Bill Green is a Bangor native. A life-long Mainer, he was educated in Bangor schools and the University of Maine. As a college freshman he worked as a cameraman at WLBZ2 on Eddie Driscoll’s “My Backyard” and “Dialing for Dollars” shows. Bill recalls, "The first night I worked, March 17, 1972, I was asked to stay late and run camera for the news. As they played the opening music, and the camera light came on, I remember thinking, I'm going to do this until I'm 65."
Bill debuted as a sportscaster on WLBZ2 in 1975. He moved to Portland in 1981 where he anchored weekend sports statewide on WCSH6 and WLBZ2. During this period, Bill began to flourish as a feature reporter and developed an expertise in recreation and the outdoors.
In 1993, Bill came off the anchor desk to produce feature stories and documentaries, including 10 documentaries on Maine and the environment under the banner "Color Me Green," in addition to his weekly features, "Green Outdoors" and "My Hometown." He launched an original series, "Bill Green's Maine" in 2000 and as of last year had done 336 half-hours.
“Bill Green’s Maine” won the Regional Emmy in 2016 as 'Outstanding Magazine Program' in New England. It was also judged the Most Popular TV Program in Maine by the readers of Down East Magazine. It was Bill’s second Emmy in as many years. In 2015, he also won a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for his feature reporting.
He is an inductee into the 'Maine Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame' and the 'Maine Sports Hall of Fame' and this November 30, he will be inducted into the 'New England Silver Circle of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.'
Bill is a registered Maine Guide, the Senior Warden at Trinity Episcopal Church of Portland, and the assistant Freshman Baseball Coach at Greely High School. He and his wife, Pam, reside in Cumberland. They have two grown children.
As our holiday season starts, what better way to show our "Thanks," then by giving of our time and energies to those who need us.......
Wednesday November 23rd, Portland Rotary will supply, cook and serve dinner for the patrons of the St Vincent DePaul food kitchen.
We need more - and your - help! The serving team, who volunteers their time for just one hour, 12:30 till 1:30 p.m., needs your help to assist with this great cause - helping those citizens who otherwise won't have access to a Thanksgiving dinner .
Please click on the following email address: egrev95@aol.com to send an email to Erik Greven and sign up. You will feel so good that you helped.
Thank you,
Erik Greven Chair, Community Service
Portland Rotary Club
It was a bustling and festive atmosphere at the Italian Heritage Center on Friday, as many veterans, Rotarians and their guests gathered for the second annual Veterans Day lunch. Held on the day before Veterans Day, the event was both a moving program and a triumph of logistics as a team of volunteers (led by event chairs Paul Tully and Charlie Frair) managed to efficiently link guests to tickets and tables.
With Don Campbell singing from the front and the 1st Battalion 25th Marines presenting the colors, the program was off and running.
Councillor Ed Suslovic, in his greeting from the City, spoke about the fact that every veteran essentially “writes a blank check to the United States” and urged all citizens to assist veterans by not just attending events like this, but by voting, and by looking after their families while they are deployed.
Keynote speaker, United States Senator Susan Collins conveyed a similar message, telling us about Maine’s longstanding role as one of the states that is first or second in the nation for per capita in armed forces participation. Speaking from the heart, largely without notes, she talked about kids in Oakland honoring veterans, about the Bangor Troop Greeters, and about her experiences gained from eight trips to Iraq and Afghanistan.
She also spoke about her own family, with the story of her father, now 91, who was wounded at the Battle of the Bulge. He was wounded twice and then a shell landed beside him and failed to explode. “Had it done so,” she pointed out, “I wouldn't be here today.” She remembered Memorial Day parades riding on her dad's shoulders – best vantage point for the entire parade. For her, these experiences emphasized “the enormity of our collective debt to our veterans.”
The Armed Services Medley, performed by Kathy Grammer on keyboard with Betty Rines on trumpet, was a hit as always, as veterans from various branches of the service tried to out-sing each other. Russ Burleigh, in leading the performance, shared the story of his WWI veteran father.
We heard from Colonel Andrew Gibson - a chaplain with the Maine National Guard who works around the state. He made the point that hiring veterans is one of the very best ways to thank them for their service. Hiring veterans, he posited, not just acknowledges their service, but makes your business better. They will add value and bring experience. Just to join the military right now is difficult – he noted that of all of the students who graduated from high schools in June, 72% would be ineligible due to low scores on the entrance exam or no diploma, or bad grades, or poor fitness, or criminality. Of the remaining 28% who do qualify, “you need to have someone who wants to volunteer and the number gets small quickly.” So by hiring a veteran, you’ll get someone with additional maturity, wide experience and one who has already been heavily vetted.
The program’s final Speaker was Major Adam Cote, the former commander of Maine’s famed 133rd Engineering Battalion. He complimented Senator Collins on her singing voice, and noted that November 10th is the Marine Corps birthday, something that elicited cheers from the Marines, former Marines and supporters in the audience. Then he became serious in noting that it is important that there are two national holidays set aside to honor veterans – Memorial Day being a somber remembrance of those who died, and Veterans Day, a more festive occasion set aside to celebrate veterans and happily recognize their service. He noted that Mainers have received 67 Medals of Honor, but that for every Medal of Honor winner there are tens of thousands of others who have contributed, sometimes with their lives. Veterans have experience: fighting in many roles, in logistics, as mechanics, administrators and rescue personnel. He noted that veterans are 45% more likely to start businesses than other citizens, and currently work in every vocation.
Finally, Rotary Past President Kris Rosado presented a recumbent bike to the VAST program - Veterans Adaptive Sports and Training at Pineland – the recumbent bike will be used by veterans in their physical training and rehab activities. The bike was graciously donated by Tammy Steeves.
(Photo: Tammy Steeves, Kristina Sebasteanaski of the VAST program, and Past President Kris Rosado.)
All in all, it was an extraordinary program, one that is almost certain to become one of Portland’s big annual events in the years to come. Thanks again to Paul, Kris, Charlie and all the Rotarians who worked hard to make the program happen.
Rotarians from our District will be packing a container bound for Uganda on Saturday, Nov 19th at 10am.
Packing will take place at the warehouse where the crutches are being stored at 20 Gooch Street in Biddeford.
We’re still accepting crutches, canes, folding walkers and wheelchairs for this or future shipments.
FMI, please contact Jan Chapman at: janchapman1966@gmail.com or Bruce Moore at: brucevmoore@gmail.com.
We recently learned some sad news about Dave Talbot, the founder of Crutches 4 Africa. He suffered a mild heart attack and is recovering well. We send our wishes to Dave for a quick and complete recovery.
One of the many trips the International Service Committee's 3-H (Hearing, Hands and H2O) Project Team will be making to the Dominican Republic (DR) will be in early 2017.
The Batays in the Dominican Republic are located some 15-20 miles outside of the city, where night darkness is intense. Access to electricity is very limited and without light, the safety of the inhabitants is an issue. The 3-H team would like to take 70-100 collapsible portable lights with them on their upcoming trip and are looking for volunteer donations of $15 per light to help fund this important project.
(Photo: Dick Giles demonstrating a portable solar light.)
For further information or if you would like to help, please contact Elise Hodgkin atportlandrotary@maine.rr.comor 899-6342. You may bring your cash/check to a meeting or mail your check to: Portland Rotary, P.O. Box 1755, Portland, ME 04104. Please make your check payable to Portland Rotary Charitable Account. Make a memo note on the check: for DR solar lights.
If you would like to mark your calendars,
we are at the following locations through
the end of this calendar year:
2016: Nov 18 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Nov 25 - No Meeting - Happy Thanksgiving!
Dec 2 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Dec 9 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay Dec 16 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Dec 23 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Dec 30 - No Meeting - Happy New Year!
BlueBOLD dates are scheduled Board meeting days.
Any questions, please contact Loretta at: lrowe@maine.rr.com
As we receive applications for prospective members to join our Portland Rotary Club, the names of the applicants will be included in our Windjammer. Any information and/or comments you would like to share will be handled confidentially. Please contact Loretta Rowe: lrowe@maine.rr.com. Your input will be appreciated.
PROSPECT BUSINESS (Sponsor)
Stephanie Joyce Baker Newman Noyes (Kris Rosado)
Ben Millick Clark Insurance Justin Lamontagne)
Michel Kanyambo Catholic Charities (Danielle Conway) of Maine
The following is a list of projects happening within our club that you have an opportunity to volunteer and help with. If you know of other opportunities, please contact Loretta: lrowe@maine.rr.com
When
Project Who to Contact
Crutches4Africa Nov. 19th
Packing Container Time - tbd
for Uganda Jan Chapman
Soup kitchen 4th Wednesday ea month
Preble Street (4-6:30 p.m.) Oct 26th
Erik Greven
St Vincent - Serve Nov. 23rd
Thanksgiving Erik Greven
Dinner
Bell Ringing Dec. 5 - 22
Salvation Army weekdays at noon
Erik Greven
Game Night Last Tuesday ea month
Cedar Unit Mike Fortunato
Bill Green is a Bangor native. A life-long Mainer, he was educated in Bangor schools and the University of Maine. As a college freshman he worked as a cameraman at WLBZ2 on Eddie Driscoll’s “My Backyard” and “Dialing for Dollars” shows. Bill recalls, "The first night I worked, March 17, 1972, I was asked to stay late and run camera for the news. As they played the opening music, and the camera light came on, I remember thinking, I'm going to do this until I'm 65."
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The bike was graciously donated by Tammy Steeves..jpg)
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