News of The Rotary Club of Portland, Maine
March 20, 2024
 
This Week's Program: Thursday Night, March 21st - Club Social at Oxbow Brewery, Portland, 5:30pm
Everyone is invited to share in the fun of our club social this Thursday night!
Join us at the Oxbow Brewery, 49 Washington Street, Portland. Remember this takes the place of our Friday meeting, a good time to kick back and get to know your fellow Rotarians better!  Hey, it also happens to be Trivia Night!
MUD UP!
Our "Mud Sale", aka, "Online Auction" is rolling!
 
With the Social Event this Friday, we have extended the donation period to Friday, March 29th. On that date, we're asking donors to bring in the items that can be viewed, so you can see them first-hand. All items will be featured with photo and description in the April online auction.
 
We have many great items, and hope we can entice you to donate something you no longer need or use, but definitely still has value!  (MInimum $25 value please)
Here are some great ideas!
 
  • Erik Greven and Susan Vayda -  A 4 course gourmet dinner and wine for up to 8 people, at their DownEast Award-Winning garden home in Falmouth. 
  • Bruce Jones offered a tour and cider tasting at the Freedom's Edge Cider Tasting Room, opening at 31 Diamond Street, Portland, plus a case of Freedom's Edge.
  • Laura Young has donated a 4 night stay at her beautiful lake house in New Limerick, with mutually agreeable date in 2024 or 2025!
  • Jake Bourdeau offers a half-day of Casco Bay fishing with all the gear and lunch!
  • Bruce Moore has submitted a Canon EOS Rebel with many extras - just valued by Hunt's for $850, and we'll start bidding at $250! 
  • Jim Vicenzi will take 2 golfers out for a round of golf at the Woodlands.
  • Sue and Jon Young donated a brand new $400 Stiga Table Tennis table.
 
Please email Tom Talbott with one photo, description, and your estimated value. If you choose, you can put a minimum bid on an item, particularly if it comes with some cost or time investment on your part.  Please do this by March 29th.
 
Minimum value - $25, so we don't get bogged down with knick-knacks.
 
You'll find the online auction is very easy, and a lot of fun. For now, your creative donations would really help us out!
Bits and Pieces | by Erik Jorgensen
Friday looked like spring was somewhere not too far off, and we gathered to enjoy the Italian Heritage Center’s pre-St Patrick’s Day lunch. The theme might best have been described as “Garlic and Gaelic”.  Food included both traditional Italian offerings like meatballs and chicken parmigiana, but also a tray of corned beef and cabbage, which appeared to be equally well received.  All that was missing was green beer. President Dick Hall rang us in.
 
LIVE LONG PHILOSOPHER: Bruce Jones offered the Message for the Day, resurrecting his presidential “What Do You Know” series, with a message about what recent research has revealed about how to live a long and healthy life. The key take-aways: Keep moving, be social, eat lots of plants in your diet, don’t be afraid of happy hour, and take part in faith based or civic organizations, such as Rotary!
 
THINKING OF YOU JOHN! President Dick noted that he recently visited with John Marr, currently hospitalized at Mass General in Boston. Dick noted that John’s been reading the Windjammer, so this is a note to you, John: We hope you are fully enjoying this week’s issue (especially Bits and Pieces) and that you’ll be back on your feet soon!
 
FLAGS FOR HEROES GROWS:  Ellen Niewoehner spoke on behalf of the "Flags For Heroes' committee, with word that we have some exciting new ideas on how we're rolling out the event this year. We'll be starting off with a special event pre-game event at a Portland Sea Dogs, Hadlock Field. Mark your calendar for Sunday, July 21st, 11am. Start to think of friends or co-workers you can talk to about sponsoring a flag for the hero in their life. Their reaction might be priceless.
 
BE A LEADER: President Dick also noted a couple of upcoming events: The Rotary Leadership Institute on Saturday April 6 in Lewiston from 8 to 2, and the annual District Training Assembly on April 20th at Westbrook High School. All officers, committee chairs, club leaders (or folks who think they might want to become club leaders) are encouraged to attend.
 
WELCOME TWO NEW MEMBERS:
We were excited to welcome two new members to our club! First, Laura Young introduced Dwayne Black, the operations manager at Jones, Rich and Barnes Funeral Home on Woodford St.  A resident of Falmouth, Dwayne has a seasonal home on Frye Island where he enjoys boating, hiking and just spending time on the Island.
 
Then Niki Curtis provided an introduction of Debra Boxer, who works as a psychotherapist, consultant, and trainer, and a creator of essential oil blends. Her business is devoted to reducing health care costs while improving the health and well-being of individuals, families, groups and organizations. Debra is a 48-year resident of Maine and a former member of the Scarborough Rotary Club.
 
A warm Rotary welcome to both Dwayne Black with Laura Young and Debra Boxer with Niki Curtis!

 
 
LET'S PAINT THE U.S. MEETING: Nanette Ranger-Duncanson invites everyone to a meeting on Friday, March 29th, 11am at the IHC before our regular meeting, to organize our upcoming painting event on the Rowe Elementary School parking lot. On April 13-14, we'll be painting a giant U.S. state map right on the playground. The more Rotarians, the merrier, so don't brush this off! 
 
RIGHT DAY, WRONG CARD:
Bowen Depke got the green light to draw a potential winning card, the Queen of Hearts for $180, but his Ace of Hearts fell short. Lucky in love, but not in cards.
 
SOCIAL TIME: Finally, Quinn Slayton reminded the club that there will be a social this Thursday at Oxbow Brewery 49 Washington Ave in Portland, starting a 5:30. This will take place instead of our regular March 22 meeting.  Thanks to Jake Bourdeau for coordinating with Quinn on the arrangements. If you show up at the Heritage Center this Friday - there will be no corned beef no meatballs and no program.
Last Week's Program: Club Vision Assembly Results |
By Jake Bourdeau
Portland Rotary had a club assembly on Friday to present the results of the club survey, the Club’s Visioning assembly results from February, to present a draft vision statement, go over next steps, and accept some club member input on the information presented.
 
The Vision Committee was led by Laura Young and our incoming and current officers: Patty Byers, John Thompson, Justin Lamontagne, plus Maggie McGauley, Nannette Ranger-Duncanson, David Patterson, and Dick Hall.
 
Patty Byers presented the results of the club survey, and identified the following strengths:
  • Welcoming
  • Sense of Camaraderie (esp. club socials)
  • Membership
  • Communication (esp. Wind Jammer)
  • Club Management
Justin LaMontagne presented the draft Vision Statement as follows:
“Portland Rotary Club is a welcoming group of diverse volunteers committed to service, fun, and fellowship to improve our community and the world.”
 
The visioning process appeared to forge the path forward through a voting system after some of the major concepts were flushed out. 
 
John Thompson reported on the major outcomes as follows in order of the highest to the lowest in vote count:
What We Stand for: 
  1. “THE” place to serve community
  2. A household name
  3. Service Above Self Day
  4. Measurable impact in Portland and the Dominican Republic
Club Size
  1. 150
  2. 200
  3. Bigger and better
  4. 1,000 members?
Recruit New Members
  1. Each new member is assigned a mentor
  2. Robust marketing plan
  3. Podcasts
  4. Get to know Rotary at local events
Member Retention
  1. Rotary buddy program
  2. Encouraging greater meeting day attendance
  3. Bring back “Rotary Minute”
Club Attributes
  1. Fun
  2. Mirrors community
  3. Diversified
Club Service
  1. Updated website
  2. Monthly social nights
  3. Full marketing plan
Vocational Service
  1. Service team for asylum seekers or new inhabitants
  2. Volunteers towards vocation for new Mainers
  3. Host speed mentoring events at high schools
Community Service Projects
  1. Complete planting 100 trees on Bayside Trails
  2. Adopt Rowe School
  3. Create a Miyawaki forest in Portland
Youth Service
  1. Your exchange programs (long and short term)
  2. Invite past Rotary scholarship awardees
  3. Reading program has increased 3rd grade reading schools in Portland
International Service
  1. Compete global grant for a learning center in La Romana, DR
  2. Scholarships to subsidize international service for the 1st time
  3. International service beyond DR
  4. Completed prosthetic center in La Romana, DR
Fundraising
  1. Pickleball tournament
  2. Flags for Heroes
  3. Host Ball for Fun
  4. Youth Art Exhibit
Foundation Success
  1. Every Rotary, every year is part of dues
  2. Circle of 5 participation with increases of 50%
  3. 100% of members give to foundation
Public Image and Public Relations
  1. Public relations committee
  2. Marketing budget – invest significantly
  3. Social media internship
Leadership Development
  1. Reinstitute vice presidents at the committee level
  2. Formal leadership training once a year
  3. Job descriptions for committee chairs
The visioning group then took questions and comments from the meeting attendees with the intent of amending the draft vision statement and confirming the results obtained from the visioning committee. A final presentation and wrap up will occur at a future club assembly.
 
Members of the Vision Committee and speakers gathered for a photo - Dave Patterson, Laura Young, Justin Lamontagne, Dick Hall, Patty Byers,and John Thomspon. Thanks for all your hard work!
Speaker Schedule
March 29 - Julie Marchese, Founder & Race Director, Maine "Tri For A Cure"
April 5 - Ivan Most, Engineers' Role in Climate Change
April 12 - Rebecca Williams and Julia Preston, Best Buddies Maine
April 19-  Club Social TBD during week / No Meeting
April 26- Mark Dion, Portland Mayor
May 3 - TBD
May 10 - New Members Presentation
 
Club Executives
President  Dick Hall
President Elect  Patty Byers
Vice President  John Thompson
Treasurer  Dick Hall
Secretary  Tom Nickerson
Board of Directors  Bruce Jones,
Ben Millick, Quinn Slayton, Zachary Newell,
David Ertz, Maggie McGauley
Sergeant-At-Arms  Jake Bourdeau
The Windjammer
is published online by
The Rotary Club of Portland, Maine.
 
Contributing Editors
Jake Bourdeau, Larry Gross,
Erik Jorgensen, Julie L’Heureux,
Ben Lowry,  Zach Newell, Bruce Moore,
Tom Nickerson, Dave Patterson,
Tom Talbott, Laura Young
 
Program Chair  Doreen Rockstrom
3rd Quarter Chair  Justin Lamontagne
       Managing Editor  Tom Talbott
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