Week in Review 7/21/2021

Rotary Meeting Notes
July 21, 2021

Meeting Location: Thornton Academy

 

President Marty welcomed club members, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, 4-Way Test by Melissa Cilley, and invocation by Paulette Bonneau.

Brenda Pollock introduced visitors – Dick Hall, our District Gov., his wife Andi, and Past District Gov. Peggy Belanger.

President Marty presented Past President Don with his Rotary Chair, honoring his service to our club.

 

Golf for Good – Don reported that the committee is currently fundraising for hole sponsors. The locations have been confirmed (Raptor Falls, Schooners, and Pirate’s Cove). We need volunteers to be at the locations on August 14 and 15. Marty encouraged folks to volunteer to help with the fundraiser. You can sign up at this Google Sheet.

Venue search – The club is currently looking for a new venue for weekly in-person meetings. If club members know of any such spaces, please let Marty know.

Next week’s meeting – The meeting next week will be via Zoom. Brenda shared that it will be a video featuring the essay contest finalist. The theme of the essay contest was “what family means to me”. Please tune in!

Community gardens – Joe shared that he has been working with Holly Culloton to provide support for a project to build raised beds in Rotary Park. He is looking for volunteers to help build the beds on August 3 and August 7 – more details to come via email.

 

 

Winner is Kathy Shea!

 

 

 

 

Jim LaBelle led the group in presenting their Happy Dollars. Some highlights were Karen, $5 for becoming a grandmother, and Jim Godbout a very generous $50 for having missed meetings. Don gave $1 for his new Rotary chair, Joe and Jim contributed for getting 10^th place in the Adventure Race and having a ton of fun doing it, James Audifred who appreciated an in-person meeting, PDG Peggy Belanger for the warm welcome from our Club, Melissa Cilley $2 for APEX kids getting involved with Rotary, and lastly, DG Dick Hall as a thank you for our raised bed project that the Covid committee developed. Jim then issued fines to Joe (for wearing fancy shoes), Mark (for overpromoting the very wonderful City Theater and all their amazing upcoming shows), Susan (for overpromoting Venmo as a way to pay Happy Dollars), Haley (for having the easiest commute to today’s meeting, across the hall), Dan Reed (for having cool hair) and Brian Dallaire (for being too nice).

 

 

Marty introduced new District Gov. Dick Hall.

 

 

 

Dick started off his presentation sharing a video by Playing For Change – Everyday People. He said that is what Rotary is…everyday people all around the world working to make the world a better place.

Dick shared that his focus this year will be on the club – service, meetings, fun, public image, foundation and Polio, and membership.

The theme for Rotary this year is Serve to Change Lives.

Dick encouraged club members to introduce someone new to Rotary. Current Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta has issued a challenge – Each one, Bring one. Worldwide Rotary membership is 1.2 million – the goal is 1.3 million by the end of Shekhar’s year.

Dick also reminded folks of the importance of Foundation participation. Some upcoming opportunities/activities to support: Pints for Polio in October and Interact’s Purple Pinky Project.

 

Please sign up to volunteer at Golf for Good!

Information to come on volunteering to help build the raised garden beds – stay tuned!

 

Next week’s meeting (the 28^th) is via Zoom, the following week (8/4) will be in person at the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology at Biddeford High School, featuring Dr. Don Hoenig on the crisis facing pollinators and how we can help. There will be a Zoom option for this meeting as well, and we’ll be testing some new equipment to make a better hybrid experience.