District 7780’s International Outreach Program
By: DISC Members Emma Bodwell, Bridgton–Lake Region RC & Bill Dunn, Yarmouth RC
Our July Café was all about one of the most energizing parts of Rotary service: District 7780’s International Outreach Program. If you’ve ever wondered what these trips involve, who participates, or whether you might want to join a future team, this Café offered a terrific overview.
We heard from Rotarians who have traveled across the globe representing our District:
Carolyn Johnson – Outreach history
Jeff Slaton – India
Gregg Dowty & Carole Marcotte – Poland
Marilyn Flagg, Helen Goransson, Claudia Frost & Carolyn Johnson – Zambia
Kathi Perkins – Romania
Emma Bodwell – Colombia
Carol Madsen – Philippines
And yes — this year’s Belize Outreach was officially announced!
If you missed the Café or want to revisit the presentations, the full recording is available here ==>
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/FjeYWGZtvQwEbQl09Af5nslq4T7h15KavBZVGdueFacb3QU7r5cUfVn9ecvBHVDy.rKBkyHkGlsXCdFqn 🔐 Passcode: p++HFJ42
Highlights from the Café
The Café drew more than 30 Rotarians and was led by Marion Chaney (Dover RC), our new DISC Chair. She guided us through a fast‑moving, inspiring look at how District 7780’s outreach efforts have grown since 2013 — now representing 11 teams, 11 countries, and more than $500,000 in humanitarian impact.
Below is a recap of each outreach presentation, with contact information for clubs interested in hosting speakers or learning more.
Outreach History – Carolyn Johnson (Yarmouth RC)
Carolyn traced the program’s evolution from its Future Vision roots to today’s robust model, supported by 15–20% of our DDF. Her overview highlighted how outreach trips spark both District and Global Grants. 📧 cfj2@mac.com
India – Jeff Slaton (Saco Bay RC)
Jeff described a 14‑day trip that quickly led to four Global Grants and deepened ties with clubs in Bangalore. 📧 slatonjeffrey@yahoo.com
Colombia – Emma Bodwell (Bridgton–Lake Region RC)
Emma shared insights from a two‑week trip centered on a Colombia Project Fair, including visits to an aquaponics Global Grant and multiple club‑sponsored projects. 📧 ebodwell@icloud.com
Poland – Gregg Dowty (Dover RC) & Carol Marcotte (Saco Bay Sunrise RC)
Their trip focused on support for Ukrainian refugees, including visits to the Children of Ukraine Health Retreat and the ARKA teen rehabilitation program. 📧 gdowty60@gmail.com | carolmarcotte27@gmail.com
Romania – Kathi Perkins (Westbrook–Gorham RC)
Kathi encouraged Rotarians to “just go,” sharing stories from Bucharest clubs, school projects, and even a visit to Dracula’s Castle. 📧 kathihp1@gmail.com
Zambia – Marilyn Kellogg (Exeter RC), Claudia Frost (Brunswick RC), Helen Goransson (South Berwick–Eliot RC)
Their team visited schools facing water and sanitation challenges, supported and helped learn from the success of Healthy Learners, and helped launch sign‑language instruction for deaf students. 📧 marilyn@withopenminds.org | frostyc@comcast.net | heleng@bondgarden.net
Philippines – Carol Madsen (Bridgton–Lake Region RC)
Carol described a 30‑hour journey to visit schools, hospitals, a human milk bank, prosthetics facilities, and libraries — identifying multiple potential grants. 📧 carjmad@hotmail.com
Next Outreach: Belize (2026–27)
Emma announced that the next outreach destination will be Belize, with a focus on education and literacy. Applications will open in August, with interviews in September/October and team selection in late October. 📧 michele@bois-gilbody.com
Next Café: September 12, 9:30-10:30AM via Zoom
Topic: Project Fairs.