President Don started the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance which was then followed up with the invocation by Joe Bassett. VP Brenda Pollock then led the group in the Rotarian 4 Way Test.
President-Elect Marty Grohman introduced visiting guests and Rotarians. Dennis Robillard stopped by from the Saco Bay Sunset Club. Past President,and FIRST woman President of our Club, Helene Plourde was in attendance today with her husband John McDonough, Tricia Heidelbaugh, Roland Rousselle, Buffy Rousselle, Tyler Rousselle, Aaron Rousselle, Ann Marie Martin Rousselle and Ryan Sommer.
The 50/50 drawing ($26) was won by Joe Moreshead who quickly donated his winning proceeds back to the club!
There was no Sergeant at Arms today as it was “Awards Day”. Have your wallets ready for next week! Also, if you’d like to bring a little extra cash with you, we typically “pass the hat” for a collection “tip” for the waitress who served us at the few on-site meetings. We normally do this around the holidays but seeing as we were “Zooming” then, this would be the next best time as we finish up this Rotarian year.
This is one of the easiest weeks to take the minutes for the TACK because Bill Kany happens to do all of the work! Thanks again Bill for sharing your awesome notes!!
From the Desk of Bill Kany:
Welcome to the Biddeford Saco Rotary Club’s annual awards meeting.
At the outset I want to thank all the Rotarians who took the time to suggest some incredibly worthy candidates for these awards. Your input to the committee was invaluable and all of this year’s winners came from your suggestions. Unfortunately, we cannot honor all of the people you suggested, but I can assure you they were all worthy of recognition.
I firmly believe that two of the most powerful and yet under-utilized words in the English language are “thank you”. In an effort to say thank you, each year since 1988 (except for last year) our Club has given out our Public, Private and Humanitarian awards and we have been giving out our Vocational Service Award since 2000. The awards have gone either to club members or to individuals or organizations outside the club whose acts of kindness, generosity and caring help to make our communities and the world a little better. I have had the privilege of chairing this committee for longer than I can remember, and I know that most of our past recipients have not been people looking for recognition, and in fact, most of them would prefer to keep doing what they do away from the spotlight. Our club, however, feels that our award recipients deserve a resounding thank you for their good works and it is our hope that by acknowledging the wonderful things these folks do we will inspire others to get involved and do great things.
PRIVATE SECTOR AWARD
The Private Sector Award is awarded to a citizen whose good works have been performed independently of their employment usually in the private sector. Recipients work for the public good, outside of his or her employment. An example of a past recipient would be a building contractor who works towards helping the hungry through setting up a self-supporting meal program.
In the past I have read off some of our most recent winners of this award but this year I thought I would go back to 1988 and list off some of the early winners. They included:
1988 Tobie Nathanson
1989 Robert Melville
1990 A. William Kany, Jr.
1991 Myra Van Fleet
1992 Conrad Crepeau
The singer, song writer and activist, Harry Chapin performed a song called “Mr. Tanner”. In that song he describes a dry cleaner who is a talented singer, saying of Mr. Tanner that “music was his life it was not his livelihood, it made him feel so happy, it made him feel so good. He sang from his heart, he sang from his soul, he did not know how well he sang, it just made him whole.” Fortunately for all of us, many people develop talents during their lifetimes that give their lives meaning. Some, like this year’s private ward sector winner, use their beloved talents to help others.
This year’s private sector award winner developed a talent for sewing and knitting at a young age and has used those talents to help others for a long time. She has helped make hundreds of quilts to provide comfort for kids at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital; she has knit hats to keep the less fortunate warm and she has collaborated with others to make dresses for young girls all over the globe for “Dress a Girl Around the World” which makes those girls safer and helps them to feel loved and better about themselves. She also works to garner support for those efforts when she is not sewing. Her commitment to her creative talents and using them to help others is truly an inspiration.
We are pleased to recognize those efforts by giving this year's Biddeford Saco Rotary Club Private Sector Award to Anne Marie Martin Rousselle.
PUBLIC SECTOR AWARD
The Public Sector Award is awarded to a citizen who, in the course of their employment or funding, serves the public with government and/or public monies. Recipients are usually employed by a government agency, hold a political office, or have their good works funded in the course of their employment. An example of a past recipient would be a state senator who has worked towards promoting the good of the community.
Past Winners Include:
1988 Joan Susi
1989 Clayton Cartmill
1990 Dennis Dutremble
1991 Robert G. Dodge
1992 Debra Choroszy
It is said that when life gives you lemons make lemonade. Over the last year life, in the form of COVID, has certainly given us a whole lot of lemons. Not only have thousands died from the pandemic, but it has had other impacts as well including incredible isolation, lost jobs and businesses, hunger and a sense of hopelessness. Some people have had the vision to not only see these problems but to come up with creative solutions designed to help as many people as possible.
This year's Public Sector Award winner is a person with that kind of creative vision to help fight local hunger and isolation while helping local restaurants that struggled so mightily during the pandemic. This person found local sponsors to pay restaurants to provide meals and then collaborated with volunteers and resource officers to distribute those meals to people in need of not only a meal but company as well. Those efforts addressed so many needs at the same time including providing residents and businesses in our communities with hope. This person took lemons and made a proverbial lemonade stand.
In the midst of a crisis such creativity has to be applauded and encouraged, and as a result I am happy to announce that Biddeford Saco Rotary Club's Public Sector Award is given to Amelia Meier, the Assistant Director of Saco’s Parks and Rec Department.
HUMANITARIAN AWARD
The Humanitarian Award is awarded to a citizen, private or public, who has done exceptional work to further the good of humanity in the community. Past Recipients include a nurse who set up a hospice program in the area.
Past Winners Include:
1988 Richard Nason
1989 Dr. Andre Fortier
1992 Agnes Flaherty
1994 Dr. Francis J. Kleeman
1995 Donald W. Charland
Recently the Marathon Bomber, Tsarnaev was back in the news and I again saw the film footage of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. The thing that struck me was when the bombs went off the instinct of most people was to run from danger, but for the first responders in the area their instinct was to run to the danger to see if they could help. That image has always stayed with me. This year’s Humanitarian Award winner is someone who is always willing to go where he is needed and he is always willing to work to get things done. It seems instinctual to him as well. I have known a lot of doers in my day, but this person not only says he is going to do things but he gets them done every time. Furthermore, when it became clear that COVID was here to stay for an extended period of time, he stood up and directed our efforts to support our communities in such a time of need.
He provides all of this help with an incredible sense of humility and family and with a sincerity that is unsurpassed. For his willingness to put his family, his communities and those in need ahead of all else, this year’s Biddeford Saco Rotary Club Humanitarian Award goes to Conrad Welzel.
VOCATIONAL SERVICE AWARD
The Vocational Service Award is awarded to a citizen, private or public, who has done exceptional work to promote vocational education and vocational programs.
Past Winners Include:
2000 Carl Goodwin
2001 A. William Kany, Jr.
2002 Ron Gagnon
2003 Steven Foran
2004 Frank Paul
Lao Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher, said that “A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.” This year’s recipient of our Vocational Service Award is such a quiet leader who quite frankly has had an incredible career as an educator that many of us probably don’t know about.
Jeremy Ray said that this leader “has been a respected educator and leader in the Biddeford’s School District for over 27 years. Starting as a School Social Worker at John F. Kennedy School, she worked with children from kindergarten through high school. Anyone who knows her will tell you she has a big heart, and her compassion and ability to see behind the behavior are key elements in her success as a leader and colleague today.”
While, by now, most of you know who I am talking about, it is hard to believe this person has been the Director of the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology for 8 years. During that time: “She not only fixed a broken culture shepherding a team of leaders to move BRCOT towards standards-based assessments and expanded programs but she also established unprecedented collaborative relationships among other school districts, community stakeholders, state agencies and legislators, and more.” Those added programs include upgrading the precision machining program, an Emergency Medical Technician Program, plumbing and heating, new engineering programs and the creation of Career Pathways and Student Services positions to support student success.
At a time when technical education and a renewed commitment to our students have become so important this person has shined in providing the leadership and vision to move the COT into the 21st Century.
This year’s Vocational Service Award goes to the Director of the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology and the newest member of Maine’s State Board of Education, Paulette Bonneau.
GOODWIN OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD
Back in 2007 our Club decided to honor all of the dedication and contributions of Carl and Earl Goodwin by creating an award in their honor. In my opinion it is truly the highest honor our club can give to one of its past or present members. I should note that the committee’s nominee is not here, but I have decided to go ahead with the award anyway.
Based on the significance of the award I will read the names of Past Winners
2007 Carl and Earl Goodwin
2008 Richard Buffum
2009 David Lowe
2010 Robert Begin
2011 Roland M. Eon
2012 Roland P. Gagne
2013 Helene Plourde
2014 Julie Villemaire
2015 Jim McAllister
2016 Paul H. Deschambault
2017 Karen Chasse
2018 Jim Godbout
2019 PDG Ronald Drouin
If you think of the Goodwin brothers you know that they always stepped up when the Club needed them to do so. This year’s recipient is no different having done what was needed time and time again. A true veteran of the club, this person has been a regular Board member, was a huge part of our TV auction on air and behind the scenes, but most importantly when we needed a President with essentially no time to prepare, this person stepped up big time and took on the job. This club member has provided a voice of reason to the club while always making us smile. His commitment to Rotary cannot be questioned, after all it’s all for the children.
This year’s Goodwin Outstanding Service Award winner is Joe Moreshead who had no idea about this even though he is on the Awards Committee.
Congratulations to all of this year’s award recipients!!
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