Boothbay Harbor Rotarians were excited, honored, and proud when Marty Peak Helman was selected to serve as a member of the Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees, starting back on July 1, 2022. Marty serves on the sixteen-person Board that manages the global business of The Rotary Foundation, which is the charitable arm of Rotary International. The Rotary International president-elect nominates the trustees, who are elected by the RI Board of Directors to four-year terms.
Marty will speak on Rotary’s Peace work, concentrating on the Rotary Peace Centers, and bringing the club up to date on plans for new centers on the Middle East/ North Africa region and also Asia.
Marty and her husband Frank Helman joined the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club 18 years ago, Marty served as club president in 2006-07, and served as District 7780 Governor in 2012-13. Marty epitomizes thinking and acting locally and globally.
Bits and Pieces | by Bruce Moore
President Dick Hall called the meeting to order and called on Max Chikuta to lead in the Pledge of Allegiance.
GOOD LUCK:David Patterson introduced a long list of guests and visiting Rotarians. Tuck Barclay conducted the raffle and, as often happens, PTG was drawn! However, Paul Gore back from a”mild heart attack” and looking good, had no luck, that is unless you count bouncing right back from a medical moment!
BACKPACK PROGRAM IS BACK:
Bruce Moore and Leslie Clark tag-teamed the announcement that the Recovery Task Force,has joined again with the Portland Recovery Community Center for our 3rd Annual Backpack Program! We need your donations to fill backpacks with toiletries and other personal items for people beginning their recovery journey from substance use disorder. A list of items we need donated are here at SignUpGenius. Leslie Clark explained the timing is right for this program since winter is approaching and the importance of the backpacks for people beginning their recovery journey. You can sign up now thru Monday, Oct. 23rd. We also welcome cash donations which will be used for Hannaford gift cards and metro passes. Questions? Email Jan Chapman!
RECOVERY GOODS:In recognition of Recovery Month and the kickoff of our Backpack Program, the Recovery Task Force offered Narcan and Deterra Bags for drug disposal to members and guests at Friday's meeting. Many thanks to Niki Curtis for supplying the Narcan and Deterra bags as well as copies of Journey magazine. Jan Chapman and Niki greeted guests arriving and departing the meeting.
PORTLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BONUS! Doreen Rockstrom reports that Portland Rotary has been gifted a year-long membership in the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce! This came about after Doreen asked the Chamber to support our "Recovery Friendly Workplace" conference. The Chamber not only alerted their members to the conference, they provided us with this membership. Now any member of our club can register for a Chamber event at the member rate. Rates will vary depending on the event. Doreen noted that she just attended an "Eggs and Issues" meeting, and paid the member rate of $25 as a "Portland Rotary Member". If you are currently a Chamber member, no changes.
The next Chamber Meeting is Oct 11, 7a-9a, USM Hannaford Hall - "2023 Portland Mayoral Debate. Register at portlandregion.com Good work Doreen!
WELCOME ABOARD: Niki Curtis introduced two new members, Umara Balde and Andrea Weisman Summers. Umaru was our speaker on August 8th and told us his extraordinary story of surviving child slavery in West Africa and human trafficking in the Sinai desert. He is the city of Portland’s director of Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Andi is the Executive Director of the Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS). She started her career as a teacher, teaching elementary school for 10 years in Maine, Costa Rica, and Peru. She serves on three boards - ILAP, Blunt Youth Radio, and the National Association of Education Foundations as well as the Maine Community Foundation's Cumberland County Grant Making committee. Welcome!
HAPPY DOLLARS: President Dick spoke for Paul Tully and Charlie Friar to thank everyone who helped take down the flags. He then started off “Happy Dollars" by saying he was happy to learn how to carry Narcan in the backpack he always carries. Max Chikuta offered 20 Happy Dollars because new member Umara Balde speaks 11 languages, 2 more than he does! Tuck Barclay was happy because his son had a wonderful wedding celebration on Nantucket. Niki Curtis was happy for the two new club members, Umara and Andrea!
CLEAN UP CREW: South Portland peninsula looks better thanks to Rotarians! Organized by Art Howe-Satellite Chair, and Kath Hall-Satellite Rotarian, we had participating Rotarians: Art Howe, Kath Hall, Amy Chipman, Ellen Neiwoehner, Justin Lamontagne, Mary Pat & Tim Donnellon, Bruce Moore, Laura Young, Brian Nickerson, and Dick Hall.
GREEN UP CREW: Ellen Niewoehner announced that on Wed, Oct 4th, 9am, we and 25 TD Bank volunteers will be planting trees on the Bayside Trail behind Trader Joe’s. She asked for around 10 volunteers and said we could park in the dirt lot on Somerset Street.
BRIDGE THE GAP: Patty Byers reminds us that our 2nd Annual "Bridge The Gap To End Polio" walk across the Casco Bay Bridge will take place on Thursday October 19th. Next Friday, Oct 6th is your last day to get either a free t-shirt, paid for by a grant from the club, or to upgrade to a long sleeve. Order forms will again be on the tables at our club meeting. We're getting SO close to ending Polio, prompting Patty to suggest how sweet it will be when someday people will ask, "Polio? What was that?" Our walk will finish with a club social immediately afterwards, details coming!
TURKEYS - SAVE THE DATE: Our annual Thanksgiving Dinner at the Saint Vincent De Paul South Kitchen will take place on Wednesday, November 22. Shift sign-ups will be coming soon!
Last Week's Program: Charlie Hewitt, Creator of the Hopeful Sign | by Tom Nickerson
On Friday, our speaker, artist Charlie Hewitt treated us to an inspirational program on investing in community. Charlie, a self-proclaimed “contractor”, is the Maine native and nationally acclaimed artist behind the iconic Hopeful sign and the Hopeful Project. Charlie’s talk was deeply personal and he shared how the multitude of various types of community support over the years helped him overcome challenges and gave him the inspiration for his project.
Charlie opened by talking about how sad and disillusioned he felt in 2016; not because of the election or politics, but about the mood of the country and how divided we had become. Charlie channeled those emotions into his art and started thinking about how he could contribute to changing the mood. As he went through his artistic process, he reflected on what helped him get to where he is as a result. He shared fond memories of growing up in New Auburn and his youthful days in downtown Lewiston where a kind act from a policeman changed his trajectory when the Police Athletic League started and invested in him. He reminisced about how adventurous he and his friends were, always willing to take car trips to seek out new experiences and try new things; there was no fear of something different – different just meant different not wrong or bad.
When Charlie was approached by a prospective patron to create art for his Forest Avenue store, Charlie drew inspiration from his life experiences. The regular road trips with the memories of billboards and neon signs provided a beginning. His emotions about how divided our community was becoming led him to the Hopeful message. Charlie was then able to meld all those memories and emotions into the sign we know today.
In closing, Charlie talked about how surprised he was by the response to the Hopeful Project. He discovered that he had touched the right nerve to make folks feel good about their communities – in Portland, Augusta, and Lewiston among other places. He shared a poignant story about how a store clerk remarked on the Hopeful pin he was wearing one day and how that message made her feel comfortable and excited about moving to Maine. Charlie then gave her the pin and let her know that he was the artist. At that moment, he realized how big and important the Hopeful message was and that by claiming ownership he diminished the effect. After that day, he pledged to let the message speak for itself and allow communities to see their possibilities on their own and not through his vision. A truly fun and inspiring message for our group.
Dick Hall, Charlie Hewitt, and Patty Byers convene after the meeting.
Speaker Schedule
October 13 - Victor Tom "The Speed of a Baseball"
October 19 Thursday - "Casco Bay Bridge Walk For Polio" & "Pints For Polio"
October 20 - No Meeting
October 27 - Graviel Nuel Jacobo - Dominican Republic - Centro de Protesis
November 3 - William Hardwood "Presenting Both Sides of the Utility
Takeover Debate
November 10 - No Meeting "Happy Veterans Day!"
November 17- Martha Bentley, former ME Economic Development "Helping
Small Businesses Start Operations"
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, Erik Jorgensen,
Julie L’Heureux, Ben Lowry,
Zach Newell, Bruce Moore,
Tom Nickerson, Dave Patterson,
Tom Talbott, Laura Young
Program Chair Doreen Rockstrom Managing Editor Tom Talbott
Boothbay Harbor Rotarians were excited, honored, and proud when Marty Peak Helman was selected to serve as a member of the Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees, starting back on July 1, 2022. Marty serves on the sixteen-person Board that manages the global business of The Rotary Foundation, which is the charitable arm of Rotary International. The Rotary International president-elect nominates the trustees, who are elected by the RI Board of Directors to four-year terms.
donations to fill backpacks with toiletries and other personal items for people beginning their recovery journey from substance use disorder. A list of items we need donated are here at 
RECOVERY GOODS: 
about after Doreen asked the Chamber to support our "Recovery Friendly Workplace" conference. The Chamber not only alerted their members to the conference, they provided us with this membership. Now any member of our club can register for a Chamber event at the member rate. Rates will vary depending on the event. Doreen noted that she just attended an "Eggs and Issues" meeting, and paid the member rate of $25 as a "Portland Rotary Member". I
When Charlie was approached by a prospective patron to create art for his Forest Avenue store, Charlie drew inspiration from his life experiences. The regular road trips with the memories of billboards and neon signs provided a beginning. His emotions about how divided our community was becoming led him to the Hopeful message. Charlie was then able to meld all those memories and emotions into the sign we know today.
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