March 3, 2016 Meeting of West Bay Rotary

March 3, 2016 Meeting of West Bay Rotary

In President Lisa’s absence, President-elect Peter Berke presided over the meeting.

Caitlin Clark, participant in the 2014 Entrepreneurship class, was introduced by Jim Potter. She graduated from Rockland District High and went to Wesleyan. She then attained a Masters degree at Harvard, and then worked in admissions at Olin College, a new engineering school. She and her husband returned to Maine and have two children. After doing online college counseling, she founded her own business, Maine College and Career Planning, to work specifically with Maine students after taking the entrepreneurship class.

In 2015, she met the Worthingtons, a couple in Spruce Head, who created a scholarship for Oceanside East and now Camden Hills students and have engaged her services.  Currently, 58 students are participating.  Many students were dropping out after their first year, and she has been researching why and developing strategies to address those trends. Many of the students are first in their family to go to college, challenged managing their time, and become homesick.

30 Scholarships were awarded this past year. Her goal is to increase retention and graduation rates, and prepare high school seniors transition to college. She is also building a base of mentors and internships for students to help build their skills around etiquette, protocols and networking.

Buckets on the table are for Masons on a Mission which will head to Guatemala to build stoves.

Mark Coursey announced a March 19 Habitat work day on Brewster Street in Rockland, 8-12 and 12-4 doing painting and finish-work, and sign-ups are being circulated at the meeting.

Mark Masterson, will hold a Community Service Committee meeting Wednesday March 9 at 7:30 at Quarry Hill Anderson Inn and anyone is welcome to attend and learn about what the committee is working on for the year.

Planet Toys is donating shelving equipment to the Hospitality House and the House will be the President's Project in 2016/17.

Saturday April 23 is the date for the club’s annual  “E-Waste” project and Paper Shredding at RES property in Rockport. Start setting aside electronics and paper, and let Tom Albertson know if you can help that day.

Sandy is encouraging everyone to complete their profile on the website, www.westbayrotaryclubofme.org. Mary Sargent needs greeters for April, May and June. Please let her know if you can take a meeting date.

There’s a Duck Derby page on Instagram, and Facebook.   Peter Berke is planning more outreach and sponsorship participation for the event, and future WBR events.  Prizes for the Derby so far include the trip to Florida and $1000, Perret jewelry, Dinner at the Hartstone, A massage, Books by Paul Doiron, Fuller $150 car detailing, $100 Maine Sport gift certificate.  Let Pater or Barbara Heard know if you have leads for more prizes. May 28 in the afternoon is the planned time for the race.

Next week’s speaker will be new member Wendy Zwecker giving her classification talk. The students going to Japan will be here from the Middle School.