This Week's Speaker: Adam Costa - Independent TV Producer / Lone Wolf Media
Lone Wolf Media is an independent television production company witha long-standing reputation for developing and producing award-winning programming across a wide variety of genres. Founded in 1997 by Kirk and Lisa Wolfinger, Lone Wolf Media has grown to be come a leader in factual entertainment.
Adam Costa is the Head of Production for Lone Wolf Media. He has worked as a producer, camera operator, writer, and video editor since graduating from Penn State University in 2003. Adam’s first job out of college was working for Lone Wolf Media as a post-production assistant. He worked for many years as a freelance camera operator and field producer for a number of production companies and news outlets on the east coast. Mainers would probably be most familiar his work as a camera operator and producer on the first two seasons of Maine Cabin Masters for DIY Network, but his production travels have take him to many unique places around the globe for a wide variety of networks. In 2012, he spent two months living in a tent on an uninhabited island in Greenland just south of the Arctic Circle for an Animal Planet series. He traveled through the Mediterranean in an Ohio Class nuclear submarine for National Geographic’s Naked Science series, and he has been to Israel and Eastern Europe for an independent feature documentary on Jewish Resistance during the holocaust. Most recently, Adam was on a deep sea research vessel in the Atlantic Ocean for History Channel’s new series, Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters.
Last Week at Portland Rotary: Kevin Stilphen and John Lewis "Closing the Career and Technical Skills Gap" | by Tom Nickerson
On Friday, Portland Rotary members and guests had the opportunity to hear from two Career and Technical leaders - Kevin Stilphen, Principal at Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS), and John Lewis, co-founder of Synergy Workforce Solutions, LLC, on local efforts to address the labor and skill shortages in Maine’s technical sectors. The speakers spoke about the issue created by Maine’s growth industries in the Health, Ocean, Forestry, and Manufacturing sectors contrasted by the declining workforce age population and growing disinterest in the skilled trades. (Photo - Dave Putnam, Kevin Stilphen, John Lewis, and Brian Nickerson)
Principal Stilphen provided an overview of PATHS. This career and technical center serves 13 surrounding communities and enables students in those high schools to pursue technical fields while completing high school. The mission of PATHS is to prepare students for technical careers and be ready for college plus work. The skilled trades more and more require workers to continue their education and PATHS works to ensure students have a balance of hands on skills and preparation to seek advanced learning to supplement those skills in their chosen fields. This approach is working as more than 9,700 students enroll in Career and Technical Centers statewide. Principal Stilphen discussed the need for additional investment to update their facilities and to launch education initiatives at the middle school to encourage further career interest in the trades.
John Lewis talked about his work on the employer and employee recruitment side to attract students into these careers. He discussed the headwinds of students feeling pressure to go to college, especially out of state. He shared how there is sufficient training resources available to support education for students who want to go into the trades, but often that information does not get to the student and their parents. John Lewis works with employers and business leaders to promote partnering with high schools, PATHS, and the community colleges to share how attractive these careers are. The industry partnerships also ensure that students received in-demand training and access to current methods and processes. He encouraged all of us to spread the good news about career opportunities in the trades. Both John Lewis and Principal Stilphen thanked the Vocational Services Committee for making continued investments in vocationally-minded students.
BITS AND PIECES | by Juliana L'Heureux
An event filled meeting at the Italian Heritage Center included a delicious buffet lunch featuring Chicken Marsala and other terrific entrees. Past District Governor and Portland Rotary President-Elect Dick Hall opened the meeting while President Bruce is away. New member Doug Packard led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Gervin Kah and Bill Blount led us in singing of "America The Beautiful." Tom Talbott provided a wintry invocation with two verses of "The Maine Christmas Song", written by local songwriter, Con Fullam.
Amy Chipman gave bar code labeled “Clynk” recycle bags to Rotarians to help us keep the environment free of throw-away returnable bottles and cans. Filling the bags and leaving them with recycle centers will contribute revenue from the returnables to the club.
Bowen Depke drew the chance to win the $280 raffle but he did not pick the Queen of Hearts. Bill Blount reported on the status of the Rotary Tennis League team standings.
Five New Portland Rotarians - Transfers and Returnees Unite!
Laura Young led the introduction for a wonderful group of five new Portland Rotarians. (1) David Patterson is transferring from the Rotary in Kent, Ohio, among his special interests are volunteering with Rotary and Special Olympics; (2) returning member Michael Taylor is a plant controller with Tyson Foods and has experience volunteering with food banks; (3) Doug Packard is a returning Rotarian introduced by Dick Hall, and his many experiences are in writing, and in information technology, he is involved in leadership coaching; (4) Dan Fahey is a new Rotarian introduced by Jake Bourdeau; and (5) Bishop Jean Faustin Gagira is a Rotarian from Rwanda, the charter president of the Rotary Club of Bugoyi Ibirunga, and he is a Paul Harris Fellow.
Bowen Depke on the left, and Laura Young on the right, bookend our new slate of Portland Rotarians: Mike Taylor, Doug Packard, Dan Fahey, Bishop Jean Faustin Gapira, and Dave Patterson. Welcome all to Portland Rotary!
NEW SILKS
Bishop Jean Faustin Gagira honored us with a Rotary flag from his former club, proudly presenting it to Laura Young and Bowen Depke.We love it!
Thank you Jean, we'll have to get this sewn on to our flag banners. If you have never taken a close look at the banners, you'll see how many different club members have vistied our club over the years.
It's very impressive!
FAMILY AFFAIR
Portland Rotary Foundation Chair Patty Byers introduced Justin Lamontagne who received his third Paul Harris Fellow award. After the presentation, in a loving tribute to his wife, Marycelina, Justin asked her to join him at the podium and he presented her with his Paul Harris Fellow pin. Justin will have his third PHF and Marycelina will have one as well. “The Foundation is the result of everyone’s dedication”, said Justin. A Rotary standing ovation congratulated Justin and Marycelina!
NOMINATING COMMITTEE NODS
Ellen Niewoehner introduced the nominating committee and thanked them for their dedication to recommend leadership for the club’s officers and open Board seats. The ByLaws require for the slate of nominees to be presented to the membership on the second Friday of December. Serving on the nominating committee were Roxane Cole, Laura Young, Erik Grevin, Larry Gross, Peter Goffin, Jack Schraeter, Paul Tully and Dick Hall and Parry Byers. Nominations for 2023-24 are: Dick Hall /President, Patty Byers /1st Vice President, Tom Nickerson /Secretary, Dick Hall/ Treasure, assisted by David Small. Four directors for terms running 2-23-2-25: Quinn Slayton, Emily Crowley, Maggie McCauley and Dave Ertz. Alan Nye, Club Protection Officer, Jake Bourdeau / Sergeant-at-Arms. A call for nominations from the membership did not offer any additional names. A vote to approve the nominations for 2023-2024 will be requested from the membership at the meeting scheduled for December 16, 2022.
SOCIAL MEDIA MAVEN
Emily Crowley thanked the Rotarians who have contributed to the club’s social media. She is developing a year end album with the pictures contributed to the social networking page, to the Windjammer and the District 7780 newsletter. Thanks to members who carried cameras to meetings and community programs. They kept the Rotary Club’s social media pictures current, especially during the COVID isolation and following the loss of our friend Loretta Rowe, who followed all of the club’s activities. Keep the pictures coming! Rotarians are asked to interact with the social media links because engaging in the “likes” will promote the page.
Brian Nickerson and Dave Putnam introduced the program speakers.
Imagine a world without polio.
With your help we can eliminate this devastating disease! Please join us.
Club Executives President Bruce Jones President Elect Dick Hall Vice President Patty Byers Treasurer Dick Hall Secretary Bill Blount Board of Directors Ellen Niewoehner,
Bob Clark, John Thompson, Ben Millick,
Quinn Slayton Sergeant-At-Arms Jake Bourdeau
The Windjammer is published online by
The Rotary Club of Portland, Maine.
Contributing Editors Bill Blount, Jake Bourdeau, Dick Hall,
Erik Jorgensen, Julie L’Heureux, Ben Lowry,
Tom Nickerson, Tom Talbott, Laura Young
Program Chair:Dave Putnam Managing Editor Tom Talbott
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