We are meeting this Friday at the new Sun Life Building, 110 Thames Street in Portland!
Same start time, 12:15pm.
Optional tour at 11:30am and 1:30pm after the meeting.
This Week's Speaker: Sun Life AVP Shawn Smith
Portland Rotary will not meet at the Italian Heritage this week, as we travel offsite to visit and tour the new Sun Life Building at 110 Thames Street.
Parking: The Sun Life building will be on the left, the waterfront on the right. Drive past the building and look for the open air lot at the end of Thames Street. Take the paper ticket from the machine and bring with you for validation, and avoid the $5 fee. Note: Lunch is $10 this week!
Our Sun Life speaker will be Assistant Vice-President/Group Claims, Shawn Smith. Shawn will address questions such as “Why Portland for your new location?” and “How will you incentivize your employees to return to the office after working from home during Covid?” We will also hear a short summary of Sun Life and their business.
Shawn joined Sun Life in June 2000, AVP National Accounts, leading and overseeing national account claims, and Medical Group Insurance Claims team. Prior to Sun Life, Shawn was Operation Manager and LTD Claims Manager for Liberty Mutual Insurance, Dover NH, 1995-2000, , and a Disability Benefit Specialist with UNUM in Portland, 1992-1995. He is a graduate of University of Southern Maine, B.A. Communications and Media Studies.
Sun Life and subsidiary FullscopeRMS cut the ribbon to the 77,000 square foot office space on June 28th. The bay-facing building that will also house other office and retail space. Portland Foreside Development Company led the project. Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individual and corporate clients.
Bits and Pieces | by Tom Talbott
President Dick Hall rang us into our new Rotary year, and asked RYLA Staff Member Abdula Al-Hussaini to lead us in the Pledge. Tom Talbott provided the Invocation noting that “If you want something done, ask a busy person for help. That’s why people look to Rotary for assistance. Everyone in this room is a busy person, and yet here you are, ready to serve others.” Tom noted that one of the busiest, Dick Hall, our President for a second time, as well as our Club Treasurer will certainly help our club add to our growing list of accomplishments.” Patty Byers greeted 3 guests, 1 visiting Rotarian, and one new member prospect.
NO DOUGH: Jon Young conducted the raffle, and Paul PTG Gore was summoned for the draw. With $210 on the line, Paul’s Seven of Hearts was not the winning formula. See you next week!
HAPPY DOLLARS: Dick Hall is implementing “Happy Dollars”, so for a buck you can announce personal great news. It appeared to be “Grandchildren’s Day’, with Dick, Larry Gross, and Bruce Jones all announcing their new grandchildren. Congrats to all!
FLAGS FOR HEROES: Zach Newell gave an update on Flags For Heroes. You can sponsor a flag for a hero in your life, $100, and join the display that will be held in September at the Maine Mall. Flyers on the table gave info, as did Registration forms. Of course, it’s available on our website, super easy to do it all online. Scan the QR code to take you direct to the sponsor page. Sam Chipman joined the announcement, noting that 30% of the funds have been earmarked for homeless issues here in Portland. Sam then announced that he’s already sponsored his hero, his mom, Amy Chipman!
SNACKS: One more from Zach- the Board approved $1000 to the Gorham-Westbrook club, to bolster their Veterans Snack program at the Portland VA.
ON THE GREEN: Erik Greven told us that the Garden Party Social at his home last week earned $1568 for our International Committee Fund. 45 Rotarians and guests attended, and the President Hall led the lunch audience in an expression of appreciation for all the hard work that went into the event. Erik’s wife Susan Vayda personally prepared a 9-course serving of hors d’oeuvres! Plus...it didn't rain!
Sam Chipman returned to the podium to announce that WMTW, where he works in sales, has created a fundraiser, “Pack A Back”, in support of The Locker Project. If your business would like to engage, you can purchase a sponsorship that includes a marketing program on WMTW and the CW, and $500 will come back to Portland Rotary. The Lamey Wellehan company has jumped in with both feet. The sponsorship or straight donation form will be on our website.
Program Chair Dave Putnam reminded all that the next two weeks we are meeting on the road. July 14th at the Sun Life building, 110 Thames Street, downtown. July 21st, we are at Hadlock Field. Details on each event are in the Windjammer.
SEA DOGS AND HOT DOGS: Our newest New Membership Co-chairs, Nannette Ranger-Duncanson and Niki Curtis would love to start their tenure with the enthusiasm they both have for a successful new year and they would love for you to join them.
You can do this by sharing YOUR enthusiasm of being a Rotarian with someone in your life that would make a great new member and invite them to our Annual Sea Dogs Lunch Outing coming up next Friday, July 21st.
Please RSVP with your guest by Wednesday July 19th with this LINK, or by responding by Wednesday to next week's meeting notification email. We need an official count. The cost for the lunch is $25. Remember, if this is your guest's first time attending our club meeting, the club will pick up the tab for their lunch. Subsequent lunches are regular price, but take advantage of the "first time" offer. Give someone you know the gift of Rotary! (In addition to one free lunch!)
THANKS: Dick read a letter of thanks to our club, addressed to Ellen Niewoehner, from Amy and Tom Farmer, whose daughter Anna received our Youth Service Award back in May. Anna is headed to Davidson College and the award was greatly appreciated.
Last Week's Program: 2023-2023 President Dick Hall and RYLA Students | by Tom Talbott
Dick Hall shared his thoughts and vision for the new year, noting that the club was firing on all cylinders coming off Bruce Jones’ 18-month term, and his goal is to hand it off next year to our next President Patty Byers just as strong. On each table was a list of projects slated for this year, and who is heading up the task. Dick urged all members to join in and share their abilities.
Goals for the year include welcoming New Mainers, developing programs to help the homeless issue in Portland, and seeing the restarting of a short-term Youth Exchange program.
Information on upcoming Friday guest speakers and programs will be more readily available on our club website calendar, and advocated that everyone utilizes this feature.
Dick is eager to start a new avenue to utilize the funds we have available in our Charitable Account and Endowment, that currently stands at $400,000 combined. To prime the pump, the Board is authorizing $2000 in seed money to new projects. Second, all members who are supportive of local charitable programs and causes with a personal donation, can request a matching donation by the club. The Four Way test is the measure, and more details on how that will be implemented are forthcoming.
Next on the agenda, we had 3 students- 2 campers and 1 staff member who had just attended the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards event, held at Camp Hinds in Raymond. It is called an “Award” because the District supports the cost of each student attending. First the 2 students, Alex Price and Maya Zager, shared tales of their experience, equally expressing how the camp helped them. Split into groups with strangers, they overcome early awkwardness to bond as life-long friends, overcoming physical and mental obstacles. They learned that leaders are not the ones who are the loudest, but the ones who help people feel comfortable and motivated to work together. Next, the staff member, Abdula Al-Hussaini regaled how he had attended the previous year as a camper, but couldn’t wait to come back as a staff member. Toughest thing was wanting to jump in and help when the campers were close to the true idea of the task.
John Thompson asked the students if they would be interested in starting a Rotary Interact club at their respective high schools, Deering and Portland. Mike Fortunato spoke up to recognize Bill Ross, who has been our RYLA committee chairman for many years, and has done an outstanding job. Thank you Bill! (Photo- Abdula, Alex, Maya, Bill Ross, Dick Hall.)
New Member Application:
In accordance with Portland Rotary Club Bylaws, “The prospective member’s name shall be published in the club newsletter (the Windjammer) for two meetings, and/or by circulating the prospective member’s name by email.”
First Notice: Trevor Putnoky of Yarmouth Maine has been sponsored for membership by Dave Putnam. Trevor is the CEO of Healthcare Purchaser Alliance of Maine. His name will be published a second time and then his application will be voted by the Board of Directors.
Speaker Schedule
July 21, Annual trek to Hadlock Field - Sea Dog Outing! Bring a Guest!
July 28 - Pat Panaia, President Kinotek - Startup Climate in Maine
August 4 - Fred Horsch, Rotary Environmental Ambassador - ME Solar Power
August 11 -Umaru Balde, City of Portland, Justice-Diversity-Equity-Inclusion
August 16 - Wednesday Night Social
August 18 - No Meeting
August 25 - TBD
September 1 - No Meeting - Labor Day Weekend
September 8 - Flags For Heroes Dedication at the Maine Mall
Club Executives President Dick Hall President Elect Patty Byers Vice President John Thompson TreasurerDick Hall Secretary Tom Nickerson Board of Directors Bruce Jones,
Ben Millick, Quinn Slayton, Zachary Newell,
David Ertz, Maggie McGauley Sergeant-At-ArmsJake Bourdeau
The Windjammer is published online by
The Rotary Club of Portland, Maine.
Contributing Editors Jake Bourdeau, Dick Hall,
Erik Jorgensen, Julie L’Heureux,
Ben Lowry, Zach Newell, Bruce Moore,
Tom Nickerson, Dave Patterson,
Tom Talbott, Laura Young
Program Chair:Dave Putnam Managing Editor Tom Talbott
Shawn joined Sun Life in June 2000, AVP National Accounts, leading and overseeing national account claims, and Medical Group Insurance Claims team. Prior to Sun Life, Shawn was Operation Manager and LTD Claims Manager for Liberty Mutual Insurance, Dover NH, 1995-2000, , and a Disability Benefit Specialist with UNUM in Portland, 1992-1995. He is a graduate of University of Southern Maine, B.A. Communications and Media Studies.
President Dick Hall rang us into our new Rotary year, and asked RYLA Staff Member Abdula Al-Hussaini to lead us in the Pledge. Tom Talbott provided the Invocation noting that “If you want something done, ask a busy person for help. That’s why people look to Rotary for assistance. Everyone in this room is a busy person, and yet here you are, ready to serve others.” Tom noted that one of the busiest, Dick Hall, our President for a second time, as well as our Club Treasurer will certainly help our club add to our growing list of accomplishments.” Patty Byers greeted 3 guests, 1 visiting Rotarian, and one new member prospect.
NO DOUGH: Jon Young conducted the raffle, and Paul PTG Gore was summoned for the draw. With $210 on the line, Paul’s Seven of Hearts was not the winning formula. See you next week!
FLAGS FOR HEROES: Zach Newell gave an update on Flags For Heroes. You can sponsor a flag for a hero in your life, $100, and join the display that will be held in September at the Maine Mall. Flyers on the table gave info, as did Registration forms. Of course, it’s available on our website, super easy to do it all online. Scan the QR code to take you direct to the sponsor page. Sam Chipman joined the announcement, noting that 30% of the funds have been earmarked for homeless issues here in Portland. Sam then announced that he’s already sponsored his hero, his mom, Amy Chipman!
rik Greven told us that the Garden Party Social at his home last week earned $1568 for our International Committee Fund. 45 Rotarians and guests attended, and the President Hall led the lunch audience in an expression of appreciation for all the hard work that went into the event. Erik’s wife Susan Vayda personally prepared a 9-course serving of hors d’oeuvres! Plus...it didn't rain!
You can do this by sharing YOUR enthusiasm of being a Rotarian with someone in your life that would make a great new member and invite them to our Annual Sea Dogs Lunch Outing coming up next Friday, July 21st. 
First the 2 students, Alex Price and Maya Zager, shared tales of their experience, equally expressing how the camp helped them. Split into groups with strangers, they overcome early awkwardness to bond as life-long friends, overcoming physical and mental obstacles. They learned that leaders are not the ones who are the loudest, but the ones who help people feel comfortable and motivated to work together. Next, the staff member, Abdula Al-Hussaini regaled how he had attended the previous year as a camper, but couldn’t wait to come back as a staff member. Toughest thing was wanting to jump in and help when the campers were close to the true idea of the task.
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