Posted by Jake Bourdeau
 
President Don Zillman welcomed 49 members, and 1 visiting Rotarian from NYC to our Club Assembly meeting of February 23rd. 
The invocation was presented by Past President Russ Burleigh and we sang our Patriotic song.

 
Charlie Frair announced the 5 Veterans Groups we will be considering for the two $1000 contributions in April.
 

 
 
Gracie Johnston, Chair of the Community Service Committee, announced she was still looking for members to help out at the Preble Street Soup Kitchen on February 28th and how much it helps the residents. Hours for volunteers are 3:30 - 6:30 p.m. for a full shift and they could really use our help for the full shift. Thank you if you can assist. Contact Gracie at: gracie.johnston@newscentermaine.com  or  Ali Brauner, Volunteer Manager at Preble Street, 775-0026 x1162 

volunteer@preblestreet.org

 

 
 
Past President John Marr reported for the Portland Rotary group that visits with the incarcerated kids in the Cedar Unit of Long Creek Youth Development Center. This past week the group gathered with the kids and immediately got their attention by bringing Italian sandwiches, soda, snacks including St Paddy's Day cookies. Once we had their attention we got into a few rounds of high stakes BINGO with a goody back prize for every winner. It's no surprise that the currency of the Cedar realm is food. George Crockett pulled the pellets and Jim Willey emphatically annunciated the information. Dave Putnam was the Vannah White and delivered the prizes. Mike Fortunato has been the primary coordinator and calls upon Katie Brown to come up with ways to involve the kids in worthwhile projects, such as creating thank you and cheery cards for Veterans or shut-ins on the local "meals on wheels" routes. The Cedar support group meets with the boys on the third Tuesday of the month.  We need more assistance and invite anyone interested to show up at Long Creek at 6:15 PM on the third Tuesday and witness the appreciation the kids have for the work we do. These kids will be released back into the neighborhood and it's important for us to acknowledge them and give them a sense of the world they will soon return to. Rotary will be holding our March 16th meeting at Long Creek and the culinary arts team is psyched and working on an Italian theme menu, so, please plan on attending that meeting and learning more about the Long Creek Center.

 
 
Alex St. Hilaire spoke briefly about the upcoming Maine Outdoor Challenge to and touched on the Raffle and the Silent Auction.
 
Raffle: We will be looking for more club participation this year in selling tickets. Our goal is that everyone can sell $50 of tickets. We also are replacing the shotgun raffle, and need IDEAS for a new raffle item that we can conceivably obtain at a low price/for free.
 
Silent Auction: We will be having the MOC Silent Auction Solicitation Letters printed and available during every meeting going forward. They will be on the front table. We are asking that Rotarians please take one or two and try to provide at least one item to the Club. I will be also asking for volunteers for teams, and be assembling that within the next couple weeks.

 
 
Jan Chapman conducted the weekly raffle drawing, which was up to a whopping $1546 in the pot. Looks like Ben Jackson's name was drawn, but he failed to find the elusive Queen of Hearts.