banner
 
 
   April 2016 - ISSUE 10
 
Upcoming Events
District Foundation Committee meeting
Cumberland Club
May 16, 2016
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
 
RI International Convention in Seoul
May 28, 2016 – Jun 01, 2016
 
Deadline for District Grant Applications
Jun 01, 2016
 
District Conference, Bridgton ME
Tarry-A-While Resort
Jun 10, 2016 – Jun 12, 2016
 
District Grant Selection Committee
Jun 18, 2016
8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
 
RYLA Graduation, Camp Hinds
Camp Hinds
Jun 28, 2016
 
District Foundation Committee meeting
Cumberland Club
Jul 06, 2016
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
 
NEPETS Committee Meeting (DGEs)
Sheraton Hotel
Jul 30, 2016
8:30 AM – 2:00 PM
 
Fundraising - District Foundation Committee
Cumberland Club
Aug 09, 2016
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
 
NEPETS Committee Meeting
Sheraton Hotel
Sep 10, 2016
8:30 AM – 2:00 PM
 
Russell Hampton
National Awards Services Inc.
Sage
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hello Rotarians and Happy Spring! April is a wonderful time of year because the air is warmer and more people out and about.  It’s the time of year to start planting and planning for your summer activities.
 
April is also Rotary’s Maternal and Child Health Month. Did you know the number of children under the age of five who die each year because of malnutrition, inadequate health care, and poor sanitation is currently estimated at 7 million?  More importantly, more than 80 percent of maternal deaths can be prevented with access to reproductive health services and trained health care workers.
 
Although this is a daunting number, Rotarians from around the world, along with the help from the Rotary Foundation, bring education, immunizations, birthing kits, and mobile health clinics to support these causes. We are making a difference in the world. This month when you think about giving, remember to support the Rotary Foundation and give generously to support Maternal and Child Health.
 
Reminders:
 
April 1st -  Deadline to report activities to earn a Presidential Citation for Rotary and Rotaract clubs
April 15th -  Deadline to report activities to earn a Presidential Citation for Interact clubs
June 10-12th -  Rotary District 7780 Conference - Tarry A While Resort
 
 
Thank you for all that you do!
 
Best Regards,
 
Sheila
 
Sheila Rollins
Rotary District Governor 2015-16
Bridgton Lake Region Rotary
207-956-3786 Cell
207-583-6074 Home
 
 
 
 
 
       DISTRICT HISTORY TRIVIA
There was one person who guessed the answer for March!
PRID Daniel W. Mooers on 3/1/16 @ 10:09 AM
from the South Portland/Cape Elizabeth Club
 
Last month’s question The Rotary Club of Portland is the oldest club in District 7780.  How many different district numbers has it been under since it was chartered on September 1, 1915?  This came about because I was asked at the World Peace and Understanding Dinner by a sitting club president how many districts her club had been in during its history as a Rotary Club.  This got me to thinking that I had not put this information up on the District website – it is there now. 
 
The Answer is:  It has been under ten different District Numbers!  See below the different District numbers and the number of existing clubs that were under them.  Where does your club fall?
 
1915-1918 District 1
 
Number of existing clubs - 1
1918-1922 District 2
 
Number of existing clubs - 3
1922-1924 District 31
 
Number of existing clubs - 7
1924-1926 District 8
 
Number of existing clubs - 11
1926-1937 District 38
 
Number of existing clubs - 11
1937 -1949 District 193
 
Number of existing clubs - 12
1949-1956 District 285
 
Number of existing clubs - 12 
1956-1990 District 779
 
Number of existing clubs - 30 
1990-1991 District 778
 
Number of existing clubs - 32
1991 to February 23, 2016 7780
 
Number of existing clubs - 40
 
CLICK "Read more" FOR APRIL'S TRIVIA QUESTION!
Read more...
 
THANK YOU!  March 10-12 the incoming Assistant Governors and the 2016-2017 Presidents attended the NorthEast President Training Seminar in Framingham, MA.  Thank you for taking time out of your lives to participate in this training. I hope you came away with an enhanced knowledge and insight into the journey you are about to undertake.  I look forward to working with all of you in the coming Rotary year.  A special Thank You to our district facilitators.  Where would we be without your knowledge and expertise?  Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to provide our future leaders with support and direction.  I look forward to seeing you on April 2 at District Training Assembly-the final training event to take place before our 2016-2017 class takes office.  
 
Marge Barker
District Governor 2016-2017
Rotary Club of South Portland Cape Elizabeth
207-838-8129
 
 
The District Vision and Planning Committee
is hosting the 8th in our series of “Vision to Plan” Workshops on Thursday, April 14th, 2016.
 
The final session for this year will strive to sharpen the strategic planning process for your club.
We chose Membership as the highlighted Area of Focus for this session. Club Membership: Retention and Recruitment  is a “hot” topic for many clubs in our district. In this workshop participants will have an opportunity to hear about a membership success story and will delve into how successful clubs have met their goals and objectives. 
 
Event Details
 
Optional Social Hour (4:45-5:45 pm): Snow Squall Restaurant 18 Ocean Street, South Portland.  (207)799-0811- Cash bar and appetizers are available for purchase. A well-attended social and a great way to reconnect with friends before the work begins!
 
Workshop (6-8 pm): S. Portland Housing Authority, 100 Waterman Dr. South Portland, Maine. The Housing Authority is located just over the Casco Bay Bridge and right around the corner from the Snow Squall.
 
The registration fee of $9.00 covers a light meal and supplies. The fee can be paid at the door or (preferably) in advance.  Checks should be made payable to District 7780 and mailed to: Tony Wagner, 11 Todd Road, Cape Elizabeth, Maine 04107.
 
This invitation is open to all clubs whether or not they have conducted a vision session.
 
We are confident and excited that a focused discussion and planning session around membership retention and recruitment that will benefit all attendees.
 
Please plan to join us and RSVP by email to: tony.wagner163@gmail.com
 
Sincerely,
 
The District Vision and Planning Committee
207-799-7997
 
 
JOIN THE TEAM!
 
Rotary Districts 7780 and 9211 are sponsoring a Global Grant to ship medical equipment and provide medical training needed to open a new Cancer Center in Kampala, Uganda.  A team of medical professionals will travel from the US to Uganda to provide training in patient care to staff at Nsambya Hospital.   The team will consist of doctors and nurses with experience in oncology treatment.  Other medical professionals with related experience (nutrition, social work, pharmacology) may be selected to participate on the team.  Anticipated travel dates to Uganda will be July, 2016.  A team of nurses from Nsambya Hospital will travel to Maine for training, professional enhancement (anticipated,  August, 2016).
 
This grant is funded by The Rotary Foundation.  The team may consist of both Rotarians and non-Rotarians.  Key to developing the team will be relevant background, experience, and willingness to be a participating member of the team.
 
 
Please submit completed applications via email to Carolyn Johnson (cfj2@icloud.com) no later than 18 April 2016.
 
 
The Rotary Club of Damariscotta-Newcastle
SPEAKER DISCUSSES AQUACULTURE IN THE DAMARISCOTTA RIVER
 
 
 
Pictured:  Past President Linda Brunner and President Nancy Stoltz welcome aquaculturist and seaweed "farmer" Seth Barker.
 
Linda Brunner, Past President of the Damariscotta-Newcastle Rotary, life-long resident of Clark’s Cove, introduced speaker Seth Barker with a history of the Cove since colonial times, with an emphasis on food gathered from the salt waters behind her home.
 
The Damariscotta River was the highway up to the Great Salt Bay and beyond, with the town landing serving nearby residents of what is now Walpole/South Bristol. Later a pond was built from a brook flowing into the Cove to create an ice pond.
 
Schooners came in to Clark's Cove to take ice harvested from the pond down the Atlantic Coast, into the Caribbean and beyond to Latin America. In the 20th century, famed aquaculturist pioneer Ed Myers began to grow lobsters in the Cove, and later raised blue mussels. More recently, oysters have been grown commercially.
 
The newest commercial Cove crop is seaweed, being grown by Seth Barker and his partners under the name of Maine Fresh Sea Farms. While still at the Department of Marine Resources, Mr. Barker began to observe the harvesting of wild seaweed.  Seaweed has been a staple in the Asian diet for over 2000 years and they began to raise seaweed commercially after World War II. Both the Universities of Maine and New Hampshire are researching the growing and use of seaweed as a food. Seaweed has a high nutritional value and is gradually finding its way into restaurants and local stores.
 
Read more...
The Rotary Club of Hampton
COLLECTS FOOD FOR LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES
 
A big "Thank you" goes out to Loco Sports, and the runners who brought canned goods and non-perishable food to the 1/2 marathon that was recently held in Hampton in March. After everything was collected and packed into cars, Hampton Rotarians were able to deliver a total of 55 boxes of food to 5 local food pantries.
 
 
 
The Rotary Club of Portsmouth
USING CHESS TO HELP FIGHT DRUG ABUSE
 
 
Portsmouth Past President John Hebert squares off with 4th Graders
 
What could drug abuse and the game of chess possibly have in common? The Portsmouth Rotary Club had made a connection between the two and the result is changing kids’ lives.
 
Jeremy Alex was a bright kid who loved the game of chess. Unfortunately, Jeremy had a lot of demons in his head that he tried to control with drugs. Ultimately the drugs became the demons and on April 24, 2004, the drugs won.  Jeremy, just 28, lost his battle when he disappeared in the woods of Northport, Maine.
 
While Jeremy lost his personal battle, the war was not over. In 2005, Jeremy’s father and former president of the Portsmouth Rotary Club, Ted Alex, decided to fight back. He, along with the Portsmouth Rotary Club, established the Jeremy Alex Fund. The initiative uses Jeremy’s favorite game, chess, as a foot in the door. As they learn chess, kids learn about the dangers of drugs and making good choices. Jeremy’s passing from a drug overdose would not be the end of the story.
Read more...
 
The Rotary Club of Rochester
HONORS FOLEY

Our View: Rotary's honoring Foley, his family commendable

Posted Mar. 10, 2016 at 6:55 PM

We applaud the Rochester Rotary for its show of support for the family of slain journalist James Foley. We also applaud the Foley family for the work they are doing in the wake of such unimaginable tragedy and grief.This week, the Rochester Rotary bestowed the Paul Harris Fellow Award posthumously on Foley. His mother, Diane Foley, accepted the award, thanking the Seacoast community for its support over the last three years. James Foley was captured by ISIS in 2012 and executed in 2014. His parents make their home in Rochester.
 
The Paul Harris Fellow Award was established in 1957 to show appreciation for and encourage substantial monetary contributions to what was then the Rotary's fellowship program. But Rotarians also have a tradition of supporting its fellowships by honoring others. In 1979, Rotary International challenged its clubs to recognize non-Rotarians as Paul Harris Fellows.
Read more...
 
 
From left, Dan Fitzpatrick, Diane Foley, Mariann Murphy, Walter Hoerman. Photo by John Huff/Fosters.com
 
The Rochester Rotary Club presents Diane Foley the Paul Harris Fellowship award in honor of her son James Foley who was killed by ISIS terrorists in 2014.
 
 
The Rotary Club of Sebago Lake
A ROTARIAN'S TRIP TO THE DOMINICAN
 
The Sebago Lake Rotary Club gave a warm send-off to Peter Brunette and his wife Karen for their trip to the Dominican Republic to install 100 water filters there.
 
 
Pictured Deb McPhail SLRC President, Peter and his wife Karen and granddaughter.
 
 
 
 
 
 
While there, they also witnessed the fitting of prosthesis' to individuals who were missing limbs.
 
The Rotary Club of Wells
CELEBRATION OF READING DAY
 
Wells Rotarians and Interact students recently took part in the annual “Celebration of Reading Day” at the Wells Junior High.  The groups take turns reading to the students – it is always a great day.
 
 
Photo on Left:  Rotarian Terry Hodskins and Interact Student Ally O’Brien
Photo on Right:  Rotarian Billy Hobbs and Interact Student Kylie Belanger
PARTNERS WITH CONSERVATION COMMISSION
 
The Wells Rotarians also partnered up with the Wells Conservation Commission to work on the trails at Fenderson Commons.  The first of (hopefully) many Fairy Villages was started on the trail.
 
 
Rotarian Barry Wolfson and Markus Diebolt of the Wells Conservation Commission work on their  “Fairy Village”.
COLLECTS EQUIPMENT FOR CRUTCHES PROGRAM
 
Wells Rotarians also partnered with Sally Morse of Wells to collect equipment for the “Crutches 4 Africa” program.
 
 
Wells Resident Sally Morse helps pack equipment for Crutches 4 Africa.  (Not pictured Wells Rotarian Rocky Furman).
 
The Rotary Club of Westbrook-Gorham
CELEBRATES 90 YEARS!
 
At a high cuisine meal, prepared and served by the Culinary Arts Students of the Westbrook Vocational School under the direction of Chef Charles Limoggio, with music by the Westbrook High School Jazz Combo, members of the Westbrook/Gorham Rotary Club and honored guests celebrated the chartering of the club 90 years ago, on March 8, 1916.
 
Following this meeting, many historical records and photos of service projects over the years will be donated to the Westbrook Historical Society for preservation into the future.
 
Honored Guests
 
(Standing, Left to right)  Coleen Hilton - Mayor of Westbrook, Mike Sanphy - Westbrook  City Councilor & Westbrook Historical Society President, Bowen Depke - President, Portland Rotary Club, Christine Johnson - Club President, George Bartlett - President, Sebago Lakes Rotary Club, Merrill Rollins - Rotary Club, Bridgton-Lake Region, Dr. Bruce Dyer – Club Rotaract Advisor, Tony Wagner - Rotary Assistant Governor.  (Sitting, Left to Right) Marge Barker - Rotary District Governor Elect, Sheila Rollins -  Rotary District Governor, and Dave Underhill - Rotary District Governor-Nominee.
 
GUATEMALA PROJECT AND SIX AREAS OF ROTARY FOCUS
 
 
(Standing, Left to right) Rotarians Jason Beever – President Elect, Deb Shangraw – Publicity, and Rev. Bill Chadwick, Pastor of Stroudwater Christian Church - newly appointed Director of  Guatemala Projects.
 
At a recent meeting, Reverend Bill Chadwick, Pastor of Stroudwater Christian Church, spoke on how his church’s work in Cuatro Cayos, a small town in the jungle of Guatemala, has combined with the Westbrook/Gorham Rotary Club and how the church's projects, which include building and equipping a school, establishing a bakery to be owned and run locally, building a health clinic, feeding local children, mosquito nets to fight the Zika Virus, and other projects, all dovetail perfectly with Rotary's six areas of focus: Peace, Health, Water, Education, Economic Development, Child and Maternal Care.
 
 
Biddeford-Saco and Saco Bay Rotary Clubs
27TH ANNUAL ROTARY TV AUCTION
 
Tune in for the Biddeford-Saco and Saco Bay Rotary TV Auction on April 3. 
 
The 27th Annual Rotary TV Auction, sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Biddeford-Saco and Saco Bay, together with their long-time partner Time-Warner Cable, is scheduled for Sunday, April 3rd, Noon to 9 PM.  Last year’s auction raised more than $50,000 for the clubs’ charitable and community giving funds.
 
Each year, both Rotary clubs share the net proceeds of the auction, which enables them to give back to the communities we serve through many types of projects, and also provide assistance to non-profits and disadvantaged individuals in the community. Benefiting from the clubs’ support include food and non-food pantries, literacy programs, local schools, scholarships to area high school students, Veterans groups, the elderly, camperships for children, and many other humanitarian causes.  
 
Please help us and be sure to tune in to your local cable access channel on Sunday, April 3rd and participate in the bidding. We have over 410 donated items and they will be broadcast live throughout Maine and some parts of New Hampshire via Time Warner.  If you have Direct TV, we encourage livestreaming at MAINEROTARYTVAUCTION.COM.  Please keep in mind that there will be a slight delay in the timing (8 seconds) on this website.  For example, if the timer says there is 58 seconds left to bid, there is actually only 50 seconds left.
 
CALL 207-284-1900 TO PLACE YOUR BID!
 
 
 
The Rotary Club of Boothbay Harbor
TO CELEBRATE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF SOUP BOWL SUPPER
 

Boothbay Harbor Rotarians will celebrate their 20th year of collaboration with Watershed Ceramics in nearby Newcastle, ME to host a joint fundraiser. The 2016 Soup Bowl Supper will be held on Thursday, April 7 at the American Legion Hall in Boothbay Harbor. Waterrshed teams up with the Boothbay Harbor Rotary every spring to host a delicious meal with handmade ceramic bowls filled with all-you-can-eat chowder and soup, as well as salads, breads and desserts. The colorful ceramic bowls, which diners get to take home, are made and contributed by Watershed artists, Maine potters, and high school student-volunteers. The evening also features a raffle, and many guests leave with gift certificates to local businesses.

Proceeds benefit Rotary community projects and Watershed’s education programs. Last year, the event grossed $2,800.

 

The Rotary Club of Brunswick
TO HOLD COMMUNITY TALENT SHOW
 
 

The Rotary Club of Brunswick will celebrate its fifth year of sponsoring a community talent show called “Midcoast Maine’s Got Talent” on April 8th, at 7 p.m., at the Crooker Theatre in Brunswick. With three professional artists as judges, talented locals of all ages compete for cash prizes as well as the applause of the audience. The audience chooses the final winners after the judges whittle the field down to three. From young singers, like 14-year old winner from last year, Juliet Williams, (pictured above) to octogenarian bones player Claude Bonang,(also pictured above) and several dance groups, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Tickets are available from Rotary Club members, on the Brunswick Rotary Club web page, or at the door. For more information, email midcoastmainsgottalent@comcast.net.

Proceeds benefit the Brunswick Rotary Club Community Fund. The Brunswick Rotary participates in many local and international service projects and financially supports non-profit organizations that serve the community. Charitable donations have been provided to the Brunswick Teen Center, People Plus, the Swinging Bridge Fund, Midcoast Hunger Prevention, the Independence Association and various youth sports programs as well as funding Fourth of July on the Mall and the annual Bike Rodeo.

 
 
The Rotary Club of Damariscotta-Newcastle
TO HOLD ELECTRONIC WASTE COLLECTION DAY
SATURDAY, MAY 14TH
 
Want to dispose of unused electronic items (anything with a board and a cord)?  The Rotary Club of Damariscotta-Newcastle is holding an Electronic Waste Disposal Day on Saturday, May 14th, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Floor Magic parking lot, 45 Biscay Road, Damariscotta.
 
Bring your televisions, CPU’s, monitors, copiers, printers, fax machines, scanners, laptops, stereos, keyboards, mouse, peripherals, DVD players, cell phones, remote controls, VCR’s, projectors, digital cameras, tape players, PDA’s, speakers, telephones, two-way radios, answering machines, camcorders, CD players, electric typewriters, game systems, pagers, microwaves, etc. to Floor Magic.  Volunteers from the Damariscotta-Newcastle Rotary Club will help you unload your items.
 
The club requests donations from individuals for disposal of e-waste; all monies raised will go to support local programs such as academic and vocational scholarships, Skidompha, Little League, Ecumenical Food Pantry, school supplies backpack program, Karl’s Kids, and Reading Readiness program.
 
E-waste goods are disassembled for their raw materials which are recycled by a certified waste collection company.  No hazardous waste or refrigeration liquids will be accepted.
 
For further information, contact Bob Duke via email at Bob@floormagic.net.
 
 
The Rotary Club of Durham-Great Bay

Remembrance of Amos Townsend

I first met Doc - I seldom called him Amos - at our Rotary clubs charter night in Jan of ‘87.  I thought what an interesting looking fella with those signature eyebrows.  He was in his mid-fifties at the time and tilling the soil on his Lee acres after a strenuous career of globe-trotting service as a Flight Surgeon.

He was a self-effacing man whose accomplishments were only hinted at in his little stories about other people.  Over the years, he offered many “happy bucks” at our Rotary meetings telling us of the comings and goings of the children, and the pride he felt in their successes. 

In 1993, I had the privilege of his company on a week-long trip to Honduras to deliver a C-5 aircraft full of medical equipment we had gathered from area medical centers.  It was for a hospital operating more like a clinic in Yoro.  In the quiet moments of that trip, he shared stories of the refugees he and Doree ministered to in Southeast Asian camps after he retired.  When Rotary adopted its motto: Service Above Self, it could have had Doc in mind because he lived that his entire life.

 
Read more...
 
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 MAY Newsletter Submissions: APRIL 25th
 
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!