News of The Rotary Club of Portland, Maine | May 26, 2020
Sailcloth Wallets to Bean Boots
Devin McNeill is the co-founder of Flowfold with his partner Charles Friedman, who started making wallets from discarded sailcloth when he was in high school. Founded in 2011, Flowfold now makes wallets, packs, duffles, and other accessories from sailcloth and other high-performance fabrics, including some made from recycled plastic bottles. Since their founding, Flowfold has expanded its sales to Japan, and partnered with LL Bean in the manufacture of the iconic bean boot made with Flowfold fabric.
In 2017, McNeill and Friedman were named the Small Business Administration’s Young Entrepreneurs of the Year. McNeill is a 2010 graduate of the University of Maine at Orono with a bachelor’s degree in finance & accounting.
Where the Lights Are Bright | by Ben Lowry
Our club had the pleasure of hearing from Casey Gilbert, the executive director of Portland Downtown, an organization founded in 1992 to support economic vitality while improving the quality of life for residents, employees and visitors. Dr. Gilbert, whose five-year term is ending in June, has enjoyed her time in our lovely city and has spearheaded the efforts to hire the new director, with that announcement imminent. As the New Hampshire native heads off to warmer climes to begin a new chapter in teaching and consulting with non-profits, she shared with us the accomplishments of her term and the organization’s goals for the next half-decade.
Portland Downtown’s five-year strategic plan from 2015 thru 2020, with an annual budget of roughly $1.2M derived a small supplemental tax to members, focused upon 1) vitality —wherein the organization actively promotes and drives business to the downtown region through powerful print & online communications and major community events like Downtown Worker Appreciation Day and Merry Madness; 2) experience— to keep Portland safe through our cadet program and improvements to street lighting & signage. Portland Downtown has created cleaner, more welcoming spaces through landscaping, graffiti removal and repairs to aging sidewalks and tree wells; 3) growth— As Portland’s downtown expands organically, so too does the organization’s reach and constituency (the district runs from Commercial St to the south, to Cumberland Ave on the north, to Franklin St on the east to Longfellow Square on the west). They are committed to strategic planning, collaboration and efficient operation. 4) advocacy — Portland Downtown assumes a leadership role about all issues that impact the future of Portland. They often serve as the voice of the downtown community, ensuring that needs & concerns are addressed fairly and in a timely fashion. The next five years, under new leadership, will focus upon service, enhancement, engagement and achievement as Portland looks to build upon steady growth and an ability to come out of the current pandemic without an excess of repercussions to tourist and locals alike, a goal that will be challenging, to say the least.
Questions from club members were numerous and insightful, touching upon the end of the longstanding Old Port Festival, to Casey’s collaboration with the Greater Portland Chamber of Commerce, to member’s use of the federal paycheck protection program (PPP) and the city’s micro loan program. With her careful and articulate responses, it's clear that the Downtown District was in more than capable hands over the past five years and that the city will miss her leadership as we all try to navigate forward during this very difficult time in our city’s history.
Bits & Pieces | by Juliana L'Heureux
President Amy welcomed the Zoom-meeting Rotarians. Zoom-er attendees were dressed-up for the occasion because Tom Talbott was preparing to take our group screen picture to post on social media. Charlie Frair looked great wearing a blue dress shirt with a Rotary tie. Jan Chapman and Bruce Moore wore their Rotary emblem matching jerseys. A request was made about how to find a hat with a Rotary emblem. Check with Paul Gore. Many Paul Harris pins were on display and Tom Talbott’s background was a genuine Rotary banner. Dick Hall sat in front of a curtain printed with Rotary insignias. In other words, the Rotarians were prepared for our photo op.
The regular meeting bell was not available to announce the opening, but Casey Gilbert, the guest speaker, happened to have a small one in her possession and it worked, just fine.
Amy held the American flag in front of the screen and led The Pledge of Allegiance.
David Small’s invocation was appropriate for the Memorial Day weekend and reminded all about how our freedom is a gift. He read a tribute to World War II veterans, composed by Ann Casewell (1920-2011), a native of Rye, New Hampshire, who wrote this tribute 60 years ago.
A-M-E-R-I-C- A
A is for Army, they know their stuff; M is for Marines, they really are tough; E is for Eagles, the force of the air; R is for righteousness and all that's fair; I is for invisible, that's our Navy at sea; C is for Coast Guard, efficient as can be; A is for America, whose flag is unfurled,
that describes America folks,
the best in the world.
President Amy announced two new members joining Portland Rotary. Welcome to Joyce Kennedy, transferring from the Eastchester New York Rotary club; and, Asheesh Lanba. He is an assistant professor of engineering at the University of Southern Maine and has been assisting with the 3H prosthetic hands project.
Tom Talbott took two screen photos of the attendees on the Zoom meeting.
President Amy announced important reminders:
Loretta Rowe needs your committee preferences ASAP! The deadline was May 22. Loretta needs these in order to prepare the Club Roster and provide Committee Chairs with their team information.
Please respond to the member survey as soon as possible. We need to report our next year membership forecast to Rotary International. RI dues are assessed based on June 30 membership, so an accurate count is needed.
Donations to the Rotary Foundation Paul Harris Fellow program can be made (here) and to the End Polio Now campaign (here) to help reach the Club’s contribution goals.
Ben Lowry read an excerpt from “On the Horizon”, a book written by his mother, Lois Lowry, and published in 2020. Lois Lowry is the recipient of two Newberry Medals for writing distinguished young adult literature. From a website review: “On the Horizon tells the story of people whose lives were lost or forever altered by the twin tragedies of Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima. Based on the lives of soldiers at Pearl Harbor and civilians in Hiroshima, On the Horizon contemplates humanity and war through verse that sings with pain, truth, and the importance of bridging cultural divides. This masterful work emphasizes empathy and understanding in search of commonality and friendship, vital lessons for students as well as citizens of today’s world. Kenard Pak’s stunning illustrations depict real-life people, places, and events, making for an incredibly vivid return to our collective past. In turns haunting, heartbreaking, and uplifting, On the Horizon will remind readers of the horrors and heroism in our past, as well as offer hope for our future.” Ben shared that Memorial Day was particularly a poignant time for him and his family as his brother Air Force Major Grey Lowry was killed May 30, 1995, when his F-15 crashed on a routine training mission at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. Our condolences to Don, Ben, and family with deepest appreciation to Ben for his sharing.
The 2020 Rotary International Convention website is up with the breakout session schedule here. Registration information for the online event is not yet available.
Bob Martin introduced our guest speaker, Casey Gilbert.
Moment of Zen
“”Human beings are works in progress that mistakenly think they’re finished. The person you are right now is as transient, as fleeting and as temporary as all the people you’ve ever been.
The one constant in our lives is change.
–Dan Gilbert
Speaker Schedule
May 29 | Devin McNeil, Owner of Flowfold
June 6 | Julie Butcher Pezzino, Executive Director, Children’s Museum of Maine
News of The Rotary Club of Portland, Maine | May 26, 2020
Devin McNeill is the co-founder of Flowfold with his partner Charles Friedman, who started making wallets from discarded sailcloth when he was in high school. Founded in 2011, Flowfold now makes wallets, packs, duffles, and other accessories from sailcloth and other high-performance fabrics, including some made from recycled plastic bottles. Since their founding, Flowfold has expanded its sales to Japan, and partnered with LL Bean in the manufacture of the iconic bean boot made with Flowfold fabric.
roughly $1.2M derived a small supplemental tax to members, focused upon 1) vitality —wherein the organization actively promotes and drives business to the downtown region through powerful print & online communications and major community events like Downtown Worker Appreciation Day and Merry Madness; 2) experience— to keep Portland safe through our cadet program and improvements to street lighting & signage. Portland Downtown has created cleaner, more welcoming spaces through landscaping, graffiti removal and repairs to aging sidewalks and tree wells; 3) growth— As Portland’s downtown expands organically, so too does the organization’s reach and constituency (the district runs from Commercial St to the south, to Cumberland Ave on the north, to Franklin St on the east to Longfellow Square on the west). They are committed to strategic planning, collaboration and efficient operation. 4) advocacy — Portland Downtown assumes a leadership role about all issues that impact the future of Portland. They often serve as the voice of the downtown community, ensuring that needs & concerns are addressed fairly and in a timely fashion. The next five years, under new leadership, will focus upon service, enhancement, engagement and achievement as Portland looks to build upon steady growth and an ability to come out of the current pandemic without an excess of repercussions to tourist and locals alike, a goal that will be challenging, to say the least.
President Amy announced important reminders: 
lost or forever altered by the twin tragedies of Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima. Based on the lives of soldiers at Pearl Harbor and civilians in Hiroshima, On the Horizon contemplates humanity and war through verse that sings with pain, truth, and the importance of bridging cultural divides. This masterful work emphasizes empathy and understanding in search of commonality and friendship, vital lessons for students as well as citizens of today’s world. Kenard Pak’s stunning illustrations depict real-life people, places, and events, making for an incredibly vivid return to our collective past. In turns haunting, heartbreaking, and uplifting, On the Horizon will remind readers of the horrors and heroism in our past, as well as offer hope for our future.” Ben shared that Memorial Day was particularly a poignant time for him and his family as his brother Air Force Major Grey Lowry was killed May 30, 1995, when his F-15 crashed on a routine training mission at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. Our condolences to Don, Ben, and family with deepest appreciation to Ben for his sharing.
