President John welcomed 31 Rotarians and guests to the meeting. Ian Nagle led us in the pledge. Larry Gross delivered the Message of the Day, commemorating National Happiness Happens! Day. In the spirit of the Four Way Test, he encouraged us to celebrate the Day with joy in all the things we think, say, or do.

 

WELCOME: Mary Pat Donnellon introduced our guests: Polio Plus Ambassador, Mike McGovern and his guest Peggy Rock; and Mary Michaels, guest of Jan Chapman. (Photo Mary Pat)

 

RAFFLE: Dan Fahey ably managed the raffle, but Jake Bourdeau found only the two of hearts Lucky in love, not cards.

 

ISLAND CLEANERS:  Bill Blount gave a summary of Wednesday’s Little Yarmouth Island clean up organized by Jim Vicenzi with the Maine Island Trails Association. Six Rotarians went by sea to Little Yarmouth Island Cundy's Harbor. The crew: Larry Gross, Amy Chipman, Bill Blount, Mary Pat and Tim Donnellan were escorted by organizer Chris Walls, of Maine Island Trails Association (MITA). Chris is the son of Portland Rotarians Kathy and Jerry Walls. Arriving solo via kayak, Jim Vincenzi! The team spent a beautiful day patrolling the island's shoreline for sea debris, aka flotsam and jetsam, including two lobster traps, many lobster buoys and mass quantities of styrofoam. Every Rotarian had a great time of fellowship in service, and the result was a cleaner Casco Bay.

 

POP QUIZ: President John put in a pitch for volunteers interested in our District’s International Planning Outreach trip to India in February 2026. President John then conducted a pop quiz to see if Club members could recall the seven current Rotary areas of focus and match them to projects our Club is sponsoring locally and internationally. We are active in almost all of them!  

 

BE HAPPY: A round of Happy Dollars elicited happiness for a new home, (Ian Nagle), a new hip (Ellen Niewoehner), completing the Tri 4 a Cure triathlon (Mary Pat Donnellon), and the return of Dave Putnam, who introduced our guest speaker Brian Bickford of Maine Golf.

 

LOBSTER: The Lobster Raffle Committee is gearing up for our big event, planning the best strategy to reach the thousands of people coming off the cruise ships this fall. We will need your help at our booth, greeting people and telling them about our event. We're all capable, and more volunteers lightens the work load for all. Be ready to Rock!

This week, we welcomed Brian Bickford, a lifelong ambassador for the game of golf in Maine. Introduced by Dave Putnam, Brian brought decades of experience to the podium—currently serving as head coach for both the men’s and women’s golf teams at the University of Southern Maine, and as Executive Director of Maine Golf, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to strengthening today’s game, launching tomorrow’s, and leading the collective effort to grow golf in our state.

 

Brian shared Maine Golf’s history, tracing its roots to the Maine State Golf Association founded in 1917, its merger with the women’s and owners’ associations in 2018–2019, and its rebranding in 2022. Today, Maine Golf represents over 128 clubs across all 16 counties, supporting programs for juniors, women, veterans, and first responders, while advocating for the sport’s economic and community value.

 

One key highlight was the recent purchase of Freeport Country Club from L.L. Bean, which is being transformed into a Golf Learning Center focused on affordable access for juniors and families. Brian’s vision is to use Freeport as a model for growing the game statewide—partnering with rec departments, YMCAs, and local organizations to reach kids who might never otherwise pick up a club.

 

The numbers tell an impressive story:

Challenges remain. Maine has lost 11 golf courses in the past eight years, and 62% of remaining clubs no longer have a PGA professional on staff. Female participation lags significantly—only 106 girls played high school golf statewide last year, compared to 1,200 boys. Brian emphasized the need to make scheduling, competition formats, and outreach more welcoming to women and younger players.

 

Through strategic partnerships, advocacy, and a commitment to accessibility, Maine Golf is working to ensure the sport’s future is as strong as its past. As Brian reminded us, golf isn’t just a game—it’s a way to build character, community, and lifelong connections.

 

Rotarian Golfers - Tom Nickerson, David Putnam, Ian Nagle, David Ertz, Roxane Cole, Ellen Niewoehner, Bowen Depke, David Small, Speaker Brian Bickford, Dan Fahey, and John Thompson. Handicaps were not provided.

August 22 - Gregg Frame, Employment Law

August 29 - No Meeting

September 5 - Chris Timm, Executive Director, Maine Maritime Museum

September 12 - Emma Bodwell, District Governor

September 18 - Thursday Night Social  TBD

September 19 - No Meeting

September 26 - Bonita Thompkins - Center for Entrepreneurial Studies