By: Dick Hall District Governor 2021-2022 RC of Portland
Spring is almost here. We have already had some great spring temperatures and more will be coming soon. I also enjoy the end of winter, when we get one last good storm, but very seasonable skiing temperatures. We are seeing dramatic changes in the Covid, as we transition from epidemic to endemic. Many clubs are taking advantage and planning more in person meetings, projects and socials.
The district also is filling the calendar with in person events. Here are some of them.
March 7 – Presidents Elect and Assistant Governors will be gathering in South Portland for a New England Presidents Elect Training Seminar (NEPETS) graduation.
March 9 5:30 PM Your Club and Beyond Are you A New Rotarian since Jan. 2021? Curious about Rotary beyond your club? A member of your Club’s Membership Committee? A Rotary Veteran searching for a quick review of Rotary? Then this discussion is for you. Join via Zoom for a quick overview of Rotary and the Rotary Foundation seven areas of focus. This will be fast paced with (12) 5-minute presentations on local work in each area.
Please join this program prepared by District Membership Co-Directors Assistant Governor Lorraine Faherty and Past District Governor Peggy Belanger.
March 28 – The annual midyear (a little late) Leadership Dinner for Presidents, Presidents Elect and Vice Presidents will be at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland.
April 16 – District Training Assembly is coming back in person. This will be the first all-district in person event this Rotary year. We have a great program and a great new venue, University of New England (UNE), Stevens Ave, Portland campus. Club Officers, Board Members, Committee chairs and everyone else is invited. Mark your calendars.
May 14 – District Conference will be a one-day event, 8:00 AM – 9:30 PM, in Portland. The event is still in the planning stage with a final dinner that evening at Sable Oaks in South Portland. This is a way for the whole district to celebrate our work during this year.
June 5-8 -- Rotary International World Conference in Houston Texas. If you have never been to an RI Conference, you would be in for a treat. https://convention.rotary.org/
March is Water and Sanitation Month on the Rotary Calendar.
If your club is not already working on a water and sanitation project, I encourage you to consider one. The Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Rotary Action Group (WASH) is a group of Rotarians dedicated to helping clubs and districts with their WASH projects. The group’s primary focus is to develop and support projects that provide sustainable and safe water, sanitation, and hygiene. WASH can assist in many ways, providing clubs and districts with human, technical, and financial advice. For more information https://wash-rag.org/.
Carol Marcotte, RC of Saco Bay Sunset Marion Cheney, RC of Dover
Rotary International’s Board approved a new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) code of conduct that reflects our core values. It provides a supportive framework for how Rotary members can create and maintain an environment that is collaborative, positive, and healthy for everyone.
The DEI code of conduct asks Rotary members to:
Use respectful language
Be supportive
Foster a welcoming and inclusive environment
Celebrate diversity
Although free expression is important, what we say and how we behave matters. Rotary does not tolerate speech or behavior that promotes bias, discrimination, prejudice, or hatred because of age, ethnicity, race, color, disabilities, religion, socioeconomic status, culture, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
Two years ago, new members of Saco Bay Sunset Rotary Club, Rising Stars, were given a task to come up with their own service project. They decided on human trafficking. Their mission is to empower and engage Maine Communities to eradicate sex trafficking.
To carry this mission forward, the group developed a website, https://risingstarsproject.squarespace.com/ . Through the website, people can gain an understanding about human trafficking and learn the signs of sex trafficking and how sex traffickers get victims. The website can empower Rotarians to create awareness about sex human trafficking and support those who are sex trafficked.
To learn more contact Carol Marcotte at cmarcotte@une.edu to schedule a club meeting speaker. Visit the website to learn more about the project and subscribe to the upcoming newsletter.
This supports RIP Shekhar’s Empowering Girls Initiative as we work together to increase our impact through projects that protect, empower, and create equity for girls.
By: Sarah MacGillivray District 7780 Foundation Public Image Coordinator RC Bath Sunrise
Is your Club wondering about a project to help people abroad or possibly closer to home? And the next question might be, where will we get the money for the project? Each year our District has funds made available from YOUR donations to OUR Rotary Foundation’s annual fund. One can apply for these funds through a District Grant to help fund your project.
To help you prepare for completing the grant process, the District is holding a Grants Management Session on Tuesday, March 15 at 7:00 pm, via Zoom. To apply, two of your members must take this training session by May 15. Attending the on-line session will be a wonderful way of answering any questions you may still have, as there will be Q&A throughout the training. If you are unable to join via Zoom there will be other opportunities for watching. The training will be recorded and then posted on our district website (rotary7780.org) in modules that can be watched at a time more convenient for you. Once you have finished watching there will be a short quiz to complete to receive credit. There will also be a chance to attend the training in person at our District Assembly in April! Visit the district website for more information and to sign up for the Zoom training on March 15.
To continue my series “Let’s Connect the Dots,” I wanted to share an interesting project that my Club, Bath Sunrise, worked on last year. We all know that finding a project can be a little challenging especially with Covid turning things upside down. Nonetheless, our Club found a 4-year-old project that was new to us, yet allowed us to help the community. Rotarian Jim Atherton from our club volunteers regularly with The Midcoast Youth Center. He introduced our Club members to a project Set for Success where we could really make a difference. Jim said, “MYC is an amazing organization that is doing so much good in our community. It is inspiring. We’ve got to be a part of it.”
Dan Reed is a member of the District 7780 Public Image Committee and the RC of Biddeford-Saco. When I asked for ideas for the Newsletter during the committee meeting, he mentioned that a newsletter he does for SCORE has been highlighting a Consultant a month. These bios have been a big hit. So why not? I asked if he would give us a sample of this work by profiling himself. Here it is.
Why did you join Rotary?
Dan: When I first moved to Maine, I found it challenging to get engaged with the community. When I learned about Rotary, it became clear to me that it was a great way to both meet more influential people in my community and engage with and help many more local people through the opportunities Rotary offers for good works and volunteering.
If you live in New Hampshire, you may be interested in obtaining NH Rotary License Plates. You can now purchase the NH ROTARY License Plates from the NH DMV.
You will need to purchase a pair of Rotary Wheel License Plate Stickers for application to those DMV License Plates. The price is $19.00 for the two stickers and you must order here (click on the link below) and either pay by credit card or by downloading the form and mailing a check as described in the downloadable instructions.
The stickers will be sent to you by first class mail. Please make sure to verify your mailing address.
RI Accepting Peace Fellowship Applications
Rotary is now accepting Rotary Peace Fellowship applications for the 2023-24 academic year. Candidates must submit applications to The Rotary Foundation by May 15. Rotary Club endorsers must submit endorsements to The Rotary Foundation by July1. Click here for more information.
Meeting of Sponsoring RC's of Biddeford-Saco and Saco Bay, and the renewed UNE Rotaract Club, in a Hybrid-format.
The University of New England (UNE), Hills Beach ME, now allowing in-person classes and guests, provided an opportunity for us to finally meet and network. Together we discussed next steps to regrowing membership and possible combined Community Service Projects. Many thanks to Presidents Marty Grohman and Phil Hatch, UNE Rotaract President Emily Birdsall, and Rotaract Liaison Rotarian Professor Michael Burman.
As District Rotaract Chair, I am pleased to inform you that UNH (University of New Hampshire) is also resuming as a Rotaract Club and building membership.
For more information, please contact IPDG and Rotaract Chair Peggy Belanger at pegb51@yahoo.com.
By: Claudia Frost District Governor Elect RC of Brunswick
Northeast Presidents Elect Training Seminar Committee: L-R. Caroline Earl - D7850, Victor Tom - D7910, Claudia Frost - D7780, Tari Marshall Day - D7980, David Sampson - D7950, Alexander Falk - D7930, and Randy Chappell - D7950
All the Presidents Elect from District 7780 will be attending Northeast PETS for training and inspiration on March 4 and 5. Highlights will be a talk by incoming President of Rotary International, Jennifer Jones. Speaking on the Rotary Foundation will be Dr. Tunji Funsho, Chair, Rotary’s Nigeria National PolioPlus Committee; Evan Burrell, Zone 8 Assistant Rotary Public Image Coordinator, presenting on Public Image; and Dr. Carolyn Jones, Rotary Action Group for Peace, will focus on increasing our knowledge of DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion.)"