THIS WEEK'S SPEAKER: Sarah Peskin - Frances Perkins Center
Immediate past board chair of the FPC, Sarah prepared the successful nomination for the Frances Perkins Homestead National Historic Landmark and oversaw the restoration and preservation efforts to make it safe and accessible. A board member since 2009 she curated the FPC Main Street exhibit and continues to share expertise gained in her 30-year career with the National Park Service (NPS). Former Chief of Planning and Legislation for the NPS North Atlantic region, she facilitated the designation of new NPS units, guided the preservation and interpretation of many nationally significant historic places, and managed major new facility projects from concept to operation at parks such as Lowell National Historical Park, Weir Farm National Historical Park, Boston Harbor Islands, Acadia, and many more. A graduate of Smith College, she holds a master’s degree in urban planning from New York University and was a Loeb Fellow at Harvard University. Sarah and husband Bill Kelley split their time between their home in Walpole, Maine, just across the Damariscotta River from the Homestead, and Brookline, Massachusetts.
BITS AND PIECES | by Laura Young
President Patty Byers called the meeting to order and warmly welcomed Portland Rotarians and guests. Ellen Niewoehner led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance. Charlie Frair delivered the Message for the Day, sharing a nostalgic and humorous poem he wrote in the 8th grade about hearing a mysterious drip in his house in the middle of the night. Patty thanked Joanne, filling in as hostess while Margaret enjoys a vacation in Aruba.
GUESTS AND YOUTH EXCHANGE: After lunch, Katharine Wall introduced guests, including Kathi Perkins, District Youth Exchange Coordinator and member of the Westbrook-Gorham Rotary. Our Exchange student, Antonio Soriano Lujan, introduced his visiting family: parents Teresa Lujan Campos and Antonio Soriano Mera, and his brother Joaquin. President Patty presented them with the Portland Rotary banner—a symbol of friendship—to take back to their Rotary club in Spain.
RAFFLE DRAWING: Jim Vicenzi led the raffle for a chance to win $457. Roxane Cole’s ticket was drawn, but she pulled the Jack of Clubs—so the pot rolls over and grows to $473 next week.
MEMBERSHIP: Niki Merrill provided two important messages: Using spring as a metaphor for growth, she encouraged members to “plant the seeds” of new membership by inviting guests to a meeting. “We are all members of the Membership Committee,” she reminded everyone. “We’ll fertilize the club’s growth—with no weeding required!”
RECOVERY TASK FORCE: Niki then announced a Force meeting on April 25 at 11 a.m., prior to the regular meeting. Mason Cashman from Sweetser will speak about Mental Health First Aid training. All members are encouraged to attend and learn how to recognize signs of someone in crisis.
ENVIRONMENT STEWARDSHIP: Mary Pat Donnellon provided a tree-planting update on behalf of the Environmental Stewardship Committee. To date, 41 trees have been planted thanks to efforts by Dick, Ellen, Patty, and many others. The goal is to plant 10 more trees in May and June to complete the project this year. The committee is also working to secure permanent recognition for the club’s environmental contributions.
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE: Erik Greven said the Committee would meet following lunch, with updates on the hearing clinic while Liz Fagan was expected to speak about Kosovo. Patty mentioned that Roger is headed to the Dominican Republic on the 18th, where he’ll be visiting hospitals, reviewing project sites, and displaying our club banner. She extended appreciation to our partners, including the Westbrook-Gorham Rotary Club.
FLAGS FOR HEROES: Charlie Frair, speaking for the Fundraising Committee, shared exciting news: Rowe Ford has agreed to contribute $12,000 to this year’s Flags for Heroes event. With a fundraising goal of $35,000 (up from $25,000 last year), the club has already raised $20,000. The website is now live, and members are invited to sponsor their heroes online: www.flagsforheroesmaine.com
MY HEROES: Erik Greven shared personal reflections on two of his heroes: his brother-in-law Bob and sailing buddy John, both Vietnam veterans. They served with bravery, returned home to rebuild their lives, and continue to embody the spirit of service and resilience—despite not receiving the warm welcome that WWII veterans once did. (Photo Charlie and Erik)
DISTRICT WIDE 'EPIC DAY OF SERVICE!" : Justin Lamontagne announced our club will gather on Sun, May 18th, 10 a.m. to noon at Justin’s home in Back Cove for a social walk and trash cleanup around the cove. Fawn’s Coffee and Food Truck will be on-site offering coffee, breakfast items, and sandwiches. For more details, see Justin’s April 12th email.
FOUNDATION CIRCLE GIVING: On behalf of Gervin Kah, Patty reminded members that the Foundation Giving Circle Lottery will take place on May 9th, just one month away.
IN MEMORIAM: STEPHEN BITHER: Laura Young delivered a touching tribute to her late friend Stephen Bither, a Portland native and Deering High graduate who recently passed away unexpectedly. Stephen was a U Maine Law School alum, a dedicated attorney, and a passionate community volunteer. He was also the founder of the Wicked Good Band, which entertained for 50 years. At his recent memorial service, a speaker read the full speech from Stephen’s 2008 visit to Portland Rotary, filled with humorous stories and reflections from his band days. Laura, who has fond memories of singing alongside him in the choir of her former church in Cape Elizabeth, said that Stephen will live on in the hearts of many who loved him.
HAPPY DOLLARS: To close the meeting, Patty led a spirited round of Happy Dollars, emphasizing the tradition’s connection to Polio Plus. Members shared cheerful stories, milestones, and travel adventures.
WHAT IS HONORARY MEMBERSHIP? “Honorary" is one of the four types of membership a person may have in a Rotary club. Honorary Membership is offered to members who have distinguished themselves by meritorious service in the furtherance of Rotary ideals. Honorary membership is the highest distinction that a club may bestow and should be conferred only in exceptional cases. Honorary members cannot propose new members to the club or hold office and are exempt from attendance requirements and club dues. Honorary members are entitled to attend all meetings of this club and others, wear the RI emblem, badge or other insignia, and enjoy all the other privileges of the club other than the right to vote or hold office within the club. These statements are according to the Rotary International Manual of Procedure, Standard Rotary Club Constitution. Honorary Members Rotary Club of Portland, Maine are: Liz Fagan, Betty Parsons, J.David Parsons, Mark Stimson, and Peggy”Queenie” Wescott.
RECOVERY TASK FORCE MEETING: Jan Chapman notes that All PRC members are invited to our Recovery Task Force meeting at 11 am on April 25th! Please join us before Rotary to learn about Mental Health First Aid training offered by Sweetser. Mason Cashman from Sweetser will answer our questions about this rare opportunity and discuss training options.
LAST WEEK'S SPEAKER: Major Ralph Gamache, Civil Air Patrol | By Tom Talbott
Portland Rotarian and Lieutenant Colonel, Civil Air Patrol Jerry Wall, introduced our guest speaker, Major Ralph Gamache, Commander, 58th Composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol. Major Gamache was pleasantly surprised to hear that a high percentage of the club knew of the CAP, and dove right into great insight about their history and current capabilities.
The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a non-combatant, all-volunteer auxiliary of the US Air Force. They are assigned to DOD missions, as well as state and national organizations like FEMA, at their request. Made up of 65,000+ members, CAP has the largest fleet of single engine aircraft in the world (around 550) and 1,500 ground vehicles. They conduct over 90% of aerial searches in the continental US, working with disaster relief organizations. In 2023, members contributed over $250 million in service hours, saving 60 lives (33 saved so far this year).
The Air Force provides CAP's structure and aircraft, while CAP volunteers provide personnel and funding for uniforms, meeting spaces, and activities. CAP began in the 1930s, with a name we all know - Guy Gannett - being instrumental to its creation. Fiorello LaGuardia signed Administrative Order 9 on December 1, 1941, creating CAP as part of the Civil Defense Force. Within months, it grew to 50,000 members. During WWII, CAP Coastal Patrol flew small private aircraft, spotted 173 U-boats, dropped 83 bombs/depth charges, and had two confirmed U-boat sinkings, but lost 26 members and 90 aircraft. One U-boat commander said they left the American coast because of "those damn little red and yellow airplanes."
Today, CAP has three basic missions: emergency service, cadet program, and aerospace education. They specialize in emergency locator beacon location, cell phone forensics, and radar forensics. They also assist in airborne disaster evaluation, such as imaging floods and conducting ice jam/river surveys. CAP is getting more into drones and has members trained in damage assessment and point of distribution. After 9/11, CAP aircrews took the first pictures of the World Trade Center smoking, and CAP and active-duty military were the only aircraft in US skies for three days. Keep in mind that there is a cost savings - CAP flight time is under $200/hour, a significant saving compared to the $3,000/hour cost of using military aircraft.
The cadet program has 26,000 members who can work alongside senior members on emergency missions. Each state has a CAP wing (52 total including D.C. and Puerto Rico), divided into nine regions.Cadets can participate in national activities, like a week at the Air Force Academy or Johnson Space Center. Aerospace education is also a main focus; teachers can receive orientation flights and STEM kits. Photo: Patty, Jerry and Ralph.
April Birthdays and Anniversaries: Wishing Happy Birthday this April to: Ben Jackson-7th, Jacey Chavez -11th, Keith Jache – 13th, David Clough- 19th, Mike Robinson- 27th. These Rotarians celebrated their years in Rotary - Michael Ross – 1, Tim Donnellon – 11, Jan Chapman – 13, Dave Seddon – 21, Tom Nickerson – 22, Michael Reed – 32, and Dick Hall – 41 years!
Speaker Schedule
April 25 - Regine Whittlesey - L'Alliance Francaise
May 2- Ava Kabouchy - Award Winning Travel Photographer
May 9 - "New Members Meeting!" Fun meeting run by the newbies!
May 16- No Meeting
May 18 (Sunday) Epic Day of Service and Social at Back Cove
May 23 - No Meeting - Memorial Day Weekend
May 30 - Joshua Brister - Maine Black Chamber of Commerce
Club Executives
President Patty Byers President Elect John Thompson Vice President Justin Lamontagne TreasurerDick Hall Secretary Tom Nickerson Board of Directors Dick Hall,
Immediate past board chair of the FPC, Sarah prepared the successful nomination for the Frances Perkins Homestead National Historic Landmark and oversaw the restoration and preservation efforts to make it safe and accessible. A board member since 2009 she curated the FPC Main Street exhibit and continues to share expertise gained in her 30-year career with the National Park Service (NPS). Former Chief of Planning and Legislation for the NPS North Atlantic region, she facilitated the designation of new NPS units, guided the preservation and interpretation of many nationally significant historic places, and managed major new facility projects from concept to operation at parks such as Lowell National Historical Park, Weir Farm National Historical Park, Boston Harbor Islands, Acadia, and many more. A graduate of Smith College, she holds a master’s degree in urban planning from New York University and was a Loeb Fellow at Harvard University. Sarah and husband Bill Kelley split their time between their home in Walpole, Maine, just across the Damariscotta River from the Homestead, and Brookline, Massachusetts.
MEMBERSHIP: Niki Merrill provided two important messages: Using spring as a metaphor for growth, she encouraged members to “plant the seeds” of new membership by inviting guests to a meeting. “We are all members of the Membership Committee,” she reminded everyone. “We’ll fertilize the club’s growth—with no weeding required!”
ENVIRONMENT STEWARDSHIP: Mary Pat Donnellon provided a tree-planting update on behalf of the Environmental Stewardship Committee. To date, 41 trees have been planted thanks to efforts by Dick, Ellen, Patty, and many others. The goal is to plant 10 more trees in May and June to complete the project this year. The committee is also working to secure permanent recognition for the club’s environmental contributions.
FLAGS FOR HEROES: Charlie Frair, speaking for the Fundraising Committee, shared exciting news: Rowe Ford has agreed to contribute $12,000 to this year’s Flags for Heroes event. With a fundraising goal of $35,000 (up from $25,000 last year), the club has already raised $20,000. The website is now live, and members are invited to sponsor their heroes online: 
DISTRICT WIDE 'EPIC DAY OF SERVICE!" : Justin Lamontagne announced our club will gather on Sun, May 18th, 10 a.m. to noon at Justin’s home in Back Cove for a social walk and trash cleanup around the cove. Fawn’s Coffee and Food Truck will be on-site offering coffee, breakfast items, and sandwiches. For more details, see Justin’s April 12th email.
IN MEMORIAM: STEPHEN BITHER: Laura Young delivered a touching tribute to her late friend Stephen Bither, a Portland native and Deering High graduate who recently passed away unexpectedly. Stephen was a U Maine Law School alum, a dedicated attorney, and a passionate community volunteer. He was also the founder of the Wicked Good Band, which entertained for 50 years. At his recent memorial service, a speaker read the full speech from Stephen’s 2008 visit to Portland Rotary, filled with humorous stories and reflections from his band days. Laura, who has fond memories of singing alongside him in the choir of her former church in Cape Elizabeth, said that Stephen will live on in the hearts of many who loved him.
WHAT IS HONORARY MEMBERSHIP? “Honorary" is one of the four types of membership a person may have in a Rotary club. Honorary Membership is offered to members who have distinguished themselves by meritorious service in the furtherance of Rotary ideals. Honorary membership is the highest distinction that a club may bestow and should be conferred only in exceptional cases. Honorary members cannot propose new members to the club or hold office and are exempt from attendance requirements and club dues. Honorary members are entitled to attend all meetings of this club and others, wear the RI emblem, badge or other insignia, and enjoy all the other privileges of the club other than the right to vote or hold office within the club. These statements are according to the Rotary International Manual of Procedure, Standard Rotary Club Constitution. Honorary Members Rotary Club of Portland, Maine are: Liz Fagan, Betty Parsons, J.David Parsons, Mark Stimson, and Peggy”Queenie” Wescott.
April Birthdays and Anniversaries: Wishing Happy Birthday this April to: Ben Jackson-7th, Jacey Chavez -11th, Keith Jache – 13th, David Clough- 19th, Mike Robinson- 27th. These Rotarians celebrated their years in Rotary - Michael Ross – 1, Tim Donnellon – 11, Jan Chapman – 13, Dave Seddon – 21, Tom Nickerson – 22, Michael Reed – 32, and Dick Hall – 41 years!.png)
