The leaders and members of Portland Rotary’s new satellite club will provide the program on November 12. Sarah Riggott and Portland Rotary’s Megan Peabody started this virtual club focused on literacy and childhood education in early 2021. Thanks to Zoom, Sarah and her team will join us live from Guatemala. The speakers include:
Patricia Barneond Alvarez de García-Tres
Director of Teaching and Learning / Director of the Middle School
Asociación Camino Seguro / Safe Passage
Patricia is a Guatemalan educator, with more than 30 years of experience. A trained elementary teacher and professor in Psychology and Pedagogy, Pati has held various teaching and leadership roles in education centers for more than 30 years.
She has a passion for education, believes it is key to promoting development through transforming people's lives, and in turn, transforming communities.
Sarah RiggottFounder
Oroqöm
After graduating with a degree in International Business and French, Sarah threw a dart at a map and it landed on Guatemala. She signed up to volunteer and in 2006 stepped off the plane into glorious weather and knew this is where she wanted to stay. Returning to the UK after volunteering, she trained as a fundraiser before going back to Guatemala permanently in 2009 to support NGOS, organisations and businesses that provide education to all. Oroqöm is a brand-new concept looking to enable grassroots organisations to create long-term solutions to their communities' problems, their way. Since 2006, Sarah has worked alongside an inspirational community leader, Doña Elena, in San Andres Itzapa. This is where Oroqöm was born and continues to work.
Jessie Cohn
Executive director
Originally from Washington, D.C., Jessie holds a BA in Anthropology from the University of Arizona, and an MA in International Relations from the London School of Economics. She has over 10 years of experience managing programs for international and local NGOs, including two years as In-Country Director for Amigos de Santa Cruz before assuming her current position. Jessie enjoys practicing yoga in her free time, and she is the proud mother of her little rescue dog, Lola.
Amanda Flayer
Professional Development Support and Co-Founder
Puerta Abierta
Amanda taught bilingual elementary education in Oakland, California. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a focus in education and Spanish. Amanda arrived in Guatemala in 2003 as a Peace Corps volunteer. While she never imagined that she would be planting her roots in rural Guatemala, she couldn’t be happier living in the colorful rural village of Santiago Atitlán with her husband, two rambunctious daughters and equally rambunctious dogs. Amanda feels fortunate to have work that is creative, meaningful, and keeps her connected to the playful spirit of children.
Katie Korsyn
Founder & executive director
Sueños
Katie Korsyn came to Guatemala in August 2013 with a degree in international development from The George Washington University, and within 6 months was introduced to the families working in the central park of Antigua, starting the relationship that would lead to the creation of Sueños. In her time in Guatemala, she has taught preschool and elementary school, and has been involved in various education projects, where she specializes in pedagogic coaching. She has worked with Division Educativa as an Education Specialist and Teachers2Teachers-Global as Education Leadership Coordinator.
Bits & Pieces | By Erik Jorgensen
Just because there may not be this sort of virtual Rotary meeting forever, it seems appropriate to document the way that our meetings have all begun this past year. While it’s not the same as standing around tables in a dining room, the fellowship remains real, and the reasons that Rotary exists are as clear on Zoom as they are in person.
On this sunny November afternoon, from a blank screen a few minutes before noon, members start to materialize in a random fashion, each joining into an emerging conversation. the first person to show up is Jon Young, alone on the screen. A few seconds later, Tom Ranello and Rusty Atwood materialize, and then Bruce Moore and Jerry Angier jump on and go directly into a conversation that touches on pickle ball and the Club’s backpack project. Suddenly, Ben Lowry appears from La Jolla California. We find out it’s his birthday, and that he’s about to take a biplane ride to celebrate. Ellen Niewoehner then pops in, just as Cyrus Hagge is wondering aloud if Ben is planning to wing walk. And finally, the conversation moves into a beautiful impromptu tribute to our recently departed member, Russ Burleigh, as Cyrus and Rusty and Amy Chipman, all note various dimensions of Russ’ outsized impact on the club and on our city. All of this takes place before the opening of the meeting, which President Bob gavels to order on time. While it’s certainly different than a gathering at the Clarion or the Holiday Inn, it’s unquestionably a Portland Rotary meeting.
Bruce Moore delivered the invocation on the notion of change and the realities of disparity during challenging times. He quoted former President Obama: “Let’s step in by helping where we can – change will not come if we wait for another person or another time -- We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
President Bob then commented on the long life of Russ Burleigh and noted that as soon as information on a memorial is available, he will pass it along to members.
Rusty Atwood presented a youth service award to Cheverus student Michael Moseley. Counselor Kate Coddaire introduced the honoree, describing Michael’s record of community service at Cheverus. Michael is a pianist and organist, and he serves as the morning announcer at Cheverus in addition to a full schedule of academic activities and voluntarism. Michael, who lives in Ogunquit, is a lifeguard, and he specified the YMCA as the recipient of his contribution. He was joined on the screen by his parents.
Amy Chipman noted that David Small’s family is contributing some additional funds as a follow-up for the Pints for Polio event a few weeks ago. The event has now raised $254 from our club and around $5400 dollars from the district. This will be added to our other anti-polio fundraising efforts and will bring us close to our annual goal.
Patty Byers noted that November is Rotary Foundation Month – watch for videos and newsletter blurbs over the next few weeks. She reminded us that every Rotarian should give to the Rotary Foundation every year – these catalytic contributions drive Rotary’s ability to work around the world. Please consider it.
Leslie Clark reported from the Community Service Committee – the annual St. Vincent’s Thanksgiving will be happening as usual on the day before Thanksgiving. Volunteers, get ready! Put on your Rotarian at Work tee shirt and come help with Thanksgiving (if you still need a shirt, contact me. If you don't have one, come anyway!) Portland Rotary will be preparing Thanksgiving meals at St. Vincent's again this year. Like last year, the meals will be prepared and packaged for take-out, due to COVID.
We will have three shifts of 2-3 hours each. You are welcome to stay for all three! Plan to arrive to St. Vincent's at 8:00 am on Wednesday, November 24 for the first shift of cooking and preparing. The next shifts will be preparing the boxes and distributing them, and last, there is clean up time allocated! Bring a family member or friend - share the gift of giving.
We are looking for six people for each shift. Please contact Leslie Clark at 207-415-7049 to sign up, or send an email to lesliemaryclark@gmail.com Thanks to everyone for your service and help!
Foundation News | by Patty Byers
Dean Upbeat on Future of Maine Law School
By Juliana L’Heureux
President Bob Martin introduced Judge Leigh Saufley, Dean of the University of Maine School of Law and former Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. She was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court in 2001, becoming both Maine's first woman and the youngest person ever to serve in the position. She served as Chief Justice until 2020, when she was hired as the eighth Dean of the University of Maine School of Law. Saufley became the first dean to report directly to University of Maine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy. The School of Law is the only law school in the state to be fully accredited by the American Bar Association.
In Maine, the need for rural lawyers is urgent, Saufley said. She spoke about the school's future and the need to educate more lawyers to serve in the rural and semi-rural areas. One of the slides Dean Saufley presented documented the data about how the number of Maine attorneys compares to other reference groups. In Maine, there are 3,988 attorneys. There is a need to increase this number because the ratio of attorneys to the Maine population is 2.3 per 1,000 residents. This ratio is lower than the 5.3 attorneys per 1,000 New England residents. The national state average for numbers of attorneys per 1,000 residents is 4/1000. There are 1.3 million attorneys in the U.S. One in 4 attorneys are either located in New York or in California.
About the law school building itself, she said: “While we have been grateful for what we have accomplished in the unusual ‘Round Building' for the past 50 years, the University recognizes that the building has reached the end of its useful life for the Law School.” In fact, the round law school building made Architectural Digest’s list of ugliest university buildings in the U.S.
The Law School and related programs will soon move into a renovated Old Port office building in Portland, at 300 Fore Street, within walking distance of the Cumberland County courthouse.
The School of Law’s accelerated 3 + 3 Bachelor’s/J.D. degree program supports the progress needed to allow residents to have access to justice. This program of study allows students to earn a bachelor’s degree and a Juris Doctor in just six years.
Benefits of the program: Enrolling in the 3 + 3 program will save students one full year of tuition and a full year of undergraduate study. Maine School of Law currently has 3 + 3 agreements with the following institutions: Husson University, St. Joseph’s College, University of Maine, University of Maine Augusta, University of Maine Farmington, University of Maine Fort Kent, University of Maine Presque Isle, University of New England and University of Southern Maine. Students enrolled in a 3 + 3 program apply to Maine Law in their junior year of undergraduate study. Successful applicants begin their first year of law school during their fourth year of undergraduate study. Rotarians will look forward to hearing more law school updates from Dean Saufley as future plans progress.
Founder
Counselor Kate Coddaire introduced the honoree, describing Michael’s record of community service at Cheverus. Michael is a pianist and organist, and he serves as the morning announcer at Cheverus in addition to a full schedule of academic activities and voluntarism. Michael, who lives in Ogunquit, is a lifeguard, and he specified the YMCA as the recipient of his contribution. He was joined on the screen by his parents.
