Minutes of March 5, 2018
At 07:15 Club President Bob Guerette called us to order and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Pastor Ron gave the invocation, reminding us of all the good in the world and Rotary’s positive impact on it.
Prez. Bob reminded us that this was a regularly scheduled Club meeting but since last week turned out to also be a Club meeting, as our speaker had to cancel due to illness, todays meeting would be more free flowing and open to all topics.
Bob Davis opened with a brief update of our appeal to the IRS for forgiveness rather than a fine for the Club’s failure to submit the required non-profit Income Tax report two years ago. Bob remains optimistic that we will prevail but anticipates a drawn out process of appeals correspondence before a final decision.
Under announcements we had the following:
The next planning meeting for the Music at the Museum fundraiser will be 10 AM at the Landing Y Office. All are invited.
Our next Pack the Backback for Mid Coast Hunger Prevention is Tuesday, March 13 at 5:30 PM. A minimum of four volunteers are required.
Read-A-Loud was last Friday, March 2. Our Club is a sponsor and several members read at local schools.
Bob Davis then gave a brief update on planning for the fundraiser leading to a discussion on what charity / project should benefit from the Pledge Round. We have varied it each year with the common thread of benefit to children under the umbrella of Success by Six. Bob Guerette thought tying it into the current opioid abuse crises in Maine might be a good goal but wasn’t sure what avenue that might take. Joel Merry, who in his professional role as Sheriff of Sagadahoc County, has been involved in the statewide discussions regarding the opioid crisis suggested considering the home visitation program “Best Start” as the beneficiary of the pledge round. The “Best Start” program goal is to have a health care professional visit the home setting of all new parents (or mothers if a single parent) to both provide information on parenting but also observe the setting and relationships and make an informal assessment as to it being a ‘healthy” environment for the child. This includes looking for signs of substance abuse, including opioids, by either parent or other occupant. There was informal agreement to look further into the “Best Start” program as a potential beneficiary of the Pledge Round this May.
Under Happy /Sad dollars Russ had a happy dollar for recreational running outdoors again. Bob Beaumont had a happy dollar for warmer days outside. Joel Merry had happy dollars for getting over a small cold and looking forward to PETS (new president training) this weekend. Bob Davis had a happy dollar for a peaceful winter day. Ever the hockey fan, Fred Burgess had a happy dollar for the Bruins sweeping the season series with long time rivals Habs from Montreal. Bob Guerette had a happy dollar for helping daughter Amy move into her new apartment in the Bangor area and for finally getting all the snow off his porch. (Will ask him about that again this Monday). Gordon had a caution dollar for some patches of black ice as he almost slid into his mailbox while exiting his driveway.
Gordon had an interesting Presidential tidbit concerning the last words of several of our presidents.
Teddy Roosevelt – “Please turn off the lights”
Thomas Jefferson – dying on the 4th of July – ‘”is this the Fourth?”
James Adams – also dying on the same day as friend Jefferson but not knowing he had passed away earlier in the day – “Jefferson still lives”.
Bob Davis discussed a fundraising opportunity that involved selling tickets to a SeaDog game. After some discussion of the potential risk (low), Level of effort required (low) positive publicity for the Club (medium) and amount of funds that might be raised (medium) we decided to defer a vote until next week when Chris Cameron of the SeaDogs would give a presentation but all members present were leaning toward approval.
Bob Guerette renewed a discussion from a prior meeting about how non-profits were selected as beneficiaries for our Music at the Museum event and if continuing from year to year to extent of continuing interplay their should be between those non-profits and our club. Bob Davis provided some historical perspective and strongly recommended that Family Focus, the Y and Success by Six remain the beneficiaries for the May event and revisit the topic following that event.
Prez. Bob ended the meeting with a thought for the day from Steven King
“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work”
Hope to see you on Monday, March 12 when Chris Cameron of the SeaDogs will be our guest speaker. Always a lively and interesting presentation.
Submitted: Tom