We're hitting the lanes at Broadway Bowl, 725 Broadway, South Portland, starting at 5:30. Try to get there at 5:20 because the rental starts at 5:30. (If you arrive later, we'll fit you into the rotation!) Please RSVP Jake Bourdeau because registration for 2 lanes and our payment is due in advance. Jake estimates $15-$20 per person. They have.a full menu of food and drinks. Even if you don't feel like bowling, come on over for the fellowship and good cheer!
BITS AND PIECES | By Erik Jorgensen
It was the second of three Friday the 13ths for 2026 when Portland Rotary met on a breezy late winter afternoon at USM. Bowen gaveled us in, and Bruce Jones opened the meeting with a poem he found that -amazingly- tied Friday the 13th to the principles of Rotary. Later the theme was continued when Erik Jorgensen noted that the condition of being afraid of Friday the 13th is called “paraskevidekatriaphobia”. But nobody seemed to be suffering !
WELCOME GUESTS! Brian Nickerson has the honors of welcomeing several Falmouth Rotarians, who, as they work to reinvigorate their own club, are interested in participating and bringing guests to our club. With us for this meeting, Roger Berube, Bill Pike, and Sean Joyce. Sean was a Portland Rotarian, and was one of the founding members of Falmouth. They’ll be joining us off and on for the next few weeks, and hopefully we can provide them with some good ideas.
AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT:Friday the 13th was not an unlucky day for these Falmouth guests. Penny Harris, our lucky dealer, ran the draw, and our guest, Roger Berube, managed to pick the queen and score a cool $125. Congratulations, Roger, and may similar good fortune follow the Falmouth Rotary Club! Pictured is that moment of disbelief between Penny and Roger.
PELS REPORT:President-elect Justin reported on his recent visit to PALS – Rotary’s president-elect training. He reports that the experience illustrated for him that our club is in good shape. In sharing his experience, he offered shout-outs to Dick Hall and Tom Talbott who were both assisting in the PALS program.
MEMBER REBOUND!We were pleased to welcome Brian Batson back to our club. Brian was introduced by Bruce Jones, and is currently serving as Community Relations Manager for MaineHealth, though others might recall him as a Portland City Councilor. Originally from Ellsworth, Brian was a former member of our club, ending around the time of the pandemic. He thoroughly enjoys time with his kids: his 4-year-old son and 18-month-old daughter; and when he’s not tending to family, he's often surfing at Higgins beach. So glad to have you back Brian, we love a good comeback story! Bruce on the left, Brian on the right!
FLAGS FOR HEROES: The Flags for Heroes Committee is hard at work, as we ready ourselves for this amazing event. It's an honor to participate, and we can not forget that it is our major fundraiser. Tom Talbott reported on the moving experience our flags at the Maine Mariners’ Game, including spectacular coverage on the Cross Center’s Jumbotron. He thanked local videographer, Reggie Groff, who shot and produced a wonderful video short of the event. Click Here! Kathryn Nagle (photo) has joined the team, and is going to be the new team captain for locating and enrolling 100+ Heroes for next year's Flags for Heroes event. These heroes will in turn be sponsored by local businesses. Thank you Kathryn, a new member stepping into a leadership role.
ROTARY OPPORTUNITY WORKSHOP
This is always an excellent event for anyone who wants to learn more about how they can participate in the many fun aspects of Rotary! $30 per person, and our club has set aside $240 in the budget to pay for the way for 8 members to attend, so take advantage! Click on "Reserve Your Seat", pay online, and you will be reimbursed! First come, first serve on the 8 free.
LAST WEEK'S SPEAKER: Steve Bromage, Historical Perspective On Our 250th Anniversary
By Zach Newell
Steve Bromage, At our latest meeting, we welcomed Steve Bromage, Executive Director of the Maine Historical Society (MHS). Steve, who holds an M.A. in History from UMass Amherst and a B.A. from the University of Richmond, opened with a lighthearted nod to our club’s past—lamenting the absence of our traditional sing-along to “The Purple People Eater!”
He quickly connected the Rotary motto, Service Above Self, to the purpose of his visit: reflecting on our roles as citizens as the United States approaches its 250th anniversary—the semiquincentennial.
MHS is a 200-year-old private nonprofit dedicated to preserving and sharing Maine’s story. Steve spoke about how the organization is evolving to meet today’s audiences, combining history with innovation, collaboration, and forward-looking leadership.
Through programs, exhibitions, and digital tools like the Maine Memory Network, MHS is helping people learn, reflect, and connect.They address complex topics, including immigration, the changing paper industry, 13,000 years of Wabanaki history, L.L.Bean’s role in Maine’s identity, and Maine’s place in the national conversation around race and equity.
This work supports a major initiative: “Revolutionary Maine: America at 250.” This year-long effort will feature exhibitions, digital resources, and a statewide tour designed to engage Mainers across all regions.
Steve highlighted Maine’s important role in the Revolutionary War. Still part of Massachusetts at the time, Maine was a strategic frontier where residents played key roles in several events. These included the Battle of Machias, one of the first naval engagements of the war; the Burning of Falmouth, which strengthened colonial resistance; Arnold’s difficult march to Quebec through the Maine wilderness; and the Penobscot Expedition, a failed campaign that still included acts of leadership and courage.
A centerpiece of the celebration is the exhibition, “Pathways to Freedom: Stories of the American Revolution.” Rather than focusing only on well-known figures, it tells the story through six individuals from Maine. These include an Abenaki doctor and knowledge keeper, a soldier who fought but could not vote, an enslaved man who earned his freedom through service, a loyalist forced into exile, a patriot leader, and a young woman who carried supplies to Machias.
Another major effort is the statewide tour of a rare Dunlap Broadside—one of the first printed copies of the Declaration of Independence from July 4, 1776. From July through October, it will visit all 16 Maine counties, with free access at libraries, museums, and schools across the state.
Even so, those ideals remain importan, and serve as a guide. As we face today’s divisions, the 250th anniversary offers a chance to reflect on what those words mean now, recognize progress, and consider what comes next.
NEW MEMBER NOTIFICATION: 2nd Notice - Marla Keefe has applied, sponsored by Paul Tully. Marla is retired and living in Cape Elizabeth. Marla has served on numerous community service board positions, and has already participated in many of our club activities. She enjoys running, reading, fitness and travel. After this notice it will move to the Board of Directors for a vote. If any Portland Rotarian would like to offer a comment on this proposal, please contact Laura Young or Bowen Depke. It will be shared with the Board of Directors prior to a vote on the application.
How does Rotary emphasize its Areas of Focus to its members? Monthly themes are placed in the Rotarian magazine and other outreach media. For example, March addresses Water, Sanitation & Hygiene, and September prioritizes Basic Education and Literacy.
Speaker Schedule
March 27 - Club Assembly
April 3 - Reid Byers, Imaginary Books
April 10 - District Outreach Team's Trip To India
April 11 - District Opportunity Workshop, Westbrook HS
April 16 - Social
April 17 - No Meeting
April 24 - Fiddle Music with the New England Fiddle Ensemble
May 1 - Amber Caron, Wreaths Across America
May 8 - Our Famed "New Members" Meeting
May 14 - Club Social
May 15- No Meeting
May 16 - EPIC Day of Service (Saturday)
May 22 - No Meeting (Memorial Day)
May 29 - Bill Merchant, Revolution Fitness
Club Executives
Co-Presidents Bowen Depke, Laura Young President Elect Justin Lamontagne Vice President Jake Bourdeau TreasurerDick Hall Secretary Niki Merrill 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.
FLAGS FOR HEROES: The Flags for Heroes Committee is hard at work, as we ready ourselves for this amazing event. It's an honor to participate, and we can not forget that it is our major fundraiser. Tom Talbott reported on the moving experience our flags at the Maine Mariners’ Game, including spectacular coverage on the Cross Center’s Jumbotron. He thanked local videographer, Reggie Groff, who shot and produced a wonderful video short of the event. 
Through programs, exhibitions, and digital tools like the Maine Memory Network, MHS is helping people learn, reflect, and connect.They address complex topics, including immigration, the changing paper industry, 13,000 years of Wabanaki history, L.L.Bean’s role in Maine’s identity, and Maine’s place in the national conversation around race and equity.
How does Rotary emphasize its Areas of Focus to its members? Monthly themes are placed in the Rotarian magazine and other outreach media. For example, March addresses Water, Sanitation & Hygiene, and September prioritizes Basic Education and Literacy.