|
|
|
|
DISTRICT ROTARY FOUNDATION SPENDING SEMINAR
Dear Rotarians,
We heard you! Why devote a Saturday morning and travel to Portland when the job can be done online?
The District Rotary Foundation Spending Seminar 2015, originally scheduled to take place "live" in September, has been re-thought as a Go-To-Webinar and will take place Monday evening, November 9, at 6:30.
During that hour, you will hear how the District is currently spending The Rotary Foundation dollars we raise, and you will learn of options on how it could be spent. Then you will be asked to let us know how you think we should spend the money in the next three years.
Simple? That's correct! All we need is YOU.
Please take part! Registration is easy, and can be done via the District website:
www.rotary7780.org. Cost is $0. Dress code is come-as-you-are. Results will affect people in our backyards and around the world who we may never meet, but who will be touched by Rotary, as well as all of us right here in District 7780.
Be a gift to the world -- Be a part of this opportunity to change lives from your own computer screen.
I look forward to your participation.
Sheila
|
|
"ROTARY READS" in District 7780
In the Spring of 2015, our district began a project called Rotary Reads. All of the clubs were provided a box, some literature, and books to get started. The goal of this program is to encourage reading throughout our District. These boxes are to be placed in a location accessible to as many people as possible – places such as community centers, food kitchens, town offices, etc. They are to be maintained and, as books get taken, replenished with the many, many books we have collected.
Where is your box? How many books have you seen taken from this location? Are you getting any feedback? Do you need more books?
Please let us know what your club is doing, where you have placed your box and how many books you have distributed through this venue.
Is your box in use? If not – why not? Do you need assistance or suggestions getting this program started?
If you need any assistance, have any questions, or need more books – please let us know and we will help however we can!!!
Emma Bodwell & Bonnie Gould, Co-Chairs, Literacy Committee District 7780
|
|
BRIDGE THE GAP TO END POLIO
|
|
End Polio Now Bridgewalk event - $9,130.00
Gates Foundation Match - $18,260.00
Total to Polio Plus - $27,390.00
In observance of World Polio Day and Polio Day in the states of Maine and New Hampshire, on a very brisk Saturday morning (October 24), many hearty souls turned out for the second annual Bridge the Gap to End Polio Now Bridgewalk to support Rotary's ongoing efforts to eradicate polio. Rotarians and friends registered and participated representing many clubs from District 7780. Bright red "End Polio Now" t-shirts lined the Memorial Bridge between Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Kittery, Maine brightening a cloudy, cold fall morning.
Many thanks to Seacoast Portsmouth and Kittery Rotary clubs for organization and leadership and area businesses for their generous support of this event.
|
|
MEDICAL VOCATIONAL SERVICE OPPORTUNITY
York Rotary, in coordination with multiple other clubs in our district, and RC Kampala Sesse Islands has just submitted a Global Grant application to support a newly completed Cancer Center in Kampala Uganda. This marks the final step in bringing this facility to reality, providing a 38 bed treatment center addressing the needs of breast, cervical, and prostate cancer patients.
In addition to shipping essential medical equipment needed to open the facility (though the generosity of Partners for World Health), the grant will provide training in patient care to the hospital staff in Kampala. A team up up to 12 medical professionals will travel from D7780 to Uganda to work with the staff at the cancer center. Anticipated travel will be for up to three weeks in the spring, 2016. Rotarians or non-Rotarians with an interest in being part of this medical mission are encouraged to apply. The team will focus on patient care and will consist of doctors and nurses with a background in working with oncology patients. Individuals with a background in pharmacy, physical therapy, or other related fields may be included on the team. The grant will cover all travel expenses (connected with the mission). Team members will be home hosted by local Rotarians while in Uganda.
An inbound team of medical staff from the hospital in Uganda will be hosted by our district, likely summer, 2016. A team is currently being formed for Rotarians interested in helping plan the training opportunities or hosting the inbound medical team.
If you are interested - or know someone who may be interested - in being part of the outbound medical team, or for more information, contact Carolyn Johnson cfj2@mac.com or Rob Horowitz, MD rwhorowitz@hotmail.com
|
|
CRUTCHES 4 AFRICA
On November 21, 2015, District 7780 will be loading and shipping its 5th 40 foot cargo container filled with mobility devices.
We will be needing additional people to load. If you would like to help or just check out what we are doing, come to 3 Gooch Street, Biddeford, ME 04005.
At this point I do not have times to give you, but if you want to be kept informed send an e-mail to risc@maine.rr.com.
Thanks,
Dennis Robillard
Crutches 4 Africa
District 7780 Chair 2015-2016
|
|
Bath Rotary Club
ROTARIAN ON MISSION IN CAMBODIA
Bath Rotarian Rich Cromwell is in Cambodia for the 6th consecutive year to continue his work with the CIO Orphanage near Siem Reap. Since the orphanage is in danger of losing it's temporary home, his mission is to acquire land and build a well planned, sustainable and safe orphanage that will provide for the 37 orphans who call the orphanage their home. Rich has created a website (www.cambodiankids.org) which contains lots of information on his mission. You can follow Rich’s trip by checking the Bath Rotary Club’s website at bathrotary.org and on the Bath Rotary’s Facebook page. Rich’s Cambodian Kids organization, along with other generous donors from around the world, will continue their support beyond the construction phase to include providing education, food, medical resources and clothing to the children. If your club would like to learn more about our International project, please contact Rich Cromwell at richcromwell1@gmail.com or Bath Rotary President Caelie Smith at caeliesmith@comcast.net.
|
|
Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club
BOOTHBAY HARBOR and DAMARISCOTTA/NEWCASTLE ROTARIANS
TEAM UP TO END LOCAL HUNGER
Matthew Martin (right), New England Manager of Outreach, addresses the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club. Nancy Stoltz, President of the Damariscotta/Newcastle Rotary Club (center), and Tony Curulla, President-Elect of the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club listen carefully.
On November 8th, Rotarians from the Boothbay peninsula and from the Damariscotta and Newcastle area will convene at the Damariscotta YMCA at 2 p.m. to package at least 15,000 meals to be distributed to hungry local residents through local food pantries, backpack programs, and the Good Shepherd Food Bank. Boothbay Harbor Club President, Ham Meserve and Damariscotta/Newcastle Club President, Nancy Stoltz, have agreed to partner on this program to end local hunger.
The Rotarians have teamed up with Outreach, Inc. an Iowa non-profit, whose New England Manager is Matthew Martin, a Lutheran minister in Marshfield, MA. Matthew discovered that in New England, Maine has the highest percentage of people who are hungry (16.2%), with nearly 1 in 4 children being food insecure.
Feeding Local Hungry People
Outreach provides bulk food materials, which are then packaged into “boil and eat” meals like fortified Mac & Cheese, fortified rice and beans, and high protein pasta in tomato sauce at a cost of 25 cents per meal. Each package includes 6 servings, and can be boiled or microwaved with water. Each cooked serving contains 7 to 9 grams of protein as well as vitamins and minerals. They taste great! The sealed packages have a long shelf life, so they can be kept for those days when there’s no food in the house.
The Rotary Club of Boothbay Harbor, along with the Rotary Club of Damariscotta-Newcastle, have committed to packaging at least 15,000 meals on November 8th. The two Rotary Clubs together have pledged $3,750, but if more donations come in, and more volunteers show up, they may be able to increase that number to 20,000 or more. The meals from the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club will be given to the Boothbay Area Food Bank and Food for Thought programs, the latter reaching 100 peninsula families with children lacking food over weekends.
Examples of the Outreach food packages prepared by volunteers. Each package contains 6 servings and can be cooked in water on the stove or in a microwave.
|
|
Bridgton-Lake Region Rotary Club
ROTARIANS SHOW TEAMWORK AT FRYEBURG FAIR
Teamwork was evident during the week of the Fryeburg Fair as Rotarians from the Bridgton-Lake Region and Fryeburg Clubs sold stuffed baked potatoes for the thousands of attendees. This traditional fundraiser has been a joint effort between our two clubs for many years and the great weather ensured we were all kept very busy!
|
|
CONGRESSWOMAN SPEAKS AT CLUB MEETING
At the October 15th club meeting members of the Rotary Club of Bridgton-Lake Region and the public were honored to welcome Congresswoman Chellie Pingree as their guest speaker. Pictured with President George Szok.
|
|
DISTRIBUTES DICTIONARIES TO 3RD GRADERS
New dictionaries were distributed to many excited 3rd graders in October as the Rotary Club of Bridgton-Lake Region visited classrooms at Songo Locks and Stevens Brook Elementary Schools in Naples and Bridgton.
|
|
Kennebunk Portside Rotary Club
TO CELEBRATE 25TH ANNIVERSARY.jpg)
Kennebunk Portside Rotary Club will celebrate its 25th Anniversary with a dinner on Thursday, November 19th at the Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport. Cocktails will be served at 5:30 PM, Buffet Dinner at 6 PM. Raffle prizes and a small auction will cap off an evening of fun and fellowship. All Rotarians in the District are cordially invited to attend! For reservations, please email Cornelia Stockman at cornstock@gwi.net.
The club was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Kennebunk in October of 1990 because The Kennebunk Club, with a large number of members, believed that the area could support a second club, especially one providing a breakfast meeting option. The two clubs have collaborated on projects through the years, most significantly in the Community Connections youth mentoring program, which is in its 17th year of operation. Kennebunk Portside Rotary currently has 28 members.
|
|
MAKES DEEP CONNECTIONS WITH COMMUNITY
Don Curry has a perfect attendance record.
For 25 years he has been at every meeting of the Kennebunk Portside Rotary Club, which is part of Rotary International, a humanitarian service organization with 1.2 million members in 161 countries. Curry, restoration project manager for the Seashore Trolley Museum, is a charter member of Portside, which celebrateD its 25th anniversary on Oct. 16.
“Portside was the offspring of the Kennebunk Rotary Club,” said Curry. “At the time the Kennebunk club was quite large. For 10 weeks in 1990 Kennebunk Rotary sponsored a new group that met at various locations. Twenty-five of us expressed interest in the group and have been meeting ever since; there are still three of us left from that group on day one. Club members do service projects and social things together, like going to the Arundel Barn Playhouse. We like each other as individuals, as well as being part of a service organization.”
Kennebunk Portside Rotary Club President Peggy Belanger gives a presentation to fellow members about the school supplies the club was collecting for local students.
Kennebunk Portside Rotarians join with community members in a dedication ceremony of Rotary Park at Beachwood last fall. The Portside club members have been caretakers of the park for the past few years. Photo courtesy of Don Curry.
|
|
Saco Bay Rotary Club
WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY: READING IS THE KEY
 
Reading is important! Parents, grandparents, and teacher encourage children to read regularly, may give a book allowance, or visit the library on a regular basis. Most of us agree, reading to children can have a positive and lasting impact on emergent literacy development. In 2013 during a visit to Nigeria, members of the Rotary Club of Saco Bay learned that most Nigerian children who attend school have never owned a book. In the classroom, 10-12 students share a textbook, and libraries are sparingly equipped with books, if a school library exists at all.
In the United States, digital textbooks are beginning to replace traditional books, and old textbooks are just thrown in the trash or recycle bin. Because the Rotary Club of Saco Bay has an outstanding relationship with its Interact club at Loranger Middle School, it did not take long before the Interactors and librarians heard about the club’s endeavor. At the end of June, the Loranger Middle School and Scarborough Middle School donated story and textbooks for the club’s literacy project.
The amount of books filled almost an entire garage. The delivery was shared among clubs in our District, but still… What an opportunity for the Rotary Club of Saco Bay; the club found a generous sponsor who is financing a container filled with books…maybe wheelchairs and quilts to be shipped to District 9125 in Nigeria. Keep in mind the container load will also benefit the Special Education Center in Jada, a district-wide sponsored project during this Rotary year. The goal is to send this 40-foot container in March 2016 to Nigeria; therefore, the Rotary Club of Saco Bay would like to invite clubs to participate in this project. If your club is interested, please contact Uwe Kirchner at uwekk2@gmail.com or call 207-432-5143.
|
|
Sanford-Springvale Rotary Club
SERVES FAMOUS FOOD AT FAIR!
 .jpg)
Members of the Sanford-Springvale Rotary Club cooked and served their famous chicken livers at the Acton Fair in late August. By the end of the four-day fair on Sunday, August 30, the club had rung up $4,000 in sales. That’s a lot of chicken livers!
Club members, including newcomer Diane Gerry, all took shifts throughout the fair, preparing and cooking the livers, slicing and dicing onions, running the cash till and selling sodas and bottles of water to boot. District Governor Sheila Rollins and District Governor-elect Marge Barker both paid the club’s booth a visit over the weekend. Former Rotarian and longtime friend Phil Fields and his wife kept their tradition of setting up their camper behind the club’s booth and providing night-time security throughout the fair.
JT Matlosz, the son of Immediate Past President Heather Matlosz, coordinated volunteers to serve Shaker Pond Ice Cream in the booth next to the club’s chicken-liver stand during the fair. Shaker Pond Ice Cream, which has shops in South Sanford and Alfred, donated gallons of a variety of flavors to the club. The teenagers scooped and sold so many dishes and cones that sales were up 25 percent over last year’s fair.
President-elect Barbara Sutcliffe chaired the club’s participation in the fair this year. During a recent meeting, Barbara honored members who went above and beyond during their shifts. As well, the teenagers who scooped ice cream were presented with certificates of appreciation.
See you next year at the fair!
|
|
South Portland–Cape Elizabeth Rotary Club
POLIO DINE-AROUND 2.0
The South Portland-Cape Elizabeth Club did an encore of the “Polio Dine-Around” that they initiated last year. This year, club members gathered during the week surrounding World Polio Day for dinner at the homes of 4 Rotarians for a delicious meal. Guests paid $25 (or more if they chose to) for their dinner, with all proceeds going to PolioPlus; the club raised a little over $1,000 with this fun and easy fundraiser. It was also a wonderful way to get together informally with club members and their spouses to get to know each other better, or renew old friendships.
|
|
Wells Rotary Club
HONORS CHARTER MEMBERS
Rotary District Governor Sheila Rollins recently visited the Wells Club. The Club used this opportunity to honor four of its charter members. William “Billy” Hobbs, Nick Poli and Bob Foley were presented with a Waterford crystal bowl with the Rotary emblem engraved on it for their 30 years of service to the club. Later that afternoon, Club President Ryan Liberty along with President-elect Doug Bibber, Gary Leech, ADG Suzanne Ilsley, Terry Hodskins and visiting Rotarian Don Steen presented Rotarian Russ Grethe with his gift at the Atria Assisted Living Care facility in Kennebunk.
|
|
Westbrook-Gorham Rotary Club
RYLA STUDENTS ATTEND CLUB MEETING
(From left to right) RYLA Chair Jason Beever, RYLA students - Sarah Terrano, Connor Blake, and Kara Ellsmore from Gorham High School. Unable to attend were Dr. Bruce Dyer of Westbrook High School, Rotary liaison, and Harold Thomas, RYLA selection committee.
RYLA is part of Interact which is Rotary’s service club for youth ages 12-18. Interact clubs can be community-based or school-based. Individual Rotary clubs sponsor Interact clubs and provide them with support and guidance, but each Interact club is self-governing and self-supporting. The goals of Interact include developing leadership skills and personal integrity, demonstrating helpfulness and respect for others, understanding the value of individual responsibility and hard work, and advancing international understanding and goodwill. The students spoke about their life changing experience at the 3 day program at Camp Wm Hinds where they are taught leadership skill by completing team building exercises.
|
|
MAKES CLUB PRESENTATION
(left) Club Publicity Chair, Paul Emery, along with long time member T. Nelson Harmon, present to Rotarian Henry Saunders (center) a framed picture of club members attending the 2015 Lobster Boil, which has been held each summer at Henry's Sebago Lake camp. It was presented in recognition not only for his great generosity in opening his home and grounds each year, but also in tribute to the many long years of service to the community through the Gorham-Westbrook Rotary.
|
|
Yarmouth Rotary Club
COMMUNITY SERVICE IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS
It has been all hands on deck for Yarmouth Rotarians throughout this month. Engaged in three community service projects, Yarmouth Rotary reached out to our community in support our two local community focus areas: healthy outdoors and youth. Led by Mark Krogman, Rotarians joined forces with the Rowe School staff to paint the US map on the playground. More than thirty-five Rotarians, teachers, and Interactors worked together to transform the playground. In the words of Principal Ellen Honan, this will be a huge (literally!) hands on learning opportunity, especially for first graders when they explore the world of maps. Besides, we learned that it is a lot of fun playing hop scotch on an enormous, colorful map!
.jpg)
Our club’s second fall project also included the youth of our community and the great out-doors. This time, Rotarians teamed up with Community Services and invited families to come make their own scarecrow to dress up their home for fall. Rotarians provided the straw, frames, and face templates. Kids provided their own costumes and decorations. We even offered “pumpkin bowling” courtesy of Rotarian Ed Nolde’s bumper crop of mini-pumpkins. Thanks to Craig Fox, Rotarian coordinator for this fun Saturday morning.
.jpg)
Lastly, Yarmouth Rotary has “adopted” a section of the Westside Trails that crosses our town, providing hiking and biking opportunities. Rotarians have taken an active involvement in helping create the trail system, and are now that it is complete, we will extend our involvement by taking care of one stretch of the trail. In addition, we are constructing benches (complete with a Rotary wheel emblazoned on them) that will be strategically placed along the trail. In October, we cut branches, leveled pathways, and got our section of trail all ready for the transition from hikers and bikers to skiers and snowshoers.
|
|
Bethel Rotary Club
HOSTS COUNTRY BREAKFAST FUNDRAISER
|
|
Exeter Rotary Club
ANNUAL HOLIDAY AUCTION
This holiday season District #7780 Rotarians are cordially invited to help the Exeter Rotary Club Be A Gift To The Exeter Community by attending the Club’s 6th Annual Holiday Auction to be held at the Exeter Inn, 90 Front St. Exeter, NH on Friday, December 4th, 2015 from 5:30p.m.- 8:30 p.m..
Tickets are $50, which includes complimentary hors d'oeuvres, and two drink tickets (choice of beer or wine). Invite your friends and join in the fun of this annual charity event.
|
|
Yarmouth Rotary Club
2ND ANNUAL MAINE'S FASTEST MILE
|
|
The Rotary Club of Saco Bay
Al Hills, 93, passed away on August 16, 2015. Al was born on June 25, 1922 in Newark, NJ. During his childhood, he lived in several states of the US, Canada, and England due to his father’s job. In 1942, Al signed up for the armed services and a pilots training. He was trained as a bombardier/navigator in the European Theater and served in the United States Army AirCorp (later United States Air Force).
Al was a dedicated Rotarian for more than 60 years (1951) and received his Second Paul Harris Fellow a couple days before he passed away. He joined the club 15 years ago and was known for his kindness and generosity. Whenever the club had a function, he would bring coffee and cups. He definitely loved his hot cup of coffee even when it was 90 degrees. He was known as a 10 cups a day guy.
Al enjoyed spending time with his family and his dog Shadow. His wife of over 72 years of marriage, Josephine Anderson Hills; children, Robert and Deborah will miss him.
In lieu of flowers, please honor Maine Veterans Home with a donation (Maine Veterans Home, 290 US Route 1, Scarborough, ME 04074).
David Green, 91, passed away on September 4, 2015. David was born on November 23, 1924 in Watford, England. He attended local schools and studied at Cambridge. During World War II, he served as bombardier/navigator on Sterlings and later flew in the European Theater. After the war, he moved to Canada and served as Executive Director for Boy Scouts of America for many years. David was a member of the Trinity Episcopal Church in Saco, were he served as usher and lectern for a long time.
David was a devoted Rotarian for more than 60 years (1953) and received his second Paul Harris Fellow in August 2015. He joined the club 20 years ago and was a Past President of the Montreal Rotary Club. In the last two years, he treasured the breakfast meetings with his fellow Rotarians and was well known for his jokes.
David enjoyed the time with his family and the company of his dog. His wife, Sue Green; sister, Pam Muir of Launceston, and nieces and nephews will miss him.
In lieu of flower, please consider a contribution to Trinity Episcopal Church (Trinity Episcopal Church, 15 Cleveland St., Saco, ME 04072).
|
|
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 newsletter@rotary7780.org, 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 January Newsletter Submissions: December 26th
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.
www.rotary7780.org … or friend us on Facebook!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.JPG)
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
