News of The Rotary Club of Portland, Maine  | June 3, 2020
Children's Museum Exec to Speak
 
Julie Butcher Pezzino, Executive Director of the Children’s Museum of Maine, will be our Friday speaker. Butcher Pezzino worked as a consultant in nonprofit fundraising, strategic planning and communications before being selected to run the Children’s Museum where her primary focus is leading the effort to raise $14 million to support the Museum’s new building on Thompson’s Point.  She previously served as executive director of Grow Pittsburgh, a charitable organization dedicated to increasing access to green space and healthy food in the Pennsylvania city’s low-income neighborhoods. Butcher Pezzino also serves on the board of directors of the nonprofit Full Plates, Full Potential. The full story of the Museum’s expansion with renderings of the new space is available  here.
 
Butcher Pezzino grew up in a farming community in upstate New York. She graduated from American University in Washington, DC with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, and earned her MS in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
Wallets to Face Shields | by Bob Martin
 
Devin McNeill shared the journey of Flowfold from its beginning as a high school hobby making men’s wallets from discarded sailcloth to fabricating face shields in the COVID-19 pandemic. “When the coronavirus came along, we knew we needed to focus on the strong parts of the company. We wanted to be part of solving the puzzle, so this effort was consistent with our founding.” Along the way, Flowfold expanded sales of its unique wallets, backpacks, and other products to Japan and became a partner with LL Bean in the design of its iconic Bean Boot.
 
McNeill started his company with his partner in college after their high school hobby continued to flourish. “Men are really attached to their wallet. We got breaks from mom and pop seasonal stores,” he said. It took five years for the partners to get their products into LL Bean. “We kept sending them samples, and they would send them back. Finally, they gave us a chance. I’m not sure if they took pity on us or were just tired of hearing from us.” The firm’s products are sold in major stores across the country and have become popular in Japan. Their big break happened when LL Bean agreed to use the Flowfold-designed fabric as an upper part of the Bean boot. At that point, Flowfold had 20 employees, and relocated to new manufacturing facilities in Gorham in 2018.
 
When COVID-19 happened, McNeill said “we knew we needed to do something.” They asked MaineHealth what they could do to help with the shortage of personal protective equipment. MaineHealth responded with a catalog of needs and Flowfold worked with them to design a face shield. “We made 1,000 the first week,” McNeill said. They ramped up production and now cannot keep them in stock. They have provided five million to the Maine Center for Disease Control. Flowfold doubled their own production staff and enlisted help from LL Bean, who has added several shifts of workers to the face shield production resource. “There are now 60 to 70 people involved in this project,” he said. “We haven’t made a single Flowfold product since this started in early March.” He said that Father’s Day was their biggest sale time of the year and many of their products are sold out.
 
McNeill said he thought Flowfold would continue face shield production for at least the next year. “As long as there is a need, we’ll be here.” He indicated that if legislation requires a stronger supply chain for PPE, it would be realistic to see this continuing for some time. “Right now, we’re beginning to experience shortages of some of our materials.”
 
McNeill said that face shields can be ordered directly from Flowfold’s website.
Bits & Pieces | by John Marr
  • The “new normal” of meeting virtually via Zoom was again accepted and enjoyed by almost 50 members as President Amy Chipman brought us together within the vapors of cyberspace.  While it may be disconcerting to forego our face-to-face fellowship, it doesn’t seem to interfere with our interest in the well-being of our Rotary friends.  I suggest everybody consider signing on as early as possible so you can catch up on what’s going on in your friend’s remote corner of staying-in-place world.  It’s a superior way to get the community news rather than tuning on the tube.  I got a good report on the changing housing market.  It may turn out that we prove that “Maine is the way life should be” as there seems to be an uptick in the number of those “from away” who are looking to live, work, play and stay permanently in Maine.  It seems that working from home makes the problems of the commute obsolete.  Furthermore, there seems to be a changing mindset of the perfect house, with the “MacMansion” being overtaken by the “ManagableMaison”. Jerry Angier announced the redux of the staycation as he and Nancy intend to escape the grips of hunkering in The Piper Shores and taking six weeks of social distancing in environs of Higgins Beach and Rangeley Maine starting in June.  Of course we expect that Jerry will Zoom into our Friday meetings. Another aspect of the virtual meeting is that of backdrop and appearance.  Eric Grevin was beautifully framed by the blossoming tree in his back yard, while Julie L’Heureux had one of Paul Gore’s Rotary Gang photos over her shoulder.   And one last piece of flotsam, Bill Blount opined that Tom Talbot was taking on the look of Steve Carell and Tom countered that Bill was a suitable fill in for Wilford Brimley.  They’re both handsome guys so no offense was to be taken and it fit the Four Way Test.
  • Julie L’Heureux provided a moment of reflection by sharing that her granddaughter Erin offered her and Richard a bit of an invocation by sending her personal prayer wishing that the warmth of summer brings them abundant sunlight, joy and peace (how wonderful!).  She also offered a timely poem from humorists Susan Poulin and Gordon Carlisle, entitled “Stand Behind the Line” that lamentably delivers the tale of a visit to Agway and the clerk’s terse enforcement of standing behind the line.  I’m sure that Julie will share the entirety of the ditty if you like – it’s worth it. 
  • We enjoyed the distinction of a visit from incoming District Governor Marguerite (Peggy) Belanger.   Peggy said she’s visited 39 out of 41 District clubs via Zoom and marvels at how well they’ve adapted and how creative they can be.   She invited everyone to participate in the upcoming Rotary International conference that will be available to everyone without travel expenses.
  • The indefatigable Katie Brown and company help the newest members of our country and community get on their feet.  Currently she has a family with a newborn who is in desperate need of disposable diapers, size 5.  If you can help reach out to Katie.
  • Justin Lamontagne introduced our speaker.
Recovery TF Looks to the Future
 
Helping people recovering from substance use disorder find and keep a job has become the new focus for the club’s Recovery Task Force. Jan Chapman, Doreen Rockstrom, and John Curran shared their group’s latest efforts to expand the impact of the Rotary Club of Portland. Over the last two years, the Task Force fulfilled the objectives of their 2018 District grant that provided recovery coach training, as well as increased public awareness. The team also secured 100 doses of Narcan from the manufacturer for distribution to trained personnel. The Task Force is part of a district-wide effort led by Bob MacKenzie, Kennebunk Chief of Police, whose family has struggled with the effect of substance use disorder. Stories about his family’s experience, and the work of Milestone Recovery, led by Portland Rotarian Bob Fowler, are included in the April/May issue of Journey Magazine, link here.
 
The group is now focused on a project with MaineWorks, a local organization under the direction of Margo Walsh that employs people in recovery, often recently released from incarceration, and now living in recovery houses. MaineWorks also created the Maine Recovery Fund, a nonprofit that Portland Rotary recently contributed to, which provides workers with transportation, dental care, legal assistance, and mental health counseling. Many of these jobs are in the construction sector, a segment that has continued to work through the COVID-19 pandemic. The Task Force will be working in collaboration with the Falmouth and South Portland/Cape Elizabeth clubs to create and train a network of volunteer “navigators” who will identify through their personal connections a variety of social and healthcare resources who agree to help those in the MaineWorks secure the services they need to keep their jobs. People in recovery often do not have access to dental care or other services that provide them with good health and a sense of well-being, a critical foundation for being a valued employee.
 
John Curran is leading the collaboration with the Falmouth Rotary Club to apply for a District Grant to fund the effort. In the meantime, Margo Walsh is looking for donations of equipment and work clothing, particularly work boots. Those interested in assisting can connect with Jan, Doreen, or John.
Moment of Zen
 
A BRAVE AND STARTLING TRUTH
 
We, this people, on a small and lonely planet
Traveling through casual space
Past aloof stars, across the way of indifferent suns
To a destination where all signs tell us
It is possible and imperative that we learn
A brave and startling truth
 
And when we come to it
To the day of peacemaking
When we release our fingers
From fists of hostility
And allow the pure air to cool our palms
 
When we come to it
When the curtain falls on the minstrel show of hate
And faces sooted with scorn are scrubbed clean
When battlefields and coliseum
No longer rake our unique and particular sons and daughters
Up with the bruised and bloody grass
To lie in identical plots in foreign soil
 
When the rapacious storming of the churches
The screaming racket in the temples have ceased
When the pennants are waving gaily
When the banners of the world tremble
Stoutly in the good, clean breeze
 
When we come to it
When we let the rifles fall from our shoulders
And children dress their dolls in flags of truce
When land mines of death have been removed
And the aged can walk into evenings of peace
When religious ritual is not perfumed
By the incense of burning flesh
And childhood dreams are not kicked awake
By nightmares of abuse
 
When we come to it
Then we will confess that not the Pyramids
With their stones set in mysterious perfection
Nor the Gardens of Babylon
Hanging as eternal beauty
In our collective memory
Not the Grand Canyon
Kindled into delicious color
By Western sunsets
 
Nor the Danube, flowing its blue soul into Europe
Not the sacred peak of Mount Fuji
Stretching to the Rising Sun
Neither Father Amazon nor Mother Mississippi who, without favor,
Nurture all creatures in the depths and on the shores
These are not the only wonders of the world
 
When we come to it
We, this people, on this minuscule and kithless globe
Who reach daily for the bomb, the blade and the dagger
Yet who petition in the dark for tokens of peace
We, this people on this mote of matter
In whose mouths abide cankerous words
Which challenge our very existence
Yet out of those same mouths
Come songs of such exquisite sweetness
That the heart falters in its labor
And the body is quieted into awe
 
We, this people, on this small and drifting planet
Whose hands can strike with such abandon
That in a twinkling, life is sapped from the living
Yet those same hands can touch with such healing, irresistible tenderness
That the haughty neck is happy to bow
And the proud back is glad to bend
Out of such chaos, of such contradiction
We learn that we are neither devils nor divines
 
When we come to it
We, this people, on this wayward, floating body
Created on this earth, of this earth
Have the power to fashion for this earth
A climate where every man and every woman
Can live freely without sanctimonious piety
Without crippling fear
 
When we come to it
We must confess that we are the possible
We are the miraculous, the true wonder of this world
That is when, and only when
We come to it.
 
--Maya Angelou, 1995
Speaker Schedule
 
June 6  | Julie Butcher Pezzino, Executive Director,  Children’s Museum of Maine
June 12 | Rebecca Costigan
June 19 | Portland Mayor Kate Snyder
June 26| Amy Chipman
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