This is it, the last week to get your auction items in. The hard deadline is February 26, 2016 so please, please double you efforts and get your items in by Friday. I am sure that the people who will then deal with the processing of the inventory will appreciate it.
At the beginning of my year we solicited proposals for community projects. After considering the couple we received we decided to help out the Community Bicycle Center with its trails in the back of its Granite Street property which should be a fun hands-on event. We are targeting the date of May 21 to do the project so please mark your calendar now. Andy has promised that gas power tools will be required which should be the only draw we need.
Can Steve Morin throw a party or what? For any of you who went to the Wine Tasting party on Saturday at the Pepperell Mill Campus, you attended a great event. For those of you who could not make it, you missed a great party. While we do not have exact numbers, about 300 people were there. The beer and wine flowed. Thanks to Fausto and Julie we sold out of 50/50 raffle tickets and gave away $500.00 to Ryan Dineen. The food from Fausto and Blue Elephant Catering was fantastic. The facility was big and bright and the feedback I heard was all positive. The silent auction items sold for good money.
A huge thanks to Steve, Ken Farley, Jim Godbout, Joe Moreshead and Karen Chasse for putting on such a successful event. Steve informs me that at least 22 Rotarians worked the event not counting spouses. About 70 tickets were sold on Eventbrite which really helped. I asked Steve how many tickets were sold overall and he had no idea. I can tell you it was a lot. If you still have ticket money to bring in please get it to Steve. It was clear that some Rotarians like Steve and Keith Jacques invited a large number of people which made the event even more fun. Of course the fun was also encouraged by the 129 bottles of wine that were consumed along with 8.5 cases of beer.
I also wanted to recognize our sponsors, Biddeford Savings Bank, Party Plus, Neils Motors, Clark Insurance and York County Federal Credit Union. In addition, I wanted to thank the silent auction item donors, Andy Grief, Jeremy Ray, Steve and Michelle Morin, Bill and Holly Kany, Fern Lizotte, Jim Godbout and Garry Ribaudo. I can only guess that when the final tally comes in we will have raised some good money to help support our scholarship giving.
I also wanted to thank those who came early to set up or stayed late to tear down. I was not there for the set up, but I was there for the tear down and it was an impressive feat. Everything was taken down, put away and cleaned up in no time in an effective team effort that was indicative of what our club and Rotary is all about.
In the end it was clear that people had a good time which certainly bodes well for continuing the event for years to come. Please take a minute and thank Past President Steve for a job well done.
President Bill Kany led us in the Pledge of Allegiance followed by the 4-way test led by Frank Dumais (who has had perfect attendance during his LOA) and the invocation led by Joe Moreshead. President-Elect Lucie noted there were no visiting guests after Bill forgot the normal process of announcements.
The 50/50 was won by Denis Elie who donated 100% of it to the Red Ribbon Committee Fund.
Thank You! – Bill thanked the following people this week (after yelling us to control our rowdy behavior)
Everyone who has sold wine tasting tickets.
Everyone who has already turned in their auction items.
Susan Gajewski for getting us curtains for the auction.
New Inductions:
Justyna Cybowicz, sponsored by Bernice Wood
Don Pilon, co-sponsored by Mark Nahorney and Ken Farley
Wine Tasting – We are in the final stretch! The 10th Annual Wine Tasting is this Saturday, January 30 (unless it snows, then it is February 6) from 6:30-8:30pm at the Community Room of Pepperell Mill. You enter to the door next to Portland Pie. Set-up will be 10-10:30. Parking is down in the lot where the Beer Fest was or on the street. Please come in the front door as the back doors will be locked during the event so no sneaking in. Volunteers will be needed at both entrances to check ID’s. There will be an ongoing list at the door but it is your responsibility to get Steve the money the following week. Clean-up help is still needed. Tables and chairs need to be broken out. Thanks to everyone who gave silent auction items.
Auction – The kick-off occurred last week and now it is time to get your items in!! You have one month left (February 27th is the DEADLINE). If you have not received your packet or need more slips, see Jackson.
Red Ribbon Committee– Our next meeting is February 11th and the curriculum meeting with the school is on February 2nd. Agendas to follow.
Rotary House – We continue to work on the Rotary House. We will do some more work this Saturday, January 30th from 9am-12pm if you can come. Students and Wayne Hapgood from BRCOT will also be there. We will be taking some photos/video clips for a new video to use at this year’s Auction so the more the merrier! All help at all levels is welcome.
Budget Meeting: There will be a discussion (all are invited) tomorrow (1/28) at 3pm at SBSI to discuss our spending on scholarships and other items.
BAH – Mark your calendar for the next Business After Hours hosted by our club. It will be on June 16, 5-7pm at Run of the Mill. Bring potential new members.
Speaker – Heather DiYenno, LCSW, from Southern Maine Health Care’s Palliative Care Program, came to speak to us about the importance of advanced directives and ensuring your wishes are met before you can no longer express them. Palliative Care is care for those with life-limiting diseases ensuring their life is the best they can be via symptom management, psycho-social needs, advanced care planning, etc. However, Advanced Directives (AD) are an important document for everyone to have. You never know when an accident could occur!
Start the conversation! Talk about end-of-life wishes and document them. Communicate about future health care choices and reflect on them, discuss with loved ones and healthcare providers and make a plan. Keep in mind that a crisis is not the time to make difficult decisions.
Did you know? 60% of people don’t want their family burdened with these decisions but only 56% of people actually talk about it and make plans. It’s important to choose a healthcare proxy. We all envision a “good death” but there is often a gap of what we think and what we receive. Without an AD, you will receive aggressive care; whereas, many people would prefer to die at home.
Process:
Choose a health care agent
Someone who knows your beliefs and values and would carry out your wishes despite their own personal views.
Someone who can make decisions in stressful conditions.
If you don’t have an agent, your wishes may not be followed.
Have a conversation
If others won’t talk about it, bring it up around discussion of what’s in the news or start off by talking about the quality of life things.How would you want to live?“If it were me, I would not want…” to gage their responses.
Explore personal beliefs and values
What matters most to you – family, religion, pets, independence, etc.
Define end-of-life wishes
Life-sustaining treatment choices
Artificial nutrition
Relief from pain
Organ donation
Funeral and burial arrangements
Do not resuscitate (DNR)
Document wishes
Complete an AD and inform others of your choices
A copy needs to go to your agent, doctors, family members and hospital of choice
Keep it handy to produce in an emergency (DNR on fridge) or police will do CPR
Please spread the word. SMHC is working with SMAA to help people complete them but we are currently only at a 3% completion rate. SMAA utilizes the program, “Respecting Choices”, which is phenomenal.
Andy noted for $10 you can purchase Road ID – a bracelet that can be scanned and brings you to a secure site with medical info you have uploaded, including your Advanced Directive.
Final thought: Don’t make (or in Bill’s case, let) your kids make those decisions! Have the conversation and complete an Advanced Directive before it’s too late to communicate your wishes. It’s not a good decision for you and it’s not fair to your loved ones to have to make those tough choices.
Details about the auction were reviewed by Jackson and Tony. April 3rd is this year’s auction from noon to 9PM at the Martin Community Center in Biddeford. Next meeting is next Tuesday the 26th at 8AM and SBSI in the community room on the first floor. Enter from rear parking area. Deadline to donate items is 2/26. Goal is 410 items.
If you have a company or individual that would like to donate a service of some type but doesn’t have the time or energy to make a gift certificate (if they don’t already have some), then Julie Villemaire can produce a gift certificate for them. The certificates have an embossed seal along with Julie’s signature on them so the business owner/individual will know they are originals and not copies. They can view the certificate ahead of time for their approval if they would feel more at ease.
Bid Numbers: Auction participants should call ahead to receive a Bid Number so they are all set for the day of the auction. We typically have over 500 people bidding. Bid Numbers help make the whole process much more efficient. The more numbers we can hand out ahead of time, the less phone calls Julie receives prior to the auction and the less phone calls the Pic N Pay area receives the actual day of the auction. If you had a Bid Number last year, you will be all set for this year. Julie will be sending a mass e-mail out to last year’s bidders to remind them of the upcoming auction as well as to give them their number for this year’s auction. If you did not have a Bid Number last year, please get in touch with Julie at villemaire@maine.rr.com so she can add you to the e-mail list when the time comes. Reminders will be sent out as we get closer to the event. Always remember to “Bid High, Bid Often!”
Inventory Slips: Please be sure to fill out the inventory slips as completely as possible! Attached is a sample slip for your reference. If you have any questions please don’t be afraid to ask. Out of 10 slips received so far, only 4 of them had complete information.
The below list of nominations were read. No nominations were heard from the floor. Paul Dechambault made a motion to accept the slate of nominations, Jeremy Ray seconded the motion and the club voted unanimous.
Peggy Bean needs more volunteers! Please remember it is up to the TACK coordinator to ensure that someone is taking the minutes each week during your assigned month. If you aren’t able to take the minutes yourself, please reach out to fellow members for volunteers. Please forward the minutes to Julie Villemaire and Brian Dallaire so they can get them posted for the rest of the members.
Invocation: Joe Bassett
PROGRAM IDEA???? PLEASE CONTACT Brian Dallaire, PROGRAM CHAIR or a member of the Program Committee. Remember it is the responsibility of every member to help get Programs for our meetings.
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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