It was the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month when the armistice – the end of hostilities in WWI – went into effect in 1918. Armistice Day was celebrated in 1919 and became a legal holiday in 1938. It was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.
Wearing red poppies to celebrate veterans began with a line in a poem by the Canadian military physician Lt. Col John McCrae – “In Flanders fields the poppies blow/Between the crosses, row on row”- written for those who died in a Belgian field in WWI.
On Wednesday November 11, 2015, let us remember all who have served in our armed forces, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
We hope you will join us for our annual Christmas party at the home of Judith and Ed Reidman, December 8, 7 Enchanted Ln, Westbrook. A sign-up sheet for the event will be available at upcoming meetings shortly.
As usual, we will have a Yankee Swap for any who wish to participate – suggested value $10. Always a fun time! Also, this year, we will be collecting Toys for Tots. If you want to help, please bring a new unwrapped toy to the party. If you won’t be able to attend, you can always bring a toy to a meeting or drop it off at the office of Deb Shangraw, Emerald Property Management, 752 Main St, Westbrook (across from My Place Teen Center).
Please also consider asking your friends, neighbors and colleagues to join us in supporting this wonderful Marine Corp tradition.
At our board meeting on November 3, the board approved matching funds for the current Rotary year. Our club will match all contributions up to $100 to the Rotary Foundation. Club matching funds will be given in your name towards Paul Harris recognition levels. You may designate your funds to whatever Rotary cause you wish: Polio Plus, Share Fund, Endowed Funds, or to support a specific cause in one of Rotary’s areas of focus: Promoting Peace, Fighting Disease, Providing Clean Water and Sanitation, Saving Mothers and Children, Supporting Education or Growing Local Economies.
Should you choose to take advantage of this match, you may contribute by logging on to https://www.rotary.org/myrotary, by sending a check directly to Rotary at The Rotary Foundation, 14280 Collections Center Dr., Chicago, IL 60693 or by handing a check to our Foundation chair Steve Rand at a meeting.
Sign up for Rotary Direct, an easy way to support the Rotary Foundation on an ongoing basis, and the Club will add $25 to any match.
Congratulations to Jeff Malloy, Manager of Casco Federal Credit Union, and Phil Spiller, Navy pilot and senior pilot at JetBlue Airline, our two newest members. We are so glad you have joined the Rotary fellowship.
Pictured: Long time member Henry Saunders, sponsor of Philip Spiller Jr. Patricia Kenney, sponsor of Jeffrey Malloy. Far right, Assistant District Governor, Tony Wagner.
We were pleased to welcome to our meeting, Victoria Poldoskya, part of the Sister City Delegation visiting Westbrook from Archangel, Russia. She was the guest of new member Phil Spiller and Henry Saunders. Pictured: Club President, Christine Johnson presents the Westbrook-Gorham Rotary Club Banner to Victoria as ADG Toni Wagner looks on.
As we enter the gift giving season, please consider visiting this site: http://purchasing4mycause.com/ When you buy a gift from Purchasing 4 My Cause, and name us as your charity, 15% percent of your purchase is returned to Rotary Club of Westbrook Gorham.
