back to our communities so that the magic of RYLA would persist through the year. With this motivation, I decided to complete a project during my final year of high school, a senior project of sorts, relating to Rotary International’s commitment to eradicating Polio.
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UNE Rotaractor Comfort Blankets Well Received 
 
The University of New England Rotaract Club made 20 fleece blankets for those in need. On a recent trip, Club Advisor Carol Marcotte delivered the blankets to the St.  Petersburg, FL Veterans Association.  The comfort blankets were well received by Veterans!
 
Another group of blankets were distributed to homeowners at Harbor Lights 55+ Community Park where, as of January 8, some homeowners were still without electricity after Hurricane Helene. Thank you, Rotaractors, for your service above self.
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District Calendar
DG Track Meetings 24/25
Feb. 07, 2025
7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
 
International Assembly
Feb. 09, 2025 8:00 a.m. –
Feb. 13, 2025 5:00 p.m.
 
Seacoast Portsmouth RC
Feb. 13, 2025
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
 
7780 Chairs Meeting with DG
Feb. 18, 2025
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
 
Pre PELS Session 5 - Zoom
Feb. 20, 2025
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
 
View entire list
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