Reminder! Can Tabs for Ronald MacDonald House – Ongoing - Thank you for continuing to collect can tabs. Please bring your collection to our meeting on May 8, or any subsequent meeting this spring/summer. Pat and Cliff Plummer and looking forward to accepting them for Ronald McDonald House.
New! FBC Westbrook Free Community Meal - Saturday May 19. Monthly, free, community dinner. Whether you are hungry for a delicious meal or hungry to get out and interact with others, they would love for you to be their guest. Yes, you can donate toward next month's meal but it's not necessary. This is not a fundraiser, it's a community connecting night with great food. They've been doing these dinners for going on 10 years. Come and bring a friend
The Locker Project - Note change of time for rest of School Year due to elimination of early release. Fresh food and baked goods distribution at Westbrook High School in the cafeteria. Two or three volunteer needed for each of these upcoming dates. Approx 1:45-3PM each time. Sign in at front office and go to cafeteria. Wednesdays May 16, 30 and June 13. First event at Westbrook Community Center will be June 27. Help lay out food on tables and interact with the kids to encourage them to take items. You will be a welcoming presence, making sure people know they are invited to take food. Everyone is invited to bring food home with them. This a great way to de-stigmatize free food distributions, particularly in the case of fresh food that would otherwise be wasted. 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! Clean up Day at Camp Hinds - Saturday June 9, 146 Plains Road - Raymond - Starting 9AM until finished. Jobs included staining/painting shed and new RYLA RIDGE Avery Pavilion, spreading mulch and clearing trails. Please bring wheelbarrow and outdoor tools for clearing trails, shovel, rakes. Send email to Phil Giordano if you are interested and can help to philtastic7780@gmail.com Bring a boxed lunch.
New! Camp Registration and RYLA Welcome - Camp Hinds - Saturday June 24, 7:45AM to 12:30PM – Direct and sign in students, speak with parents. After registration you can tour the campus and stay for the big RYLA opening at 11:00 followed by lunch. Please contact Danielle Treadwell at danielleptreadwell@gmail.com to reserve a spot for helping.
Princeton Elementary School Literacy Project - Books are being collected for the library at the Elementary School in Princeton ME in Washington County. Books will also be given to students in Grades 1-8 for their personal use. A week long Literacy program will engage the students in active reading for one week in July. Gently used donations are welcomed. Classics are encouraged as well as series. The goal is to collect up to 800 books. Please bring donations to any meeting between now and July 17.
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.
Henry Saunders' 90th Birthday Party - Saturday June 23, 2018, 11AM- 3PM, including social, light lunch & cake cutting. 15 Long Point Rd, Standish, ME. Casual attire. Bring your swimsuits, lawn chairs, towels, and sunscreen. Come enjoy the lake views and pebble beach. Members who know Henry are welcome to attend. RSVP to Henry's daughter Leslie McManus. 105 Otter Dr Standish ME 04084 207-642-3057. If you have picture or a story to share, please send them along with your response. A scrap book is being made to present to Henry. Please no gifts.
Westbrook Together Days - Friday-Saturday June 1-2. Food, music, parade, fireworks, and family fun!! Vendors are being asked to sign up by May 6 at http://westbrooktogetherdays.com/vendors/
Gorham Community Night at the Ball Park - Thursday, July 12, 2018. The Portland Sea Dogs, AA Affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, take on the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, AA Affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays at 7:00 PM. Ticket $9 Gorham Night at Sea Dogs
Westbrook Community Night at the Ball Park – Wednesday, August 15, 2018. The Portland Sea Dogs take on the Trenton Thunder, AA Affiliate of the New York Yankees at 7:00 PM. Ticket $9 Westbrook Night at Sea Dogs
Community Food Drive - Hannaford Drive a Saco Biddeford Savings parking lot- Saturday August 18, 10AM-2PM. Contact Sarah Hutchins to volunteer.
There are lots of upcoming opportunities for networking, sharing, and learning with Rotarians from across our District. Also featured are some fun fundraisers being held by nearby clubs.
Party with a Purpose 2018 - Fundraiser of Portland Sunrise Rotary - Wednesday May 16, 5:30PM at Dimillo’s - $30 - Raising funds for the Maine Children’s Cancer Program. Live and silent auction. Tickets are available at the door as well as on line at https://fundraising.mmc.org/mccp/rotarysocial
Mid-Coast Maine’s Got Talent – Friday May 18, 7PM Crooker Theater, 116 Maquoit Rd, Brunswick, Adults $12, Seniors & Students $10, Families $30. Benefit Brunswick Rotary Club Charities
8th Annual Pizza Challenge and Silent Auction - Fundraiser of Sebago Lake Rotary Club - Thursday May 24,5-7PM. In front of Smitty's Cinema, 795 Roosevelt Trail, Windham
5th Annual Touch a Truck – Fundraiser and Family Fun Event of Scarborough Rotary – Saturday June 2, 10AM-2PM, Scarborough Downs - 90 Payne Road - Scarborough, ME $5 person/$20 family. Get up close and personal with Fire Trucks, Police Vehicles, Bucket Trucks, Tractors, Heavy Equipment, Delivery Trucks, School Bus, Book Mobile and so much more. Concessions available and other vendors - Pony Rides, Music, Face Painting and more.
Maine Outdoor Challenge – Join the Portland Rotary Club during June 4th - 6th and try your hand at some of Maine’s outdoor sporting events. Put together a team of 5 to compete in archery, clay shooting, fly fishing and more. To learn more visit Maine Outdoor Challenge and help us raise money for the Boys & Girls Club of Maine. All sporting events take place at the LLBean Outdoor Discovery School.
9th Annual Golf Tournament – Fundraiser of Bridgton Lakes Region Rotary – Saturday June 9, 8AM - Bridgton Highlands Golf and Tennis Club. For more info email George Klauber: georgeklauber@gmail.com
Final Campfire at Camp Hinds – June 26, 6-10PM or you can just come for dinner at 6:00 -7:4PM. Cost is $10.00. Get a great feel of how campers experience RYLA. If interested, please send Phil an email at philtastic7780@gmail.com.
Our District Governor team and the district’s protection committee have updated the protection policy that covers Rotarians in District 7780. Included in this update, which was reviewed in a session at the recent District Training Assembly, are new provisions to assure that all Rotarians can serve in a respectful environment that is “Rotary-OK,” free from harassment, abuse, intimidation or sexual abuse. Please make sure all members of your club are up-to-date on these policies, and contact District Protection Officer Gregg Dowty if you’d like him to present a club program on this topic, or with any questions about these updates. Gregg can be reached at gdowty60@gmail.com. You can read the updated policies and the revisions suggested for your own club policy at this link: http://rotary7780.org/sitepage/district-protection-documents-1/
On Sunday May 6, 2018, GHS Interact Club raised $3795, including $150 in cash donations during an event fully planned and executed by the students. The Relay for Life event began at 7AM and continued non-stop until 7PM. During the day, there were always people in motion walking or running the track; playing tennis, cornhole, volley ball, spike ball, wiffle ball, dancing; anything to stay in motion. Food was available all day to fuel the participants, some of which was provided by local businesses like Mr Bagel, GHOP and Amatos.
Jonathan Scribner and Aaron Farr in the registration booth
Over the course of the day, more than 70 students and adults participated at various times. Neile Nelson, Interact Adviser, was there participating with her children. By about 2PM, she herself had logged nearly 20 miles! Parents of several students participated in the activities and made sure everyone stayed hydrated and well fed.
To end the evening, the GHS Interact Club lined the entire track with lit white luminary bags, all personally decorated with members' friends and family names who had cancer. Interact members then dispersed around the track to cheer and clap, while the 10 Survivors who attended completed the Survivor Lap with their family and caregivers.
Pasta, sandwiches and cheese bread from Amato's
Once that Survivor lap finished, the entire club walked one more lap with the survivors and their families to conclude the evening. It was an emotional moment that left everyone there feeling very, very grateful!
This year we recognize 60 years of partnership with WRVC and the City of Westbook in building houses to train students. In June 1958, the first house at 42 Libby Ave was completed, right around the corner from the school. This first house was made possible by the vision of Carl Jensen, Vocational Director and Galan Veayo Supt of Schools.
In 1957, Westbrook was at risk of losing state accreditation of its vocational program unless the curriculum was improved. Mr Jensen had the idea to bring real-world experience to his students by designing and building a house. This would be a first for the state of Maine and one of the first such programs in the US. The problem was funding and he approached Rotary to help.
L-R: Carl Jensen, Galen Veayo, Elmer Currier,
Phil Stultz, Walter Hall, Russell Morse
Thanks to many local businesses and Rotarians of the time, including Phil Stultz who owned an electrical supply company and was soon to be a Rotary District Governor, materials and supplies were provided largely on account. These businesses were paid once the house was sold.
The first house was aptly called “Operation Cape Cod”, since it was a Cape-style home. After the first year’s success, “Operation Ranch House” followed and was built across the street at 43 Libby Ave. Over the next 60 years, 45 homes have been built across Westbrook. Each time, the home was sold to fund the next project and to provide scholarships and toolships to WRVC students.
Scenes from the 60th Anniversary Celebration
On May 1, during our evening celebration at WRVC, we were pleased to welcome some current and past educators of WRVC including David Moon, Mike Kane, Dick Plaisted, Todd Fields, Sandy Peabody, and Pete Wilson. Interestingly, Pete is a former student as well as a current instructor. David spoke about his experiences in the program and the pride he saw in students who worked on the homes. Attendees took a tour of the electrical and building trades classrooms and enjoyed a large array of appetizers and “mocktails” prepared by Chef Limoggio and the Culinary students.
Director Todd Fields and Ret. Instructor David Moon
Work continues on obtaining and organizing photos and memorabilia from homes constructed over the years. If you have any material you are willing to share, please bring it to an upcoming meeting. Our plan is to scan photos, documents and news articles to create a comprehensive record that can be archived at the Westbook Historical Society.
If you have an idea for a speaker or program, please contact Christine Johnson at cejinmaine@gmail.com. We are also interested in ideas for periodic evening meetings, service projects in lieu of meetings, or in-meeting service projects
We are now scheduling programs for August and September.
Here is the list of upcoming speakers and programs:
* 5/8 - WHS Interact & Dr Bruce Dyer - Interact Update
* 5/15 - Nancy Gallinaro - Just Love Ministry
* 5/22 - Guatemala Team Report
* 5/29 - Pete DeWitt - Idexx
* 6/5 - Final Club Assembly of 2017-2018
* 6/12 - Anna Turcotte - The Republic of Artsakh
* 6/19 - John Grew - Maine Audobon
* 6/26 - Changeover
* 7/3 - No Meeting -Happy Independence Day
* 7/10 - No Lunch Meeting - Evening Event
See you at the Lobster Bake
* 7/17 - John Lobosco - District Governor Visit - Be the Inspiration
Rotary is about fellowship, as well as service to our community. Even if you must miss a meeting, you can remain engaged by attending Rotary-sponsored events of our club or other clubs like fundraisers, by selling Christmas Trees, by volunteering at our Golf Tournament or our Road Race, or by attending District events or training. Just let our Secretary Mike Foley know when you have participated in any of these activities at mfoley@me.com
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