This Friday's Rotary Club meeting will be hosted at the Portland Clubhouse of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine (BGCSM).
Since its founding in 1909, BGCSM’s mission has been to enable young people, especially those who need the Clubs most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
Bob Clark and a team of staff and volunteers will share a series of “Boys & Girls Club minutes” (in the spirit of Portland Rotary) to reflect how the past, present and future come together at 5 Boys & Girls Club sites in Southern Maine, to serve 2,850 members and put them on the pathway to reaching their full potential.
President Laura Young presided over a Club Assembly where she and various committee chairs filled in the members attending on what the goals and plans were for the upcoming Rotary year. President Laura shared Portland Rotary's Vision Statement of the next five years by focusing on:
High-Impact local Childhood Hunger and Education (CHE) efforts
Life-changing Hearing, Hands, and H2O (3H) international service projects
Active mentoring and career guidance program for high school students in Portland
Diverse and inclusive membership
Effective system to attract and retain members
Annual signature event
Thought-provoking and relevant speakers.
Portland Rotary’s Strategic Plan will continue with the CHE and 3H efforts and will also emphasize fundraising, vocational services, diversified membership, diverse programming and increased visibility of the club through effective public relations.
Youth Services Chair, Janelle LoSciuto, informed us that the committee has and will continue to be focused on the education component of our CHE initiative. We will continue to support our Starting Strong Summer Reading and Longcreek programs. Interact at Portland High School is growing with Glenn Nerbak as club liaison. Our club increased its support of RYLA to 12 students in 2016. We also provided a $1500 grant to multilingual high school students to purchase tickets to cultural events to broaden the horizons of those that might not otherwise be able to attend such events. Finally, Janelle showed us a reading PSA video we funded with the United Way: How to Read to Your Child.
Public Relations Chair, Linda Varrell, discussed her goal of helping the club and committees with public awareness of activities and events, promoting community leadership and club membership, and making the community more aware of the positive impact of Rotary.
Fundraising Chair, Kris Rosado, let us know that the 6th annual Maine Outdoor Challenge will be held June 5-7, 2017. He said that since 1988 our club’s Service and Memorial Fund has given 121 student scholarships ($71,000) and grants ($132,663) to a wide variety of worthy causes and organizations. Since our club began, Portland Rotary has raised and contributed $933,811 and we’ve partnered with over 200 different organizations. Kris let us know that his goal is to grow our Charitable Fund’s Permanent Account from what it is today (approximately $175,000) to $1,000,000. He proposed to do that by direct contributions and future bequests. So if you haven’t been approached yet to contribute is some way within your financial means, then be prepared to give when called upon.
Dick Hall adeptly substituted for Rotary Foundation Chair, Peter Goffin, and gave us a brief history of the Rotary Foundation, reminding us of its guiding principles: World Peace through Service. Dick told us that the Rotary Foundation’s focus is on promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, saving mothers and children, supporting education and growing local economies. District 7780 will be celebrating its 100th Anniversary with an event to be held on Thursday November 10, 2016 at the Sable Oaks. The District's goal for the 100th celebration is to have 100 people make a $10,000 commitment to the Rotary Foundation. This can be done by direct donation, transferring assets, employee matching gifts, a 10-year commitment to the Paul Harris Society, or estate plan commitments. To join or get more information, speak with Dick or Amy Chipman.
It’s clear that Portland Rotary is in good hands with President Laura, along with the active support and dedication of Committee Chairs and members, no goal is out of reach!
60 Portland Rotarians met on a beautiful autumn day at the Clarion Hotel last Friday. Joining us were 2 non-Rotarian guests and two visiting Rotarians; one of whom, Chris Clemons, brought us a banner from his home club in Santa Monica, California. Peggy Wescott, with her usual style, offered a humorous invocation and Kathy Grammar, who we welcomed back after a short absence, led us in the pledge to the flag, with President Laura following up in leading us in a pleasantly competent rendition of our national anthem.
Don Lowry, just back from a sales convention in Austin, Texas, shared a banner he picked up at an intimate gathering of 36 “guys” at a Rotary meeting in The Lone Star State’s capitol. Judy Cavalero laughingly wondered aloud about the old school slip of "guys" by Don, or perhaps it was indeed an all-men’s meeting. Don also led us in our a capella song of the week. Tom Talbott shared a very warm “Rotary Moment” in looking back at his presidency and the year just prior, 1999, when then-District Governor Elias Thomas undertook a sociological experiment just prior to speaking with our club. As folks entered the Portland Club for our noon meeting, they had to walk by a homeless man, apparently passed out on the sidewalk, just outside the front door. There were many offers of help and calls to the police and the man was obtaining assistance when our program began. As it came time for our keynote speaker, Governor Thomas walked up to the podium, removed his disguise as the homeless man and began his talk on helping others. Inspired by the message, when Tom became president a few months later, he took a chance and asked a local homeless man to speak to our club. The results were astounding and eye-opening. The spirit of helping the homeless lives on today in our club, as we gather to feed the homeless at the Preble Street shelter next Wednesday, Sep. 28th. Our own Erik Greven is spearheading the effort and needs volunteers. Please think about all of the blessings that you have in your life…..and think about giving up just a few hours to help those who have so little and then contact Erik at : egrev95@aol.com
Paul Tully reminded us that our second annual Veteran’s Day luncheon is less than 8 weeks away, on Thursday, November 10th at noon at the Italian Heritage Center in Portland. This meeting will replace our Friday meeting that week and we are hoping for a huge turnout to honor many of our local veterans. There is no charge for veterans and others can pay $20 to help defray the costs of the event. Any excess monies raised will go directly to veterans' services.
With Ellen Niewoehner handling the weekly raffle, Loretta Rowe's name was called to pull a card from the deck…and she drew a red queen, but not the correct red queen! The pot thickens!
Two Portland Rotarians were in the news this past week: Dean Danielle Conway was featured on the cover of the Maine Law Magazine.
Larry Gross and the Southern Maine Agency on Aging (SMAA) received a business innovation award.
(Photo: Sandy Markwood, CEO of the National Assn of Agencies on Aging, Rani Snyder, the Hartford Foundation and Kathy Greenlee, U.S. Asst Secretary on Aging receiving the first John A. Hartford Foundation Business Innovation Award.)
Some good things happened after the official Rotary meeting:
Roxane Cole and Rusty Atwood deep in discussion.
Mike Fortunato and Tom Talbott having a serious talk.
Welcoming discussion between Megan Devlin, Jacki Farrell (center), visiting Rotarian from the South Portland/Cape Elizabeth Rotary Club and Past President Kris Rosado.
On October 19th from 8:30-11:30 a.m. in their gym, Deering High School will host the Life's Dollars and Sense financial literacy fair for the senior class. This fair simulates creating a balanced monthly budget in the life of a typical 22-year old in Maine. The goal of the fair is to help students develop a basic understanding of sensible financial planning and an awareness of how each income and expenditure component impacts the budget's balance.
They are looking for volunteers to be at a booth and help students identify potential areas of overspending, as well as encourage students to make more affordable choices.
For more information and to volunteer, contact Tom Nickerson by clicking his following email address: thomaswnickerson@gmail.com
The International Service Committee's 3-H (Hearing, Hands and H2O) Project Team will be traveling to the Dominican Republic (DR) early in 2017.
(Photo: Dick Giles demonstrating a portable solar light.)
The team wants to bring collapsible portable solar lights to the inhabitants of the Batays, 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 team would like to take 70-100 lights with them on their upcoming trip and are looking for volunteer donations of $15 per light to help fund this important project.
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.
Invocation: Kathy Grammer Program Reporter: Tom Talbott Bits & Pieces Reporter: Bob Martin Registration/Greeter: Jan Chapman Sell Meal Tickets: Danielle Conway Raffle: Rusty Atwood Badge Box: None Collect Meal Tickets: Nick Lotfey Song Leader: Andreea Paine Pianist: None Sgt-at-Arms (Early): Mike Fortunato Sgt-at-Arms (Late): Bruce Moore
If you would like to mark your calendars,
we are at the following locations through
September 2016:
2016: Sep 23 - Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine Sep 30 - Clarion Hotel
Oct 7 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Oct 14 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay Oct 21 - Clarion Hotel
Oct 28 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Nov 4 - Clarion Hotel
Nov 11 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay 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
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
Soup kitchen 4th Wednesday ea month
Preble Street (4-6:30 p.m.)
Erik Greven
Game Night Dates & Times, tba
Cedar Unit Jim Willey
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President Laura Young presided over a Club Assembly where she and various committee chairs filled in the members attending on what the goals and plans were for the upcoming Rotary year. President Laura shared Portland Rotary's Vision Statement of the next five years by focusing on:
Youth Services Chair, Janelle LoSciuto, informed us that the committee has and will continue to be focused on the education component of our CHE initiative. We will continue to support our Starting Strong Summer Reading and Longcreek programs. Interact at Portland High School is growing with Glenn Nerbak as club liaison. Our club increased its support of RYLA to 12 students in 2016. We also provided a $1500 grant to multilingual high school students to purchase tickets to cultural events to broaden the horizons of those that might not otherwise be able to attend such events. Finally, Janelle showed us a reading PSA video we funded with the United Way: How to Read to Your Child.
Fundraising Chair, Kris Rosado, let us know that the 6th annual Maine Outdoor Challenge will be held June 5-7, 2017. He said that since 1988 our club’s Service and Memorial Fund has given 121 student scholarships ($71,000) and grants ($132,663) to a wide variety of worthy causes and organizations. Since our club began, Portland Rotary has raised and contributed $933,811 and we’ve partnered with over 200 different organizations. .jpg)
Dick Hall
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Tom Talbott shared a very warm “Rotary Moment” in looking back at his presidency and the year just prior, 1999, when then-District Governor Elias Thomas undertook a sociological experiment just prior to speaking with our club. As folks entered the Portland Club for our noon meeting, they had to walk by a homeless man, apparently passed out on the sidewalk, just outside the front door. There were many offers of help and calls to the police and the man was obtaining assistance when our program began. As it came time for our keynote speaker, Governor Thomas walked up to the podium, removed his disguise as the homeless man and began his talk on helping others. Inspired by the message, when Tom became president a few months later, he took a chance and asked a local homeless man to speak to our club. The results were astounding and eye-opening. The spirit of helping the homeless lives on today in our club, as we gather to feed the homeless at the Preble Street shelter next Wednesday, Sep. 28th. Our own Erik Greven is spearheading the effort and needs volunteers. Please think about all of the blessings that you have in your life…..and think about giving up just a few hours to help those who have so little and then contact Erik at : 
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