News of The Rotary Club of Portland, Maine October 22, 2020
Who Has Changed: Susan Collins or the Republican Party (in the age of Donald Trump)?
by Rusty Atwood
Daniel M. Shea is a Professor of Government, and Department Chair, at Colby College where he directed the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement from 2012 to 2017. Professor Shea earned his BA from the State University of New York at Oswego, his MA in Campaign Management from the University of West Florida, and a PHD in Political Science from the State University of New York, Albany.
An award-winning teacher, Professor Shea has spearheaded numerous initiatives at Colby and other institutions designed to help young Americans better appreciate their potential to bring about democratic change. The author, or editor, of nearly twenty books and dozens of articles and chapters on the American political process, Shea’s research focuses on campaigns and elections, political parties, the politics of scandal, and grassroots activism. His coauthored volume The Fountain of Youth (2007) garnered national attention for its findings on how local party organizations often neglect young citizens. His work on civility and compromise led to the publication of a co-edited volume, Can We Talk? The Rise of Rude, Nasty, Stubborn Politics (2012).
Other works authored by Dan Shea include Let’s Vote: The Essentials of the American Electoral Process and the college text Living Democracy. His most recent book is Why Vote?: Essential Questions About the Future of Elections in America (2019).
Citing polling data compiled at Colby, Professor Shea’s talk will focus primarily on the pivotal U.S. Senate race in Maine and the question: “Who Has Changed: Susan Collins or the Republican Party (in the age of Donald Trump)”?
Bits and Pieces | by Erik Jorgensen
In a theme that seemed appropriate for this Friday during the middle of the MLB’s playoffs, our meeting opened with an informal discussion of baseball. Rusty Atwood reminded us of Mainer Clyde Sukeforth and his historic role in signing Jackie Robinson for the Brooklyn Dodgers, breaking the color barrier and making history.
Guests and visitors last Friday included Kirk Duffy, Sam Silver from South Portland, and Aaron Peyton from the Westbrook Gorham Rotary. We provided them with a warm virtual greeting.
Next Saturday is World Polio Day and in recognition thereof, our club will plant 1,000 “purple polio crocus bulbs” at Rotary Grove! Located near the intersection of India and Commercial streets, Rotary Grove is a group of shade trees along the East End trail, planted by Portland Rotary over a period of years. Come with your trowels at 10AM.
Charlie Frair announced that not surprisingly, given the limits on indoor gatherings, our annual Veterans Day lunch is not happening this year. The Club will, however, be sending greetings to as many veterans as possible this year, letting them know they are top of mind, even if we can’t meet in person.
Tom Ranello spoke about our annual Thanksgiving meal, presented with St. Vincent de Paul. The church is trying to make it fit with COVID guidelines, and there remains some work to be done in order to figure that out. This year, it looks like Rotarians will be involved mostly with food prep, and not with serving. Details will be forthcoming, but even in its reduced form, this will remain a volunteer opportunity and an important chance to serve some of Portland’s most needy.
Salvation Army Bell Ringing is also on in a modified form. More details on that will follow in the coming weeks, but the needs remain great and it’s quite clear that with a little effort the bells and kettles can be handled safely.
Laura Young reported on our recent mask and PPE distribution project: a truck with 100,000 COVID-suitable masks arrived in Portland, and Rotarians district-wide chipped in to get them distributed under the watchful eyes of three TV stations, who all covered the story. Our club distributed more than 6,000 of these masks, which went to Preble Street, the Boys’ and Girls’ clubs, Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition, Maine Veterans Home, Portland Public Schools and Youth Full Maine.
Finally, there are now some openings for new people to join Circles of Five, where Rotarians pledge $200.00 per year for five years, with each earning a Paul Harris Fellowship in the process. If you are interested (or even think you might be a little interested), see Amy Chipman.
STARC Lessons
By Juliana L’Heureux
Rusty Atwood introduced Chris Vickers, the President and CEO of STARC Systems, located in Brunswick, ME.
STARC began out of concerns raised about the amount of dust, debris, and the time needed to provide temporary containment in patient-occupied healthcare renovation projects. Tim Hebert founded the company because he saw an opportunity to create a better solution than traditional drywall. His concept was a modular, reusable temporary containment system that looked great, was quick and quiet to install and exceeded regulatory quality requirements. With confidence in his idea, he founded STARC in 2012, created a business plan and pursued a patent.
STARC is used across all 50 states and internationally by the leading construction firms in healthcare, as well as in industry verticals such as commercial office, education, data centers, biotech, and government. Innovation has been essential the STARC’s success and their ability to adapt to change was demonstrated when their business plan and projects were interrupted by the March 2020 pandemic shutdown. Instead of seeing the business come to an abrupt halt, the phone began ringing off the hook at the company’s headquarters because hospitals and clinics needed to create secure spaces to protect patients, families and health care workers from the spread of the coronavirus.
To help reduce the spread of COVID-19, Vickers said “the company is dramatically increasing production of instant isolation units to protect patients and healthcare workers.”
STARC Systems solutions are now providing a safe environment for healthcare workers and patients during healthcare facility renovations. The renovation technology has become critical in the need to provide hospitals with immediate patient isolation rooms to reduce the spread of coronavirus. These rooms allow overflowing healthcare systems, or entirely repurposed facilities, to isolate patients who are sick from other patients and healthcare workers who are not.
“Time is our biggest concern,” Vickers said. “Healthcare facilities need isolation rooms now, not two months from now. Significantly investing in the Brunswick production facility will ensure demand is met and avoid delays.”
STARC has moved into larger space located in a hanger on the Naval Air Base in Brunswick and has hired temporary and more permanent employees to meet the customers’ timelines. Maine clients include Maine Medical Center and Central Maine Medical Center, while national clients include The Cleveland Clinic, The Mayo Clinic, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, The Ohio State University and LaGuardia and Phoenix Airports.
The slides Chris Vickers used in his presentation are available here.
Moment of Reflection
A Hymn to the Evening
BY PHILLIS WHEATLEY
Soon as the sun forsook the eastern main
The pealing thunder shook the heav'nly plain;
Majestic grandeur! From the zephyr's wing,
Exhales the incense of the blooming spring.
Soft purl the streams, the birds renew their notes,
And through the air their mingled music floats.
Through all the heav'ns what beauteous dies are spread!
But the west glories in the deepest red:
So may our breasts with ev'ry virtue glow,
The living temples of our God below!
Fill'd with the praise of him who gives the light,
And draws the sable curtains of the night,
Let placid slumbers sooth each weary mind,
At morn to wake more heav'nly, more refin'd;
So shall the labours of the day begin
More pure, more guarded from the snares of sin.
Night's leaden sceptre seals my drowsy eyes,
Then cease, my song, till fair Aurora rise.
A Note from the Editor
On October 18, 1775, Phillis Wheatley was freed from slavery, around the age of 20, two years after she published her collection, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral.
Speaker Schedule
October 23 | Dan Shea, Colby College, Election Forecast
October 30 | Steve Bromage, Maine Historical Society
November 6 | Veterans Day Event
November 13 | Vin Veroneau, President, J.B. Brown Company
November 20 | Heather T. Pacquette, VP Retail Services, Hannaford
November 27 | NO MEETING
December 4 | TBD
December 11 | Rich Cantz, President, Goodwill
December 18 | Greg Mitchell, Economic Development Director, City of Portland
Colby College where he directed the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement from 2012 to 2017. Professor Shea earned his BA from the State University of New York at Oswego, his MA in Campaign Management from the University of West Florida, and a PHD in Political Science from the State University of New York, Albany.
