Editor's Note: There will be no meeting December 25 or January 1. The Windjammer will resume publishing during the week of January 11, 2021. Enjoy the Holidays!
Craig Freshley Speaks January 8
Craig Freshley is a meeting facilitator, speaker, and author who helps groups become more efficient, harmonious, and productive through his firm Good Group Decisions. Freshley is a social entrepreneur who helped start Sustainable Maine, the Maine Downtown Center, GrowSmart Maine, and the Two Echo Cohousing Community. Earlier in his career, he founded and operated a bike messenger service in Portland, and worked for the Maine State Planning Office and the Maine Development Foundation.
In 2019, he won the American Civic Collaboration Award for creating and facilitating Make Shift Coffee Houses, which provide a venue where conservatives, liberals, and all others, can meet to talk and seek to understand each other’s political points of view. Freshley has produced a portfolio of tips and videos, and authored the book, The Wisdom of Group Decisions.
Freshley earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Maine, and his master’s degree in public policy and management from the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine.
Craig lives with his wife in a cohousing community where they raised two girls (along with goats, sheep, chickens, a donkey, a pig, and a dog).
Club Elects 2021–2022 Officers
Amy Chipman completed her Nominating Committee chair responsibilities with a call for a vote on the roster of club officers for 2021–2022. Unanimously elected, the officers will begin their duties on July 1, 2021. The club leadership will be:
Bob Martin, President 2021-22
Bruce Jones, 1st Vice President, President 2022-23
Nan Heald, 2nd Vice President, President 2023-24
Michelle Disotto, Secretary
Howie Herodes, Treasurer
David Putnam, Sergeant-At-Arms
Dr. Roger Fagan, Board Member
Jennifer Frederick, Board Member
Bob Clark, Board Member
Michael Fortunato, Board Member
Ellen Niewoehner, Past President
Bits and Pieces | by Dick Hall
President Ellen Niewoehner welcomed forty-two Rotarians and guests in our last meeting of the year on December 18. There will be no meeting December 25 or January 1.
Ben Lowry joined us from poolside in San Diego. Jan Chapman and Bruce Moore had the holiday spirit with their matching Santa hats. Katie Brown sported her tiger paw mask from her temporary office on the stage of the Biddeford Middle School. Brian Batson and Lori Paulette were welcome visitors.
Dave Small treated us to the original story of Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer, which was the 2nd best-selling of all-time story until the mid ‘80s. Dave treated us to his reading of his shortened version. To see the original coloring book and the original story, gohere.
Ellen announced several upcoming exciting Rotary events.
On January 13, 100,000 disposable masks will be delivered to Portsmouth for distribution by Rotary clubs throughout the district. A smaller number of children’s masks and KN95 masks will be coming later in the month. These masks are being donated by Ted Rossi and The Rossi FamilyFoundation who donated masks in October.
Ellen mentioned that she went to the president’s forum and found out that this is a good year to sell Christmas trees. Both Westbrook and SPCE clubs sold out early.
Ellen told us how much fun she had taping books for the kids at the Lyseth School. More opportunities will be coming.
She also mentioned that the three districts in ME 7780, 7790, and 7810 will be working together in the vaccine rollout. The first step will be financial support to ME EMS to help vaccinate the 16,000 EMS in the state. Over time Rotary will have in-person opportunities to help in the general population vaccination. More info coming soon.
Ellen awarded Amy Chipman her eighth Paul Harris Fellow honor which means she has donated $8,000 to the Rotary Foundation. Amy said she decided this year to become a Paul Harris Society member, recognizing an annual commitment of $1,000 to the Foundation.
Tom Ranello thanked those who have rung the Salvation Army bells on Monument Square, a Rotary tradition during the lunch hour for many years. Tom had one slot to fill for Tuesday December 22. Mark Millar and Charlie Frair both raised their hands.
Mark Foster thanked the club for allowing him to be part of a great organization. He is proud to be a member.
Portland Weathers the Pandemic and Looks Ahead
By Juliana L’Heureux
Gregory Mitchell, Director of Portland’s Department of Housing and Economic Development, provided an insider’s view of how the city has navigated the last nine months and highlighted changes underway. Introduced by Roxane Cole, who expressed praise for Mitchell and described him as an asset to the city during the past 12 years, Mitchell shared a presentation titled “Portland: Weathering the Pandemic and a Look to the Future.”
Mitchell noted that Portland’s pandemic response included street closures to allow room for outdoor dining; free personal protective equipment issued to businesses; financing assistance including commercial loan deferrals, forgivable loans, and grants for sidewalk and on-street outdoor dining; an Artist Relief Fund was authorized through Creative Portland; and COVID test options were offered at Portland Jetport.
In spite of the challenges presented by the pandemic, Mitchell said the economic outlook for Portland shows opportunities for strong growth. He pointed to a variety of demographic and economic statistics demonstrating the city’s capacity for economic resilience, but also indicating challenges. While the city’s population is 66,649, making it the largest municipality in Maine, 82% of city residents are white, but 48% of students in Portland schools are of color, with over 60 languages spoken by them. The pandemic has drawn an influx of out-of-state people to Portland, causing increases in property sales and value.
Mitchell pointed to several transportation economic drivers affecting the city, including Ocean Gateway, the result of a $20 million investment for international ferry and cruise ship passengers. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, cruise ship traffic had been steadily increasing, but in 2020 no ships arrived in Portland due to the pandemic. The Maine Port Authority added new cranes in 2018, which helped facilitate the Eimskip cargo shipping operation, which connects Portland with Europe. A cold storage facility is under construction and expected to be open in 2021; Phin Sprague’s shipyard expansion continues to service yachts. The pandemic reinforced the need for cargo shipping and Eimskip has responded.
Mitchell also highlighted other well-known advantages of the city for tourism and health care, calling special attention to Northeastern University’s Roux Institute, which is attracting high tech education to the city, with a focus on data analytics used in artificial intelligence, computer sciences, digital engineering, advanced life sciences, and medicine.
Mitchell said that affordable housing projects completed over the past 5 years added 313 apartments, with another 565 units in the planning stage. He said that Portland’s economic foundation is strong, but marketing and branding must continue to be sure the city is on the radar for tourism and to attract business. The Chamber of Commerce is sharing survey data collected on ways to continue to support growth and protect businesses from closures.
In response to a question about congestion on the Franklin Arterial caused by the traffic signals creating backlogs during peak usage times, he reported that the city is investing in artificial intelligence technology to better synchronize and improve the situation.
Moment of Reflection
[little tree]
by e.e. cummings
little tree
little silent Christmas tree
you are so little
you are more like a flower
who found you in the green forest
and were you very sorry to come away?
see i will comfort you
because you smell so sweetly
i will kiss your cool bark
and hug you safe and tight
just as your mother would,
only don't be afraid
look the spangles
that sleep all the year in a dark box
dreaming of being taken out and allowed to shine,
the balls the chains red and gold the fluffy threads,
put up your little arms
and i'll give them all to you to hold
every finger shall have its ring
and there won't be a single place dark or unhappy
then when you're quite dressed
you'll stand in the window for everyone to see
and how they'll stare!
oh but you'll be very proud
and my little sister and i will take hands
and looking up at our beautiful tree
we'll dance and sing
"Noel Noel"
Speaker Schedule
December 25 | NO MEETING
January 1 | NO MEETING
January 8 | Craig Freshley, Makeshift Coffeehouse
January 15 | Heather Paquette, Hannaford
January 22 | Steve Hewins, Hospitality Maine
January 29 | Sarah Hansen, Greater Portland Landmarks
February 5 | Joey Spitz, Kinotek Software
February 12| TBD
February 19 | Karen Nason, Ghost Karen’s Kitchen
February 26 | Peter Vigue, Cianbro
March 5 | Caroline Croft Estay & Nona Yehia, Vertical Harvest
March 12 | Brian Corcoran, Shamrock Sports
March 19 | Stefanie Trice Gill, IntWork LLC
firm Good Group Decisions. Freshley is a social entrepreneur who helped start Sustainable Maine, the Maine Downtown Center, GrowSmart Maine, and the Two Echo Cohousing Community. Earlier in his career, he founded and operated a bike messenger service in Portland, and worked for the Maine State Planning Office and the Maine Development Foundation.
