We had a successful morning on Saturday in Acadia when 8 Rotarians and friends joined hundreds of other volunteers to rake leaves and help prepare the carriage roads for winter.  Not only is this a good resource protection project, but it is also a huge financial savings for the park.  Our small but mighty team worked 3 ½ hours grooming .6 miles; our labor was valued at more than $750!  Read more about valuing volunteer labor at independentsector.org.  Thank you, Sallie, Colleen, Lynn, Jocelyn, Debby, Scott and Laura, for joining me in this annual event with Friends of Acadia.

We gather for lunch on Wednesday at the Atlantic Oceanside at noon to hear from Nick Fisichelli, CEO, and Catherine Schmitt, Science Communication Specialist, at the Schoodic Institute.  Schoodic Institute is Acadia National Park’s primary partner in science and education. Together, they manage the largest of 18 National Park Service Research Learning Centers in the United States and are national leaders in the development of new techniques to involve the public in science and conservation. The mission of SI is to Inspire science, learning, and community for a changing world. Read more here https://schoodicinstitute.org/about-us/

For those not vaccinated or who would prefer to join via Zoom, please click here https://friendsofacadia.zoom.us/j/81173944788?pwd=Qm5UZjkzbW5hSnJXeUdmemdUZzRBQT09

Meeting ID: 811 7394 4788, Passcode: Acadia, or use the one tap mobile +13017158592,,81173944788# US

We will vote for 2022-2023 officers on November 17.  Thank you to all who have mailed in their nomination forms.  Please send your nomination form to me by November 15 (the form is posted on our Club Google Drive at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RDnnKeRlPRW9JmqIqI11RC1JdCkDatd-).

Feel free to bring your stuffing for Thanksgiving baskets to the meeting this week or next, along with auction items for the holiday party.  ShelterBox and the Jesup Library will be the recipients of money raised at this year’s holiday party.