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Russell Hampton
National Awards Services Inc.
ClubRunner
Speakers
Jun 01, 2018
Jun 08, 2018
Jun 15, 2018
2017-18 Wrap Up
Jun 22, 2018
Healthcare From the Physician's Perspective
Jun 29, 2018
Leadership
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Executives & Directors
President
 
First Vice President
 
Second Vice President
 
Treasurer
 
Secretary
 
Immediate Past President
 
Director Term End 2018
 
Director Term End 2018
 
Director Term End 2019
 
Director Term End 2019
 
Community Service Chair
 
International Service Chair
 
Vocational Service Chair
 
Rotary Foundation Chair
 
Club Protection Officer
 
Vision Champion
 
Communications-WJ Bulletin Ed
 
Communications-PR External
 
Constitution/ByLaws Chair
 
Fund Raising Chair
 
Good Cheer Chair
 
Invocation Chair
 
Meeting Day Chair
 
Music Committee Chair
 
Program Chair
 
Membership Chair
 
Web Administrator
 
Administrative Coordinator
 
Welcome to the Rotary Club of Portland, Maine!
Portland Rotary
Service Above Self
We meet Fridays at 12:15 PM
Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
88 Spring Street
Portland, ME  04101
United States
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Rotary This Week

Portland Rotary Club
will meet this Friday,
June 1, 2018 
at the
Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
88 Spring
 Street, Portland
 
*06/01/18 Laura Freid, President Maine College of Art

Laura Freid has pursued a career in higher education and the arts, and made this the focus of her work in journalism and film as well.

As CEO and Executive Director of Silkroad for the past decade, Freid initiated the organization’s ongoing multi-year affiliation with Harvard University, established a five-year partnership with the Rhode Island School of Design, and created the first joint venture with the Harvard Business School.

During her tenure, Silkroad spearheaded a yearlong, citywide celebration of the arts in Chicago; focused on the arts and passion-driven learning in work with middle schools, educators and teaching artists across America; and brought together artists and business leaders to influence the emerging field of cultural entrepreneurship. She also served as executive producer of the internationally-acclaimed feature documentary The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble.

Prior to joining Silkroad, Freid was executive vice president for public affairs and university relations at Brown University. A magazine journalist and editor, she served as publisher of Harvard magazine and publisher and editor of Bostonia magazine. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis and holds an M.B.A. from Boston University, as well as an Ed.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.
 

05/25/18 Bill Caron, CEO Maine Health

Last Friday at the Holiday Inn By-the-Bay, President-elect John Curran introduced Bill Caron, the president of the largest private employer in the state of Maine, Maine Health, with 19,000 employees and $2.5 in annual revenues. Bill’s talk, entitled “The Current State and the Challenges Ahead,” was an eye-opening look at health care in Maine and the issues involved as changes occur at a rapid rate.

Bill opened his remarks with a reminiscence of a time, just a decade ago, when a patient would be admitted to the hospital for a hip replacement, spending 10-14 days in-patient post-op, then another 3-5 days at an in-patient therapy center, followed by visits from a home health aide in the weeks after these stays. Now, a patient is up and walking hours after this same procedure and discharged to go home in less than 24 hours in the hospital. With these remarkable changes in technology and care come many issues, both beneficial and detrimental to the patient who must be seen as a consumer in this ever-changing business model.

In looking at what “works well” within the healthcare system in Maine, Bill reiterated that the quality of care is rated at the very top of the United States and the physicians and other providers are “as good as it gets” but, that being said, the issues revolving around childhood obesity and smoking are still a major concern, especially with the expected costs for all of us to incur should these problems become longstanding with so many associated maladies. 

The major challenge, as one would expect, remains the cost for the consumer of healthcare. With “cost shifting” transferring so many of the ever-increasing expenses to you and me, through health insurance rate increases, and the population ever aging, with the expectant costs related to care, there are no easy fixes. Mainers pay the fifth highest rates in the country for insurance, which is forcing many providers and insurers to re-design the delivery systems for healthcare, wherein services are only offered at regional facilities, not with the “home town provider.” Maine is losing more and more qualified health professionals to Boston and further south, a trend that has been longstanding.   

Bill Caron, in addressing these issues, and others, offered some real insight into our ever-evolving healthcare system, with no easy answers to some of these longstanding problems. But he asked for our patience and cooperation as those in power, representing both public and private sectors, work tirelessly to seek solutions in the months ahead.

(Photo L-R: President-elect John Curran, Bill Caron, and President Don Zillman.)

05/25/18 Bits & Pieces

President Don Zillman welcomed 58 members, 1 visiting Rotarian, and 1 guest to our meeting on Friday. President Don asked Joe Reagan to give the invocation on Friday. In honor of Memorial Day and our veterans, Joe told us a heartfelt story about an exemplary soldier and father who put service and his life above self. Glenn Nerbak led us in the Pledge of Allegiance, and Past President Russ Burleigh led us in 'God Bless America.'

President Don thanked those that helped run the weekly meeting.


Gracie Johnston (left) discussed our club's volunteer day at Preble Street in which some Rotarians helped prepare and serve food at the soup kitchen for those in need. The volunteers during the recent event included over nine (9) Portland Rotarians. A fairly new member (John Thompson at right) brought his 17-year old daughter. John asked her about the experience, and she said that she was interested in the variety of people that attended and how hard the volunteers worked. Gracie also discussed the opioid task grant application that she and some other Rotarians are working on. 


Jake Bourdeau, with the help of Matt Wolcott, held the raffle this week, and the speaker Bill Caron picked PTG’s ticket out of the can. Paul T. Gore selected a red 7 which lets the Queen of Hearts rest for another week. The pot is getting bigger, so join us next week for a chance at over $550. 

 


Glenn Nerbak introduced two students from Portland High School who presented their Capstone projects to the club. They presented about a “Welcome Wall” initiative, which tries to bring fellow students closer together in their school community. The Welcome Wall topics include immigrants and other newcomers to the school. The Welcome Wall process was described largely as a student-on-student interview process including multiple languages and translations of the interviews. You could tell from the students’ enthusiasm and their smiles that the goal of the Welcome Wall was being achieved. 

Glenn also let us know that he is leaving Maine and its cold winters, and moving to southern Arizona to start a position teaching English. Best wishes, Glenn, in your new endeavors, and we appreciate your service.


Past President Jim Willey let us know that there are opportunities to volunteer at the Salvation Army’s Playroom which is reading and playing with the toddlers of adult education participants while the adults are taking classes. Jim noted that one positive plus to the program is that the diapers are still changed by their parents. 

 


Past President Kris Rosado spoke about the status of the upcoming Maine Outdoor Challenge (MOC), and he let us know that there is still enough room to add a few more teams. Kris also was even able to hook up an interested Rotarian with a team during the meeting. 

Patty Erickson (right) talked about some of the MOC logistics and about the donated items that are being auctioned off at the dinner  Patty asked for some help describing the gifts to support an email blast, and Linda Varrell raised her hand offering to help. 


In honor of our military and veterans, Past President Russ Burleigh of the Music Committee led us in an Armed Forces medley, and as each song was played, members who had served in the branch of the service that the song represented were asked to stand up and be recognized.


President-elect John Curran presented some highlights from his trip to Kosovo, and also talked about his visits to five Rotary Clubs while there. John indicated that other clubs there are on board with the Hands and Hearing initiatives that are being proposed. John also exchanged club banners with one of the clubs. 

 


ANNOUNCEMENTS/ROTARIANS IN THE NEWS

Bob Trail attended his 75th reunion at Brown University. 

Joe Reagan was in the news recently alongside Senator Angus King regarding a Goodwill story. 
 

Volunteer Opportunities
Following is a list of our Club's volunteer projects. If you know of other opportunities, please contact Loretta: lrowe@maine.rr.com
 

                          When
Project              Who to Contact


DHS Junior          May 30, 10:20-10:45 am
Readiness            Need 13 volunteers
Workshop            Mike Reed
                          mreed@trsswealth.com


RYLA                   Phil Giordano
                          philtastic7780@gmail.com
Camp Hinds
Clean Up             Jun 9, 9:00 am - finish

Camp Hinds
Registration         Jun 24, 7:45 am-12:30 pm

Final RYLA           Dinner Cost $10
Camp BBQ           Jun 26, 6:00-10:00 pm


Preble Street        4th Wednesday ea month
Resource Ctr        3:30-6:30 pm
Soup Kitchen        Gracie Johnston
                           gracie.johnston@wcsh6.com


Game Night         3rd Tuesday ea month
Long Creek          Mike Fortunato
Youth Center        michael.k.fortunato@gmail.com
                           or Jim Willey
                           jimandbarbarawilley@gmail.com                       

 

Birthdays and Rotary Anniversaries

NOTABLE DATES FOR MEMBERS IN JUNE

Member Birthday
    5th - George Crockett
   7th - Peter Goffin
 13th - Laura Young
 15th - Rusty Atwood
 19th - Roger Asch
 21st - Paul Gore
        - Ralph Hendrix
        - Tom Ranello
        - Andy Stone
24th - Justin Lamontagne

Date-Joined-Rotary Anniversaries
Charlie Whittier - 34 years
Tom Talbott - 30 years
Bob Clark - 28 years
Roger Fagan - 26 years 
Larry Gross - 24 year
Roger Asch - 23 years
Julie L'Heureux - 7 years
Erik Greven - 4 years
Janet Butland - 2 years
Chris Thomas - 2 years
Doreen Rockstrom - 1 year

                   
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!

2018 Maine Outdoor Challenge
 
This Week's Duty Assignments

Invocation:  Julie L'Heureux
Program Reporter:  Erik Jorgensen
Bits & Pieces Reporter:  Alan Nye
Registration/Greeter:   Tiel Duncan
Sell Meal Tickets:  Jennifer Frederick
Raffle:  Tom Nickerson
Collect Meal Tickets: Deb Lavoie
Sgt-at-Arms (Setup):  Jerry Angier
Sgt-at-Arms (Take Down): Mike Fortunato

Rotary Meeting Locations

If you would like to mark your calendars,
we are scheduled at the following locations
through June 2018:

2018 

Jun 01 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Jun 08 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay

Jun 15 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Jun 22 - Clarion Hotel
Jun 29 - TBD


Blue BOLD dates are scheduled Board meeting days.

Any questions, please contact Loretta at: lrowe@maine.rr.com
 

Item Donations Needed
The following items are needed on an on-going basis. Please feel free to bring them to a meeting where we will collect and distribute them to the appropriate projects.
 
Crutches4Africa - Crutches, canes, folding walkers and wheelchairs to be shipped to Africa.
 
Toiletries for the Shelters - Collect those tiny bottles of toiletries you are paying for during your next hotel visit and bring them home for members of our society who find themselves staying at a shelter and in need of personal hygiene products.