BITS AND PIECES | by Tom Talbott
NO FOOD LEFT BEHIND! Our club has earned a $3,500 District Grant to support Farms For Food Equity (FFE)! You may recall FFE's presentation to our club in February, outlining a model that delivers multiple community benefits.
In Maine, nearly 30% of planted food crops go unharvested due to labor shortages, market conditions, weather-related overplanting, or field turnover. FFE raises funds to ensure more of those crops are harvested, supporting Maine farms, extending farm employment, and providing fresh fruits and vegetables to more than 60 food pantries across the state.
Combined with $500 in seed money from our club, FFE will be able to purchase $4,000 worth of produce—approximately 4,400 pounds of fresh food.
This grant is also a club Community Service project. We'll be asking volunteers to work at the Preble Street kitchen, helping prepare fresh produce for meals. Preble Street's well-organized volunteer program offers flexibility in both days and times. Details will be announced at our August 14 club meeting.
Remember, every dollar donated to The Rotary Foundation goes to work around the world. Three years later, 50% of our District's Annual Fund donations return to the District to support local projects like Farms For Food Equity.
ALL THE NEWS: Tom Talbott will be handing the editorial reigns of The Windjammer off to others as his District responsibilities have ramped up. As such, Tom is looking to train a number of candidates to take on the role, perhaps to share or split the job, or rotate in the role. It takes some time, but it's really quite fun.
Who said? “When you control the press, you control the people.” Hmmm! Please e-mail Tom with your interest or personal ambitions.
TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME: Our club social for August takes us to the diamond! Wed, August 19th at 6:00 PM, Sea Dogs vs. Reading Fightin' Phils. Tickets are $15.28, and we have a block of 50 tickets reserved so please feel free to bring family and friends! Click Here For Tickets
The absolute deadline to purchase tickets is August 12th. Join in for a great night of baseball and fellowship! Questions? - Reach out to Zach Newell.
LOBSTER MEET! Bill Milliken reports that we're gearing up for our important club fundraiser, the Lobster Raffle, which starts in about a month. There will be a brief organizational meeting after our lunch meeting this Friday, August 7.
If you've participated before, please come share what worked, what didn't, and what can be improved—the good, the bad, and the ugly!
Co-chairs Larry Gross and Bill Milliken will both be away for parts of the raffle, so we're looking at transitioning management from two individuals to a committee. It's a great opportunity for newer members to step into a leadership role and help guide one of our club's most successful fundraisers.
WEEKLY READERS: David Patterson connects with his audience at the Boys and Girls Summer Camp Reading Program. 
