This Week's Program: Thursday Night Club Social at the APEX Racquet & FItness Club, Portland
Jake Bourdeau reminded the club of the Rotary Social to take place on Thursday, April 18 beginning at 5:30 pm at the Apex Raquest & Fitness Club. We won’t be playing tennis, but we will have a chance to play ping pong, billiards, and if we get a couple more - walleyball. There are various costs to these activities noted, so please get back to me if you plan to attend, and let me know which of these activities (if any) you would be interested joining. Jake would like to get a ping pong tournament going so advance sign up is requested.Please RSVP via email to Jake Bourdeau! There will also be plenty to drink and pizza, so join in the fun! Our club socials are a time when we can get to meet and mingle with other club members, which isn't as easy to do in our regular meeting format. Great opportunity to make some great friends. That's very much a part of what makes Rotary fun! 2445 Congress Street, aka "Outer Congress Street, Portland!
Our Online Auction, aka "The Mud Sale" ends tonight April 17th, at 8pm sharp! Now's the chance to steal a deal!
If you are the winning bid, you will be notified shortly after, and your bid will be processed on your credit card.
Check out all the great offers and items that were donated by club members. The money earned from the winning bids goes directly to our charitable fund, to support the many projects we have going on around town. Check it out, and make a bid!
Last Week's Program: Best Buddies Maine - “Everyone does better with a friend” |By David Patterson
This past Friday, our Rotary club had the honor of hosting a special presentation by Best Buddies Maine, an organization dedicated to fostering friendships, employment opportunities, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The speakers included Rebecca Williams, the Executive Director, Julia Preston, the Deputy Director, and Kristen Tully, a Best Buddies citizen participant.
Rebecca, who has steered the organization since 2019, provided us with a comprehensive view of the group's vision and ongoing projects. Under her leadership, Best Buddies Maine has grown significantly, enhancing the lives of many individuals within our community. (Photo)
Julia offered insight into the various programs that Best Buddies offers. These include one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development, all aimed at helping people with disabilities to become more integrated into society. On a personal note, she is paired with Kristen Tully who she spends time with regularly.
Kristen shared some of her personal story, illustrating the impact that Best Buddies has had on her life. Her journey, marked by increased confidence and independence, highlights the transformative power of such support networks.
Best Buddies, founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, has expanded worldwide, working tirelessly to create a global volunteer movement. This network provides opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These programs empower participants to build friendships and gain skills necessary for new opportunities.
Our local community is deeply connected with Best Buddies, with several club members' families actively involved at various levels. This personal connection made the presentation not just informative but also deeply resonant with our members.
There are many ways to engage with Best Buddies. You can volunteer to be a one-to-one friend, help in local events, or even participate in the leadership programs offered. Each role plays a crucial part in building inclusive communities where everyone is valued. Julia shared the goal of adding integrated employment opportunities in Maine in the coming months and years.
As we continue to support and collaborate with organizations like Best Buddies, we are reminded of the importance of accessibility and inclusivity. Their work is not just about assistance but about opening doors to new opportunities and experiences for everyone in our communities.
We thank Rebecca, Julia, and Kristen for their enlightening presentation and look forward to our continued partnership with Best Buddies Maine.
You can read more about this incredible organization at https://www.bestbuddieschampion.org/maine/ or by reaching out directly at maine@bestbuddies.org. Photo: L-R Kristen Tully, Julia Preston, Rebecca Williams, and Best Buddes Friend, and our introducer, Mary Pat Donnellon,
Bits and Pieces | By Zach Newell
President Dick Hall rang us in, and Dan Fahey kicked off the meeting with a proud lead of the Pledge of Allegiance. Bruce Jones provided the reflection for the day with a parody on a Bob Frost poem, "Stopping by the post office on a rainy evening."
Remembering John Marr: With a video montage on the screen, Dick Hall provided the club with an opportunity to vocally remember fellow Rotarian, John Marr (July 18, 1948 - March 31, 2024).
Guests: Zack Zimmerman introduced our one guest, Mike Ross.
Because I’m Happy: Rotarians were happy. Dick was happy for the eclipse. Peter went to Eustis, Maine where he was also happy to watch the Eclipse. Brian Nickerson, noting it was not so a happy occasion, but was remembering and paying tribute to three of his friends and brothers-in-arms, who were killed in service while flying over North Korea, 55 years ago this day.
Raffle: Carmen Poff conducted the raffle. Our guest speaker, Rebecca Williams, pulled Paul Gore’s name from the raffle bin. Paul pulled the 10 of spades, not the desired Queen of Hearts needed to take the prize.
A Note from the Gallery: Bill Milliken went to Indiana for a week to an auctioneer seminar. He was on the Indiana University campus in Bloomington, IN and happened to stumble on the Bloomington Rotary Club meeting being held on campus. The guest speaker at the club meeting was the Indian University Athletic Director. Bill managed to steal the Bloomington Rotary Flag and proclaimed that the Portland Rotary Club won the game of capture the flag (just kidding!) Bill did bring a flag back as the Bloomington Club graciously gave him a club flag to display in Portland. Bill led us in the four way test, with a current twist to make it a "five way test", with the addition of a questioning proclamation, “Is it fun? (Yes!)
Community Service School Project: Nannette Ranger Duncanson gave us an update on the Amanda C. Rowe Snow school Map project. Since her update, the event has taken place! We'll look forward to the update this coming Friday, but suffice it to say it was a great success. The team used Saturday to clean and prep the area, and Sunday to paint. This included laying out the stencil, connecting the dots to outline the states, and painting. them all in in bright colors. Nannette has a fondness for doing good for the school, and with maps, as her father was a Geography teacher for 35 years at Wilton Academy. Here's a teaser pic from Bill Milliken, and we'll wait for the full update!
Mud Sale Auction: Tom Talbott arrived with ceremony, wearing his fishing life vest and holding an oar and an umbrella to implore everyone to check out the Mud Sale Auction and bid on some great deals. We have already pulled in around $3,500, but we can do more! The Mud Sale Auction closes tonight, April 17 at 8:00pm sharp. Get your bid in now, right here!
Youth Exchange: Jan Chapman announced that we have been assigned Antonio Soriano Lujan as our Youth Exchange student. Antonio is from Valencia, Spain. He will be arriving sometime in August. He loves soccer and his favorite team is Real Madrid. Zach Newell announced that his family would host Antonio first from August until the beginning of December. Zach asked for club members to consider hosting. We need two host families between December and June. You don’t have to have children to be a host!
NEW MEMBER NOTIFICATIONS:
Second 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. After this publication, 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 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 TreasurerDick Hall Secretary Tom Nickerson Board of Directors Bruce Jones,
Ben Millick, Quinn Slayton, Zachary Newell,
David Ertz, Maggie McGauley Sergeant-At-ArmsJake 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
ake Bourdeau reminded the club of the Rotary Social to take place on Thursday, April 18 
will have a chance to play ping pong, billiards, and if we get a couple more - walleyball. 
Our Online Auction, aka "The Mud Sale" ends tonight April 17th, at 8pm sharp! Now's the chance to steal a deal!
This past Friday, our Rotary club had the honor of hosting a special presentation by Best Buddies Maine, an organization dedicated to fostering friendships, employment opportunities, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The speakers included Rebecca Williams, the Executive Director, Julia Preston, the Deputy Director, and Kristen Tully, a Best Buddies citizen participant.
Rebecca, who has steered the organization since 2019, provided us with a comprehensive view of the group's vision and ongoing projects. Under her leadership, Best Buddies Maine has grown significantly, enhancing the lives of many individuals within our community. (Photo)
A Note from the Gallery: Bill Milliken went to Indiana for a week to an auctioneer seminar. He was on the Indiana University campus in Bloomington, IN and happened to stumble on the Bloomington Rotary Club meeting being held on campus. The guest speaker at the club meeting was the Indian University Athletic Director. Bill managed to steal the Bloomington Rotary Flag and proclaimed that the Portland Rotary Club won the game of capture the flag (just kidding!) Bill did bring a flag back as the Bloomington Club graciously gave him a club flag to display in Portland. Bill led us in the four way test, with a current twist to make it a "five way test", with the addition of a questioning proclamation, “Is it fun? (Yes!)
Community Service School Project: Nannette Ranger Duncanson gave us an update on the Amanda C. Rowe Snow school Map project. Since her update, the event has taken place! We'll look forward to the update this coming Friday, but suffice it to say it was a great success. The team used Saturday to clean and prep the area, and Sunday to paint. This included laying out the stencil, connecting the dots to outline the states, and painting. them all in in bright colors. Nannette has a fondness for doing good for the school, and with maps, as her father was a Geography teacher for 35 years at Wilton Academy. Here's a teaser pic from Bill Milliken, and we'll wait for the full update! 
Youth Exchange: Jan Chapman announced that we have been assigned Antonio Soriano Lujan as our Youth Exchange student. Antonio is from Valencia, Spain. He will be arriving sometime in August. He loves soccer and his favorite team is Real Madrid. Zach Newell announced that his family would host Antonio first from August until the beginning of December. Zach asked for club members to consider hosting. We need two host families between December and June. You don’t have to have children to be a host!
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