banner

Donald Pilon
(If you have any comments or questions, please contact the editor)

Welcome to our Club! Rotary District 7780 -- Club Number 6294 -- Est. 1920

Service Above Self

Wednesdays at 12:15 PM

Run of the Mill Public House & Brewery

100 Main St
Saco, ME 04072
United States of America

Jun 02, 2021

Past Presidents Luncheon

At Run of the Mill in-person

Jun 09, 2021

Mayor

City of Biddeford

Jun 16, 2021

Mayor

City of Saco

Jun 23, 2021

Bill Kany

ANNUAL ROTARY AWARDS

Jun 30, 2021

Presidential Handover

View entire list

Rotary Board Meeting June 2, 2021
ZOOM Video Conferencing
Jun 02, 2021 7:45 AM – 9:00 AM

First In Person Rotary Club Meeting June 2, 2021
Run of the Mill
Jun 02, 2021 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Rotary Club ZOOM Meeting June 2, 2021
ZOOM Video Conferencing
Jun 02, 2021 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Fireside Chat for New Members(Learn about Rotary)
Don's House
Jun 08, 2021 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Rotary Club Meeting June 9, 2021
ZOOM Video Conferencing
Jun 09, 2021 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

26th ANNUAL ROTARY ESSAY CONTEST
ZOOM Video Conferencing
Jun 09, 2021 6:00 PM

View entire list

Donald Pilon

member photo

Hello Everyone,

Congratulations on a successful Maple Syrup fundraiser!

33 Members made 141 sales for over $11,000.

Thank you for your continued support of our club and its mission.

We have had a number of new members join our club the past 5 years but it's been a long time since we have had a Fireside Chat to better explain to the new members what Rotary is about. It's not merely a Zoom meeting and a few fundraisers each year. I'd like Bill Kany, Roland, Sue and Julie to lead this committee because you have experience in the history of the club, international relations/projects, a financial background of the clubs development and the relationship between our club, the district and RI.

A number of members have said to me they really don't know the depth of Rotary International and the history of our club. How we fit in the big picture. That's our fault for not continuing the Fireside Chats each year. My first year in Rotary was the last year we had a Fireside Chat for new members. Bill was the president. We will be scheduling this in the near future.

President Don

President

Donald Pilon

President Elect

Martin Grohman

Vice President

Brenda Pollock

Treasurer

Susan Gajewski

Assistant Treasurer

Kathy Shea

Secretary

Julie Villemaire

Immediate Past President

Fausto Pifferrer

Director

Joe Moreshead

Director

Heather Gendron

Director

Haley Thompson

Director

Roland Gagne

Director

Conrad Welzel

Rotary Foundation Chair

Brian Dallaire

Club Protection Officer

Ray Demers

Webmaster

Brian Dallaire

Program Chair

Conrad Welzel

Member Birthdays

Pierre Giroux

May 3

Bill Kany

May 7

Join Date

Fausto Pifferrer

May 14, 2014

7 years

First In-Person Meeting 6/2/2021

Posted by Brian Dallaire on May 25, 2021

The annual Past-Presidents Luncheon will be held in-person at Run of the Mill on June 2 at 12:15PM. 22 Members have signed up to attend.

So plan to join us at Run of the Mill for lunch on the patio.

We will also have the meeting available via Zoom.

Hope to see you all there!

Week in Review 5/26/2021

Posted by Mark Nahorney on May 26, 2021

Don Pilon, Prescient presiding

Pledge - Don

Prayer - Joe Bassett

4 Way Test - Marty

Guests:

Jim Labelle introduced Jess Knowlton of Key Bank

Announcements:

Don - The board has voted to use $5k of Company B funds to support Honor Flight Maine with their September veterans flight to Washington DC. The check will be presented Friday at the Memorial Day flag placement at St, Joseph's Cemetery.

Don - June 23rd at Run of the Mill will be our Awards Ceremony - more info to come.

June 8th - New Member Fireside Chat at Don's house

June 2nd - Past President's meeting - Live & Zoom at Run of the Mill. Brian will send out invites - we need a count. Dan Reed has offered to video record the meeting. Keith will be the master of ceremonies.

Marty - Memorial Day flag placement at St. Joseph's Cemetery - arrive at 8 am. Biddeford middle school students will be assisting. Plenty of flags. Sign up is going out.

Heather - Scholarship award letters have gone out. Awards will be given at the respective awards events.

Conrad - 2 days of raised garden delivery and set-up have gone well. Aex students have been great. There are 3 more beds to deliver. Ken has been coordinating.

Sergeant at Arms - the Honorable Joe Moreshead

This is Joe's last meeting as Sergeant at Arms and he is concerned for the children as we are $250 short of our/his budget. In addition, folks are not sending their fines to the treasurer in a timely fashion. We need the money for the children...

Biddeford Saco Rotary

PO Box 298

Saco, Me 04072

or

Venmo...@treasurer-BSRC

Bill Patterson - $10 - for the children

Dr. Joe - $10 - the dock is in!

Melissa - ?$ - youngest child's graduation

Conrad - $10 - daughter born on this day

Don - $10 - for the board giving $ to Honor Flight Maine

Jim LaBelle - $10 - Happy Jess can join us

Karen - $10 - purchased a kayak, met a financial advisor and attending a Chamber event tomorrow.

Marty - $5 - in celebration of his wife's birthday...I will help keep Marty out of the dog house by not reporting that he gave her age.

Dan - Thank you all for Happy Dollars!

Guest Speaker

Conrad Letellier Bidderford Vietnam Vets President

Presenting on what they do to assist Vietnam era vets.

They conduct a fuel assistance program

Every Saturday they provide a full meal for a very reasonable price for vets.

Open Memorial day with a free meal for vets.

Assist vets in finding resources and benefits.

They are a phone call away for help.

They are the only Vietnam Vets organization left in the state.

Still supporting the MIA mission.

The club thanks Conrad and his organization for the work they do.

Final remarks and information:

Brian - Maple syrup will be delivered soon...pick-up at Roland's office.

Joe asked if he was still shipping out from his business?

Brian - Foundation contribution to be sent out soon to RI.

Conrad - Covid meeting to follow

Meeting adjourned at 1:04 pm

Biddeford sixth graders to help Rotarians place flags at veterans’ graves

Posted by Martin Grohman on May 28, 2021

pressherald.com/2021/05/27/biddeford-sixth-graders-to-help-rotarians-place-flags-at-veterans-graves/

May 27, 2021

Sixth grade students from Biddeford Middle School will help Biddeford-Saco Rotarians place flags at veterans graves at St. Joseph Cemetery in Biddeford on Friday, ahead of Memorial Day. In this 2019 photo, Rotarian Martin Grohman helps Biddeford Intermediate School fourth-grader Madison Colomb place a flag. Liz Gotthelf/Journal Tribune file photo

BIDDEFORD — Biddeford-Saco Rotary club President-elect Martin Grohman said the annual Rotary event which honors fallen veterans by placing flags on their graves will have a little extra help this year.

On Friday, May 28, between 8 and 10 a.m., club members will gather to place an American flag on the final resting places of veterans at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Biddeford, beginning at the West Street entrance.

“This year, the club will be joined by sixth-grade students from Biddeford Middle School who will learn firsthand, this event is a symbol of respect, a thank you, and a reminder of the price of war,” said Grohman. “Sometimes it is not the big or large things that we give to others that mean the most, but rather the small or the little things that linger long in our hearts and in our minds.”

Rotarians from the Biddeford-Saco Club will arrive at 8 a.m. and the first group of BMS students will arrive shortly after, organizers said. Each student will be taught how to properly place the flags at veterans’ graves and will be assigned an area within the large cemetery to place flags.

“There are many hundreds of veterans buried in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, going back generations,” Grohman said. “It is even more exceptional this year, to have the sixth-grade students from Biddeford join us for this very important mission.”

The event precedes annual Memorial Day services in Biddeford and Saco. This year’s event, which is open to the public, takes place on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31, at 10 a.m. at Mechanics Park, at the intersection of Main and Water streets in Biddeford

Rotary Opens Opportunities Through A Pandemic : Virtual D7780 Conference

Have you registered yet for the 2021 district virtual conference?

June 4 6:30 to 8:00 p.m..........please invite your family to join you/us for free

June 5 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.

$20 Registration fee – all proceeds go to Polio Plus

Follow this link: https://go.rotary7780gives.org/conference2021

REGISTRATION REQUIRED TO RECEIVE ZOOM LINK

Fr. : *Celebration* *Club Recognitions* *Music*. *Live Auction*

Speakers : "Family of Rotary" PE Katharine Hall

"Year Ahead" DGE Dick Hall

Sat.: *Memorial Service* *Walter Foundation Recognition/Marty & Frank Helman Recognition* *Business Meeting**Int'L Outreach Team* *D7780 Committee Recognitions*

Panelists : "Leadership During a Pandemic" with Presidents Maryna (Kittery RC), Gregg (Dover RC), Joe (River Valley RC) & AG Chris Summers

Speakers: Rotary Polio Chairs Aziz Memon (Pakistan) & Mohammed Ishaq Niazmand (Afghanistan)

Friday, June 4th festivities will also include a virtual live-auction. All proceeds will go to the District Foundation Annual Fund.

Follow this link to register: https://go.rotary7780gives.org/conference2021

Bonus! There is an additional online auction with items ready for your bids. Follow this link: https://go.rotary7780gives.org/conference2021/Auction

Please Note : 1st (50) registrants will be entered in a raffle for a $100.00 Visa Gift Card

Look forward to seeing you at D7780 Virtual Conference......a very different conference to experience!!!

Peggy Belanger

DG 2020 - 2021

"Rotary changes us and those we serve. I believe we can change the world one life at a time" Paul Harris

Help the Food Pantry

Posted by Conrad Welzel on May 02, 2021

Read more...

The 26th ANNUAL ROTARY ESSAY CONTEST

Posted by Brenda Pollock on Apr 07, 2021

Invite from Bideford England

Posted on Mar 31, 2021

Club Mailing Address

Since many of you keep asking:

PO Box 298

Saco, ME 04072

100th

Posted by Brenda Pollock on Oct 01, 2020

POSTPONED UNTIL SUMMER 2022

New Rotary Club Ad

Posted by Brenda Pollock on Apr 10, 2020

Here is an ad we have on our website homepage and Facebook page...

COVID-19 Relief Fund

Posted by Brenda Pollock on Jun 19, 2020

The Rotary Club of Biddeford – Saco

In March of 2020, the Rotary Club of Biddeford Saco launched a COVID-19 Crisis Subcommittee to address the immediate needs the pandemic caused in the communities of Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach. In phase one of their response program, the committee addressed the immediate need for food and PPE supplies for the elderly, at-risk youth and for our veterans.

In the second phase of their crisis project, the committee will continue their focus on ensuring food and PPE supplies are available to our seniors, at-risk youth, and veterans. In addition, the project will support organizations and small day cares that will be overwhelmed by an increased demand for basic needs: PPE supplies, food and other requirements or changes to their facilities as a result of executive orders. They will also add an education initiative for children and at-risk families, that will address food insecurities by teaching small scale agriculture in the production of crops and livestock.

To volunteer, donate to the Rotary Club or for more information on the Biddeford Saco Rotary Club, please email us.

To apply for crisis assistance and consideration for help with food, PPE supplies or for more information regarding the agriculture education initiative, download the COVID CRISIS Subcommittee Request Form.

Brenda Pollock, CCUFC

Venmo for club payments

Posted by Susan Gajewski on Aug 04, 2020

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.

Thanks all and be well.

Susan

Past Presidents 2020

Active Biddeford Saco Paul Harris Fellows

Audiffred (+1)	James	May-96
Bassett	Joseph	Jun-18
Bean	Peggy	Apr-97
Bonneau	Paulette	May-19
Boyle (+3)	Lawrence	Jan-98
Brown	Jackson	May-09
Chasse	Karen	Jun-06
Dallaire (+8)	Brian	Dec-02
DeFrancesco	Frank	May-07
Demers	Raynald	Jun-18
Deschambault (+1)	Paul	3-Jun
Drouin (+6)	Ronald	16-Jun
Kay (+1)	Lucie	Jun-10
Elie (+3)	Denis	Jun-03
Eon (+1)	Roland	May-96
Farley	Kenneth	May-08
Gagne (+8)	Roland	May-03
Gagnon	Ronald	Feb-01
Gajewski (+1)	Susan	Jun-14
Gendron	Heather	May-11
Godbout (+4)	Jim	May-09
Goodwin (+8)	Carl	Apr-90
Goodwin (+1)	Earl	Jan-84
Hennessey (+2)	Charles	May-92
Jacques (+1)	Keith	Feb-01
Kany (+1)	Bill	May-94
Lane (+1)	Dana	Jun-05
McAllister (+2)	James	Jun-10
MacLean (+1)	Heather	Feb-06
Moreshead (+4)	Joseph	May-08
Morin	Steve	May-07
Nohorney	Mark	May-19
Neault	Sarah	Jun-16
Nelson	Alan	Oct-99
Palmitessa	Elaine	May-15
Paterson	Bill	Jun-21
Pifferrer	Fausto	Jun-19
Plourde (+1)	Helene	May-96
Ray	Jeremy	May-21
Stoner	Morgan	Jan-21
Thompson (+1)	Haley	May-12
Villemaire (+1)	Julie	Jun-06
Wells	Thomas	Jun-95
Welzel	Conrad	May-17

CLYNK Update

Posted by Julie Villemaire on Oct 01, 2013

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 & Don

UPDATE: Clynk requests that you hold you bags for 3 days before dropping them off and tie a string or ribbon to show compliance.

Our Club is in first place of 10 Rotary Clubs who participate in this program! But Saco Bay is gaining on us.

Total Raised

$2,823.05

Containers CLYNKed

50,518

Saved enough energy to light 69.9 lightbulbs—24 hours a day—for a year.

Saved the emissions equivalent of driving a car 13,227 miles.

Diverted enough containers to fill 514.1 lobster traps.

Saved the emissions equivalent of driving a car 13,070 miles.

Diverted enough containers to fill 508 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.

Interested in being a sponsor?

Download the website sponsorship guide