banner
Russell Hampton
ClubRunner
ClubRunner Mobile
 
2018-2019 Rotary Year Theme
Speakers
May 21, 2019
See you at Rotary Night Out
May 21, 2019 5:30 PM
Recycling Challenges in a Changing Market
May 28, 2019 11:30 AM
Jun 04, 2019 11:30 AM
Jun 11, 2019 11:30 AM
Westbrook Housing
Jun 18, 2019
See you at RotaryFest Saturday June 22
Jun 25, 2019
Changeover
Jul 02, 2019 11:30 AM
Happy Independence Day!
Jul 09, 2019 11:30 AM
District 7780 Exchange Trip to Romania
Jul 16, 2019 5:00 PM
Saunders' Home Standish ME
Aug 06, 2019 11:30 AM
Sep 17, 2019 12:00 PM
See you at the Golf Tournament
View entire list
Upcoming Events
Special Board Meeting at Mister Bagel
Mister Bagel
May 21, 2019
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
 
Board Meeting
WRVC Board Room
Jun 04, 2019
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM
 
Lobster Bake
Summer Home of Henry Saunders
Jul 16, 2019
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
 
View entire list
++++++++++++++++++++
 
The Four Way Test
 
Of the things we think, say, or do:
  First, Is it the truth?
  Second, Is it fair to all concerned?
  Third, Will it build goodwill & better friendships?   
  Fourth, Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
 
++++++++++++++++++++
Rotary Links
Rotary International
RI President Home
Rotary Global Rewards
Joining Rotary
Rotary History
Rotary Foundation
For New Members
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
Next Board Meeting
Special 2019-2020 Planning Meeting
 
May 21, 2019 3:00PM 
at Mister Bagel 609 Main Street
 
All members are welcome at Board Meetings
Past Board Meeting Minutes available at:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Save these dates!
Rotary Night Out - Our next Rotary Night out will be May 21 starting at 5:30 PM. Mister Bagel 609 Main St, Westbrook Members $10.  Cash bar.   Speaker Lynn Leavitt from City of Westbrook Recycling
 
WRVC Awards Ceremony - Thursday May 23, 2019. 7PM Westbrook HIgh School Auditorium
 
New Westbrook Memorial Day Parade - Monday May 27, 2019 on Main St at 10AM; Ceremony at Riverbank Park at 11AM - Shannon Moss as our Mistress of Ceremonies. Special building dedication at the end of the ceremony.
 
New 40th Annual Westbrook Together Days – Friday-Saturday May 31-June 1, 2019 at Riverbank Park.  Presented by the Westbrook/Gorham Chamber of Commerce.   Westbrook Together Days 5K - Saturday June 1 8-9AM – start at Westbrook High School with a great course through neighborhood streets – run, walk, push a stroller. $15 benefit WTD. Registration open soon.
 
Rotary Fest - Saturday June 22, 2019 9AM-5PM. Fort Williams Park, South Portland.  Free!! Rain location The Point, 345 Clark's Pond Pkwy, South Portland.  Please register to to make sure we have enough food and craft materials: https://rotary7780.org/event/district-conference-1/
 
Westbrook-Gorham Rotary Club Changeover - Tuesday June 25, 2019. Join us at our regular lunch meeting when we thank Deb Shangraw for her service this year and welcome Mike Foley.
 
New FBC Yard Sale – Benefit Guatemala 2020, Saturday August 3, 2019. Donations accepted. Contact Scott Linscott linscottphoto@gmail.com
Current & Upcoming Opportunities
Locker Project Fresh Food Distribution – In this school year, produce distributions at Westbrook High School will take place the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month with additional days as needed:  May 22 and June 12. Any date changes will be announced in the Scribbler.  Arrive around 12:45 PM depart by 2:15 PM, unless otherwise noted. Help lay out food on tables and interact with the kids to encourage them to take items.  Everyone is invited to bring food home with them.  If you can help on any of these dates, please contact Christine Johnson.  For more information, or to donate, visit their website: mainelockerproject.org
 
New This week! Ronald McDonald House May 2019 Wish List – Our speaker this week is Alicia Milne Development Director for Ronald MacDonald House. Please consider bringing an item from their May Wish List.  This list was handed out at our last meeting and can be found at: https://rmhcmaine.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/19-April-Portland.pdf
 
Update This week! Crutches4Africa Container load - Rescheduled to Saturday May 18, 2019 9AM-1PM 30 Gooch St, Biddeford ME.  Come help at this ongoing District project where we'll be loading our 9th container in preparation for shipment.
 
New This week!! Knights of Columbus Yard Sale – Saturday May 18, 2019 9AM-3PM. Benefit Send a Scout to Camp and Westbrook Food Pantry. American Legion Hall Dunn St, Westbrook. If you have items to donate, contact Dick Chretien 854-5067 or Dan Digenova 807-2495 (No larger furniture or clothing).
 
This week! Let's Bowl Locker Project Spring Fundraiser - Saturday May 18, 2019 5-8PM.  Easy Day 725 Broadway, South Portland.  Sign up a team for $100, sponsor a lane for $250 or just attend and watch the fund for $10.  For more information: https://www.facebook.com/events/404412330109414/ or Locker Project Bowl-a-thon Eventbrite
 
Friends of the Walker Memorial Library Annual Book Sale - Saturday, June 1, 2019.  If you have books to donate, please drop them off at the library front desk befoe June 1.. Books should be in good condition.  Or come on down on June 1 to browse and purchase.e
 
Purses with Purpose – Thursday June 6, 2019 ,11:30AM-2PM - $50 at Woodlands Club Falmouth, 39 Woods Rd Falmouth.  Fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Portland. To donate auction items or to purchase tickets: https://rmhcmaine.org/events/pwp/pwpportland/
 
Maine Cancer Foundation Twilight 5K – Thursday June 6, 2019 – Sponsor Mike Foley as he runs for this fundraiser. To support on line:  Maine Cancer Foundation Twilight 5K- Support Mike Foley Maine Cancer Foundation was started in 1976 by a group of concerned citizens eager to do more for Maine in the fight against cancer. We lead a state-wide effort to foster and grow the most promising and effective cancer-fighting efforts available to the people of Maine through a combination of grant-based financial support and coalition building.
 
 
RYLA Registration Volunteers – Sunday June 23 starting at 8:30AM. Camp Hinds, Raymond. Volunteers needed to help with registration and collecting forms as students arrive. For more information contact: Phil Giordano at Philtastic7780@gmail.com
 
Update The Locker Project Summer Food Distribution - Every Wednesday during the summer from June 19 through August 21, 4:00-5:30PM.  Starting on June 19 at FBC 733 Main St Westbrook, alternating weeks with another location To Be AnnouncedIf you can help on any of these dates, please contact Christine Johnson. 
 
Westbrook Strong 5K and Matt's Mile Kid's Fun Run - Saturday July  13, 2019. Riverbank Park. Run, sponsor or donate. This race is in memory of Matthew Rairdon who's life was tragically taken in November 2013. Proceeds benefit nursing scholarships.  For more information: https://runsignup.com/Race/ME/Westbrook/2ndAnnualWestbrookStrong5KandMattsMileKidsFunRun 
Westb
Read more...
Focus on Foundation
As we move closer to the end of this Rotary year, don’t forget the great matching opportunity provided by our club.  For every dollar you donate to the Foundation, up to $100, the club will match that donation in your name.  If you sign up for Rotary Direct for the first time, we’ll add $25 more.  
 
This is a great way to become a Sustaining member of the Foundation ($100/year). Its also a good way to more quickly gain a Paul Harris Fellow ($1000 cumulative giving) or the next PHF Level.
 
The deadline for donations to receive the match for the 2018-2019 year is June 11, 2019 (our second meeting in June).  This will give our Foundation Chair Steve Rand a chance to pull reports, complete the matching funds paperwork, and submit it all to Rotary International by June 30.
 
To donate on line go to: https://my.rotary.org/en/donate or bring a check to an upcoming meeting made out to Rotary Foundation.
Thank You Culinary Students
We thanked Chef Limoggio and the six seniors (second year culinary students) during our lunch meeting on May 7.  Chef noted that the class this year was smaller than usual, but that they “really kicked butt”.  The students have some input into the menu planning and we don’t see entree items repeated within the same year.
 
In addition to our weekly lunches, they have many other opportunities to plan and cook meals. They did very well in the 9th year of Heart Association Competition, prepared and served two advisory council dinners for about 100 people, prepared breakfast for Cumberland County Superintendents meetings, and provided full-service lunches to Community Service Dept lunches when requested, among other events.
 
 
This year’s students are pictured with Chef Limoggio.  Morgan Gaston of Windham who will attend Johnson & Wales in the fall; Laura Goodwin of Windham who will attend Central Maine Community College; Noah Wilcox of Westbrook, Southern Maine Community College; Julia Zampini of Bonny Eagle, SMCC; Julia Downey of Gorham, SMCC; Jessica Collins of Westbrook, SMCC.
Dog Park Expansion at Bicentennial Park
On May 3, 2019, Phil Spiller shared a presentation he had made the evening before at the City Council Meeting on the Westbrook Dog Park Expansion project. Phil calls it “one nice cohesive plan.”
 
The dog park is currently small and often muddy due to poor drainage that causes flooding when it rains. The area also features poor and uninviting trail entrances, poor and ineffective signage and a skate park that is looking tired. There has been a monument at the site since it was dedicated on July 4, 1976, explaining the name Bicentennial Park. 
 
In 2003, the park was really just an open, unimproved field when Hannaford moved in and pledged $75K to improve the site.  In 2006, the Westbrook Skate Park was built, but the Hannaford pledge remained largely unspent. 2014 brought a Portland Trails connection. 2016/2017 brought the small dog park based on results of DDW visioning sessions and with help from the City and Idexx, but with no expansion planned.  By 2018, citizens had started a petition to simply enlarge the dog park.
 
Someone who recently moved to Westbrook asked why the park was so small and “crappy” and started a petition to increase the size.  Phil got involved to try to take a more holistic approach to making improvements at this somewhat “hidden gem”. Phil has engaged multiple partners that include Discover Downtown Westbrook, Bike Maine, Idexx, Portland Trails, National Guard and the Westbrook Safety Mobility Access Committee.  With these stakeholders, a landscape architect was brought in to develop a design to address the whole site.
 
Dog parks are an up and coming amenity in many communities.  The landscape architect was asked to incorporate concepts like good drainage, better lighting, ADA compliance - a sustainable “natural” dog park without using tax dollars.  Other suggested amenities include a seating area, separate spaces for small and large dogs, and water fountains for humans and animals.  The plan also includes objectives to rehab and expand trails and refurbish the skate park.
 
Phil hopes to bring more groups into the project and turn a simple idea to expand the dog park into a more holistic vision by improving connectivity, expanding the user base and making Bicentennial park a modern attractive destination. To that end, he continues to make presentations to groups and businesses in an effort to gain consensus, and raise funds.
Read more...
District Activities
Rotary Fest (AKA District Conference) - Friday-Saturday June 21-22, 2019 - Fort Williams, Park Cape Elizabeth. Free!! Friday service project and cook out for volunteers. Saturday packed with fun and educational events for adults and kids, and another service project opportunity.  Rain location The Point, 345 Clark's Pond Pkwy, South Portland.  Register at https://rotary7780.org/event/district-conference-1/

 

District Changeover - Tuesday June 25, 2019, 5PM at Camp Hinds, Raymond.  More details to come.

For listing of all District-wide events, visit: https://rotary7780.org/events/calendar 

Ongoing Opportunities
Children's Books for Pantries - We continue to supply new and gently used children's books to food pantries about every two weeks. We have been fortunate to obtain a regular supply of used books from Goodwill Buy the Pound.  We also periodically obtain new books from a couple of sources at little cost. However, the need is always greater than the supply.  If you, a family member, friend or colleague have children or grandchildren who have outgrown their books, we'd love to have them to share with children who will love them.   All ages from babies to young teens. We can also always use large print books for older readers. Bring to any club meeting or contact Christine Johnson for pick up. 
 
Can Tabs for Ronald McDonald House - Thank you for continuing to collect can tabs. It's and easy way to help a wonderful organization! Just keep a small plastic bag or small jar in your kitchen, on the counter or in a drawer.  As you go to toss your returnable can into your CLYNK bag, simply twist off the tab first. 
 
CLYNK for Literacy - Ongoing -  Don't forget to keep filling those bags to help fund the children's books we ask our speakers to sign for the Baxter and Walker Libraries. Extra bags are always available at our meetings.  If you have been working on filling a bag for a very long time (6 months or more), please consider returning it and starting a new one.  Thank you for your ongoing support of this fundraiser!
 
Donate to our Club's Charity through Amazon Smile – Ongoing - If you order items from Amazon.com, even if not very often, you can help Westbrook Gorham Rotary Club Charities.  Go to http://smile.amazon.com/. Search for our Charity and select it. You may need to login to your Amazon account before being able to finalize your selection.   Then, when you shop Amazon.com (always starting from http://smile.amazon.com/) a portion of every purchase will be donated to our charity.
Upcoming Speaker List Details
 
If you have an idea for a  speaker or program, please contact Christine Johnson at cejinmaine@gmail.com or Phil Spiller at pdsflynavy@gmail.com .  We are also interested in ideas for periodic evening meetings, service projects in lieu of meetings, or in-meeting service projects
 
We currently have program openings on May 28, July 23 & July 30 at lunch, as well as May 21 and June 25 in the evening. Dates are also available in August.
 
Here is the list of upcoming speakers and programs:
 
* 5/14 - Alicia Milne - Dev Director Ronald McDonald House
* 5/21 - Rotary Night Out - Lynn Leavitt - City of Westbrook
* 5/28 - TBD
* 6/4 -  Club Assembly
* 6/11 - Chris LaRoche - Westbrook Housing
* 6/18 - No Meeting
* 6/25 - Changeover
* 7/2 - No Meeting- Happy Independence Day
* 7/9 - Kathi Perkins - Romania Exchange Trip
* 7/16 - Lobster Bake
* 7/23 - TBD