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Meeting at the Clarion Hotel, the room was filled to near capacity. President Bowen pointed out how there were many guests attending....we had 60 members and 6 guests.
Paul Tully opened the meeting with an invocation.
Jerry Angier presented a report about Portland Rotary history for the year 1942-43. At that time, the nation was engaged in the Second World War and locally the architect John Calvin Stevens II and his father drew street plans for defense housing in South Portland in the Redbank area. The retailer W.T. Grant opened at 510 Congress Street in the building where the Reny’s Department Store is located today. Battery Steele was completed on Peaks Island on 14 acres, named for Henry Lee Steele, who was a Coastal Artillery Officer in World War I; the battery had 2 sixteen-inch guns. In 1942, the Portland Rotary met at the Falmouth Hotel and the cost of lunch was 90 cents. It was announced that June 21, 1943 was to be celebrated by the Rotarians as the 75th anniversary of the hotel. There were 180 members in the Portland Rotary, with an average attendance of 64 percent. War bond sales were being promoted with the Red Cross and the US Navy; the community was contributing to the United Community and War Fund. One special collection taken up by Rotarians was to assemble a box of old keys, so they could be melted down for the war effort. On July 3, 1942, William Holt was sworn in as the new Rotary president. The club speaker at the meeting was Edwin C. Hyde, who was the manager of the Maine District War Production Board. In his presentation, Hyde told the Rotarians that conversion to war was nothing short of amazing. On September 2, 1942, the Portland Service Clubs, with Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions, held an annual golf field day at the Portland Country Club. At the event, Portland Rotary won with a score of 22, followed by the Lions with 13 and 11 for the Kiwanis. Maine’s Governor Sumner Swell was the club speaker on September 2, 1942, and on September 11, he returned. On May 28, 1943, the President of the Maine Senate, Horace Hildreth, spoke to the club, calling for maintaining “peace by force” after the War ended. Other historic events reported in 1942-43 included the August 7th invasion of Guadalcanal, by the US Marines (Jerry’s father-in-law was among the invasion force). On September 30, Admiral Chester Nimitz’s B-17 found Guadalcanal, using a National Geographic map. On November 29, America began coffee rationing and on December 1st, gasoline was also rationed.
The raffle drawing of $829 was conducted by Adam Shepherd......Loretta Rowe had the chance to win, but the Queen of Hearts was not the card she drew; therefore, on December 18th, the amount will increase again.
A report on the Visioning process was given by the committee champion, Adam Shepherd, advising us that a complete follow-up report will be presented at a club assembly in January.
Amy Chipman, the Foundation Chairperson, presented Loretta Rowe with her fourth Paul Harris Fellow in recognition of her donating individual PHFs to her two grandsons last year. It was announced that Loretta will be handing over her responsibilities as Club Secretary in July 2016. She received a well-deserved standing ovation from everyone for her outstanding service as the Club Secretary.
(Photo: Standing ovation for Loretta Rowe.)
Past President Kris Rosado and Nominating Committee Chairperson, gave the nominations for the Rotary year 2016-17 slate of officers. Serving on the Nominating Committee were Bruce Jones, Kathleen Grammer, David Putnam, David Small, Ellen Niewoehner and Mike Fortunato.
The following are the nominees for the Rotary year 2016-17:
President (term 2016-17) - Laura Young
1st Vice President (term 2017-18) - Don Zillman
2nd Vice President (term 2018-19) - John Curran
Secretary - Kathy Grammer
Treasurer - Scott Blakeslee
Director (term ending 2018) - Ellen Niewoehner
Director (term ending 2018) - Erik Greven
Sergeant-at-Arms - Peter Ingram
Club Protection Officer - Nan Heald
Service & Memorial Fund Trustee (term ending 2019) - Amy Chipman
Service & Memorial Fund Trustee (term ending 2019) - Justin Lamontagne
The slate of officers will be presented again this coming Friday (12/18). Nominations for other candidates for any of the above positions can be made from the floor. Once the nominations are offered, a vote will be taken from the members present.
(Photo: Nominee for 2nd VP John Curran)
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