John Thompson reported that our Lobster Raffle is going extremely well, aided by some amazing weather and cruise tourists from around the world who love Rotary! The lobster raffle is being supported in partnership with Luke’s Lobster who will be supplying and shipping the lobsters to the winner - Eight 1.5lb lobsters!

 

Luke's "Lift All Boats Projects" is a lobstering mentoring program helping Maine students without traditional access to the working waterfront an entry point into Maine’s heritage lobster industry. Our tie-in with them has been very well received by the tourists - another great selling point!

 

Unless you are an "Under A Rock Lobster" you know by now that it takes volunteers to help sell tickets down at 6 Commercial Street next to Summer Feet Cycling in the Old Port over the next 9 weeks sales period. The prize drawing will be on Nov 8th. Please help our team!

1. Click Here to Sign Up via Google Docs. See everything!

2. If you have any issues or questions on the Sign Up, you can email Dick Hall, and he can register for you. Click here for Dick Hall's email.

3. Another option - Sign up at our Club Meetings.

Doreen Rockstrom introduced current Rotary District 7780 Governor and Chief of Police for Kennebunk, Robert (Bob) McKenzie.  Doreen related how Bob was instrumental in pulling together Rotarians from Clubs across the District to create a Recovery Task Force that led to our Club receiving a District grant to conduct recovery coach training. (Photo- Bob wearing his official "Faces of Bob in Rotary" shirt, a gift from his club!)

 

Bob introduced himself to the Club to his lifetime commitment to public service, first as an EMT, the firefighting medic, and for nearly four decades as a Kennebunk police officer and as Chief of the Department for the past 17 years. 

 

Bob spoke movingly about his introduction to the tragedy that substance use disorder (SUD) does to individuals and families, whether in traffic accidents, criminal offices or suicides. He was trained to be a drug recognition expert. He described how through his police work he came to recognize SUD as a family disease because of the impact SUD has on the extended family of its sufferers.  Bob noted that that 90% of the people he has arrested for substance abuse related offenses are good people trapped in a disease state they cannot escape.  He has been dedicated to as a Rotarian and police official to education on SUD and helping to build empathy for “good people” who may have been introduced to opiates as a post-surgical prescription, or recreational dalliance and then become addicted. 

 

Bob shared his own family’s experience with the effects of alcohol and drug use and told us about the struggles and successes they have had on their journey to recovery.  He told us “There is hope in recovery”, using his family's experience as an illustration. He explained that he got involved with Rotary’s recovery training and support efforts because we are giving hope.  Across the District, Rotary clubs are engaged in several efforts to destigmatize SUD and build community resources to support recovery.  He told us about collaborations with Portland Rotarians Niki Curtis, Jan Chapman and Bruce Moore, and Doreen Rockstrom to distribute Journey magazines throughout or community. He spoke of District Clubs’  efforts to purchase and distribute medication destruction bags for left over opioid prescriptions so these drugs are not left around for unintended access by children or others. 

 

Bob then went on to describe efforts he has begun as District Governor to build Rotary brand awareness and publicity to attract new members to our Clubs And projects.  He recommended that Clubs seize on District-wide publicity efforts on television, social media and print to publicize their activities and projects and build community partnerships.  In response to a Club member question about Narcan, an emergency nonprescription intervention that blocks opiate impact on breathing, Bob noted that by saving lives, Narcan gives people an opportunity to get into recovery. He closed by sharing the enormous challenge of combatting the flood of fentanyl into Maine.  It is being mixed into many “street drugs” such as fake prescription capsules, heroin, and even marijuana.  Users have no idea that they are about to ingest this poison.  Therefore, prevention and recovery efforts are key strategies to protect the community, support families and addicts and build empathy for their struggles.  (Photo: Niki Curtis, Bob McKenzie, Doreen Rockstrom)

Happy September Birthdays! Maggie McGauley 8th, Joe Gray 15^th, Gervin Kah 17^th,  Carmen Poff 18^th, Don Mackenzie 19^th, Liz Fagan 20^th, Mark Shinners 23^rd, Mary Pat Donnellon 27^th, and Quinn Slayton 29^th!   Happy Rotarian Anniversaries:  Andi Summers and Carmen Poff - 1 year, John Thompson-7, Justin Lamontagne-13, Mac Collins-15, Charlie Friar-19, Bill Ross-32, Doug Packard-37, Peter Goffin-41, and an extra cheer for Jim Willey, 42!

Speaker Schedule