Our meeting was called to order by President Justin Lamontagne and he called upon Laura Young, who just recently arrived back in-town after a lovely vacation, to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Ian Nagle brought forth our inspirational thoughts for the day, quoting legendary college basketball coach John Wooden with “We’re all in this together”.

Brian Nickerson introduced our five guests for the day.

HAPPY DOLLARS!  Good news was offered by many members of the club with President Justin offering five dollars in celebration of the five days he recently spent, sans children, with his lovely wife.

RAFFLE: Steve Hull ran Friday’s raffle with Ben Lowry pulling the seven of diamonds, not the lucky Queen of Hearts. The pot thickens next week!  (Hand wave from Queenie!)

COMMUNITY SERVICE:  Justin noted that we are still looking for a member or two to be the leader of our Community Service committee, but in the meantime we have several great opportunities for participation. First will be offered in early August as The Seeds of Hope group will be looking for volunteers for a local trash cleanup -  Details to follow!  Justin also read a message from The American Red Cross noting that right now they are in dire straits and seeking blood donations.

DON'T STOP THE PRESS! Tom Talbott will be handing the editorial reigns of The Windjammer off to others as his District responsibilities have ramped up. Tom will be holding an instructional Zoom meeting for those who would like to help on August 4^th at 9:00am. Please e-mail Tom with your interest or questions. If you can not make that zoom, don't let it deter you, there will be plenty of options to talk if you want to help! 

SEA DOGS OUTING: Zack Newell reminds us that every year, we coordinate a trip to see the Portland Sea Dogs, and you are warmly invited to join us. 

Wed, August 19th at 6:00 PM,  Sea Dogs vs. Reading Fightin Phils. Tickets are $15.28, and we have a block of 50 tickets reserved so please feel free to bring family and friends! Click Here For Tickets

The absolute deadline to purchase tickets is August 12th. Join in for a great night of baseball and fellowship!

LOBSTERS ARE COMING: Bill Milliken reminded us that the annual “Lobster Raffle” will be taking place along the waterfront this late summer. With Luke’s Lobster offering 12 lobsters for the winner of the raffle (and six for the runner-up!), this year’s effort could be a biggest ever. With the recent success of the Flags for Heroes project, Bill reminded us that we’ll still need to carry forth that momentum for our other large fundraiser. As Bill Belichick used to say, “You’re either moving forward or falling behind….there’s no room to remain stagnant”.

LAST WEEK'S SPEAKER: Matt Saxon, ShelterBox USA - Founded By Rotary!  | by Tom Talbott                  Matt Saxon, Vice President of Development for ShelterBox USA, was the guest speaker at Portland Rotary. ShelterBox was founded by a Rotary club in England, and its U.S. affiliate also grew out of Rotary, giving the two organizations a long-standing partnership.

ShelterBox provides emergency shelter and essential supplies to families displaced by natural disasters and conflict. While the organization began by sending a standard "green box" of supplies, it now tailors aid to each situation. Depending on local needs, assistance may include family tents, tarps, water filters, solar lights, mosquito nets, cooking equipment, sanitation supplies, or materials to help families rebuild.

Saxon said ShelterBox has about 150 staff worldwide and is currently responding to disasters in roughly 17 countries. Supplies are pre-positioned in warehouses around the world, allowing the organization to respond quickly when disasters strike. ShelterBox also works closely with local partners, including Rotary clubs, which often help with assessments, transportation, storage, and distribution once aid arrives.

One product he highlighted was a solar-powered light that also charges phones and radios. Besides providing light after dark, it can improve safety for families and help children continue studying when electricity is unavailable.

Current responses include Gaza, Venezuela, Jamaica, and the Philippines, as well as domestic disaster relief following hurricanes, floods, and wildfires in the United States. Saxon noted that while ShelterBox is known for international work, it is expanding its U.S. disaster response as well. In the U.S., support often focuses on cleanup supplies, smoke remediation, and privacy shelters inside emergency evacuation centers rather than tents.

ShelterBox has assisted more than 3 million people since its founding and now reaches over 300,000 people each year. Saxon also noted that the organization holds Charity Navigator's highest four-star rating and GuideStar's Platinum rating, reflecting its emphasis on directing donations toward programs rather than administration.

During the question-and-answer session, Saxon explained that ShelterBox carefully evaluates each disaster before responding, considering local need, government approval, available partners, and whether other organizations are already meeting those needs. Once aid is delivered, it remains with the community, where families often repurpose tents and other equipment as they rebuild their lives. (Photo- Dave Putnam, Justin, and Matt) 

Can you give me a specific example of a successful Foundation grant? About 830 women and 7,000 newborns from low- and middle-income countries die daily from preventable complications in pregnancy and childbirth. Trained midwives are key to preventing problems, so Rotary is training midwives in Papua New Guinea and Australia. Increasing the number of midwives worldwide by 10% could save 1.3 million lives each year.