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District Governor's Message - November 2018
Happy November!
I hope you are having a great Rotary year! As Sue and I complete our “official” visits to the clubs, we continue to be amazed (and humbled) by all you do. Rotarians are wonderful people. You have made our communities and the world a better place and you continue to do so. What a legacy! Thank you!
It is fitting in this Thanksgiving month, in which we give thanks for all we have, that we, as Rotarians, celebrate The Rotary Foundation. The Foundation provides us with a wonderfully efficient opportunity to give back to others. The Foundation helps us build a pyramid of peace —as Immediate Past Governor Dave Underhill conveyed so eloquently in his message last year.
I hope you will take a few moments this month to think about our Foundation. Dream about how you might use the money available through our Foundation to do more good in our communities and in the world— and then take action! Seek a district grant or a global grant! Don’t know how? Come to our Assembly on November 3 at Husson University in Westbrook, Maine— or contact District Foundation Chair Lawrence Furbish at lkfurbish@mac.com or me at lobosco@maine.rr.com, and we will assign a mentor who can help you through the process.
Think about projects our members have pursued through grants from The Rotary Foundation. In fact, at least 2/3 of the Rotarians in our district are members of clubs that have had a project funded by The Rotary Foundation in the past 3 years. These projects involve all six Areas of Focus and have been carried out right here in Maine and New Hampshire as well as all over the globe. Here are just a handful of recent examples:
Community outreach to tackle the opioid crisis
Educational assistance to Syrian and Iraqi refugee children in Jordan
Support for a robotics club at a local high school
Funding for a graduate degree in public health at Oxford University
Playground equipment for a local elementary school
Prosthetic hands in Kosovo
Our Foundation has allowed clubs in our district to do all of the above– and much, much more. It has done so much good while maintaining Charity Navigator’s maximum 4-star rating for at least the last ten years. Our Foundation is such a transparent and efficient charity that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has provided it with close to a billion dollars to help eradicate polio.
Part of the beauty of our Foundation (beyond the stellar ratings) – is that it’s OUR Foundation and it funds OUR projects, carried out by individual clubs throughout the world, each project the brainchild of a Rotarian. That Rotarian could be you!
Many Rotarians throughout our district have seen their ideas come to fruition through our Foundation’s district and global grants. Foundation funds can be used to turn your ideas into action!
District grants are easily accessible and are approved – as the name implies – right here in our own district. Club Foundation chairs from throughout the district sit on the committee that evaluates grant requests.
As mentioned above, there are mentors throughout the district who can guide you through the grant process – feel free to reach out to Foundation Chair Lawrence Furbish, your Assistant Governor or me to point you in the right direction.
Join us at a Special District Assembly to discuss Foundation, Membership, and International Service Opportunities and Strategies!
WHO: All Rotarians are welcome! We are hoping, in particular, for a good turnout from club Foundation, Membership, and International Service chairs.
WHEN: Saturday morning, November 3, 2018 from 8 a.m. until 12 noon.
WHERE: Husson University, 340 County Road, Westbrook, Maine.
COST: FREE
REGISTRATION: We need you to register so we know how many to expect. The venue can seat up to 135 people, so we will have a waiting list after we reach that number. Please register ASAP at the link available on the District home page or here.
SPECIAL GUESTS: Julia Phelps, former Rotary International Director and current Foundation Trustee will share insights into current happenings in Evanston regarding the Foundation.
Assistant Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator, Greg Roche, also will join us to connect with you and explain how he can be a valuable resource for us.
AGENDA:
8:00 - 8:30 Social (coffee and muffins)
8:30 - 9:00 Julia Phelps, "A Week in the Life of a Foundation Trustee"
9:00 - 10:30 Joint Session
10:30 - 10:45 Break
10:45 - 12:00 Breakouts
The first half of the morning will be a joint session with presentations on the Foundation and Membership. After a break, we will have three concurrent breakouts: Foundation, Membership, and International Service.
The International Service breakout will focus on opportunities for Rotarians to travel abroad to engage in hands-on service. On the Foundation side, we will be talking about District Grants, Global Grants, Polio Plus, the Peace Scholars Program, the Annual Fund, and Major Gifts. As for Membership, we’ll be discussing strategies to achieve our Governor’s challenge to increase membership throughout the district by at least 5% this year.
We will have plenty of time for questions and dialogue among the participants.This is a great opportunity to roll-up your sleeves and connect with your colleagues from around our district to learn and share.
WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!
FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information, contact the event chair, Lawrence Furbish at 207-490-6840, lkfurbish@mac.com.
Focus: Rotary 101 Plus- Social Networking (Cumberland Club 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM)
Session Three – January 28, 2019 – Mid Year Leadership Dinner
Focus: What is your status? (Fireside Inn- Portland 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM)
Session Four – February 9, 2019
Focus: Goal Setting (Freeport Community Center, 8 AM - 12:00 PM Breakfast)
Sessions Five and Six – March 6 – 8, 2019 – NEPETS
Focus: Inspiration & Leadership (Framingham, MA)
Session Seven – April 6, 2019 – District Training Assembly
Focus: Mandatory Topics (YCCC-Wells 8:00 AM -12:00 PM)
Rotary Council on Legislation
I’m sure you have all heard that Rotary is a bottom-up organization with the club playing the key role. This structure and culture is also reflected in Rotary International’s Council on Legislation. 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.
The Council must act on two types of proposals: resolutions, asking the RI Board of Directors to make changes in the rules the Board has authority over, and enactments, which directly change the RI Constitution, Bylaws, and recommended Club Bylaws. Interestingly, the RI Board of Directors has no power themselves to change these three governing documents, only the Council can do that.
Proposed resolutions and enactments can come directly from clubs and districts. In fact, this year, one of the proposed enactments has come from the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club with endorsement by the District. If passed, it will provide a new alternative method of selecting the district delegate to the RI Director nominating committee. The Council will meet in Chicago in April 2019 to consider and act on proposed enactments. I will provide more information on proposed enactments in a later issue of the district Newsletter.
Meanwhile the COL representatives will be voting electronically on proposed resolutions between October 15 and November 15, 2018. Below is a link that will take you to the page on the RI website with the 55 proposed resolutions. I urge you to take a few minutes and visit this page to get a taste of Rotary democracy in action. If any of you have pro or con views on any of these resolutions, please let me know by November 10th. I would be interested in your opinions.
The South Berwick-Eliot Rotary Club applied for the 2018 LitRAG Award and is mentioned in October's LitRAG newsletter. Congratulations for inspiring others and your dedication. May this success lead you to greater achievement in the years to come.
To read October's LitRAG newsletter . . . CLICK HERE
Recovery Initiative Committee
HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND RESPOND TO AN OPIATE/HEROIN OVERDOSE
A call to action for all Rotarians: The Rotary District 7780 Recovery Initiative Committee in partnership with the City of Portland Public Health Division’s Overdose Prevention Project, is pleased to announce an opportunity for Rotarians in District 7780 to be trained in Recognizing and Responding to an Opiate/Heroin Overdose on Thursday, November 15, 2018, from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM Pratt & Whitney Building Hannaford Hall on the Wells YCCC Campus.
This training is in response to the opiate epidemic sweeping across our country, where our Maine and New Hampshire communities are not immune. Maine and New Hampshire saw 901 drug-induced deaths statewide in 2017.
Our communities must work together to make a difference and help fight this epidemic. We can all potentially save a life and give hope to recovery. Our Rotarians will learn about the opioid epidemic and substance use disorder and will be trained in how to recognize the signs of an overdose, how to perform first-aid, as well as how to administer Naloxone (the drug which reverses the affects of opioids). Naloxone will be on hand to give out to those who attend. The goal of this training is not only for life-saving purposes; it will hopefully help reduce the stigma attached to those with substance use disorder. Please click on this link to RSVP, or email me at the email address below. https://doodle.com/poll/8uq5tf95utm5bimy
Anyone with questions or requests for additional information is urged to contact Chief Bob MacKenzie at the Kennebunk Police Department, 207-604-1339 or email rmackenzie@kennebunkmaine.us
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Presidential Citation Awards
SIXTEEN CLUBS RECOGNIZED
Rotary International President Ian Riseley (2017-2018) challenged our Rotary Clubs to a number of stretch-goals in three key areas: strengthening clubs through membership and leadership development, community and international service to humanity, and enhancing Rotary’s public image with the “People of Action” campaign.
This past Rotary year, our clubs responded with great enthusiasm. Past District Governor Dave Underhill was able to present twenty-five “Pyramids of Peace” at the Mount Washington Summit, and this month Governor John LoBosco and others on the leadership team have been on the road, recognizing clubs that earned the Presidential Citation.
Pictured above: Four of the sixteen District 7780 Rotary Clubs that were recently presented with the Presidential Citation Award.
Clubs recognized with the Presidential Citation include:
Bath, Bath Sunrise, Bethel, Biddeford-Saco, Brunswick Coastal, Dover, Freeport, Hampton, Saco Bay, Sanford-Springvale, Sebago Lake, South Berwick-Eliot, South Portland-Cape Elizabeth, Wells, Westbrook-Gorham and York.
Congratulations to these sixteen wonderful Rotary Clubs, their immediate-past-presidents and all of their members, for earning the RI Presidential Citation. You continue to make a difference, and to be the inspiration for this year’s Rotary team.
Crutches 4 Africa
A COMBINED ROTARY ACTIVITY
It was a sunny & warm Fall, Saturday morning (October 6th) when 31 volunteers (Rotarians, spouses, friends and children) were all headed to Biddeford, Maine to help load donated crutches and mobility devises onto a container headed to the Republic of Ghana, West Africa.
It was “Rotary At Work” at its finest with volunteer Rotarians from 9 different Rotary Clubs within District 7780 collectively matching pairs of crutches, sorting, packaging, packing and stuffing them into a 10ft x 10ft x 40ft shipping container.
The represented Rotary Clubs were: Maine: So. Portland/Cape Elizabeth, Sebago, Yarmouth, Saco Bay Sunset, and Saco Bay, Kittery. New Hampshire: Hampton, Portsmouth, and Westbrook/Gorham
During the October 6th packaging & loading, there were a total of 3236 devices consisting of: 1456 pairs of crutches, 58 wheelchairs, 686 canes, 60 rollators, 103 braces, 1 prosthetic leg, 197 boots, 8 shoes, 5 back boards, 1 bicycle trailer, & 661 walkers.
According to Portsmouth Rotary Past President Bill Hurley, “This is the kind of project you bring your significant other, brother, sister or mature children to, for a day out helping people (who) we will never meet but will be grateful to you for making their lives just a little bit easier. “
Crutches 4 Africa is the brainchild of David Talbot, a Polio survivor. Having survived the initial disease over 60 years ago, David went from wheelchair to braces on both legs with crutches, then just braces and on to just ugly shoes. Several surgeries during his growing years helped to stabilize his polio-affected left leg from injuries and controlled his growth, so as to minimize his limp while walking and running.
Talbot recovered well enough that he was very active in sports through middle school, high school and college. Talbot spent a year traveling in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, a lot of the miles on a bicycle. Then in 2005, while working with a non-profit organization assisting widows and orphans, David saw a woman who’s right leg was twisted up behind her back, her foot touching her shoulder. She was using a freshly-torn branch from a tree as a crutch. “That opened my eyes to see the people on the ground, trying to move about with great difficulty, in their environment” said Talbot. From there, inspiration took over and a soon rudimentary plan to collect surplus and no longer needed crutches here in the US, ship them to Africa, and distribute them there to people in desperate need, was born.
According to Talbot, “The missions of Crutches 4 Africa is to collect used and surplus mobility devices, ship them to developing countries, and distribute them “free” to people with physical challenges regardless of their race, gender, tribe, age, or religion.”
David lives with his wife Candice just west of Denver near Evergreen. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Mountain Foothills in District 5450
While the mobility devises are all donated, there is a huge cost to ship these off to West Africa. In this case, $6,000.00 was donated by the Portsmouth Rotary Club’s William Cash Fund to pay for the ocean container.
For additional information on how YOU can donate used mobility devices or make a financial contribution to this worthy cause, please click onto http://www.crutches4africa.org/collection-sites.html
District 7780 Short Term Youth Exchange - Summer 2019
Do Not Miss this Exciting Opportunity for Your Family to be involved in Rotary Youth Exchange!
The District is kicking off a Rotary Short Term Youth Exchange for the Summer of 2019.
This is a great opportunity for your family to send your high school student to France, Italy or another foreign country and host the foreign student from that country for 3-4 weeks here in New England. This is also a great opportunity for your club to get involved in exchange on a short term basis with little expense.
Short Term Youth Exchange involves two high school students, one from the US and one from another country, and their families pair up. The US student travels to and is hosted by the foreign family for 3-4 weeks. Then the two students travel together to the US where the foreign student is hosted for 3-4 weeks before returning home. The students/families pay all expenses for travel, visas, insurance and spending money. Host families provide room, food and activities. Should the families decide, the order of the visits can be reversed.
The Rotary Club reviews applications and helps select students, and hosts the students at meetings, service projects and club activities that occur during the exchange time. They also invite the local student to participate in Rotary and Interact activities before and after the exchange. The club provides support for the family and students.
District 7780 maintains its Essex membership (http://www.exchangestudent.org/ ), provides support for the district committee, and hosts students to a district sponsored activity if it occurs during the exchange time. The District makes an effort to involve past exchange students in planning and organizing future exchanges, as well as inviting them to participate in Rotary and Interact activities.
Our deadline is January 1, 2019, for applications. There are exchanges available for many northern hemisphere countries and a few southern hemisphere countries.
The program is open to both Rotary and non-Rotary students/families. Clubs can sponsor students outside their own geographic boundaries, if the local club chooses not to participate. Clubs can sponsor more than one student/family.
More info will come, or feel free to contact any of the committee members.
If you are interested in working on the committee, or want to receive email updates on the committee’s work, please contact any of the committee members.
We need representatives outside the Portland Westbrook area!
Help Rotaract Help Puerto Rico
TWO FOR ONE!!!
Hello Rotarians, We need your financial help! Please read this letter to find out how you and your club can help Rotaract help Puerto Rico.
What’s next for Rotaract?
Did you know you can support college age Rotaract students in their efforts to help Puerto Rico recover from the devastation that it suffered during Hurricane Maria?
A true humanitarian effort!
A full year after Hurricane Maria, thousands of Puerto Rico’s residents continue the long fight for recovery from the destruction and trauma of this dreadful hurricane. Although power has been restored, and access to clean water has greatly improved in some areas, Puerto Ricans are still suffering:
Many residents are without continuous power. Day-long power outages are commonplace, especially in rural areas.
Many homes and temporary shelters have only tarps instead of roofs.
Collapsed utility poles and uprooted trees are scattered everywhere and have not been disposed of.
The continued challenges have displaced hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans from the island entirely. As of August, thousands of families were still without homes, living in shelters, with friends or relatives, or at hotels with limited assistance from FEMA. Others are just beginning the slow process of reconstruction, as help is hard to find and building materials are costly and have been in short supply.
Rotaractors are excited about a future humanitarian project in Puerto Rico this January 2019!They need your financial help and support to turn this worthy project into a reality.
The Rotaract team, consisting of 15-20 college students is planning to join forces with 13 Rotaract clubs in Puerto Rico to help support relief, recovery, and rebuilding efforts in Puerto Rico, including installing solar panels and repairing homes.
Funding for this project will come from several sources… most importantly, the Rotaractors will appeal to individual Rotarians and Rotary Clubs for contributions; they will be conducting several fundraisers and there will be a GoFundMe page. Please contribute and make a difference for these students and the Puerto Ricans that continue to need our help!
P.S. Any funds raised in excess of travel expenses will be used to buy supplies for the project in Puerto Rico.
Here is the “gofundme” page where you and your club can make a donation.
monthly winning entry will be highlighted in the District Newsletter, District website AND on the rotating GIF on the District homepage.
Let's see what your clubs are all about using People of Action. Go to the Brand Center on Rotary.org and get started!
District History for November
No one got the answer for this one!
October History Question
Now for the newer clubs, can you tell me how many clubs were chartered between 2000 and 2018 and the names of these clubs? If you check out the District History pages, you may find the answer!
The answer is as follows:
Six clubs joined our District in the 2000s thus far -
2001 Falmouth
2004 Breakwater Daybreak – (they turned in their charter in 2015)
2006 Topsham Expresso
2008 South Berwick-Eliot
2015 Kittery After Hours
2016 Saco Bay Sunset
New History Question for November
Which clubs were chartered between 1930 and 1979? Two clues in the 1940s there were none and in the other 4 decades there were only 9 chartered and one club terminated its charter in 2011! We only have two decades left after this!
Send your answers to me at mawilliamspdg@comcast.net with your name and your club’s name. The answer will be in the November newsletter.
Marie
Marie A. Williams, PDG
District 7780 Historian
The Rotary Club of Oxford Hills
The Rotary Club of Oxford Hills is shown here inducting their newest member, Abbey Earle. Abbey is a college student at St. Joseph’s College and worked as an intern for the Town of Paris and The Progress Center. Each Rotary member is assigned a classification, and hers will be Non-Profit-Behavioral Specialist. As a special surprise, her great grandfather, Roy Earle, a former member and Past President of the club, along his wife Linda, also a former club member, were invited to assist in the induction.
Shown left to right: Club President George Rice, Linda Earle, Abbey Earle, Roy Earle, and Chris Summers, sponsor.
The Rotary Club of Bethel
OCTOBER PICTURE RECAP
Above Left: District Governor Elect Andy Glazier presents Past President Michele Cole a Rotary citation for all the work our club did last Rotary year.
Above Right: President Mike Steven with four students from Telstar High School; Mike Steven; Caleb Mitchell, Freshman; Max Kruse, Sophomore; Calla Orino, Junior; and Hannah Evans, Senior, who were recognized (in partnership with the administration of Telstar Regional High School,) as the September Students of the Month. This is a renewed collaboration between Bethel Rotary and the SAD #44 School District to recognize students monthly for excellence both in and out of the classroom. Each student was presented with a certificate, a Dunkin’ Donuts gift card, and a free day pass to Mt. Abram Ski Resort.
Above Left: President Mike Steven and Past President Michele Cole with the management team of the Bethel Inn Resort. They came and presented a concept plan for the Rotary Club of Bethel to partner with them to build a practice green on their golf course, in Memory of long time Rotarian and passionate golfer, Jim Monahan. Our club also recognized them as long time “Friends of Rotary.”
Pictured left to right: Dick Rasor, owner Bethel Inn Resort; Mike Steven; Allen Connors, General Manager; Brad Jerome, Marketing Manager, and Michele Cole, Past President of our club.
Above Right: Allen Connors presenting their concept plan to the club members.
The Rotary Club of Boothbay Harbor
CLUB RECAP
Thanks to the Youth Lane, especially local Faculty and Rotarian Ingrid Merrill, we have increased our activities with the Interact Club and the local school system. Among the youth activities, the Interact BakeSale at BRHS home football game made monies to be used to make their next Kiva micro loans. Our first Mock Employment Interview Session took place at the local high school. Many students found it very helpful, and now we proceed to expand the program to engage vocational students, hopefully in partnership with the surrounding Rotary clubs. Vocational development is a high priority as a result of our visioning process. Our Annual Debate Coaching at our high school continues. Students are preparing debates based on candidates in the upcoming elections. Rotarians continue to provide coaching for these students.
The Rotary Clubhouse was looking its best recently, when we hosted a Chamber of Commerce After-Hours reception. At the meeting we engaged Chamber members to partner with us and possibly join Rotary. We inducted Chamber Executive Director Patricia Royall into our membership. By joining Rotary, Patricia is celebrating a homecoming of sorts – not only was her grandfather a long-time member of our club, but she has been a Rotarian previously in Bath. With our goal of 10 new members, we have 8 to go!
Fellowship Night got started again for the winter season! Linda Clapp arranged for members, partners, prospective members, and Friends of Rotary to meet at local establishments during the slower season in our community. We hope that our visibility around town will enhance membership.
Through the work of an engaged International Lane, commitments have been made to Safe Passage, Shelter Box, Wrap-A-Smile, Healthy Kids/Brighter Future, and Burundi clean water, as well as Kakamega Orphanages and Interact Kiva funding.
The Rotary Club of Damariscotta-Newcastle
DISTRICT GOVERNOR VISIT
District 7780 Governor John LoBosco and wife Susan joined us on September 25th for his annual state-of-the-district speech, always a highlight of our year. Welcome to Damariscotta-Newcastle!
CLUB SPONSORS BUSINESS FORUM
The Damariscotta-Newcastle Club once again was a sponsor of the Twin Villages Business Forum, held at The CLC Y newly-remodeled facility. The theme for this second year was Innovate and Evolve. About 70 people attended this all-day session and left with new ideas, networks and great lunches and snacks. Thanks to Rotarians Lorraine Faherty, Bob Topper, Chris Frost, Rick Hagen, Linc Reed-Nickerson and Ron Finlay for the logistical assistance (i.e. heavy lifting and errands, etc.)
PUMPKINFEST & REGATTA
Damariscotta-Newcastle Rotarians worked many different volunteer positions in the recent Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta. David Swetland, Rick Hagen, Winslow Myers, Doug Cameron and Paul Tenan enjoyed their Sunday morning at the Pumpkin Derby. Rotarian Majed Awamleh's two youngsters had colorful "cars" in this contest and every one had FUN (our 5th test question for the 4-Way Test.)
The Rotary Club of Dover
APPLE HARVEST DAY
It was a fabulous day for a fun event in downtown Dover at the Rotary Pavilion. It was good to see so many Rotarians, business professionals and many familiar faces, including Rebecca Johnson of The Flower Shop, Jessica Lynn Cobb of Riverside Rest Home, and the many Dover Rotary Interact students painting faces and Henna tattoos. #appleharvestday2018 #rotarypavillion
ROTARY GARDENS
Did you attend Apple Harvest Day in downtown Dover? If not, do be sure to stop by the Rotary Gardens in Henry Law Park and see for yourself, the beautiful and fabulous new mums, pumpkins and gourds that our Rotarians and their families prepared especially for this event, and for everyone to enjoy during this Fall season. #rotarygardens #serviceaboveself
CHECKS PRESENTED TO COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
On the evening of October 17th, the Rotary Club of Dover presented another $1,000 check to AIR - Arts in Reach program for their Fall after-school program. Arts in Reach is about empowering teenage girls through mentoring and the arts. Their vision is to build a community in which all young women are respected, supported, and enriched throughout their teenage years. Through innovative teaching and mentoring techniques, our young women thrive as they express their own authentic identities. https://www.artsinreach.org/about-us/
And, at a recent Rotary Club of Dover meeting, Club President Noreen Biehl presented Betsey Andrews Parker of CAP, Community Action Partnership of Strafford County, a check for $15,000, as our club is assisting with the construction of the playground to be on-site that will allow the opportunity for many of the young kids in our community to enjoy.
The Rotary Club of Oxford Hills
CRUTCHES 4 AFRICA
The Rotary Club of Oxford Hills is collecting mobility devices for Crutches 4 Africa, a non-profit organization whose mission is to collect used and surplus mobility devices, ship them to developing countries, and distribute them—free—to people with physical challenges regardless of their race, gender, tribe, age or religion. The Rotary Club is collecting crutches, canes, walkers and wheelchairs to help support this International Project. If you have any devices you no longer need, please contact Oxford Hills Rotary to make arrangements for drop-off or pickup, and help with this ongoing project. Shown here, left to right are President George Rice, Abbey Earl and Dave Preble, modeling a recent donation received from Responsible Pet Care. If interested in learning more about Rotary’s local and international projects, go to www.oxfordhillsrotary.org or follow them on FB. To arrange a donation, please call 207-743-2285.
The Rotary Club of Portland
HOSTS VETERANS APPRECIATION LUNCH PROGRAM
Veterans are cordially invited to be the guests of the Rotary Club of Portland on Friday, November 9, 2018, from 12 - 1:30 PM, at the Holiday In By the Bay on Spring Street, to enjoy the annual program in recognition of their military service.
Keynote speakers for the program are Major General John W. Libby, Ret., Adjutant General of the Maine National Guard and Captain Jonathan D. Bratten, military historian. Captain Bratten will speak about Maine military service in World War I.
A full service lunch will be complimentary for all Veterans who register for the program. This program is made possible because of generous support from a Roll Call of business sponsors and private donations.
Chairs of the Veterans Appreciation Lunch are Rotarians Charlie Frair and Paul Tully.
Rotarian Rusy Atwood is on the organizing committee and he helped to develop the 2018 program.
All veterans are invited to be guests of Portland Rotary at this program and we request for them to register on line at portlandrotary.org. Guests who are not veterans are asked to buy a $25 ticket at the door. (Cash and checks only please. Thank you.)
Veteran guest Major Wallin with Portland Rotarian Mike Fortunato
The Rotary Club of Portsmouth
OCTOBER DISTRICT REPORT
The club launched its new partner charity relationship with Cross Roads House, a local homeless shelter. Cross Roads House Executive Director Martha Stone, visited and thanked us for supporting the facility. The organization provides services for about 500 people every year. Only the night before, 88 people packed its buildings, one third of them children. Our specific volunteer tasks have yet to be spelled out.
Pictured right: Martha Stone, Executive Director of Cross Roads House
We welcomed another new member Heather Inyart. Heather works at NH Made, an area non-profit that seeks to increase awareness and demand for locally made products.
Officials from Wentworth-Douglass Hospital spoke. The health conglomerate has partnered with Mass. General and is expanding its Pease campus. A full-service cancer center will open there in the spring. This in addition to the Dover complex.
We also heard from the Director of Operations at Coast, our local public transportation system. Mike Williams told us about several special services Coast offers. These include providing rides for seniors to their medical appointments and much more.
Pictured left: Dr. Arul Mahadeven of Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, and right: Mike Williams, Director of Operations at Coast
Also stopping-by was a Ukrainian Friends Forever delegation. They were here to learn about best practices from U.S. youth programs.
Assistant District Governor Larry Marsolais and District Governor Elect Andy Glazier had lunch with us. The duo came to present a customized Rotary Adirondack chair to Portsmouth Rotarian and last year’s District Governor Dave Underhill.
The Rotary Club of South Portland - Cape Elizabeth
THEATER NIGHT AT THE PORTLAND PLAYERS
"A Community Collaboration"
One of the ways we support and energize the local community is through the arts, and on the evening of September 27th, we held our yearly theater night. Theater Night is both a social and fundraising event that has a long history with The Portland Players. Many thanks to our annual sponsors who have made a commitment to this event: Bath Saving Institution, DiMillo’s On The Water, Port Harbor Marine, and Saco-Biddeford Savings Institution.
We acknowledge and are grateful to all the talented people from The Portland Players, our club volunteers, and local businesses who collaborated with us. Our unique raffle donations came from Della Mano Designs, DiMillo’s On The Water, Cumberland Club, Springer’s Jewelers, The Portland Sea Dogs, Thank Goddess, Harmon’s & Barton's, and Maine Mariners.
Delicious food was graciously donated by Buffalo Wild Wings, DiPietro’s Market, Elsmere BBQ & Wood Grill, Terra Cotta Pasta, Thai Taste and Willow’s Pizza & Restaurant.
Funds raised from this event support local charities and student scholarships.
The Rotary Club of Sebago Lake
SPAGHETTI DINNER FUNDRAISER - NOVEMBER 3
In true Rotarian fashion....
When the Sebago Lake club decided to reschedule their 35th Anniversary for Nov. 3rd, they also made it a fundraiser for their local Veteran's Center once they found out that the center was in need of some much needed repairs and had no money to do so.
Sooooo…...Please join us as we celebrate and help us to raise the needed funds for these repairs.
If you are unable to attend but would like to donate, please send your donation to: SLRotary Club PO Box 1941, Windham Maine 04062
Or if you'd like to help, contact Cyndy Bell 577-6654
The Rotary Club of Oxford Hills
ROTARY CHEESE WHEELS FUNDRAISER
DEADLINES: NOV 7TH & DEC 5TH
The Oxford Hills Rotary Club is selling Rotary Cheese Wheels. They are 2 pound wheels of Vermont Sharp Cheddar cheese and are delicious! Each wheel comes packaged in a decorative box and are $18.00 each. Orders are being taken now with Order #1 deadline of November 7th with delivery date of November 14th in time for Thanksgiving. Order #2 deadline is December 5th, with delivery date of December 12th, in time for Christmas. If you'd like to order one or more, please contact Patty Rice @ price@austinpa.com or 207-890-2332 or George Rice @ gwrice@myfairpoint.net or 207-890-3122. Makes a great gift! Order yours today!
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 December Newsletter Submissions: November 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.
www.rotary7780.org … or follow us on Facebook!
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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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.
