Reminder: If Westbrook Schools are closed due to weather, there will be no Rotary lunch meeting that day. This is usually not decided or announced by the school district until early in the morning of the day of cancellation. We will make every effort to send out notice to members as soon as possible, but please monitor weather reports and check available sources. Note that a delay in school opening may still allow us to hold our meeting as Chef plans ahead in these situations.
You can find out about school closings from many sources including: wmtw.com/weather/closings or wcsh6closings where you can search on Westbrook or sign up for email notifications.
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: , Jan 23 & 30, Note added date in January. Feb 13 & 27, Mar 13 & 27, Apr 10 & 24, May 8 & 22 and June 12. Any date changes will be announced in the Scribbler. Time: arrive by 1 PM depart by 2:15 PM, unless otherwise noted.
Rotary Night Out - THIS WEEK! Our next Rotary Night out will be Tuesday January 15 starting at 5:30 PM. Mister Bagel 609 Main St,, Westbrook. Program Don Zillman on WWI. Future nights out will be the third Tuesday evening of the month.
New Rotary Field Trip - Tuesday February 12, 2019. 11:30AM. Due to preparations for the American Heart Association Luncheon, we will not be able to meet at WRVC on this date. This will be a great opportunity for a "field trip" as part of our meeting. Look for details shortly.
Winter Dinner at WRVC - Tuesday March 19, 2019. 6PM. Each year we have a special evening meal at the WRVC Dining Room. This year, this dinner will become our March Rotary Night Out. Watch here for details on meal and program.
Recognizing and Responding to an Opiate/Heroin Overdose - Thursday January 24 6-7:30PM. Maine Medical Center Dana Auditorium, 22 Bramhall St, Portland. Training sponsored by Portland Rotary Club. Learn about the Opiate Epidemic and Substance Use Disorder, lean how to recognize the signs of an overdose, learn to perform first-aid, including administering Naloxone (the drug that reverses the effects of opioids), and help reduce the stigma of Substance Use Disorder. To RSVP, please email Chief Bob MacKenzie, Kennebunk Police Department at rmackenzie@kennebunkmaine.us or call 207 604-1339.
New WinterKids Games 2019: Reading & Nutrition - Wednesday January 23, 9:15AM at Canal School. Read Stone Soup, and then help the kids make the vegetable soup in the classroom. Five volunteers needed. To volunteer, please contact Kathi Perkins kperkins1@myfairpoint.net
New Food Drive Competition at Blazes Burgers – January 20 through Feb 3, 2019. Blazes Burgers is partnering with Westbrook High School and Middle School for a food drive. Bring a food item for either school and receive 10% off your order. The schools receive points for items donated and the winning school will receive an extra $50 donation from Blazes. Suggested donations include: Cheese crackers, granola bars, Ramen noodles (both block and cups), mac & cheese cups (microwave), easy microwave meals, breakfast cereal or mini cereal boxes, applesauce (small containers), cans/cups of ravioli or other pasta, fruit cups, pudding, cereal bars, goldfish, canned soup, pasta, sauce (no glass jars), tuna snack packs, and trail mix.
NewSouth Portland WinterFest 2019 – Friday January 25, 6-8PM Mill Creek Park: skating, music, games. Saturday January 26, 8-10:30AM SoPo Community Center: pancake breakfast; 11:30AM-7:30PM Wainwright Recreational Complex: games, contests, rides; 6:30PM Fireworks. Project of the Rotary Club of South Portland Cape Elizabeth. For more info: https://www.facebook.com/SouthPortlandWinterFest
New Westbrook Baseball Fundraiser at Blazes Burgers – Wednesday January 30, 2019 4-7PM. WHS Baseball team is heading to Myrtle Beach in April for Spring Training with other teams from around the country. Each player is required to raise funds to pay for the trip and Blazes will be helping. 10% of sales during the evening will be donated. There will also be a 50/50 raffle.
On Monday January 7, the month-long WinterKids Games 2019 kicked off with Opening Ceremonies at Canal School in Westbrook. This is the second year of this state-wide initiative with only two schools selected to represent each of the 16 counties in Maine. Canal Elementary in Westbrook is one of them! WMTW selected Canal for the Opening Ceremonies and was there to cover the story:
On Tuesday January 7, Ann Brown, school Nurse at Canal, joined us to share a bit about how her school was selected and what to expect. Canal was notified in mid-December that they had been chosen to participate. Over 70% of their students qualify for free or reduced price lunches which was likely a factor in their selection. Schools participate in a variety of outdoor activities, as well as nutrition and literacy efforts to earn points toward winning money, equipment or books for their school. The first place school will win $5000, second place $3000, third place $1500. Honorable mention schools win various prizes.
The first week focuses on outside activities. The kids and staff work together to create fun and engaging activities to get the kids moving. For example, during the Opening Ceremonies, the kids danced outside for 60 seconds as part of the celebration. This year the program also links in literacy. Reading will be integrated into the various physical and nutrition activities. As part of the literacy component, members of Westbrook Police Dept will be reading in each classroom.
The second week focuses on nutrition. WRVC culinary staff and students will be assisting during this week. There will also be a cardiovascular unit to educate kids about their heart and the link among nutrition, physical activity and heart health. The school receives extra points for having quest speakers on relate topics. At the end of this week, the school is holding a Bingo night for students and families. Hannaford will be providing healthy snacks to participants.
Week three is family engagement week. On January 23, volunteers will be in each classroom to read the book Stone Soup and to help the kids make a vegetable soup similar to the story (see Upcoming Opportunities above). On January 24 there will be a family walk. The fourth week brings a field day with outside games and opportunities for family and the community to participate.
On January 8, Foundation Chair Steve Rand presented a Paul Harris Fellow Plus 4 pin to Dan Willett. This insignia recognizes Dan’s ongoing support of the Rotary Foundation and the work it does through Rotarians just like us.
The Locker Project - Fresh food and baked goods distribution in Westbrook. In this school year, produce distributions at Westbrook High School will take place the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month. Next opportunity Jan 23 arrive by 12:45 for set up. 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. If you can help on any of these dates, please contact Christine Johnson. For more information, or to donate, visit their website: mainelockerproject.org
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 MacDonald 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.
Mid Year Leadership Dinner - Monday January 28, 2019 5-9PM Fireside Inn, Portland. District 7780's annual Mid Year Dinner brings together Club Presidents, Presidents-Elect, Vice Presidents, Assistant Governors, current, past District Governors and other interested Rotarians. To sign up: https://rotary7780.org/event/midyear-dinner/
District Interact Assembly - Saturday March 23, 2019 - Oxford Hills High School. Interested Rotarians are welcome to attend. More details to follow. Snow Day March 30, 2019.
District Training Assembly - Saturday April 6, 2019. 8AM-1PM. York County Community College
Rotary Fest (AKA District Conference) - Friday-Saturday June 21-22, 2019 - Fort Williams, Park Cape Elizabeth. Friday service project and cook out for volunteers. Saturday packed with fun and educational events for adults and kids, and another service project opportunity. DG John and the Planning Committee are working hard to make this a free event for all. Watch for more details.
District Changeover - Tuesday June 25. Camp Hinds. More details to come.
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 are now scheduling programs for February and March.
Here is the list of upcoming speakers and programs:
* 1/15 - Rotary Night Out - Don Zillman - Living the World War
* 1/22 - Nicole Avery - Big Brothers/Big Sisters
* 1/29 - Mike McGovern - Polio Plus update
* 2/5 - Club Assembly
* 2/12 - Field Trip - Location TBA
* 2/19 - Rotary Night Out - Sheila Rollins - Rotaract Project in Puerto Rico
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 know when you have participated in any of these activities at info@westbrookgorhamrotary.org
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)
.png?_=636830325536164017)
.jpg?_=636830325536164017)