The Rotary Club of Portsmouth
CLUB RECAP
We put on two huge gala luncheons to cap 2017. The Rotary Thanksgiving Dinner, held at the Jarvis Center, was a huge undertaking and a great success. More than 100 volunteers and the Portsmouth Hospital kitchen cooked turkeys, pies and more. Dinner was served to a packed house, as other Rotarians also assembled meals to go. Volunteer drivers fanned out as far as Nottingham and Exeter to deliver holiday food. Once again the incomparable Priscilla MacInnis coordinated this massive effort.
Meanwhile Cindi Shanley and co-chair Julia Ghigliotti directed another wonderful Senior Holiday Luncheon at the Portsmouth Country Club. The event “sold out” within hours of being announced back on November 13. In addition to a traditional turkey dinner, the Portsmouth High School orchestra played and Santa stopped by. There was also a performance by youngsters from the “spotted turtle room.” And the “Rotations” led everyone in festive song. More than 150 dinners were served.
Cindi Shanley & Santa
On top of all that, our Christmas Tree sales seemed on track to raise more than $10,000 for the club. Each of us was obligated to do three, three-hour shifts during the three week stretch. Cleo Villaflores and Leo Gagnon directed this challenging, but rewarding initiative. Cleo and Leo will be our President and Vice President, respectively, in 2018.
The Salvation Army Crew
Not to be overlooked were many other effective, on-going programs. Donna Lewallen’s Operation Warm delivered more than $1200 worth of new coats and other winter apparel…Joanie Dickinson’s Portsmouth High Interact Club stuffed more than 40 stockings that will go to residents of the Chase Home and Crossroads House…Sara Treacy is filling dates for our obligation at the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen…Judy Ringer led us in a day of Salvation Army bell ringing in Market Square…Craig Taylor skated in a Bruins Alumni hockey game to benefit Ritchie MacFarland Center, this year’s sister charity.
Donna Lewallen Joanie Dickinson
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Martha Stone Bob Herold
Finally guest speakers for the period included Cross Roads House Executive Director Martha Stone… Our own Bob Herold recalled his trip to Ethiopia, helping to coordinate several Rotary projects there...We closed the year with a wonderful 15-minutes of keyboard music provided by the talented Max Logue. The Portsmouth native and UNH grad, won that school’s prestigious Tommy Gallant Music Scholarship.
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Max Logue