10/14/16 Bits & Pieces
Posted by John Marr
President Laura is more than one-quarter way through her Rotary year......this week welcoming a packed house and per usual, she had to fit 10 pounds into an 8-pound sack, which she did very well. We had such a crowd that we had to set up chairs at the dessert table to accommodate the overflow of attendees! (See Photo Corner) We had 67 club members, the visiting President-elect of the Marblehead, Mass. Rotary Club, David Deutsch, and also 5 non-Rotarian guests.
Julie L”Heureux took advantage of the beautiful day and the resplendent foliage season to provide an invocation of perfection. Tapping her love of literature, Julie chose Sonnet 73 from the Bard to call forth the magnificence, especially here in the great state of Maine, of the autumnal transition.
Our gang is known to many as the “singing club” and on this day, Past President Don Lowry selected the perfect song to get us in harmony. We belted out I’ve been Workin’ On The Railroad and it was one of the better performances, thanks to the familiarity and leadership. Of course with Russ Burleigh at the Eighty-Eights, you always have a great foundation.
(Photo: Russell Voss, Lionel Nima, Pres. Laura, Major John Lock and Past President Jim Willey.)The association of the Rotary Club of Portland and the Salvation Army has over many years been strong and we always seem to have at least one officer as a member of the Club. Thanks to Jim Willey that relationship continues. Jim introduced John Lock, who has returned to his Maine roots and will be a great member. Our second new member, introduced by Russell Voss, is Lionel Nima, who has traveled the country and can be an interpreter as well as an ambassador, since he speaks 4 languages. Please welcome our newest members!
Our Rotary moment was presented by one of our newer members, Nick Lotfey, who impressed us with tales of his late grandfather and former member, Naj Lotfey. He told us how Naj would recant stories of Rotary to him and their family through the years and how proud Naj had been to be a member. Out of respect for Naj and wanting to follow in his footsteps, Nick knew he wanted to become a member of Portland Rotary. (Those who knew Naj, loved and respected him, as well.)
Our club focus is on eradicating food insecurity and aiding in the education and literacy of the children in our community through our CHE initiative. Erik Greven, our Community Service Chair, has been doing a terrific job of coordinating our efforts at the Preble Street Kitchen, among other projects. Adding to the outreach and emphasizing our commitment to CHE, the club was delighted and proud to present a check in the amount of $2,400 to Cultivating Community and the work of the Locker Project.(Photo: Member Katie Brown of Locker Project, President Laura, Community Service Chair Erik Greven and Lily Chaleff, School Garden Educator at Cultivating Community.)
For a long time we have worried that we have not invested enough time and effort into welcoming and cultivating new membership. Leisa Collins and the Membership Committee have decided that placing a red dot on the name tag of newbies is a good idea, but we have to do more to welcome and help them feel the love and passion for doing good deeds that is emblematic of our organization. Consequently, a great new idea to develop our new relationships by having teams of two members, one newer and one seasoned, to coordinate a mentoring and fellowship relationship with all new members, so they feel comfortable and capable from the get-go. For more information, contact Leisa at: leisa.g.collins@gmail.com.
President Laura announced the members of this year's Nominating Committee, who will be entrusted to deliberate the slate of officers for the Rotary year 2017-18. Members on this important committee are: Chair, Past President Bowen Depke, 2nd Vice-president John Curran, Janelle LoSciuto, Justin Lamontagne, Jan Chapman, Bruce Jones and Kathy Grammer.
The Rotary Club of Portland has a phenomenal number of Paul Harris Fellows (PHF). Part of that success is due to the Foundation Chairs, especially Amy Chipman. The bestowing of a PHF is recognition of that individual who embodies the “Service Above Self” principles of our founder. We decided long ago, that it was not limited to members of the club, because it’s service, not relationship that counts.
At this meeting we learned how Kevin Hancock had taken a personal hardship and turned it into an opportunity to listen, learn and lend a helping hand. Given the work of Mr. Hancock with the Sioux nation of South Dakota, Past President Dick Hall, took the opportunity to present him with a Paul Harris Fellow. Congratulations, Kevin!