The complete list through December 2015 is posted on our website in the Site Pages section, Program Assignments link. If you need some ideas or help, please contact Hal Thomas (hthomas@maine.rr.com).
Six Rotarians from Westbrook-Gorham joined approximately 170 other Rotarians at the District Assembly at York County Community College in Wells on Saturday March 28. For large clubs, Oxford Hills had the highest percentage of attendees per capita with 13. For small clubs, Yarmouth had the highest percentage of about one third with 5 attendees.
DGE Sheila Rollins welcomed attendees and thanked them for giving up a Saturday. Claudia Frost of the Brunswick club offered a Rotary moment related to their Global Grant which will train teaches in Zambia to recognize common childhood illnesses so they can be treated early. John Dennen Brunswick Coastal spoke about community service and Sheila’s request that Clubs join forces with at least one other club in their ADG area to complete a service project. Finally, PDG Ann Lee Hussey provided an update on the fight against polio. While there have been some recent setbacks, the fight goes on with particular emphasis on Pakistan where 90% of recently reported cases have occurred. With the double match by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, up to $35M annually, our dollars donated can go farther than ever before. She challenged each club to make a commitment to Polio Plus in 2015-2016.
Attendees then participated in three 40 minute break out sessions. Sessions included Global Grants, Rotary Leadership Institute, volunteer mentoring in restorative justice, youth programs, action groups, training for protection officers, the role of the club Foundation chair, and District Grants, among other topics.
After lunch, attendees were treated to a presentation on building a team by Ed Joyce, an educator who has spent the past 40 plus years helping people of all ages to allow their confidence and competence as successful learners and leaders to emerge in whatever fields they seek to pursue. Using humor and keen observations developed during his career in Boston Public Schools and subsequent consulting career, he kept the audience engaged and laughing.
The assembly closed with DG Lawrence Furbish presenting two videos encouraging attendance at this year’s District Conference at Wentworth by the Sea. Deadline for hotel registration at the conference rate is March 31. See the District website www.rotary7780.org for more information.
On Friday March, Bob Nunley was presented with the insignia designating him Paul Harris Fellow Plus One. Present at Gorham House for the award presentation were President Steve Rand, President-Elect Christine Johnson, and Bob’s wife Sheila.
Bob joined the Westbrook-Gorham Rotary Club in September 1967, making him one of our three longest serving members. Over the years, he has contributed many hours to fundraisers, events, and projects, all in the spirit of “service above self”. He has also been a longtime supporter of the Rotary Foundation and was approaching the PHF+1 recognition level when he became ill. Through a donation of Foundation points to thank him for his service, we were able to move him to that next level.
We are happy to report that both Bob and Sheila were in good spirits. Both Bob and Sheila were quick with a joke or quip as they spoke a little about their courtship, their home in Windham, Bob’s work at Bluerock, and Rotary past.
Tom Elliman, was the guest of Bill Gowen and our speaker on March 24. He started in Maine and returned back to his roots in 2007 after he lived and worked in Motorsports in the following cities: Oxford and Portland, ME, Loudon, NH, and Dearborn, MI.
He graduated from Lincoln Academy in Newcastle and went on to Wesleyan University. After college and the army, Tom started at Channel 8 working as a weather reporter. He and a friend had the idea of doing a short Motorsports segment weekly. This grew into a career which ranged from working at local tracks such as Oxford Speedway, to becoming the manager and promoter of N.H. International Speedway in Loudon, all the way to the big league with Ford Motor Company in their racing division.
Tom entertained the Westbrook Gorham Rotary Club with the history of Motor Sports back to the original motor car built in Germany, through amateur racing which consisted of drivers with full time jobs who raced on their own time, through semi-professionals who worked part time at one job and part time in an expanded racing season, all the way to big time professional racers who did nothing but race.
Tom has worked at:
Greater Portland Landmarks
Republican City Committee
Marketing Consulting Services
