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MAY GOVERNOR’S MESSAGE
Hopefully, May will bring us some sunny days! One thing is certain, May will bring us closer to RotaryFest, which is June 22. I expect amazing weather for RotaryFest-- and an amazing event. Our committee is working hard to ensure a wonderful time for all. See if you and your family can spot the five lighthouses visible from Fort Williams Park and be sure to have your photos taken with Portland Head Light in the background. As for other “scavenger hunt” ideas, see if you can find at least four places where Rotary’s contributions have been permanently recognized (hints: look in the picnic shelter; at the base of the big flagpole; over by the pond; and in the center of the circle by the children’s garden). If you find others, let me know!
Be sure to tell Mike McGovern at RotaryFest that you read his interview in the April issue of The Rotarian on the importance of going the last mile to eradicate polio – and ask him questions about Fort Williams, Portland Head Light, and Cape Elizabeth generally; after all, Mike was the Town Manager of Cape Elizabeth for many years. Reach out to Bob MacKenzie and the other members of our Recovery Committee at RotaryFest and learn more about their important work. I was so pleased to see their work highlighted in “Rotarians Destigmatize Opioid Recovery” in the May issue of The Rotarian.
I am hopeful RotaryFest will be a bright, sunny day – but we will have a great day regardless. We have a wonderful indoor alternative venue in place just in case. More details will follow if necessary – the alternative venue has high tech meeting rooms, an indoor turf field, a really cool indoor climbing gym for kids, and a huge outdoor carport where we can build our Little Free Libraries and do some grilling too.
I hope you’ll wear your Rotary garb to RotaryFest and feel free to promote your club’s activities. There is plenty of room to set up tables to promote your club and district activities, just bring some rocks (or find them at the beach in the park) to hold down any handouts as we can get some breezes at Fort Williams. As I mentioned at the District Assembly, if you have a cool Rotary trailer or other rig, bring it along to show it off!
If Rotarians from our district being highlighted in two straight editions of The Rotarian is not enough, there is more! Brenda Cressey, a former member of the Saco Bay club (before moving to California with her husband, Dick) was just elected chair of The Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees – congratulations, Brenda!
Brenda is the first woman elected to serve in this important role. I’m certain we will soon have a woman president of Rotary International too. These important milestones should help attract more women to Rotary. Let’s think about how we can publicize these milestones as they can help us grow our membership, particularly among women, who continue to be underrepresented in Rotary.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Brunswick club’s 0.5k fun “run” on Patriot’s Day (the same day as the Boston Marathon), though running was “discouraged.” Rather, socializing was encouraged! The first “water” stop included Aroma Joe’s coffee and Frosty’s donuts, the second served pizza, and the third gave away Wilbur’s chocolates! The race kicked off at noon (so no one had to get up too early), and it was cool to see the little girl who won the big trophy (in a raffle of race numbers) showing off the trophy. What great fun! I hope the race continues for many years and grows every year. I have the 0.5k decal on my truck!
It is fitting that the proceeds from Brunswick’s April fun “run” will go to youth programs as May is Youth Services Month. Our Youth Services committee has had a busy year. Kudos to Chair Kevin Raymond and his team.
Our Rotary Youth Leadership Awards program (RYLA) is one of the crown jewels of our youth services program. Led by Executive Director Phil Giordano (Scarborough) and Program Director Sam Klemarczyk (Exeter), this year’s RYLA experience will take place June 23-26 at Camp Hinds in Raymond, Maine.
Many of us have been privileged to read thank you notes from the students over the years, or to receive their parents’ sincere appreciation.
Here are two examples of students reporting on how RYLA influenced them:
“RYLA made me realize that life is fundamentally action. If I want to improve myself and my community, there is no substitute for action.” -Reed Silvers, Portland, 2017 RYLA camper.
“RYLA taught me to see the common good in people and in that way the world becomes smaller and I am never alone.” – Christian O’Connor, York, 2012 RYLA camper.
Club Leaders: Are you interested in how your members view your club, and perhaps in heading off issues before they get out of hand? You might consider surveying your members using the Rotary Club Health Check, a copy of which is available on the left side of our district home page under Club Support. Feel free to download and use the survey. In the alternative, you can ask our district webmaster to distribute the survey to your club members using Survey Monkey. Our webmaster would then forward the responses to you. Our district leadership will not be reviewing the responses--that is between the club members and their leadership. For more information, or to get the survey rolling, contact admin@7780.org.
NEW VOICES ROTARY CLUB JOINS DISTRICT
The New Voices D7780 Rotary Club is hosting a kickoff event to celebrate the start of our club on Saturday, June 15th, at Camp Hinds in Raymond, ME (146 Plains Road, Raymond ME) from 9 AM- 3PM. All Rotarians are invited! We can expect to hear from The New Voices themselves, DG John Lobosco, and Club Adviser Phil Giordano of Scarborough Rotary Club. We ask visitors to come prepared to celebrate this new opportunity, and participate in a campus clean up as we prepare for RYLA, which will be the following week. See you there!
RotaryFest 2019
JUNE 22, 2019
You’re Invited to a RotaryFest Party
The party will be on Saturday, June 22nd at Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth. It promises to be lots of fun and we hope to see you there. When invited to a party, most people say "what can I bring?" Well, here is what you can bring.
Your kids - There will be arts and crafts, games, kite flying, and many other activities to keep them entertained and amused.
Your friends and neighbors - This will be a terrific opportunity to introduce people to Rotary and all that we do.
Your Rotary curiosity - We have an excellent lineup of speakers and displays to help you learn more about all the wonderful Rotary activity going on in our district and around the world.
Your Rotary project - If you and your club are doing something that you would like to share, by all means bring it.
Your memories - We will have a memorial service for Rotarians who have passed away during the past year.
Your ears - We will have various musicians performing through out the day, including a very special children’s choir, Pihcintu, from Portland.
Your smiling face - We will have photographers to snap pictures of you and your family in the beautiful settings at the park.
Your walking shoes - The park is extensive and lovely with trails and many scenic sites to enjoy. We are also planning a couple of guided walks.
Your competitive spirit - There will be a "corn hole" competition to test your skill and concentration.
Your appetite. - We will be serving coffee in the morning and burgers, hot dogs, and veggies from noon to closing and it is all free.
Your generosity - We have a fun activity planned where in exchange for your $10 contribution to the Rotary Foundation, you will have a chance to win some recognition points toward your Paul Harris Fellowship.
And if you can, bring your muscles and some tools to participate on Friday afternoon, June 21st from noon to 5:00 in our service project to remove invasive species from the park. (If you can participate contact Assistant Governor Bob Wester at bob.wester@outlook.com.
Please go online at our district website (rotary7780.org) to register. It is a simple registration form but we need to know how many people are coming to be sure we can accommodate all.
Council on Legislation Update #1
Every three years, each district around the world elects a Council on Legislation (COL) representative to serve a three-year term. Collectively, these representatives are charged with studying, deliberating and voting on proposals to change Rotary’s basic governing rules and documents. From April 14th through 18th, about 534 elected delegates plus a number of other non-voting RI Past presidents, Board members, and Foundation Trustees gathered in Chicago to debate and vote on 117 Proposed Enactments. Forty-seven were adopted, sixteen withdrawn, and fifty-five defeated. It was my privilege to represent District 7780 and this is the first of several reports to update you on the changes adopted.
First, the proposal that was initiated by the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club and approved by our district passed handily. It will allow clubs to use the nominating committee process to select their representative and alternate to the nominating committee for Rotary International Director. Previously this was done by election at the District Conference. If our District wishes to take advantage of this new option, we will have to amend our Bylaws. Thanks to Rotarian Frank Helman from the Boothbay Harbor club for spearheading this change. I believe it is the first time an Enactment has originated from our district in many years.
Second, the body passed a "Position Statement" authorizing the RI Board to "take appropriate action" to change RI’s tax status to make it a 501c3, and thus able to accept tax exempt donations from persons and entities. The Rotary Foundation already has such status and this would allow RI itself to be considered a charitable organization. This proposal engendered much debate and discussion, but in the end, it passed easily (374 to 120). Apparently, the IRS has already told RI that it is eligible for such status. This authorizes the Board to continue to take the steps necessary to finalize it. The proponents emphasized that nothing would change in terms of how things are done by RI and the Foundation, and this proposal would provide additional revenue for Rotary. It was not clear how long the process would take.
Third, an Enactment to admit Rotaract clubs to Rotary International membership, after initially being defeated, was passed after reconsideration. The proposal makes Rotaract clubs part of the family of Rotary but it does not make them equal to Rotary Clubs. The proposal was controversial because many of the provisions were vague and many details left to future decisions of the Board and Trustees. For example, it requires Rotaract Clubs to pay dues, but no dues are set and it is up to the Board to decide when and how much should be charged. It is also silent about whether or not Rotaract Clubs can apply for District or Global Grants. RI President Barry Rassin urged adoption as a way of sending a message to young Rotaractors about how much we value their participation in Rotary.
There are many more enactments that passed and a few that were defeated that warrant discussion, so I will continue this series next month.
Lawrence Furbish
Polio Plus - May 2019
Polio Learning Center, May 2019:
Polio this week as of 17 April 2019: Afghanistan 3 / Pakistan 6 / Total = 9
The Polio Plus Subcommittee Chair is responsible for working to assist district Rotarians and clubs to (1) raise awareness about the global effort to eradicate polio, (2) advocate with governmental entities and other private organizations to assist in this effort, and (3) raise funds to support the End Polio Now campaign.
Thus far, through the efforts of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, spearheaded by Rotary International, over 2.5 billion children have been immunized against polio. The incidents of endemic polio have dropped from 125 countries to only two - Afghanistan and Pakistan. Rotarians to date have contributed $1.5 billion to support this effort. Beginning in 2007, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation pledged $100 million to match Rotary contributions and in 2009 increased this to $355 million. Rotary promised to raise $200 million by June 30, 2012 and ended up raising $228 million. The Gates Foundation has now pledged up to $35 million per year through 2018 to match Rotary contributions, two to one. So, for every dollar you donate, $3 goes to fight polio. I am currently working on a Raffle fund raiser through the District to raise a few dollars for Polio eradication. There will be more to come about our efforts.
I would love to hear from any of you with any stories of your travels that involve Rotary, as they are always a great inspiration to others.
Thank you for all that you do each and every day to make this a better world.
Jeffrey R. Slaton / Polio Plus Coordinator Rotary Club of Saco Bay District 7780
I know that many Rotarians wait until the close of the year to make their donations to the Rotary Foundation, but now is the time for you to start thinking about it. Thus far this Rotary year, donations to the Annual Fund are $156,721 and to Polio Plus $29,882. Last year the totals for the year were $232,513 and $62,035. We have significant work to do to meet or exceed last year’s giving.
One of the goals of the District Foundation Committee this year was to increase the number of Rotarians supporting the Foundation. District-wide, only a little more than half of our club members contribute to the Foundation. When you think about all that the Foundation accomplishes doing good around the world and how fully half of the money donated comes right back here to our District for us to decide how it is spent, you have to wonder why more of our members do not contribute.
You have heard me say many times, the amount of the contribution isn’t important As, little as $25 makes you an "Every Rotarian Every Year" (EREY) supporter of the Foundation. And that $25 will buy books to start a classroom library in a developing country or purchase a couple of mosquito nets to protect a child from malaria.
If you have already made a donation to the Foundation this year, thank you. Perhaps you could talk with your fellow club members to encourage them to make their donation. If you have not yet donated, please do. Rotary provides excellent stewardship to assure that your money is well spent. It does a great deal to help those in need, and it is a tangible acknowledgement of your support for this organization we are so proud to belong to.
.
International Service Committee Updates
INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH 2018-2019
By the time you read this, this year’s International Outreach Team will be in Romania!! District 7780 is sending the following Rotarians on this adventure to listen, learn and discover potential projects to bring back home to our District for support:
Melissa Lesniak, Rotary Club of Dover - Team Leader
Roland Gagne, Rotary Club of Biddeford-Saco
Phyllis Wolfe, Rotary Club of Bath Sunrise
Kathi Perkins, Rotary Club of Westbrook-Gorham
Left to right: Roland Gagne, Kathi Perkins, Phyllis Wolfe, Melissa Lesniak, Emma Bodwell, and Carolyn Johnson
The team will journey to Romania, embed themselves in it’s culture for 2 weeks (mostly Rotarian home hosted,) visit several Rotary clubs in Bucharest and Oradea, learn about a micro credit loan program that benefits young entrepreneurs, visit a “family style” orphanage, visit an ongoing program for children with Autism, and learn about a proposed project that would provide a summer program for children affected by the conflict in Ukraine.
The team will be making a presentation at this year’s RotaryFest on June 22, 2019. Also, they will be keeping us up to date with their Facebook posts!
If you would like to receive information and/or an application for our next outreach (TBD) for 2019-2020, please send an email to the chair Emma Bodwell, ebodwell@icloud.com and we’ll keep your info on file!
INTERACTIVE SERVICE PROJECT MAP
Our committee, special thanks to Bill Dunn, Rotary Club of Yarmouth, has updated the interactive map on our District Website. If you haven’t checked it out – you should!! We gathered as much information as we could from around the District in regards to past, present and future international projects. Here is the link:
If you do not see a specific project that your club was involved in, PLEASE let us know! If there are corrections/revisions needed, PLEASE let us know! We want to have this map as accurate and up-to-date as possible, so we need YOUR help to do this! This map is a great way for any Rotarian to see where we have been, what we have done, and what we are working on.
CLUB VISITS
If your club is interested in having an International Committee presentation, please let us know! We are hoping to stop by as many clubs as we can in the near future, but if you would like us to be your program for the day – we are happy to come!
My Neighborhood Book Nook in Portland, Maine by Sue Sturtevant, Past President of South Portland-Cape Elizabeth Rotary Club
Now that the final snowbanks have disappeared, I’ve opened my Book Nook with the help of an 8-year-old neighbor. She’s the one who is eager to open the lending library each spring, and comes knocking on my door to set up a time to meet. We unwrap the bungee cords around the sturdy tarp that protects the tiny building from the winter weather. (Snowplows go by and create an embankment that is just too high to climb, so the Book Nook closes from December until April.)
Then comes the exciting part of the ritual: On the first row at child height come the kids books that are classics, new or fresh. These are placed after reading each title out loud. Then reaching up to the second shelf, we place the adult books that are an assortment of history, biography, cook books, mystery, contemporary fiction, travel books, historical fiction and even how-to-do books that are timely. Then the Comment Book, a purple pen and book marks are put on the first shelf so that borrowers can request types of books, leave a thought, a drawing or a love note! And don’t forget the organic dog treats for our four-footed friends…
When this Book Nook opened in 2015, it was a gift from a friend who had some left-over lumber. His wife used paint colors to match my house and his daughter hand-lettered the title and drew a blue bird of happiness on the front door, then perched a carved bird on the roof top. The handle is made from a hand-carved tree branch and adds a personal touch to the entry moment. I had no idea how to put the library on a post and into the ground, so I asked a fellow Rotarian who was a landscape architect. She knew how and before I knew it, the Book Nook was securely in the ground. Finally came some potted flowers on the side and we were all set to welcome spring.
The first comment left was “A bright, beautiful gem—thank you.” Another said, “Cute. I come here every day after school.” Later someone wrote, “Hope to see more of these gifts of community in the world.” In the fall someone from a nearby street left this, “I love this Nook! It’s a beautiful work of love and art. Thanks to whoever made it. Signed: a jealous neighbor from another street.” Of course, I responded that any and all are welcomed to take and/or leave books. Later that year: “Finally stopped by on foot after driving by many times…thanks.”
If you haven't had a moment to read May's Rotarian Magazine, and the article about District 7780 Rotarians' efforts to destigmatize opioid recovery, click the link below.
Peter Johnson Yarmouth Rotary Club responded to Charter Night Program Request.
Request for April!
I would like to collect copies of all the club’s Charter & Anniversary celebration programs that are out there. There is a lot of club/district history in them! Many have how the club was started, the original charter members, all past presidents, current members, original officers, etc. Any that I get mailed to me at PO Box 142, Kittery Point, ME 03905, I PROMISE I will scan and return them to you promptly. If you do not want to mail them to me as you may be afraid they will get lost in snail mail, scan them as a jpg file and email it to me at mawilliamspdg@comcast.net.
At the District Training Assembly on April 6th at YCCC, Carolyn & Peter Johnson came up to me and Peter handed me the Charter Night Program from The Rotary Club of Yarmouth, ME. The Rotary Club of Yarmouth’s Charter Night was held on September 20, 1996. Peter was a charter member and their Charter President in 1996-1997. Carolyn joined the Yarmouth Club a few years later. I wonder if they ever thought that they would both be in the same club, each serve as the club president and each serve as a District Governor of District 7780. Peter was District Governor in 2001-2002 and Carolyn served as Club President in 2009-2010 and as District Governor in 2013-2014. The Johnsons as of this date, May 1, 2019, are the only husband and wife couple to ever both serve as a District Governor of District 7780. If you go to the District History page on the District 7780 History you will see The Rotary Club of Yarmouth’s Charter night Program. Will yours be there next month?
I am going to continue with the above request again for May. Look at the history you learned today! Send me your club’s charter night program and see what history we will learn about your club and our District!!
PLEASE SEND ME INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CLUB’S HISTORY!
Will you your name and your club’s name be here next month?
What will we learn about your club and the District?
Marie
Marie A. Williams, PDG
District 7780 Historian
The Rotary Club of Bethel
CLUB HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MONTH
Above left: Speaker Sarah Southam from the Bethel Conservation Commission inviting our club members to partner with them Saturday May 4th for Bethel’s Annual Green-Up Day - picking up and disposing of roadside trash. Above right: We recognized the Telstar HS March Students of the Month, parents and grandparents.
Above left: President Mike Steven Presenting a check to Telstar Dean of Students John Eliot, Jr. for their upcoming Project Graduation. Above right: Past President Michele Cole and Rotarian Bruce Powell present a plant and coffee mug to Friend of Rotary Deb Swan, who is the Manager of the Bethel Shop & Save- for all their kindnesses and support over the years.
We are so proud of our membership committee leaders who have excelled in bringing our membership to a new heights. We think that we achieved this by discarding our earlier approach of “begging” for members and replaced it with an all-out marketing effort through local news articles sharing what we are doing to enhance our community. We may have finally dispelled the notion that there is weekly required attendance. Our motto is “Engagement, not Attendance” and our members are now attending because we’ve made it fun! Our attendance was up from last year so we can only conclude that fun works!
As soon as spring arrives, we’ll be installing Little Libraries in special accessible sites for anyone to borrow a book. This is a joint project with the Chamber of Commerce and the Boothbay Harbor Library. So far, Rotary members have committed to four little libraries. Hats off to the notion of collaboration with other wonderful organizations!
The annual Soup Bowl took place late March, and brought in 220 people to receive all you can eat soup, salad and dessert with a handmade soup bowl of your choice for $15. This is a collaborative effort with Rebuilding Together and the Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, which prepares beautiful handmade soup bowls.
Bravo to our Youth Lane and 20 members of our local Interact Club who stepped it up a notch with this year’s Interact spaghetti dinner fundraiser. Thanks to all for bringing in $1000.00 for their hands on community and global projects.
Our collaborative program for Veterans called “Serve the Served” is going forward to meet our mission of bringing back into the community the veterans who have lost touch with others and would benefit from home visits and possible community activities. Rotary, our local community center, and the American Legion lodge are collaborating, and have gathered volunteers who, after training, will spend a minimal of 3 hours a month with a veteran.
We recently had an excellent guest speaker, Julie Kenny, Director of the Bath Regional Career Technical Center and Rotarian at Bath Sunrise Club. Julie asked us to share her link video that she wished us to view. We toured the Center in late April. Rotary hopes to facilitate greater investment in vocational training for high school students and give dignity to this type of life’s work and safeguard the economic future of our community.
Visit to Bath Vocational School
Left to Right: Bob Goodrich, Russ Pinkham, Griff Winthrop, BRHS student and server, Alice Mutch, Julie Kenny, Director of the Bath Regional Career Technical Center and Rotarian at Bath Sunrise Club; Culinary Arts Director, Mike Thompson, Rich Green, Irene Fowle
Vidalia Onions are for sale, but the deadline for ordering is this Friday, the 26th! For a box of beautiful onions at $27, contact any Rotarian or call Doug Harley at 207 350 6652.
We are so lucky to have the works of Helen Farnham, this month’s featured artist, adorn our clubhouse! Thank you Helen! Having rotating art in our clubhouse has helped us rent the house out for special events so that none of our fundraising money goes to overhead.
On April 25th, we celebrated our 61st Lifetime Service Award to a non Rotarian resident who epitomizes Service Above Self. Around 90 local citizens showed up to surprise the recipient! She was given a Paul Harris, and we hope that she will become a Rotarian.
May 2ns, please join us for a Rotary fun evening of Trivia. Bring your partner for some fun. Darryl Goodroe will MC the evening. We will pass the hat to cover the cost of the MC and donate to Polio Plus. Bring your change! No dinner this evening, just heavy hor d’ouvres.
On May 4th, we will collaborate with our local community center to sponsor the KENTUCKY DERBY to benefit the Community Center. Benefiting the Community Center, it will be held Saturday, May 5, at the clubhouse. Doors open at 5:00 with the race running at 6:50. Tickets are $20 and will be available at Thursday’s meeting, or call Shawn Lewin at 207-478-5874. Join us for a mint julep, a bite of Derby Pie and the most exciting two minutes in sports!
May 30th is Graduate's Night at Rotary. We invite the BRHS grads to dinner and have them sit with a Rotarian to talk about their futures and how Rotary will enhance their lives. If you have a great speaker who resonates with graduating seniors, let us know.
The Rotary Club of Brunswick
Patriots’ Day Half-K
Rain or shine! That was the ‘byline’ for the Brunswick Rotary Club Patriots’ Day Half-K! That’s right! Half-K - 0.5K. The carefully measured course included a table of Frosty’s donuts and Aroma Joe’s coffee, another one for Domino’s Pizza and finally Wilbur’s Chocolates.
As fate would have it, the rain that fell throughout the night stopped at 10:00am, and did not begin again until 1:00pm after the noon race was done, and everything was put away. Special guests DG John LoBosco and his wife Sue were ready, come rain or shine and ambled with the best of them!
Billed as “Competing with the Boston Marathon” by the local newspaper Times Record, this race for underachievers brought a smile to everyone’s face. Serious runners had a difficult time comprehending the half-K concept but some of them turned out anyway to circumambulate the Brunswick Mall and go back for seconds at the ‘water stops.’ The t-shirts were colorful, and the car decal of 0.5K was a prized possession for many.
Above left: Evelyn Hanscom was the winner of the trophy
A tall, recycled trophy received a new faceplate stating, “I WON! Brunswick Rotary Club Patriots’ Day Half-K.” In the spirit of non-competition, the winner was a bib number drawn from a hat, and young Evelyn Hanscom was thrilled to receive the big, shiny trophy.
As with most good ideas, this one was borrowed. The Hamilton-Wenham Rotary Club in District 7870 initiated the project last spring at a local golf course. They had a great time and raised funds for the club. The Brunswick Rotary Club is proud to say that they did not lose money on this project, thanks to the many local merchants who gave in-kind donations. The most important part of the non-run was the visibility in the community. To quote one of the non-runners from her Facebook page, “Today I did my first marathon in Brunswick. It was a .5(K) marathon and it was the best time I ever had. Will continue to do marathons for as long as I can.”
The Rotary Club of Damariscotta-Newcastle
CLUB TO HOLD E-WASTE COLLECTION DAY
The Rotary Club of Damariscotta-Newcastle will hold their E-Waste Collection on Saturday, May 18th, 8 am to 12 noon at Floor Magic, 45 Biscay Road, Damariscotta. "Anything with a Board and a Cord."
CLUB'S ROTARIANS PLAN GOLF TOURNAMENT
Rotarians Shirley Tawny, Rick Hagen and Bob Melanson keep us up-to-date on plans for our annual Rotary/Lions Golf Tournament, to be held on July 27th at Wawenock Golf Club, Walpole, ME.
This is always a fun day and raises lots of money for our two service clubs to meet local needs.
CLUB STRIVES TO MAKE EARTH CLEANER
Damariscotta Chief of Police and Rotarian, Jason Warlick, and Karen Ann Hagar (family of Rotary) joined youngsters at the CLC Y on Earth Day for local trash pick up. The CLC Y in Damariscotta is one of our organization members. Thanks for making the earth cleaner!
The Rotary Club of Dover
CLUB PRESENTS CHECK TO YOUTH SOFTBALL LEAGUE
The Rotary Club of Dover presented a check for $500.00 to Nancy Weik of the Dover Youth Softball Association. Dover Youth Softball League serves players from ages 4 - 16 who are residents of the communities of Dover, Durham, Lee and Madbury, or who are students of a Dover school. They offer recreational yet competitive spring softball focusing on learning fundamentals of the game, as well as a summer season for higher skilled players who desire greater competition and challenges in the game of softball. #doveryouthsoftball #communitygiving #serviceaboveself
CLUB SUPPORTS TEEN ADVENTURE PROGRAM
The Rotary Club of Dover presented a check for $1,500 to Stephen Pappajohn of the Dover Police Charities for the Dover Teen Center Adventure Program. Youth programs often can’t do it all on their own. Partnerships with local businesses and other non-profit organizations play a integral role in program quality. Because of our partners, the Dover Teen Center continues to thrive, and offer valuable after school and summer opportunities and experiences for our area youth. #doverpolicecharties #doverteencenteradventureprogram #communitygiving #serviceaboveself
Photo on right: Rotarian members Leigh Willet, Treasurer and Tressa Bickford, President-elect. Photo on right: Rotarian Steve Geiger and Exeter Police
The Exeter Rotary Club held its 7th annual food drive known as “Stuff the Bus” to benefit the town’s major food pantry at The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Community Assistance Center on Saturday April 13th. This year over 1,200 bags of food were sold – the most ever! Along with cash donations received of over $17,000, the total amount raised in food equivalent has reached over $100,000 for the last seven years!
The Exeter Rotary Club includes many other community organizations to make the food drive a great success. The Southern District YMCA Camp Lincoln and First Student Bus Company of Salem, NH donate two mini buses and a full-size school bus that are placed in front of three area grocery stores for the day. Rachael Ela, Exeter Rotary “Stuff the Bus” Coordinator points out the other sources of volunteers. “We couldn’t accomplish all that we do without the volunteers that include friends and family members, Vincentians, the Exeter and Stratham Police Departments, Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce members, Rotary Interact Club members from Exeter High School, Rotaract Club members from UNH and the Youth Group from St. Michael’s Parish.”
As in previous years, this year’s event has a “green” side. The pantry transitioned to more earth friendly bags for clients accessing food assistance; each grocery store packed donations in paper bags or has generously donated reusable cloth bags which are given to the pantry’s clients.
This food drive is critical in preparing for the Summer Family Food Program. According to Molly Zirillo, Executive Director of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Exeter Food Pantry & Cleo Castonguay Community Assistance Center, "the food donations we receive through this incredibly generous food drive, allow us to invite client households with school age children to visit the pantry on a weekly basis to make up for the meals they would be receiving at school. We are blessed to be surrounded by a community civic organization, such as Exeter Rotary, that helps us put food on the table for our most vulnerable neighbors."
Leah Grant, Society of St. Vincent de Paul volunteer said, “there are 66 families that came to the center in the past year with school aged children that will need extra assistance during the summer months. These 66 families are comprised of 131 children who will not receive free or reduced lunch from schools during summer break. This food drive makes a major contribution to what will be needed for this year’s program.”
ROTARY SCHOLARSHIPS FOR LOCAL EXETER STUDENTS
This spring the Exeter Rotary Club will offer its annual scholarships to help students of all ages further their education. Proceeds from the Exeter Rotary Club annual apple sale, “Dollars for Scholars,” funds the scholarships, this year totaling $5000.00 that will be awarded as follows:
Two Exeter High School students will each receive $1,000
Two Seacoast School of Technology students will each receive $1,000
Exeter Adult Education will receive $1,000 to help students defray education costs
The apple sale fundraiser has been a staple of Exeter Rotary’s commitment to the community for decades. This signature fundraiser has taken place for 40+ years and over $60,000 in scholarships have been awarded to students of Exeter High School, the Seacoast School of Technology and Exeter Adult Education. Over the years, the dollar amount of the scholarships given has increased in consideration of the rising costs of education.
The Rotary Club of Kittery and Kittery Rotary After Hours Club
SENIOR SPRING DINNER
On March 24th, two Maine Rotary Clubs put on a Spring Free Dinner, along with entertainment for Kittery-area seniors. This annual event involves the support of Kittery Rotary Club members, Kittery Rotary After Hours Club members, our families, members of the R.W. Traip Academy Interact Club, as well as the support of the Kittery Community Center and their staff.
Each of the guests took home a beautiful bunch of spring flowers provided by Hillside Flowers and gifts (yes, there is a Rotary connection) and music is provided throughout by Rotarian Alan Robinson. The food is prepared ahead of time by club members and the event is known for the active serving support of our young family members and the High School Interact volunteers .
The Rotary Club of Ogunquit
SELLING BREAD TO MAKE DOUGH
With generous donations of bread from the local bakers at When Pigs Fly and Borealis Breads, Ogunquit Rotarians proudly sold savory and sweet breads to raise money needed to fund community building initiatives. Club members staffed the bread table and sold their own home-baked cookies, brownies, and festively packaged candies as they welcomed visitors to the beach tents at Ogunquit’s Patriot’s Day celebration on a Saturday in early April.
According to bread-sale organizer, Tracy Smith, “With lots of help from my fellow Rotarians, we raised nearly $400 to put toward this year’s project list including student scholarships, literacy and polio prevention programs, and our ongoing international efforts to sponsor improved access to healthcare and nutrition in Columbia, South America." "Of course, we could not do this at all without the generosity of our primary sponsors at When Pigs Fly and Borealis Breads," said Erin Haye, Club president. “We deeply appreciate their ongoing generosity to support our work!”
The Rotary Club of Oxford Hills
CLUB SUPPORTS CHILD ADVOCACY PROGRAM
Left to right: Rotary member Patty Rice, Kat Perry, and President George Rice
The Rotary Club of Oxford Hills recently welcomed guest speaker, Kat Perry from the newly formed Children’s Advocacy Center located at 66 Paris Street, Norway. Their mission is to provide services to children who have experienced sexual abuse. CAC provides a venue for forensic interviews by law enforcement that were previously done in the schools, residences and other unsecure sites. They also make team decisions about investigations, treatment, management and prosecution of child sex abuse cases. The Norway office will also service Androscoggin and Franklin counties, as well as Oxford County. President George Rice presented Kat with a $500 donation to the chapter on behalf of the club, for improvements and other assets that need to be made at the Norway location.
The Rotary Club of Portsmouth
District Report April 19, 2019
Former Club President Ted Alex (pictured on right) was presented the second Rev. Gordon Allen Humanitarian Award. Ted has been a leader in many hands-on projects and has traveled extensively in the cause of Rotaplast.
The club sponsored the second of six public health forums entitled “Recovery with Health and Dignity.” Designed to address the state’s opioid crisis, the evening event at Portsmouth High School was well attended.
Tiffany McKenna has had no problem filling volunteer positions for our Cross Roads House obligation.
We periodically cook and serve dinners at Cross Roads House, a local homeless shelter.
The William Cash Committee under the guidance of Barbara Miller has donated $4,000 dollars in the last few weeks. Gifts of $1,000 dollars each went to the Community Baby Shower and Piscataway Scholarship Committee. Piscataway runs an experiential program for young sailing students.
Pictured above: Barbara Miller (on left)
Two other $1,000-dollar grants went to a youth cycling program and Habitat to Humanity for a Dover, N.H., home building project. The Veterans Build effort will encompass the combined efforts of four seacoast Rotary Clubs. In the end, a deserving veteran family will have a new home.
Craig Taylor and Joanie Dickinson have our Interact Club active. They’ll help Special Olympics and participate in a hands-on project at the John Paul Jones House. This work is President Cleo’s designated project and the club is donating $48,188 dollars to support it. Interact also plans a May 11 spring clean-up at Wallis Sands Beach in Rye.
New members to the club are former USAF pilot Ken Riley, and Jen Madden, who owns her own real estate company.
Party with a Purpose is presented by the Portland Sunrise Rotary Club to benefit Maine Children's Cancer Program.
Event guests are invited to enjoy complimentary beer, wine and a spectacular buffet of hors d'oeuvres at DiMillo's Restaurant in Portland. A silent and live auction will take place over the course of the evening. Proceeds from the event will benefit Maine Children's Cancer Program, and will help support its three primary areas of focus: providing world-class cancer care to Maine children in a closer to home setting, research opportunities that continue to bring us closer to a cure and social support services for the entire family through their journey with childhood cancer.
The snow may be on the ground yet Spring is almost here and so is golf season. Are you looking for a fun outing? Join us on June 10th. This is one of the ways that the Rotary Club of Dover raises funds to distribute to local and international causes.Come out, have fun and do good at the same time!
The Rotary Club of Oxford Hills
LOBSTERS FOR SCHOLARS - June 12, 2019
The Rotary Club of York
CAR WITH A CAUSE - OCTOBER 19, 2019
Have Something You'd Like to Share with Us?
Updates and short articles with images or videos, and the names of new members and those who have passed, may be submitted to our Newsletter Editor, Deb Marsolais, at deb.marsolais@comcast.net to be included in our Monthly Newsletter. The District Newsletter is a means of communicating to other clubs in our district; items of interest, upcoming events, fundraisers, opportunities of service, or member news.
Deadline for June Newsletter Submissions: May 23rd
PLEASE NOTE:
As a precaution, unless you have obtained a written consent from a parent/guardian, every child’s face which appears in a picture submitted for the newsletter or website, will be edited so that it is blurred out in the picture. Since there may be situations involving abuse, neglect, custody dispute, etc., and parents wouldn't want their child's picture to appear in public, this is being done for the child's privacy and protection.
If you have a submission for the newsletter or website, and would like to have us post a picture with a child (children) in it, please let us know if you have received a consent, otherwise we will edit it accordingly.
Thank you for your cooperation.
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Everyone’s Phone Number at Your Fingertips . . . and Much More!
Have you done the easy ClubRunner download yet?
How would you like to have not only your own Rotary Club members contact information but also the entire District at your fingertips? You can and so much more by downloading the new and improved ClubRunner Mobile App. You can also access club and district leadership, stories and events all with just a few clicks. Connecting to them is as easy as clicking on the phone number or email address.
You can download it on the AppStore or GooglePlay and be on your way in minutes. Now would also be a good time to make sure that your profile is current, and if you do not have a picture saved, or your birthday listed, considering updating your information now!
Reach out and collaborate with other like minded Rotarians from around our district and be the People of Action that your are!
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donation. If you have not yet donated, please do. Rotary provides excellent stewardship to assure that your money is well spent. It does a great deal to help those in need, and it is a tangible acknowledgement of your support for this organization we are so proud to belong to.
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How would you like to have not only your own Rotary Club members contact information but also the entire District at your fingertips? You can and so much more by downloading the new and improved ClubRunner Mobile App. You can also access club and district leadership, stories and events all with just a few clicks. Connecting to them is as easy as clicking on the phone number or email address.
