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Portland Rotary will meet this week at the
Clarion Hotel
1230 Congress Street, Portland
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.jpg) Our speaker/program this Friday will be Ethan Strimling, Mayor of Portland, Maine. Mr. Strimling is the second popularly-elected mayor for the City in nearly nine decades. Mayor Strimling was elected November 3, 2015 and was inaugurated for a four-year term on December 7, 2015. Mayor Strimling is the second full-time mayor for the city following changes to the City Charter approved by the voters in November 2010. Prior to these changes, the city’s mayor was elected by and chosen from among the nine-member City Council for a one-year term.
As the city’s top elected official, the mayor provides community leadership and develops policies to guide the city by setting strategic goals and priorities for the city with the council. He also represents the city’s interests in Augusta and Washington D.C., where he advocates for the city, its residents, and businesses. Mr. Strimling also served in the State Senate for six years representing Portland as Chair of the Labor and Criminal Justice Committees, while also serving on Taxation. He also Chaired Maine’s Homeland Security Task Force.
Prior to becoming Mayor, Mr. Strimling spent 19 years as the CEO of LearningWorks, a not-for-profit company providing learning opportunities for at-risk youth, the immigrant community, and low-income families. Additionally, Mr. Strimling spent 8 years as a Political Analyst for the local NBC and CBS affiliates, as well as writing a column for the Maine Sunday Telegram and the Bangor Daily News.
Before working at LearningWorks, Mr. Strimling ran Treasurer Dale McCormick’s campaign for US Congress and he worked on legislative policy for Maine Congressman Tom Andrews. He earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine, a Master’s degree from Harvard University, and he attended the Juilliard School as a Theater Student.
Ethan has been a resident of Maine since 1987. He married Mary Beeaker in 2004.
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Posted by Tom Talbott
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Portland Rotary had an away game last Friday, on the road to the Merrill Auditorium for a behind-the-scenes look at one of the true jewels of the musical world, the famed Kotzschmar Organ. Fantastic!
At the controls of this keyboard marvel was Ray Cornils, officially Portland’s 10th Municipal Organist. Before mass amusement like TV, community-based organs across the land provided musical entertainment and enjoyment on a regular basis. The Kotzschmar organ, built in 1912, was number 323 out of nearly 2800 built by Austin Organ of Hartford, CT. Ray noted that back in the day, city organists were a dime a dozen - now there’s only 2 left – Portland ME, and San Diego, CA.
Ray pointed out the center stage sculptured bust of Hermann Kotzschmar, a respected music teacher and organist in the Portland area in the late 1800’s. Upon his passing in 1908, Cyrus Curtis, at a cost of some $30,000, gave the organ to the City of Portland in Kotzschmar’s memory. The organ has been renovated a number of times over the decades, most recently and completely in 2012 at a cost of $2.5 million. The value of the organ today is approximately $5 million.
Plumbing? 7001 pipes, the longest measuring 32 feet, the shortest a mere three-quarters of an inch. No other instrument can play as low, or as the highest high’s were all but inaudible to our audience. This 50-ton behemoth has a main organ air chamber that is large enough for 6 tractor trailers – 60’ long, 16’ wide, 40’ high. Electrical motors are used to pressurize the chamber. The organist uses foot pedals to open and close louvered doors to control airflow, which affects the volume.
 Can you drive a car? Sure. Operate the gas, clutch, brake. Turn on the radio, adjust the mirror, ….all at the same time, right? Well, you’re a candidate to drive the Kotzschmar. Practice of course, plus knowledge of the keyboard is essential, but it’s really not as daunting as it looks. As Ray Cornils was quick to point out, unlike a car, if you make a mistake on the organ, no one dies! (The organ comes with a car horn, as well as dozens of other sound effects.) Ray spends a great deal of time setting up pre-sets, so that with a touch of one button, the array of stops that tell the organ the instruments to be heard will pop up.
Enter our volunteer-from-the audience, Megan Devlin, a perfect wit for Ray’s intro lesson for Kotzschmar 101. Megan was able to convey the excitement of being “at the controls” with a joy and amazement that we all felt. We not only learned more about the array of sounds that can be produced, but how much darn fun it can be!
Those able to stay a bit longer were treated to an additional 15-minute tour behind the façade, an inside-the-organ look where the magic takes place.
A new season of concerts is underway, so check it out at PortTix today. For more information on the Kotzschmar, visit www.foko.org, or email info@foko.org
The majestic Kotzschmar Organ with Ray Cornils at the keyboard.
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Posted by Ben Lowry
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The Portland Rotary Club met in the rehearsal hall at Merrill Auditorium, with 51 Rotarians, 7 guests and 2 visiting Rotarians, including Christine Johnson, President of the Gorham-Westbrook Rotary Club, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary on March 8th. Of course, that club was sponsored by our own club, when we were just 10 years new at the time.
Paul Tully offered a moving invocation and President Bowen led us in the pledge, holding up a 6-inch American flag.
Under the capable hands of Megan Devlin conducting the raffle, which was up to $1,222, Emily McIntee’s name was drawn, but, alas, she drew a nine of diamonds. The pot thickens.
While at the podium, Emily again thanked all of the club members for their participation in last’s week auction, which raised over $1000 for our operating fund.
March birthdays were announced by President Bowen and the club members and guests sang an enthusiastic version of “Happy Birthday,” the most sung song on earth.
Bruce Moore provided an entertaining look at the world, the nation and Portland Rotary from 1965 thru 1968, touching on music (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones), politics (the race riots and Vietnam) and the spirit of Portland Rotary, which was alive and well in our large, 220 member club. Current members like Mark Stimson and Don Lowry joined during this span and the speakers included Margaret Chase Smith and Edmund Muskie.
 Peter Ingram encouraged us all to mark our calendars for Tuesday, March 29th, from 5:30 to 7:30, for our annual fund raiser/fellowship event at Allagash Brewery on Industrial Way in Portland. Peter and his committee hope that we can all help celebrate Rob Tod’s (owner of Allagash) recognition of a Paul Harris Fellow, as Rob will be honored with the recognition for his service to the community and continued support of Rotary. Join us to honor Rob, share in fellowship, and enjoy Allagash’s award-winning premium Belgium inspired beverages. To compliment the fine beer, fine cheeses, cured meat plates and assorted appetizers will be served. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $15 or can be purchased at the door for $20. The event recipient will be our Childhood Hunger and Education (CHE) initiative and allow us to purchase books to distribute and read to young children at food sites this summer.
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In our edition last week, it was reported that our Youth Service Award (YSA) recipient from Catherine McAuley High School was 'voted by her classmates' to receive the award and scholarship. Actually, the staff/faculty of the respective schools of our YSA recipients selects the appropriate student to receive this Rotary award.
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Check out the details of our 5th Annual Maine Outdoor Challenge....our largest fundraiser of the year, click HERE.
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Invocation: Russ Burleigh
Program Reporter: Ben Lowry
Bits & Pieces Reporter: John Marr
Registration/Greeter: George Carr
Sell Meal Tickets: Ellen Niewoehner
Raffle: Erik Greven
Badge Box: None
Collect Meal Tickets: Emily McEntee
Rotary Moment in History: Ben Lowry
Song Leader: Amy Chipman
Pianist: None
Sgt-at-Arms (Early): Peter Ingram
Sgt-at-Arms (Late): Mike Fortunato
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If you would like to mark your calendars, we are
at the following locations through March 2016:
2016:
Mar 11 - The Clarion Hotel
Mar 18 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Mar 25 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Apr 1 - The Clarion Hotel
Apr 8 - The Clarion Hotel
Apr 15 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Apr 22 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Apr 29 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
May 6 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
May 13 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
May 20 - The Clarion Hotel
May 27 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Jun 03 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Jun 10 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Jun 17 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Jun 24 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Blue BOLD dates are scheduled Board meeting days.
Any questions, please contact Loretta at: lrowe@maine.rr.com
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As we receive applications for prospective members to join our Portland Rotary Club, the names of the applicants will be included in our Windjammer. Any information and/or comments you would like to share will be handled confidentially. Please contact Loretta Rowe: lrowe@maine.rr.com. Your input will be appreciated.
PROSPECT BUSINESS SPONSOR(S)
Patty Erickson Bath Savings Rob Chatfield
Jennifer Frederick Bath Savings Rob Chatfield
Alex St. Hilaire TD Bank E. Niewoehner
Richard Burbank Evergreen Home Perf Peter Goffin
Nick Lotfey Lotfey Dennett Ins Rusty Atwood
Thank you.
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Read more...
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Posted by Bill Blount
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ROTARY DOUBLES TENNIS LEAGUE
Winter/Spring Session 2016
Now that we are halfway through the season, It’s time to start thinking about our annual celebratory post-season event. We had a great time at Kathy Grammer’s last year. Would any of you consider hosting the event this year? Please let me know.....thanks, Bill.
Week ten scores - a three-way tie for first place!
| TEAM 1 |
TEAM 2 |
TEAM 3 |
TEAM 4 |
TEAM 5 |
TEAM 6 |
| Thompson |
Blakeslee |
Gross |
Bourdeau |
Seddon |
Barns |
| Ingram |
Blount |
Noyes |
Ray |
Moore |
Hall |
| Herodes |
Asch |
Putnam |
Nickerson |
Chipman |
Jorgensen |
| St Hilaire |
Houghton |
Burleigh |
Grammer |
Carr |
L.Young |
| 10 |
15 |
9 |
15 |
11 |
15 |
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