We started the meeting with a toast to our sister club in Bideford England. The Bideford club is now coming up on their 100th anniversary. Euan and Jill Eddie from Bideford joined us by Zoom. Euan is Scottish, so there was much discussion of who is more Scottish: Euan, or Bill Paterson. Spoiler alert: it's Bill Paterson.
On the volunteering front, this coming Saturday morning we will be looking for help picking up the wreaths for recycling. That's 9-11AM on Saturday the 15th at St Joseph's. Join for part or all of the time if you can and dress warm.
We were pleased to induct Phil Mateja into the Club this week. Welcome Phil!!! We know you will do great things.
If you haven't gotten your receipts for Adopt A Family into treasurer Susan, please do so ASAP.
Please save the date for a Rotaract dinner at UNE on Sunday February 6 at six pm. I know you've always wanted to try the UNE dining hall... and this is a great chance to get all three local clubs together with this great group of students.
50/50 was won by visiting Rotarian Joyce Valenti from Windham NY (in the Catskills), who donated it back to the Club. Thank you, Joyce!
Happy Dollars:
$2: Bill Paterson, because he got a $61 flight to Tampa / St. Pete
$2: Melissa: new granddaughter Lydia Margaret
$2: Justine: happy her twins came to visit; happy they went home 😀
$1: Conrad: happy 2022
$1: Brian D: happy 2021
10 pounds: Jill Eddie, happy new year!
Our own Dan Reed filled in capably as a last-minute speaker and detailed his new role at SCORE. SCORE provides business advising services by pairing experienced volunteer executive mentors with businesses of any type and size, and Dan is the new marketing manager. It was a very good presentation and led to several possible collaborations with Club members. Learn more about Dan's work, including free webinars for small business, here.
Happy New Year! I'm excited for 2022, and it gives me a chance to provide some updates on goings-on at our Biddeford Saco Rotary Club:
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.
Internationally, we have two projects underway:
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.
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
Grape Jelly
Instant hot oatmeal
Stews, Soups, Chowders
Pancake mix & Syrup
Canned Fruit & Pastas
Pet Foods
Personal hygiene products
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.
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
Storage shed for non-perishables
Box truck that’s on the road more than in the shop
Client data computerized
Paint the exterior
In 2023 Purchase solar panels already installed (we have already raised the money through grants and memorial donations)
Pantry Food Sources:
We get food from many sources.
< >Good Shepherd Food Bank sells us food – roughly 6 pounds of food for each dollar.Hannaford and Shaws donate perishables that are nearing their Use-by Date.TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program from the federal government) gives us significant amounts of food every other month. We average 20,000 – 30,000 pounds of food yearly in donations through food drives (our own, those sponsored by other groups and individual donations).We pay a small annual fee to Wayside (Portland) and pick up food monthly.For items we cannot get from the above sources, we purchase in Hannaford or Shaws (occasionally Market Basket). A board member studies items on sale. Since the pandemic struck, it has not been possible to buy in bulk the way we once did.Other expenses include transportation, energy bills, maintenance, insurance, and cleaning. On average, 70% of our monthly expenditures go to food.
Open Hands, Open Heart:
Open Hands Open Heart is an outreach program located adjacent to the Saco Food Pantry. The organization was founded by Elaine Fournier in 2008. Its mission is to provide clothing for needy children in York County.
Location: 67 Ocean Park Road, Saco, ME (next door to the pantry)
Hours: Tues., Wed. and Thurs. 9:30 – 11:30 am & last Tues. of the month 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Phone: 207-286-9939(during business hours only)
Mail: PO Box 246, Saco ME 04072
Web: http://www.openheartsaco.org
Volunteers Needed
We are always seeking new volunteers to help from 1 or more days a week. Almost all work is done in the mornings. There are 4 main types of jobs - food pickup and storage, perishables processed, shelves restocked, and clients helped. If you are interested, contact Lynn (207) 494-8662 lsteed203@gmail.com and/or Sheldon snight52@gmail.com.
Ways to donate:
Please specify where donation is to be applied (Saco Food Pantry, or Open Hands, Open Heart)
< >By check – mail to Saco Food Pantry, PO Box 246, Saco, ME 04072Website – www.sacofoodpantry.org (can donate by credit card)Amazon – go to smile.amazon.com and select Saco Food Pantry for your charity. Amazon donates a portion of their profits directly to the pantrywww.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/1283706There is a secure donation slot outside of the pantry.
John Reynolds:
My wife and I retired from teaching in independent schools in New York City in 2009 and moved full-time to our home in Biddeford. I taught math and computers to middle school students. We wanted to do volunteering here in Maine and took our therapy dogs to visit folks in local nursing homes.We also volunteered at the Animal Welfare Society in West Kennebunk. A dear friend got us involved in the Saco Food Pantry, and I was asked to become a board member around 2015, becoming Corresponding Secretary in 2017. When Covid came along, we had to stop going to nursing homes and AWS, but happily continued with the pantry. We are also part of the Gems (Geriatric Education Mentor) program at UNE, mentoring medical students. We also play with the Village Ringers, a local bell choir.
The Biddeford Saco Rotary Club now accepts Venmo! You can pay your dues, the golf fundraiser, fines & happy dollars, foundation giving or anything else you’d like to pay directly to our bank account.
If you don’t have Venmo, please download the app and set up an account. It’s very easy. And it’s especially helpful that you can pay with your phone while we don’t meet in person.
Please send payments to @Treasurer-BSRC and put a note with your name (if it’s not identifiable) and what you’re sending money for. I can also try to answer questions if you respond to this email.
CLYNK bags are available at Whimsical Me on Main Street Saco. Stop into Heather’s store to pick-up several bags. Drop your bags off at the CLYNK DEPOSITORY In the Hannaford Shopping Center. Scan the bag tag on the outside of the door and place the bag inside Help us support Roland Gagne’s school in Kenya. A few cans and bottles goes a long way to improve the lives of these children. Let’s fulfill our commitment. .
Thank you
Roland
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
$3,139.65
Containers CLYNKed
55,816
Saved enough energy to light 77.8 lightbulbs—24 hours a day—for a year.
Saved the emissions equivalent of driving a car 14,726 miles.
Diverted enough containers to fill 567.4 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.
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