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Russell Hampton
National Awards Services Inc.
ClubRunner
Speakers
Mar 23, 2018
Mar 30, 2018
Apr 06, 2018
Apr 13, 2018
Apr 20, 2018
Apr 27, 2018
Institution of Family Business
May 04, 2018
May 11, 2018
May 18, 2018
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Executives & Directors
President
 
First Vice President
 
Second Vice President
 
Treasurer
 
Secretary
 
Immediate Past President
 
Sergeant-at-Arms
 
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,
March 23, 2018
at the
Holiday Inn By the Bay

 
*03/23/18 Veterans' Organizations

We are having a unique and unprecedented program this Friday, March 23, at the Holiday Inn.  Five exceptional Maine organizations that serve Maine Veterans will be presenting their work and asking for your support. 

Two of these organizations will be receiving a $1000 gift from the Portland Rotary Club and the members will decide which two.  Each organization will be represented by one of our Rotary members who will speak on their behalf.  When all five presentations are complete each member will receive a ballot to vote for the    two groups they want to see receive one of the gifts.

The five groups nominated by our members this year that will be represented at the meeting are:

     • The Betsy Ann Ross House of Hope, nominated by Roxane Cole

     • Healing Through Horses, nominated by Annie Messinger

     • K9’s On The Front Line, nominated by Mike Robinson

     • Honor Flight Maine, nominated by Bob Traill

     • Veterans Count/Easterseals Military and Veterans Services, nominated by Joe Reagan.

Please make every effort to attend this meeting and have your vote count.
 

03/16/18 Bits & Pieces

This weeks meeting was extra special, because we gathered at Long Creek Youth Development Center and the food was prepared and served by the students involved with the Culinary Arts program, under the guidance of Chef Stevens. The students did a masterful job with the Italian dinner they prepared for their guests. Many club members expressed favorable commentary and suggested that this was the best luncheon the club has enjoyed at a meeting.

President Don called the meeting to order at the usual time. In conjunction with recent discussion and decision, we began the meeting with the salute to our flag. Past President Bill Blount lead the group, a capella, in our singing of "The Star Spangled Banner."  Well lead and well sung, despite being free of accompaniment.


Past President Jim Willey, recalled the 100-year association our Rotary Club has enjoyed with the Salvation Army, including our fundamental role in the development of the Kid’s Room at the Portland head-quarters. In order to sustain the effort to provide a comfortable space for the homeless and needy children of the community, the Salvation Army is seeking support from the Rotary and others to participate in the Sail Op which is scheduled for April 27th, from 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Please contact Jim for further details and to help support a most worthy cause.

Our Portland partner club, The Casco Bay Sunrise Club, will again be hosting a wine tasting night in support of the Children’s Cancer Fund of Maine. The event will be held at DiMillo’s on April 16th. Tickets can be purchased from members or at the door.  If you’ve ever attended, you know it’s a great night, Just ask diamond George Crockett who had the lucky ticket. Our club has always been very supportive. See you there.


HOW’S LO RO?
We have all missed the energizing smile and never-ending support that Past President Loretta Rowe has given the club over decades. Loretta is a fighter, but her iIlness requires her to remain secure and free from germs and viruses as her system recovers. Her Club is making a continuous effort to offer support and Past President Tom Talbott has remained in close touch with our friend and provides regular reports. With continued progress we may be able to greet her in person in a few months or so.   Please feel free to contact her via email for now and let her know you are thinking of her.......cards and other spirit-lifting niceties are most welcome.  Oh how we miss that smile!


Our club continues to take on the need to support the Preble Street Food Kitchen, feeding our community’s homeless, by committing to help prepare and serve food once a month. Our, indefatigable, Community Service Chair, Gracie Johnston, has been organizing our outreach and asked for volunteers to come out Wednesday, March 28, between 3:30 to 6:30-7:00 to help. It is important that we commit to stay to the end and assist, which means in this case its better to show up late and stay to the end.


Charlie Frair and Paul Tully continue to spearhead our Veterans' Day program which honors those who have been part of our military serving to protect our freedoms.  We have provided a wonderful luncheon to show our thanks, but want to do more. When a Rotarian wants to do more, you can be sure, it’s going to happen. This dynamic duo has been seeking club input to recognize two veteran centric organizations to support with a contribution. As of this date, we have recognized five worthy veteran service organizations and are asking them to come and present to the club, at this Friday's meeting to help us make an informed selection for our financial support. Joe Reagan, a newer member, has jumped right in and offered some unique support. On March 29th Joe is heading up a 12-hour radio-athon to garner support for our Maine Veterans. As if that’s not enough, on April 24th there is another Veteran’s Point event planned with further details to come.


Past President Bill Blount has long been in song and a member of the Music Committee. The committee recently heard from the club and knows they are respected as part of our history and identity. He explained how they have reformed the way the club will determine when a song is appropriate for an occasion, rather than to be an obligatory part of the meeting. He provided a perfect example of the intent by leading us in the singing of “When Irish Eyes are Smiling” on this, the eve of Saint Paddy’s Day. Great job, Bill!


Our working the deck, as part of our raffle, has become a tad more difficult as the full fifty-two are back to tempting. This week Nan Heald had the chance to prove her luck by plucking the Queen of Hearts from the deck. However, me lady decided to remain in waiting and let the treasure develop to entice interest and dollars.  Sorry Nan we were all wishing you well.


When it comes to fun events, you’ll always find Mike Fortunato close by. Consequently, he has arranged for the club to once again have a night of suds-sipping and fellowship development by meeting at the Allagash Brewery, with a large part of the proceeds going in support of our CHE (Childhood Health and Education) programs.  The tickets are $30, if purchased in advance, but $35 if purchased at the door. Each ticket gets you into the tasting and there will be plentiful  snacks to supplement the suds. Allagash is located at 50 Industrial Way in Portland The flyers are out there for details and we hope that you will be there as well. Of course, if you want more detail, contact Mike at michael.k.fortunato@gmail.com!
 

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


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                       

 

This Week's Duty Assignments

Invocation:  David Small
Program Reporter:  Jake Bourdeau
Bits & Pieces Reporter:  Julie L'Heureux
Registration/Greeter:   Tiel Duncan
Sell Meal Tickets:  Patty Erickson
Raffle:  Tom Nickerson
Badge Box:  Chris Thomas
Collect Meal Tickets: Deb Lavoie
Sgt-at-Arms (Setup):  Matt Tassey
Sgt-at-Arms (Take Down): Justin Lamontagne

Rotary Meeting Locations

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

2018 
Mar 23 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Mar 30 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay

Apr 06 - Clarion Hotel
Apr 13 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay

Apr 20 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
Apr 27 - TBD

May 04 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay
May 11 - Clarion Hotel

May 18 - Clarion Hotel
May 25 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay

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.
 
Prospective Rotarians

As we receive applications for prospective members to join our Portland Rotary Club, the names of the applicants will be included in our Windjammer. Any information and/or comments you would like to share will be handled confidentially. Please contact Loretta Rowe: lrowe@maine.rr.com. Your input will be appreciated.

PROSPECT                 BUSINESS
(Sponsor)                                                                           

Kim D'Amaro               The Salvation Army
(Jim Willey)


Thank you.