This Week's Meeting: Across the street from USM Abromson Hall
at the McGoldrick Center, 2nd Floor
THIS WEEK'S SPEAKER: Kenneth Johnson, Farms For Food Equity
This Friday we welcome Ken Johnson, Vice President of Farms for Food Equity, an organization working to reduce food insecurity while strengthening the long-term success of Maine farms. The program focuses on getting nutritious, safe, farm-fresh food to Maine people while helping farmers become more productive and profitable.
Ken brings more than 40 years of experience in Maine’s food industry to this work. He lived in Cape Elizabeth for over four decades and spent 21 years at Hannaford in buying and merchandising. He later served as VP of Sales for Barber Foods, Kettle Cuisine, Decas Cranberry, and JOH Food Brokers. Throughout his career, Ken most enjoyed working with small businesses and farmers to help bring their products to market.
Ken graduated from Colby College and the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. He and his wife Kathy recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with three children, all graduates of Cape Elizabeth High School.
BITS AND PIECES | By Larry Gross
A full house of just under 40 Rotarians and guests joined us last Friday to hear from Steve DiMillo, the second-generation proprietor of the eponymous Commercial Street restaurant.It seemed like Steve knew half the Club members in attendance. We had seven visitors (member spouses, visiting Rotarians, and prospective members). Paul Tully gave us a Thought for the Day. Kathryn Nagle conducted the raffle, where David Small drew the 6 of spades, not a winner .Laura recognized our February birthday and anniversary Rotarians. She also shared a nice thank you letter received from the VA Clinic in Portland for our work stocking their snack closet, as well as a note and $500 donation to support Flags for Heroes received fromConroy Tully Walker Funeral Home in honor of Paul Tully.
CLOSE YOUR EYES Tom Talbott led a vivid visioning meditation to transport Club members to a special Flags for Heroes presentation planned for the Sunday March 1st Maine Mariners hockey game at the Cross Arena. Tom seeks 100 volunteers to replicate the inspiring halftime display we conducted in January during a sold-out Maine Celtics game. Invite Club members, family and friends to carry a flag in this high visibility project to honor our Heroes and spread the impact of Rotary. Let Tom know you are ready to show the flag for heroes!
No "Sign Up" Sheet. Purchasing a ticket counts you in!
Remember - Friends & Family are very, very welcome to carry a flag. Those who sign up will receive details for our plan!
A ROTARY MINUTE AND REMINDER: Katharine Wall shared a Rotary Moment, relating how she “joined” Rotary when her husband, and fellow Portland Rotarian, Jerry became a member in 1984 (when women, shamefully, were not welcome as members).After more than a decade of running what Katharine called a virtual Rotary International bed and breakfast at their home for visiting Rotarians on Group Study and Friendship Exchanges, she and Jerry found themselves at the Rotary International conference in Copenhagen. The displays of Rotarian projects showcased in the House of Friendship were an eye-opening introduction to the Four Way Test in action, and the role that fellowship plays in uniting Rotarians across borders, politics, race and religion who share a common interest to do good in the world. She didn’t officially join Rotary (even after attending 8 International Conventions) until 2011 because nobody had ever asked her before then. She has been involved ever since. Katharine closed by reminding us to invite friends and family to join our Club fellowship as new members.
ROTARY FOUNDATION NEWS: Jerry Wall followed to describe Rotary District Grants. He noted that a portion of donations that Rotarians make to the Rotary Foundation each year are returned to our District to support local projects through the competitive Designated Grant (DDG) process. Year to date, Portland Rotary has raised $12,000 toward our 2026 goal of $18,000.He spoke about a 2026 Foundation Committee goal to achieve EREY (Every Rotarian Every Year) status for our Club by having every member make a minimum gift of $25 to the Rotary Foundation annually (about the cost of a few high-end coffees). He encouraged us to think creatively about projects for which the Club could seek District grant funds.
CALLING ALL HANDS: Incoming President Justin Lamontagne is seeking Committee chair volunteers for the next Rotary year. He noted how important volunteers are to the operation of the Club, and especially to the quality and diversity of speaker presentations that are the heart of each week’s meeting. Please reach out to Justin with your ideas and help him build his leadership team for 2026/27.
HAPPY DOLLARS: Co-President Laura worked the room for members to share Happy Dollar gratitude. Laura broke the ice to announce her upcoming visit to India to explore potential international projects with other Rotarians from our District.Laura was delighted that her fellow Co-President Bowen Depke will be stepping back in to keep the Club humming. Jan and Bruce are happy to be flying to St John on Super Bowl Sunday to visit our former member Meredith Small. Past President Roxane Cole was pleased to announce that Reid Byers, spouse of Past President Patty Byers will be speaking to the Club on April 3rd in connection with his upcoming exhibition at the USM Glickman Library.
LAST WEEK'S SPEAKER: Steve Dimillo, Waterfront Icon, and a Paul Harris Fellow! | by Eric Jorgensen
On Friday, we had a bit of Portland waterfront history, as Jim Willey introduced Steve DeMillo, whom he described as “the voice of the waterfront” in Portland. Steve provided a bit of background on himself, the harbor, and most of all, life aboard his family’s eponymous floating restaurant, which for many years was known as the highest-grossing restaurant in the state.
Steve is one of nine children – his dad opened his first restaurant in 1954, on land, and has worked on the waterfront his whole career, mostly in hospitality. These restaurants and Portland harbor have gone together forever. Steve spoke about the current dredging project, which is making history, as it is serving many of the private wharf owners for the first time in decades. The dredging is addressing an ongoing silting problem that has made many of the wharves less useable. He spoke too of the CAD cell, which is a colossal hole excavated in the harbor near south Portland, in which all the toxics from the dredging operation will be entombed. It is a project 25 years in the making and is possible at a discounted rate thanks to federal and state subsidy.
He then turned to the subject of the floating restaurant. Demillos is in its annual 1-week shutdown, which allows for deep cleaning, and other work that can’t be done with guests aboard. They are replacing floors as well as a 30 foot long $100K dishwasher.
The boat that houses the restaurant was built in 1941 and hails from Delaware. It used to serve as a ferry, first in Delaware and then later in Jamestown RI. It was retired from ferry service in 1969, and before opening as a restaurant served as a yacht club building at one point. Steve’s father purchased the vessel for $80,000 and had it brought to Maine. As any of the club members who own boats will tell you, boats can be costly: true to form, renovations soon ran over budget. The DiMillos needed extra capital and Steve’s dad started the “plank owners club” in which an investment of 1000 got you 20% back in food and drink. He raised 250K in this way, and the restaurant was launched.
The most significant upgrade occurred in 1994 when DeMillo’s got a new hull. BIW took on the job at the BIW East End dry dock in Portland, a former harbor landmark. In that operation, the restaurant was floated into the drydock, the drydock was drained, and then, as the water was removed, the old boat settled into its new hull.
The club then went into more general conversation, with topics ranging from the history of the working waterfront concept to the experience of watching the recent wharf fire on the adjacent Portland Pier. Steve described efforts to untie fishing boats and tow them safely away during the height of the blaze, which could have been much, much worse. It was a memorable presentation, and the Club surprised Steve with a Paul Harris Fellowship.
NEW MEMBER NOTIFICATION: 2nd Notice Stephan Hull has applied for membership, sponsored by Tom Ranello. Stephan is a retired physician and medical administrator, who resides in Portland. He is eager to tap into the social service network of Rotary. He enjoys woodworking and outdoor athletics. Stephen's application will now move to the Board of Directors for vote. If any Portland Rotarian would like to offer a comment on a proposal, please contact Laura Young or Bowen Depke. It will be shared with the Board of Directors prior to a vote on the application.
What happens when you give to the Foundation? You’re not just donating — you’re investing in your club’s ability to do even more good.
Speaker Schedule
February 19 - Thursday Night Social
February 20 - No Meeting
February 27- Dr. Ross Greene, Lives in the Balance /Understanding Youth
March 1 - Flags For Heroes Event at Cross Insurance Arena
March 6 - Seth Goodall, The Maine Center
March 13 - Steve Bromage, USA's 250th Anniversary
March 19 - Club Social
March 20 - No Meeting
March 27 - Club Assembly
Club Executives
Co-Presidents Bowen Depke, Laura Young President Elect Justin Lamontagne Vice President Jake Bourdeau TreasurerDick Hall Secretary Juliana L'Heureux Board of Directors Dick Hall, Patty Byers,
Art Howe, Niki Merrill, Bill Milliken, Bruce Moore
Sergeant-At-ArmsZach Newell
The Windjammer is published online by
The Rotary Club of Portland, Maine.
This Friday we welcome Ken Johnson, Vice President of Farms for Food Equity, an organization working to reduce food insecurity while strengthening the long-term success of Maine farms. The program focuses on getting nutritious, safe, farm-fresh food to Maine people while helping farmers become more productive and profitable.
A full house of just under 40 Rotarians and guests joined us last Friday to hear from Steve DiMillo, the second-generation proprietor of the eponymous Commercial Street restaurant.It seemed like Steve knew half the Club members in attendance. We had seven visitors (member spouses, visiting Rotarians, and prospective members). Paul Tully gave us a Thought for the Day. Kathryn Nagle conducted the raffle, where David Small drew the 6 of spades, not a winner .Laura recognized our February birthday and anniversary Rotarians. She also shared a nice thank you letter received from the VA Clinic in Portland for our work stocking their snack closet, as well as a note and $500 donation to support Flags for Heroes received fromConroy Tully Walker Funeral Home in honor of Paul Tully.
CLOSE YOUR EYES Tom Talbott led a vivid visioning meditation to transport Club members to a special Flags for Heroes presentation planned for the Sunday March 1st Maine Mariners hockey game at the Cross Arena. Tom seeks 100 volunteers to replicate the inspiring halftime display we conducted in January during a sold-out Maine Celtics game. Invite Club members, family and friends to carry a flag in this high visibility project to honor our Heroes and spread the impact of Rotary. Let Tom know you are ready to show the flag for heroes!
A ROTARY MINUTE AND REMINDER: Katharine Wall shared a Rotary Moment, relating how she “joined” Rotary when her husband, and fellow Portland Rotarian, Jerry became a member in 1984 (when women, shamefully, were not welcome as members).After more than a decade of running what Katharine called a virtual Rotary International bed and breakfast at their home for visiting Rotarians on Group Study and Friendship Exchanges, she and Jerry found themselves at the Rotary International conference in Copenhagen. The displays of Rotarian projects showcased in the House of Friendship were an eye-opening introduction to the Four Way Test in action, and the role that fellowship plays in uniting Rotarians across borders, politics, race and religion who share a common interest to do good in the world. She didn’t officially join Rotary (even after attending 8 International Conventions) until 2011 because nobody had ever asked her before then. She has been involved ever since. Katharine closed by reminding us to invite friends and family to join our Club fellowship as new members.
ROTARY FOUNDATION NEWS: Jerry Wall followed to describe Rotary District Grants. He noted that a portion of donations that Rotarians make to the Rotary Foundation each year are returned to our District to support local projects through the competitive Designated Grant (DDG) process. Year to date, Portland Rotary has raised $12,000 toward our 2026 goal of $18,000.He spoke about a 2026 Foundation Committee goal to achieve EREY (Every Rotarian Every Year) status for our Club by having every member make a minimum gift of $25 to the Rotary Foundation annually (about the cost of a few high-end coffees). He encouraged us to think creatively about projects for which the Club could seek District grant funds.
CALLING ALL HANDS: Incoming President Justin Lamontagne is seeking Committee chair volunteers for the next Rotary year. He noted how important volunteers are to the operation of the Club, and especially to the quality and diversity of speaker presentations that are the heart of each week’s meeting. Please reach out to Justin with your ideas and help him build his leadership team for 2026/27.
NEW MEMBER NOTIFICATION: 2nd Notice Stephan Hull has applied for membership, sponsored by Tom Ranello. Stephan is a retired physician and medical administrator, who resides in Portland. He is eager to tap into the social service network of Rotary. He enjoys woodworking and outdoor athletics. Stephen's application will now move to the
What happens when you give to the Foundation? You’re not just donating — you’re investing in your club’s ability to do even more good.