11/11/15 Bits & Pieces
One sad note, word came to us that one of our Portland Rotarians, Gene Story, passed away this week due to lung cancer. Gene recently served as Chairman of the Board at the U.S. Maritime Resource Center in Portland. His wife, Ruth, survives him. Our deepest condolences to the family.
Our Veterans Day Breakfast was the result of a great deal of work by Rotarians and supporters. From the podium, Bowen recognized the following sponsors for their financial support:
Gold Sponsor: Law firm of Jackson and MacNichol,
Table Sponsors: Avesta Housing, Roxanne Cole, Maine Farm and Sea Cooperative
Individual Sponsors: Bob Trail, Todd Beacham, Jerry Angier, Jim Willey, John Marr and John Gaudet
Of course, it takes time to reach out to those willing sponsors, so we’d like to recognize Ben Lowry for presenting the plan to Jackson and MacNichol. Dave Seddon, Roxane Cole, and Larry Gross secured table sponsors.
Bowen coordinated with the City to facilitate the flagpole replacement and monument cleaning, with special thanks to Jon Jennings and Mike Murray from the City for their work. Larry Gross worked with Avesta to have the plaque cleaned. In addition, Larry organized bringing in the Vet-to-Vet program through his affiliation with SMAA. Bowen added recognition to the Harold T. Andrews American Legion Post 17, Commander Bob Wright and Joe Rich.
Never outdone, Loretta Rowe and Elise Hodgkin worked with the Holiday Inn By-the-Bay to ensure the function ran smoothly, in addition to handling the reservations and accounting.
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Our newest member to the Rotary family, Luca Bates, was brought to this special meeting by his mom, Janelle LoSciuto and dad, Dillon Bates.
Russ Burleigh was behind the camera, in addition to his work designing and printing the program. Russ, with Kathy Grammar organized the music program, with Kathy reaching out to trumpeter Betty Rines from the PSO to join us. Kathy was also responsible for inviting Rev. Shambaugh to do our invocation and benediction. Thanks to Eric Lusk for arranging for Major Sacchetti and the USMC Honor guard. Tom Talbott facilitated media coverage.
How’d it all start? Mike Fortunato, while researching the club’s history as part of our Centennial celebration, discovered our connection to the Andrews Monument. Discussions ensued, with Peter Goffin suggesting that we combine a ceremony with a morning breakfast for Veterans. Together, the duo coordinated all the moving parts into one great morning, ably executed by our leader, Bowen.
One of the best lines of the day: After historian Herb Adams spoke, er, shouted over the din of construction just around the corner from our presentation, President Bowen praised our local tax dollars at work.
The granite Harold T. Andrews monument at Harold Square now has the Rotary Wheel and Portland Rotary carved into the base. Looks great, and dignified. Those humble Rotarians of 1921 who erected the monument in the first place did not include anything identifying Rotary as the sponsor, but we have corrected that oversight. We need some PR now and then!
Speaking of which, it was a good media day for Portland Rotary, as our Andrews Square event had camera crews from WCSH6, WMTW8 and WGME13 present, and reports aired on all three stations. We also had announcements on WGAN and WZAN radio leading up to the event.
(President Bowen with the WMTW8 crew.)
In Flanders Fields
Written by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, May 1915
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.