Daniel Brennan became MaineHousing’s Director on April 9, 2018. Prior to becoming Director, Mr. Brennan served in a number of senior staff positions at MaineHousing overseeing multifamily asset management and development efforts; weatherization, fuel assistance and home repair programs; and federal programs providing federal rental assistance and funding for Maine’s homeless shelters. Mr. Brennan joined MaineHousing in 1993 as their first Internal Auditor.
Mr. Brennan currently serves on several state, regional and federal boards and councils, including the National Council of State Housing Agencies, Efficiency Maine Trust, the Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority, the Maine Climate Council, and currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston’s Advisory Board.
Mr. Brennan earned his B.A. in Business Management from the University of Maine and his M.B.A. from Thomas College.
BITS AND PIECES | By Laura Young
President Patty started the meeting by welcoming everyone to Portland Rotary. Brian Nickerson led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Bruce Jones provided the Message for the Day discussing the upcoming “consequential election.” He encouraged everyone to vote sharing the quote: “We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate."
WELCOME: Greeter for the Day, Niki Curtis, introduced the guests: Jerry Wall, Penny Harris and Casey Merrill, Niki’s future husband.
JOKER REVEALED:
Nannette Duncanson led the $300 raffle which resulted in Jim Willey as the fortunate one to try his luck. But, alas, he selected the joker card which he said was fitting.
TO YOU: Bill Blount led the singing of Happy Birthday Dear Rotarians. Patty ended by saying, “The world is a better place having you as Rotarians” followed by a collective, “awwww!”
HAPPY SHARE: Patty invited Rotarians to share their “Happy Dollars” which included Bowen giving $26.20 representing a dollar for every mile his daughter ran in the Marine Marathon in DC. PTG contributed in anticipation of the Furniture Superstore ads on tv soon which will replace the political ads. Dick Hall celebrated Bill Milliken taking over for him after running the kitchen at the St. Vincent/DePaul Thanksgiving meal for the past 15 years. Dick will be in Minnesota with family. Peter Goffin suggested a group of Rotarians go to the June 21-25 Calgary Convention in 2025. Talk with Peter or Bowen Depke if you are interested. Don Lowry celebrated having lived this long. Tom Talbott celebrated Bruce Moore listening to Led Zeppelin and wants Aaron Judge to learn how to “catch a freaking baseball.” Jan Chapman celebrated that our exchange student Antonio’s family and friends are safe from the floods in Valencio. Jack Carr yesterday took his boat to the boatyard. Bill Blount celebrated watching the Rotary zone link on membership. Patty celebrated seeing Jake Bourdeu at the meeting who broke his collarbone recently falling off a bike.
GOOD FOUNDATION NEWS: Patty said, hot off the press – the District Newsletter dropped this morning and Portland’s Bridge Walk was featured front and center! She said, “Foundation Chair, Gervin Kah, was unable to be here today, but he asked me to remind you that November is Rotary Foundation Month. Our Club has always been very supportive of the Foundation. This year is our goal $18,000 for the Annual Fund and we hope to raise $3,000 for PolioPlus. More information to follow.”
HELP WITH OUR ANNUAL THANKSGIVING MEAL: Nannette Ranger-Duncanson, on behalf of Community Service, encouraged Rotarians to sign up for the Thanksgiving Meal at St. Vincent/DePaul Soup Kitchen on Wednesday, November 27th.
YOUTH MOVEMENT: Dave Patterson announced a Youth Service Meeting after the meeting. He also invited members to attend the RYLA summit on November 16th. Photos - Nannette and Dave!
NEXT WEEK WE DRAW LOBSTER WINNERS: Patty reported on the Lobster Raffle, “For 45 days, over the past 2 months, Rotarians were down at the Cruise Port, selling raffle tickets and having fun. But it’s not quite over. Next week, is the Raffle Lottery and we’ll learn who won the Grand Prize. Will it be that Rotarian from Monticello, Indiana, or the lady in pink from Olive Branch, MS, perhaps it will be newlywed from Chula Vista, CA? Maybe it will be you! All will be revealed next Friday, along with the winner of the coveted, Golden Deely Bopper award!”
NO PEEK: Jack Carr led the club in a recitation of the Four Way Test.
LAST WEEK'S SPEAKER: Kirk Duffy, A Visit To Savannah, GA. | By Bruce Moore
This week’s speaker was Kirk Duffy of the Savannah Georgia Rotary Club and a seasonal member of our club. Kirk spoke fondly of Savannah where he has lived for the last 40 years. Savannah,like Portland is a port city, but it's located 28 miles from the ocean so they don't have any large cruise ships like we do. And, unlike Portland it was a planned city and is laid out on a grid.
Kirk explained that during the Civil War General Sherman was just outside of Savannah around Christmas of 1864. The city leaders decided to ride out to meet General Sherman, said they had a home for him with all the provisions and welcomed him to their town. This is how Savannah became known as the ‘Hostess City‘. He said Sherman then wrote to President Lincoln saying, “It’s my pleasure to present to you Savannah for Christmas.”
In true “Captain Kirk” style he noted that in Charleston they ask “What family are you from?”; in Atlanta they ask you “What do you do?”; and in Savannah they ask you “What would you like to drink?”
Kirk then went on to describe Savannah's economy and all the different manufacturing Industries and educational institutions. Historically he noted that when the boll weevil wiped out the cotton industry and the Great Depression hit their economy, they learned how to make paper from the low-grade pine trees that grow throughout Georgia.
Over 14 million people visited Savannah last year. Some attractions are the old Antebellum homes, the birthplace of the Girl Scouts of America and the historic part of the port. He encouraged people to come to Savannah for one of the biggest celebrations of St Patty's Day in the country.
Kirk volunteers in a prison ministry program in Georgia so he describes similarities and differences between Cumberland County, Maine and Chatham County, Georgia. One thing he pointed out was that Cumberland County has a jail holding only 570 inmates and it isn't full, and Chatham County has a jail that holds 2770 inmates and it is full all the time. He also noted that Georgia has 34 prisons and the population of 51,000 inmates while Maine has four prisons with a total inmate population of 2300.
Kirk finished with a short 5-minute video of a walking tour of Savannah. We should all take the opportunity to visit Savannah Kirk and his Rotary Club.
Photo- Introducer Doreen Rockstrom and Kirk.
NOVEMBER HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
Ben Lowry 5th, Jim Willey 7th, Brian Nickerson 11th, and Peggy "Queenie" Wescott, 19th.
NOVEMBER ROTARY ANNIVERSARIES!
Mark Shinners 1 Year, Tricia Toms 1, David Patterson 3, Gervin Kah 16, Cyrus Hagge 21, Scott
Blakeslee 22, Dave Putnam 34, Don Lowry 42!
NEW MEMBER APPLICATIONS:
First Notice: Katharine Wall has applied for membership. She is an experienced Rotarian and retired Librarian having relocated from Monroe, Louisiana to Portland. She has hosted many international Rotarians with Group Study and Friendship exchanges and looks forward to making a valuable impact within our Club. She enjoys quilting and travel and has additional community experience with the Cancer Foundation League, Girl Scouts Silver Waters Board and Quota International. Dick Hall will be her sponsor. Her name will be published a second time and then her application will be voted on by the Board of Directors.
First Notice: Jerry Wall has applied for membership. He is looking forward to continuing his Rotary involvement as he has 40 years of experience as an active member, past District Governor, District Foundation Chair, International Host & representative and has relocated from Monroe, Louisiana to Portland. In addition, he is a member of the Civil Air Patrol, enjoys scuba diving and magic! Dick Hall will be his sponsor. His name will be published a second time and then his application will be voted on by the Board of Directors.
Speaker Schedule
November 14 - Thursday Night Social Event - TBD
November 15 - No Club Meeting
November 22 - Curt Dale Clark - Maine State Music Theatre
November 28 - Happy Thanksgiving!
November 29 - No Club Meeting
Club Executives
President Patty Byers President Elect John Thompson Vice President Justin Lamontagne TreasurerDick Hall Secretary Tom Nickerson Board of Directors Dick Hall,
JOKER REVEALED:
Marine Marathon in DC. PTG contributed in anticipation of the Furniture Superstore ads on tv soon which will replace the political ads. Dick Hall celebrated Bill Milliken taking over for him after running the kitchen at the St. Vincent/DePaul Thanksgiving meal for the past 15 years. Dick will be in Minnesota with family. Peter Goffin suggested a group of Rotarians go to the June 21-25 Calgary Convention in 2025. Talk with Peter or Bowen Depke if you are interested. Don Lowry celebrated having lived this long. Tom Talbott celebrated Bruce Moore listening to Led Zeppelin and wants Aaron Judge to lear
n how to “catch a freaking baseball.” Jan Chapman celebrated that our exchange student Antonio’s family and friends are safe from the floods in Valencio. Jack Carr yesterday took his boat to the boatyard. Bill Blount celebrated watching the Rotary zone link on membership. Patty celebrated seeing Jake Bourdeu at the meeting who broke his collarbone recently falling off a bike.
NEXT WEEK WE DRAW LOBSTER WINNERS: Patty reported on the Lobster Raffle, “For 45 days, over the past 2 months, Rotarians were down at the Cruise Port, selling raffle tickets and having fun. But it’s not quite over. Next week, is the Raffle Lottery and we’ll learn who won the Grand Prize. Will it be that Rotarian from Monticello, Indiana, or the lady in pink from Olive Branch, MS, perhaps it will be newlywed from Chula Vista, CA? Maybe it will be you! All will be revealed next Friday, along with the winner of the coveted, Golden Deely Bopper award!”
Kirk then went on to describe Savannah's economy and all the different manufacturing Industries and educational institutions. Historically he noted that when the boll weevil wiped out the cotton industry and the Great Depression hit their economy, they learned how to make paper from the low-grade pine trees that grow throughout Georgia.
NOVEMBER HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
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