This Week Meeting Room 109/110, 1st floor, Abromson Center, USM
THIS WEEK'S SPEAKER: Steve Dimillo Sr., Dimillo's Restaurant, Portland Waterfront
If you have not eaten at Dimillo's...you are highly outnumbered!
This Friday we welcome Steve Dimillo Sr, a true Maine hospitality original. A 1978 graduate of Deering High School and then the Portland Regional Vocational Technical Center’s Culinary Arts program, Steve’s career spans more than five decades from washing dishes to restaurant ownership. He’s built a Portland landmark reputation with Dimillo's Restaurant on the waterfront while representing the industry and the community with real leadership. Steve has served as Property Manager at DiMillo’s Long Wharf, Commodore of the Big Diamond Yacht Club, Chairman of both the Maine Restaurant Association and Hospitality Maine, and as a board member of the Portland Downtown District. His experience blends hands-on operations, menu planning, staff leadership, and smart marketing, all with a focus on creating an exceptional guest experience. We’re looking forward to hearing Steve’s story and the lessons he’s learned working his way up the ladder — the kind of perspective you only get by doing the work.
BITS AND PIECES | By Zach Newell
Co-Pres Laura Young rang us in, and Jan Chapman opened the meeting by welcoming guests and visiting Rotarians. Greg Hansel introduced prospective member Dr. Jeff Robinson, a retired veterinarian from Peaks Island—who, fun fact, met Greg in a Tai Chi class- See photo! Tom Ranello introduced Steve Hull, a retired physician and healthcare administrator. Steve is eager to get involved and will be joining our club shortly. Welcome!
STUDENT OF THE MONTH: Jack Schraeter introduced Anna Klein-Christian, Director of Baxter Academy, who shared the school’s strong focus on project-based learning and community impact. She introduced Kendall Sparks - student leader, ambassador, and researcher. Kendall described her research project analyzing more than 15,000 photos to track moose movement and study the effects of ticks and climate change on Maine’s moose population. She is deeply involved in robotics, particularly the fundraising and logistics side, and is a strong advocate for women in STEM.
Photo - Laura, Kendall, Jack, and Anna.
ROTARY MOMENT: Dick Hall offered a personal reflection on what he calls his “Rotary DNA.” His connection to Rotary began at age nine, attending meetings with his father in Worcester, and continued through multiple generations of his family—including his daughter, now a member of our Portland club. Dick joined Rotary in 1984, later serving in the LAC club before joining Portland in 1997. Along the way, he organized creative fundraisers like Worcester’s “World’s Largest Yard Sale,” served as Treasurer and Club President twice, and went on to serve as Assistant District Governor and District Governor. He also shared stories of international service in Haiti, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and the Philippines, reminding us that Rotary truly is a “gift that keeps on giving.”
INTERNATIONAL: David Small updated us on the recent service team trip to the Dominican Republic and shared highlights from their trip. The team of David, Erik Greven, Liz and Roger Fagan, and other Rotarians from the District installed 75 water filters and distributed solar lanterns to families without electricity. They celebrated the ribbon-cutting of the new hearing lab spearheaded by the Fagans, a project that will be presented in powerpoint detail at our March 27 Club Assembly. The original “Hands” mission has now expanded to “Hands, Arms, and Legs.” The team visited the Center for Prosthesis and met Ishmael, a 30-year-old father who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident and is receiving a new prosthetic this week through a $1,200 sponsorship. Dave shared that his 11-year-old granddaughter, Charlotte, is launching a 6th-grade service project to send “prosthetic Army Men” toys to children in the DR. Photo from Liz Fagan, "The hearing clinic is up and running!"
TEAM EVENT AND MEMORY MAKER: Tom Talbott asked members to think about the hero in their own lives, tying it into our club’s “Flags For Heroes” program. With that in mind, we have a Big Event coming up! Our goal is to have 100 American flags carried onto the ice during the Maine Mariners game on March 1 at Cross Insurance Arena. Those who participated in the Celtics and Sea Dogs events know how powerful and memorable this experience can be, honoring heroes from all walks of life.
An email was sent out with all the details, and more emails will be sent to reach our goal of 100 flag bearers. Members from other clubs have been invited. Friends, family members, yes, we'd love to have them carry a flag! It's a memory you'll always remember!
No "Sign Up" Sheet. Purchasing a ticket counts you in!
Remember - Friends & Family are very, very welcome to carry a flag.
This is not a fund-raiser, this is a great chance to create another story, a fun memory that we hope you can share with others.
The ice in between periods is chopped up and easy to walk, but know your limitations. If you buy a ticket but choose not to carry a flag, please let Tom know. We need people to take photos too! Join in and celebrate!
RAFFLE ON: Jerry ran this week’s raffle for a $100 prize. Guest speaker Gregg Dowty pulled Jake Bordeau’s name from the box, who had a shot at the Queen of Hearts but drew the 3 of Diamonds instead. Try again next week!
LAST WEEK'S SPEAKER: Gregg Dowty, District Protection Officer: Living Up To Our Values and Ensuring Trust
| by Tom Talbott
Gregg Dowty, District 7780 Club Protection Officer joined us for an update and overview of Rotary’s protection policy and why it exists. Gregg did an excellent job by way of real-life examples to illustrate just how important this topic is to all of us. It matters, not only here at Rotary, but in our businesses, or other organizations we belong to.
Large, well-respected organizations have faced serious abuse scandals—when harm was taking place, and other people didn’t act when they should have. Take Penn State and the Second Mile charity. What began as a strong, successful nonprofit with major donors and celebrities supporting it, collapsed after Jerry Sandusky was convicted (60 years jail) of decades of child abuse. Careers ended, credibility damaged, and most importantly, children were hurt because warning signs were ignored.
Gregg spoke of the USA Gymnastics scandal involving Larry Nassar, where hundreds of athletes were abused over many years. That case resulted in nearly a billion dollars in settlements, 60 years prison for Nassar, and brought down senior leaders across multiple organizations. He mentioned the Catholic Church, the Boy Scouts of America, and even local cases closer to home. The point was that if abuse can happen in places with strong missions and good intentions, it can happen anywhere, including Rotary, if we’re not paying attention.
Gregg talked about Rotary’s responsibility. Rotary works with young people, seniors, adults with diminished capacity, and with each other. We have a duty of care to all of them. That means creating an environment that is safe, respectful, and free from harassment, and speaking up when something doesn’t feel right.
A big part of the discussion was culture. Gregg said you can usually tell what kind of culture an organization has within minutes of walking in the door. Rotary should feel welcoming and comfortable, not awkward or uneasy. That includes things like shutting down off-color jokes, inappropriate comments, or behavior that might make someone uncomfortable. It’s on all of us, not just officers, to set that tone.
He also walked through the basics of the district protection policy: who counts as a protected person, what harassment and abuse look like, and when background checks are required. Any Rotarian working one-on-one with youth needs a background check. Group activities usually follow the rules of the school or organization we’re working with. Allegations of abuse or harassment must be taken seriously and reported to the proper authorities.
Gregg closed by reminding us that this isn’t about suspicion or fear. It’s about living up to Rotary’s values and protecting the trust our communities place in us. The culture of our club depends on it.
Photo: Laura Young and Gregg Dowty
NEW MEMBER NOTIFICATION: 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. This announcement will be printed again a second time and then 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.
Has the Rotary Foundation been successful through the years? Over 100 years, TRF has invested more than US $4 billion in life-changing, sustainable projects around the world.
Speaker Schedule
February 13 - Kenneth Johnson, Farms For Food Equity
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 Steve Dimillo Sr, a true Maine hospitality original. A 1978 graduate of Deering High School and then the Portland Regional Vocational Technical Center’s Culinary Arts program, Steve’s career spans more than five decades from washing dishes to restaurant ownership. He’s built a Portland landmark reputation with Dimillo's Restaurant on the waterfront while representing the industry and the community with real leadership. Steve has served as Property Manager at DiMillo’s Long Wharf, Commodore of the Big Diamond Yacht Club, Chairman of both the Maine Restaurant Association and Hospitality Maine, and as a board member of the Portland Downtown District. His experience blends hands-on operations, menu planning, staff leadership, and smart marketing, all with a focus on creating an exceptional guest experience. We’re looking forward to hearing Steve’s story and the lessons he’s learned working his way up the ladder — the kind of perspective you only get by doing the work.
ROTARY MOMENT: Dick Hall offered a personal reflection on what he calls his “Rotary DNA.” His connection to Rotary began at age nine, attending meetings with his father in Worcester, and continued through multiple generations of his family—including his daughter, now a member of our Portland club. Dick joined Rotary in 1984, later serving in the LAC club before joining Portland in 1997. Along the way, he organized creative fundraisers like Worcester’s “World’s Largest Yard Sale,” served as Treasurer and Club President twice, and went on to serve as Assistant District Governor and District Governor. He also shared stories of international service in Haiti, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and the Philippines, reminding us that Rotary truly is a “gift that keeps on giving.”
INTERNATIONAL: David Small updated us on the recent service team trip to the Dominican Republic and shared highlights from their trip. The team of David, Erik Greven, Liz and Roger Fagan, and other Rotarians from the District installed 75 water filters and distributed solar lanterns to families without electricity. They celebrated the ribbon-cutting of the new hearing lab spearheaded by the Fagans, a project that will be presented in powerpoint detail at our March 27 Club Assembly. The original “Hands” mission has now expanded to “Hands, Arms, and Legs.” The team visited the Center for Prosthesis and met Ishmael, a 30-year-old father who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident and is receiving a new prosthetic this week through a $1,200 sponsorship. Dave shared that his 11-year-old granddaughter, Charlotte, is launching a 6th-grade service project to send “prosthetic Army Men” toys to children in the DR. Photo from Liz Fagan, "The hearing clinic is up and running!" 
in their own lives, tying it into our club’s “Flags For Heroes” program. With that in mind, we have a Big Event coming up! Our goal is to have 100 American flags carried onto the ice during the Maine Mariners game on March 1 at Cross Insurance Arena. Those who participated in the Celtics and Sea Dogs events know how powerful and memorable this experience can be, honoring heroes from all walks of life.
NEW MEMBER NOTIFICATION: 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. 
Has the Rotary Foundation been successful through the years? Over 100 years, TRF has invested more than US $4 billion in life-changing, sustainable projects around the world.