News of The Rotary Club of Portland, Maine
April 10, 2024
 
This Week's Program: Rebecca Williams & Julia Preston, Best Buddies in Maine
It's no secret that friends make our lives easier, but finding genuine community and support as a person with an intellectual and developmental disorder (IDD) can often be challenging. Join State Director Rebecca Williams and her team this Friday to learn about Best Buddies in Maine, a local 501c3 dedicated to ending the social, physical, and economic isolation of students and adults with intellectual and developmental disorders.
 
Photo: On the right, Rebecca Williams, Executive Director Best Buddies Maine, and her niece Caitlin.
 
Best Buddies International is a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, inclusive living, and family support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Their programs empower people with IDD by helping them form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure successful jobs, live independently, improve public speaking, self-advocacy, and communication skills, and feel valued by society.

Rebecca Williams brought Best Buddies to Maine back in 2019, inspired by her two nieces with Down syndrome, Maggie and Caitlin, who differ in every possible way besides their shared diagnoses. She recognized the individual needs of each person with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and she was impressed by the Best Buddies model’s individualized approach to friendship, employment, and leadership. In tandem with her sister, Rachel, Best Buddies has expanded the Maine office to four full-time employees, over 40 school and community friendship chapters, and countless corporate and community supporters across the state.
 
Julia Preston started her Best Buddies journey at the University of Virginia in 2019, where she joined her school’s chapter as a general member. After a handful of group events, she was matched with her first buddy, Jessica Lewis, and bonded with her over a shared love of music and vocal performance. Julia’s love of Jessica and the Best Buddies mission brought her up to Maine as the state’s Deputy Director of Communications and Stewardship, and she’s been working to increase the organization’s reach and visibility across the state ever since.
Due to the storm, power outages, and a cancelled meeting, we have extended the end date for the auction bidding to Wednesday, April 17th!
 
The Portland Rotary "Mud Sale" Auction
 
Please share the link with friends, co-workers, family!
https://portland-rotary.rotary7780gives.org/mudsale2024
 
You can also text "MUD" to (978) 354-7780 to get the link.
 
Bidding ends on  Wednesday, April 17th at 8pm. All kinds of great items, fun, entertaining and useful. Right now the deals are amazing!  Tell your friends, and help us build this fundraiser with participants outside the club!
 
Here's a few quick samples....see them ALL online!
 • A Casino Day with "Coach Charlie Frair" - $50 in free chips, at a choice of five different New England Casinos.  Get in the game, plus a copy of Charlie's new book, Casino Fun 101.
• Mint condition top-of-the-line Table Tennis Table, open bid at just $75, courtesy of Sue and Jon Young. Be the next Forrest Gump!
• An Afghan Turkmen Felpah Wool Rug, $200 value, it's a magic carpet!
 
• Four Course Dinner and Wine at the Award-Winning Garden home of Erik Greven and Susan Vayda. Get a group of 8 together and enjoy!
 
Last Week's Program:
Snow Down, Power Off, Sun Out
Last week's meeting was cancelled due to an early April spring snow, rain, and ice storm that knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of Mainers. Trees took a beating, and many Mainers were left in the dark for hours or days. Five days later, it was 60 degrees and sunny, with the exception of a dramatic solar eclipse that darkened the skies on a Monday afternoon. Mainers like to mix it up! Looking forward to returning to our regular spring program - MUD!
Bits and Pieces |
US Map Painting at the Amanda Rowe School in Portland. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
 
Nannette Ranger-Duncanson has been leading a new community service project that will a mark!  We'll be laying out and painting a giant map of the United States in the playground area at the Amanda Rowe School, located at 23 Orono Road, Portland.
 
Saturday, April 13th (9-11am) – need two individuals to help with sweeping duties.
Sunday, April 14th (9am – Completion) – This will be the painting day. We will be placing down stencils and painting the map on the playground!
To volunteer, please send an email to Nannette.Duncanson@td.com or there will be sign-up sheets at the meeting this Friday, April 12th.
 
> We need 20 milk jugs that will be used in the painting project!  If you can wash them out and bring them in this Friday, that would be a big help!
 
John Marr: We announced in last week's Windjammer the passing of John Marr. Here is a link to his full obituary. John F. Marr (Mad Dog) To honor John’s memory, we invite all that knew him to a celebration of life on Thursday July 18, 2024, from 5-9pm here at The Italian Heritage Center located at 40 Westland Ave., Portland.
 
 
 
 
NEW MEMBER NOTIFICATIONS: 
First Notice: Mike Ross has applied for Membership. Mike is sponsored by Justin Lamontagne and is the VP of Commercial Real Estate at M&T Bank. Mike is looking for more opportunities to become involved in the community. He coaches lacrosse, competes in triathlons, and enjoys Maine's craft Beers. He is also a former AmeriCorps/Vista volunteer. His name will be published a second time and then his application will be voted on by the Board of Directors.
 
If any Portland Rotarian would like to offer a comment on a proposal, please send it to our Club President, dickhall7780@gmail.com. It will be shared with the Board of Directors prior to a vote on the application.
Speaker Schedule:
April 19-  Club Social TBD during week / No Friday Meeting
April 26- Mark Dion, Portland Mayor
May 3 - Cara Valentino, The Dempsey Center
May 10 - New Members Presentation
May 17 - Norman O'Reilly  UMaine Graduate School of Business
May 24th - Club Social TBD during week. No Friday Meeting
May 31 - Jared Cash, President and CEO George Mitchell Institute
 
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
4th Quarter Chair  Roxane Cole
       Managing Editor  Tom Talbott
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