09/23/16 Bits & Pieces

Posted by Bob Martin

Russ Burleigh led us in the invocation, and Paul Gore in our Pledge. Our luncheon was catered by the culinary students at Long Creek Youth Center, who are available for catering to other groups and events.

Our guests were Major John Lock of the Salvation Army, a prospective member, and Taylor Halsey, a student at Portland High School. Taylor was one of the RYLA members we sponsored at the RYLA Leadership Camp earlier this year. He shared his experiences and memories of the program.

(Photo: Taylor Halsey, PHS student.)

Bill Blount delivered a Rotary Moment with us. Bill’s 36-year participation in Rotary began in Utica, NY when his boss at the time suggested that he join as a good way to meet people. He also enjoyed floating trial balloons to see if his ideas had any traction. In that way, he started a tennis league with the club in Utica. Bill said he has always admired people in Rotary and “the balloons they float.” When he moved to Portland and joined Rotary, he used the same approach to start the tennis league, skiing Rotarians, and the Blues Cruises. “Rotary provides an opportunity to float your balloon.”

Amy Chipman rose to acknowledge Bill as our newest Paul Harris Society member with his sixth Paul Harris Fellow Award. She and Bill shared the impact of Amica’s matching award program that has enabled Bill’s contributions to the Rotary Foundation to be matched by a 150% Amica match. Bill and Amy encouraged members whose employers have a matching grant program to take advantage of it.

Rusty Atwood brought the raffle with $766 to lucky Max Chikuta who found the not-so-lucky six of clubs. Did you know that there are 80 unvigintillion ways to sort a deck of cards? That’s 52 factorial, or “52!” in mathematical notation, or 80,658, 175,170,943,878,571,660,636,856,403,766,975,289,505,440,883,277,824,000,000,000,000 combinations. Now, of course, as cards drop out, the numbers decline. So take your chances!

Dan Riordan, a member of Sen. Angus King’s constituency services team shared the various resources available to Maine residents from the Senator’s office to help navigate various Federal programs and departments.

Charlie Frair called for members to pre-register online for the Veterans Day luncheon at the Italian Heritage Center on THURSDAY, November 10 from noon to 1:30 p.m. This will be our Rotary meeting of that week. Senator Susan Collins will be our speaker. Club members who are veterans are asked to volunteer to help host guests. Loretta Rowe will be captain of our member veteran hosts, so if you plan to attend, please contact her: lrowe@maine.rr.com

All members, please register on the club website to attend this luncheon or call Elise.