Brenda Pollock

Thank you for being a Rotarian!
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About the Vet to Vet Maine Program
Friendships That Can Last a Lifetime
Vet to Vet Maine is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization dedicated to serving veterans in the state of Maine. Formed in June 2018, Vet to Vet Maine offers support, companionship, a friend who understands, and a link to services to lonely and socially isolated veterans.
Vet to Vet Maine matches veteran volunteers with other veterans who need a friend and/or mentor. The two veterans visit on a regular basis (at least twice a month), sharing stories, enjoying activities together, and developing a friendship that can last a lifetime. Trained volunteers also guide their veteran friends in applying for needed services and benefits.
For soldiers just returning from the battlefield, they provide a mentor who can help lead the way back to civilian life, a fellow soldier who has been there and understands, a friend who listens and offers a helping hand.
For the older veteran dealing with illness, aging, the loss of a spouse, or other challenges, Vet to Vet Maine’s volunteers provide companionship, a link to the greater community, assistance in obtaining well-deserved benefits and services, and a friend who shares stories.
Your Support Can Make a World of Difference
With your help, we can fulfill the values of a just society by supporting our veterans and helping ease the social isolation that too many of them face.
It costs approximately $1,000 to support one volunteer/veteran match for a year.
Your donation of any amount can make a world of difference to a veteran in need of a friend.
Veterans have pledged their lives to protect us and our loved ones. Now it’s our turn to pledge our support for them.
Listen to our video to learn more about how Vet to Vet Maine volunteers make a difference in the lives of the veterans they visit. Click HERE for video.
- $1100 from Company B to cover rent for a Navy veteran whose VA disability case is on hold (referred from Sanford Vet Center)
- $500 to the Biddeford High School Odyssey of the Mind team to travel to their national competition
- $400 to Rotary Youth Leadership Academy to sponsor a camper from Biddeford
- $500 to the ArtBus program, which is a student arts program
- $1100 to cover the cost for free breakfast and lunch for a low-income/food insecure student that attends Thornton Academy
- $500 to My Breast Cancer Support for support services for a breast cancer patient
- Mike Burman -- traveling to conference in Italy
- CJ got over Covid
- Brian got second booster
- Joe -- thank you to City of Biddeford employees for being so helpful
- Bill Paterson -- $5 -- daughter Clara is 28
- Phil -- $5 -- happy to be here
- Conrad -- $5 -- daughter is 38
- Sergeant-at-Arms Jim LaBelle is happy that the grand opening of Sublime Taco and Dunn Bar was such a success
- Carl Goodwin was fined $1 for his phone ringing (but we always love to see you Carl)
- Mark Nahorney is happy at the success of the current production at City Theatre: On Golden Pond. There is one more weekend for this great show, get your tickets.
- Carl notes that his brother Earl is wheelchair bound and his health is declining severely.
- Conrad is going on a nice trip this weekend
- Cheri $2, daughter graduated from college in 3 years
- Brenda $5 attended district conference on our Club's behalf and brought back the Club's Foundation Banners for achieving 100% participation, Every member every year, and $100/member contribution for year 2020-2021!
Thursday May 26 at 9AM, place Memorial Day flags on veterans graves at St. Joseph's Cemetery, West Street, Biddeford. Due to construction in the cemetery, park on Marion or Bernard Street and walk in. Rain or shine.
June 1: no meeting (holiday week)
Saturday June 4: Syrup Distribution at Pension Professionals, 9AM, 180 Pool St, Biddeford (when picking up, you can also help label syrup you sold to others to be shipped)
June 8: Past Presidents. Not to be missed. All past presidents of the Club and their spouses invited. Usually our biggest crowd of the year. Note: we don't have working emails for all Past Presidents so please be in touch with any you are in contact with and encourage them to attend.
June 15: Awards Day. We will be presenting all of our Club awards, and we have some exciting and very deserving awardees selected.
June 22: just us, no speaker. Fun, fellowship. Trivia contest.
June 29: presidential handoff. Welcome, Brenda!
Note that we do not have a meeting on June 1 (because of the holiday week). Past Presidents, a meeting not to be missed, is June 8, and Awards is June 15 (the committee met this week and has chosen some very deserving awardees).
All meetings are at Dizzy Birds, 65 Main Street, Biddeford, at 12:15. Thank you for putting your profession to work for the good of the community!

BIDDEFORD — For many, Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer, and a day off from work or school celebrated with family get-togethers and other festivities. Local students learned this week that the day has a deeper meaning.
Memorial Day, a federal holiday observed the fourth Monday of May, was established originally to honor those who died in the Civil War and later became a day to honor all American veterans who sacrificed their lives for our country.
For about 30 years, Vietnam veteran Raoul Goulet has helped organize an annual event to put flags on veterans’ graves at St. Joseph’s cemetery. On Thursday morning, Biddeford-Saco Rotary Club members joined fourth graders from Biddeford Intermediate School and fifth graders from Biddeford Middle School in this year’s effort.

“The Biddeford-Saco Rotary Club is honored to be part of this project, as we have been for many years. It reminds us all of the meaning of Memorial Day,” said Biddeford-Saco Rotary Club President Martin Grohman.
Goulet spoke to the students about his time serving as a combat photographer and discussed the importance of honoring veterans. Students were given flags after Goulet told them the proper way to place them, and they spread through the cemetery looking for veterans’ graves.
Fourth graders Jason Mbele and Mousa Al-Ghezi eagerly scouted out veterans’ graves, flags in hand. As they placed the flags, they paused for a moment to read the graves and learn who they were honoring.
“They are so excited. We did a nice presentation yesterday, so they understand why we’re here and what to do,” said teacher Lori Flynn.
On Memorial Day, a group will gather at St. Joseph’s Cemetery at the central flagpole at noon to raise the US Flag to full staff, with each grave of a veteran in the cemetery marked with a flag.
In all, 2,000 flags were provided by the City of Biddeford. The flags will be removed in late June and reused next year.
Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.
- May 18, just us, no speaker. Chef Tom's good food, fun, happy dollars, fellowship and project updates. Guests welcome
- Saturday May 21, Raised Bed delivery & setup, 9AM -- noon
- May 25, just us, no speaker. Chef Tom's good food, fun, happy dollars, fellowship and project updates. Guests welcome
- Thursday May 26 at 9AM, place Memorial Day flags on veterans graves at St. Joseph's Cemetery, West Street, Biddeford. Rain or shine
- June 1, no meeting (holiday week)
- June 5, Syrup Distribution at Pension Professionals, 9AM, 180 Pool St, Biddeford (when picking up, you can also help prepare the syrup you sold to others, to be shipped)
- June 8, Past Presidents. Not to be missed. All past presidents of the Club invited, usually our biggest crowd of the year.
- June 15, Awards Day. We will be presenting all of our Club awards, and we have some exciting and very deserving awardees selected.
- June 22, just us, no speaker. (Marty on vacation, looking for guest host. Got a fun idea? Let's do it!)
- June 29, presidential handoff. Welcome, Brenda!

- Julie gave $10 for her 55th birthday -- happy birthday, Julie! Thanks for all you do for our Club, as secretary. Literally every day we have you doing something, including complex wire transfers to Ukraine, board meeting minutes, and many more items.
- Don Pilon piled on with $1 to thank Julie and Saco Biddeford Savings Institution for their generosity.
- Conrad is happy and sad to say, that his Aunt, who is 98, has been admitted to hospice.
- Bill Paterson gave $5, that his youngest daughter is graduating from UMaine. Congratulations!
- Dr. Brian was $5 happy to be back in person. Thank you for all your help, Brian!! Good to have you back from Florida.
- Phil Mateja (a retired athletic trainer, who has worked with many elite athletes) is $5 happy to be fine, 17 days after Covid
- Your happy dollar here! Join us this week... Chef Tom is cooking up good stuff, and the outdoor awning will be up!

Time: Mar 24, 2022 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Member Leaderboard
Team Leaderboard




- We have a new member proposed, Phillip Mateja. He is sponsored by Heather Gendron. Phil is a Realtor and has volunteered with the National Athletic Trainers Association and the Knights of Columbus. He has been to a few meetings and was approved for membership by the board at our December meeting. However, I did not do a good job of "posting" or announcing his prospective membership at our last two meetings (our process for new members is attend a meeting as a guest, be placed on the agenda for board approval, followed by announcing or "posting" the proposed new member at two consecutive club meetings, then induction at a meeting). So, if you have concerns about adding Phil to our club, please contact me ASAP, otherwise he will be inducted at our meeting this Wednesday January 5 at Ricetta's at 12:15.
- Speaking of new members, it has really been great to see you stepping up and getting so involved with our programs, and bringing new energy to our group. Volunteering and getting involved is the best way to get to know the Club, and you have been doing that. Welcome!
- More volunteer opportunities: Wreaths Across America is seeking our help at St Joseph's Cemetery on Saturday January 15 at 9AM to pick up the wreaths we placed last month. Cold, unglamorous work -- our specialty :)
- Before too long it will be time for our Raised Bed Gardens to be built and delivered. Look for a note from Ken Farley about that in the next couple weeks. We hope to provide as many as fifteen or twenty "gardens ready to go" for area families in need this year. The work involves building, delivering, and filling the raised beds with dirt. Again with the unglamorous work.
- Someone who does a lot of unglamorous work for the Club but doesn't always get much mention is Brian Dallaire. Thank you Brian for setting up all the Zooms, the meeting invites, and the website.
- Please do register for our weekly lunch if you get the chance. It helps us plan. But then we always have extra food, so don't hesitate to just show up if your plans change -- we love to see you.
- Omicron is a wild card. We do have masks available at the restaurant, will make them more prominent, and Zoom is always an option which seems to be working fairly well. We'll be discussing this at the Board meeting Wednesday morning, so please bring your ideas and concerns to your favorite board member (listed on the left column of the website).
- Our signature holiday program Adopt-A-Family was a great success. We helped a record number of families, a total of 97 children. So rewarding. Thank you for participating, and thanks again to Karen Chasse and Heather Gendron for coordinating. All this was made possible by our Raffle, which was a huge success, and provided us the budget to give the most we've ever given this year.
- Speaking of thanks, here's to our nominating committee for developing a strong slate of officers for 2022 (starting in July). As we head into our 102nd year of Service Above Self, we'll be in good hands.
- Sometimes I don't do enough to mention our international activities. Lots of communities around the world can use our help, and Roland Gagne does an amazing job keeping us involved.
- Monday, January 3rd (today!) at 9AM we’ll be holding a Zoom meeting with Rotarians in Uganda; a local Portland, ME environmental engineer; and two community members from Biddeford to discuss/review water project proposals received for a hydrogeological study for a community near the borders of Rwanda and DRC. Our club will be helping fund and support this project. Any Rotarians interested in joining the Zoom meeting, email Roland for the link: rotaryroland@gmail.com. And here’s a Google Earth link to the community in Rwanda where the proposed water project is being developed: Rwanda Water Project
- The Children’s Rescue Center in Kisumu, Kenya is in need of support for orphaned children being cared for at the center. We continue to engage with the center to understand the most pressing needs that we can support. Anyone interested in joining the discussion, email Roland at rotaryroland@gmail.com.
- Looking ahead, we have exciting programs in the works. For example, in March we'll be doing our Maple Syrup fundraiser. It was a big success last year thanks to Roland Gagne, and we have it in the works again this year, so don't buy any syrup between now and then... also, in late April, we are looking at a new event, together with the Rotary District 7780 Recovery Initiative, called a "Recovery Workforce Job Fair"... In May, We'll be back at St. Joseph's Cemetery, where together with students from Biddeford Schools, we place flags on veterans graves for Memorial Day... and in June we'll have our essay contest, which provides a chance for student authors to show their stuff. Lastly, coming up soon, we'll be looking for volunteers to help sort, organize and hang pictures and historical articles at the newly renovated lodge at West Brook Skating Rink. More with the unglamorous work.

News of the Saco Food Pantry |
About the Pantry: Location: 67 Ocean Park Road, Saco, ME Phone: 207-468-1305 (during business hours only) Mail: PO Box 246, Saco ME 04072 Email: meals@sacofoodpantry.org Like Us on Facebook Hours: Monday – Friday 9 – 10:30 am, Last Tuesday of the month 5 – 6:30 pm Board Members: President: John White Chairperson & Rec. Secretary: Toni Clark Treasurer: Ron Bolduc Corresponding Secretary: John Reynolds Members: Gwen Adams, Grace Farr, Dustin Nadeau, Jodi-Marie McCarthy, Sharon McKenna Molleur, Katy Nicketakis, Sheldon Nightingale, and Shelice Wilson Requirements for Clients: While the pandemic is upon us, we have dropped the requirement that clients be Saco residents (we now have approximately 30% from other towns). We estimate that we give 18 meals to each family member. Working with Age Friendly Saco, delivery is possible for folks who cannot get to the pantry. Foods We Need Most
| Feeding people: 2020-21 Fiscal Year: 2,116 families, 5,579 people, (1,580 children and 784 seniors) 100,422 meals. Our numbers have gone down since the pandemic, so, we are giving out more food. In addition, we are working with Age Friendly Saco to deliver to folks who cannot get to the pantry. Surplus has also been shared with Youth Full Maine over the past several months as we worked alongside school meal distributions. Pantry Workers: Paid staff: 0 Volunteers: 50 approx. Covid - changes We require all volunteers and clients to follow CDC guidelines with masks and social distancing. Before the pandemic, clients came into the pantry and were taken around to select the food they needed. This cut down food waste. Now, clients select the food they need from a list, and volunteers bring the food selected to the client’s car. The list of non-perishables can be downloaded from our website. Goals 2022
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Our Club is in first place of 10 Rotary Clubs who participate in this program! But Saco Bay is gaining on us.
Rotary Club of Biddeford Saco
Total Raised
$3,235.65
Containers CLYNKed
57,416
Saved enough energy to light 80.2 lightbulbs—24 hours a day—for a year.
Saved the emissions equivalent of driving a car 15,188 miles.
Diverted enough containers to fill 584 lobster traps.
Fill up those green bags. If you need more bags and/or labels, just let Julie Villemaire know and she can hook you up…no charge!
Simple fill with returnables and drop off at any Hannaford.
Alternately, if you already have a CLYNK account of your own, you can designate you funds as a donation. Hit the Donate button and search for Rotary and you'll find our account.
Service Above Self
Biddeford, ME 04005
United States of America