What an amazing turnout on Saturday for the Raised Bed Garden build at Rotary Park! We had a total of more than 30 volunteers, including spouses, friends, and community members. Be sure to check out our Facebook page for pictures. Plus, we received this very nice note from Holly Culloton, director of Biddeford Community Gardens:
Many thanks to all who came out to help with our box building project Saturday!! It was incredible to see so many folks from Rotary Club -- thank you Ken Farley for organizing this! And thanks to all our BCG staff and all of the other volunteers!
From the moment folks arrived, it was amazing to watch everyone get in the groove of sawing, drilling, and assembling, and getting the boxes onsite.
One of the things that drew me to Biddeford twenty years ago, was the sense of community I felt and continue to experience through the years. Yesterday was a great example of our community coming together for a good cause. More growing space for Rotary Park Community Garden, means more fresh, healthy food for our neighbors!
Our Club created Rotary Park in 1973, so never underestimate what we can do -- what a great morning of volunteering.
We had a fun meeting last week, although turnout was a little light, and interesting speakers from the 9,300 acre Rachel Carson preserve, which makes up much of our Maine coast from Wells to Scarborough. Our presenters, USAF Veteran Tom Wall, and biologist Rachel Stern from the US Fish & Wildlife Service were interesting. One takeaway is that this is a large preserve with lots of programming for the community, including for children, and they encourage to visit and get involved -- it's a hidden gem (notwithstanding the fact that there is a picture of the preserve on the wall at Dizzy Birds -- $5 from Marty for anyone who can point it out!). We do not want a Silent Spring, except maybe from PP Joe!
This week, let's make sure to all turn out for Jen Fullmer & Team Hakim's presentation. Last fall, Jen presented on their dramatic exodus from Kabul, Afghanistan. Now this family of eleven is settled here in Biddeford. You won't want to miss this story; along with our usual good food and fellowship.
Today, we are sending $595 from Clynk proceeds to a young student, Onyango, in Kisumu, Kenya. This is an incredible amount of help for her, and will pay part of her high school tuition. C'mon now, I know we all drink four cans of seltzer water a day... please use our Rotary Clynk bags! I will have some bags & stickers at Dizzy Birds this week.
Happy Dollars:
Sergeant at Arms Jim led a very interesting challenge, for each member to give the next line of the Star Spangled Banner, as we went around the room. If I asked you right now, could you give the first line of the second verse? I didn't think so. That'll be a dollar!!
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!
As we plan the final stages of a great service project we are still in need of volunteers. Many hands make light work and I'm asking all of you to commit to helping at least one day and hopefully more.
We need volunteers for the following:
Saturday, May 7th from 9 am to noon: Looking for a couple more volunteers to help assemble metal and wood raised garden beds for Biddeford Community Gardens at Rotary Park in Biddeford.
Saturday, May 14th from 9 am to noon: We need 5 more volunteers to install raised garden beds for our Family Garden project. The plan is to have two teams of four deliver four raised garden beds each. Additional details will be emailed the week of the event. We will need the following tools for each team; wheel barrow, 2-3 shovels, a steel rake and a cordless screw gun.
Saturday, May 21st from 9 am to noon: We need 6 more volunteers to install raised garden beds for our Family Garden project. The plan is to have two teams of four deliver four raised garden beds each. Additional details will be emailed the week of the event. We will need the following tools for each team; wheel barrow, 2-3 shovels, a steel rake and a cordless screw gun.
Please let me know which day(s) you can help. Thanks a lot.
For longer than I can remember I have been sending out this annual solicitation for award nominees, and I have to say this may be my last, but I digress. Again it is time for the Awards Committee (whoever that may be) to get together to select worthy recipients for the Club’s public sector, private sector, humanitarian and vocational awards. Included herewith is a description of each award and a list of past recipients of each award. What the committee needs from you are suggested award recipients in each category. Please note, that in almost every instance, the awards are given to people suggested to the committee by members of our Club.
While award recipients are frequently members of our Club, they do not have to be members. In fact, most of the time the recipients are not members of the Club. I would also point out that even if you do not have an idea for an award recipient for one particular category, please give us as many suggestions as you can for the other categories. We would appreciate it if you would get back to us as soon as possible with your suggestions. Awards day is scheduled for June 8, 2022 this year (a tad bit earlier than usual). The committee does need to meet to ultimately decide on the award recipients and then the awards need to be ordered and engraved so please get your suggestions back to us by May 4.
If you have any questions regarding any of the award categories, please contact me (Bill S. Kany at 602-7381 or email me at bkany@sbsavings.bank) or the other members of the committee, Joe Moreshead, and Brian Dalliare (neither of whom actually knows they are on the committee and note there may be others but I don’t know who they are). If we do not have any suggestions from you the committee is left to its own devices which is never good. The alternative is to not give out one or more awards if we do not have candidates, but that is silly because there are so many worthy candidates out there.
Thanks, Bill
Here are the award descriptions. I have also attached a list of the past recipients of each award.
The Private Sector Award is awarded to a citizen whose good works have been performed independently of their employment in the private sector. Recipients work for the public good, while being privately employed or not employed by a government or community entity. 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.
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.
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.
The Vocational Service Award is awarded to a citizen, private or public, who has done exceptional work to promote vocational education and vocational programs.
PUBLIC SECTOR, PRIVATE SECTOR, HUMANITARIAN, AND VOCATIONAL SERVICES AWARD NOMINATIONS
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
$3,219.35
Containers CLYNKed
57,186
Saved enough energy to light 79.9 lightbulbs—24 hours a day—for a year.
Saved the emissions equivalent of driving a car 15,124 miles.
Diverted enough containers to fill 581.5 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.
