This week! 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
This week! WRVC Awards Ceremony - Thursday May 23, 2019. 7PM Westbrook HIgh School Auditorium. All are welcome to celebrate with the graduating students and enjoy a reception put on by the Culinary Students and Chef Limoggio.
Update Westbrook Memorial Day Parade & Ceremonies - Monday May 27, 2019. Remembrance Ceremony at Veterans Circle Woodlawn Cemetery, 380 Stroudwater St 8AM. Parade 10AM from Longfellow St down Main St to Riverbank Park. Ceremony at Riverbank Park at 10:30AM. Parts of Main St will be blocked off prior to and during the parade and parking along portions of Main St will be restricted. Early arrival is recommended
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. Register at: https://runsignup.com/Race/ME/Westbrook/WestrookTogetherDays5K
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.
FBC Yard Sale – Benefit Guatemala 2020, Saturday August 3, 2019. Donations accepted. Contact Scott Linscott linscottphoto@gmail.com
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
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
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 Announced. If 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
During our lunch on May 14, 2019 we thanked outgoing Westbrook High School Interact President Kimberly Goddard (L). She has done an outstanding job leading the Interact Club this school year. We wish her the best of luck as she heads off to study Nursing at Husson College in Bangor. She'll also be joining their field hockey team.
We also welcomed incoming WHS Interact President Kamdyn Russell (R). We look forward to working with the new club officers in the 2019-2020 school year.
On Tuesday May 14, 2019 we were pleased to meet three of the four students from Westbrook High School who will be attending RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) this year. After lunch, Kathi Perkins presented the students with a certificate recognizing their acceptance of this scholarship.
These Westbrook students will join eight from Gorham at Camp Hinds on June 23-26, 2019. GHS certificates were presented at a recent Interact meeting.
Pictured: Matthew Eugley, MacKenzie Remington, Kathi Perkins and Ashlee Townsend. Not able to attend: Homron Shahid
Cub Foundation Chair Steve Rand shared a few laughs with President Deb Shangraw as he presented her with a Paul Harris Fellow +2. Deb is a Rotary Direct member, making painless and easy automatic donations each month to The Rotary Foundation.
We also thanked Deb for funding an extra student to RYLA this year. We had budgeted for 11, but had 12 strong candidates between the two schools. To thank her for this generous donation to our Club, we transferred 500 PHF points to her account moving her that much closer to the next PHF level.
Finally, 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.
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.
We have had some nice compliments about this newsletter in recent weeks. The Editor would like to express extreme gratitude to our resident photographer Scott Linscott who contributes most of the pictures (and all of the best ones!)
Ronald McDonald House (RMH) in Bangor was opened in 1983 as a place of “comfort, care and compassion” where families of children undergoing medical treatment can stay. Ronald McDonald House Charities Maine was established in 1989 and the house in Portland opened in 1995. In 2015, the three organizations merged. We welcomed their current Development Director Alicia Milne as our guest and speaker on May 14, 2019.
The Houses are each walking distance from major medical facilities so families can remain close to their children while they undergo treatment. Portland can house up to 21 families a night and Bangor up to 14 families a night. Portland is now expanding into an adjacent home and will be able to welcome up to 36 families a night by the end of this calendar year.
Last year, 570 families stayed in one of the RMH Maine rooms. These families can stay as long as they need to - there is no cap. The average stay is about 12 nights. The cost per night is about $75 and families are asked to make a suggested donation of $10 per night to help defray costs, if they can. About 70% of families cannot afford even this small amount.
Families come from every Maine county, but also come from other states and even other countries. Aroostook County is the origin of more families than any other locale. Families may be in Maine on vacation when a child is taken ill and many local doctors do pro-bono work for international patients (as has been done for Gift of Life through Rotary).
McDonald’s Restaurants are a “mission partner” of the Houses. They periodically run in-store fundraisers where all funds raised in Maine stay in Maine. There is also a grants program that is funded by McDonalds Corporation.
While the Houses have a small number of employees like the office manager and the house managers, volunteers are key to keep the Houses running. Volunteers can be found working from 9AM-9PM Monday-Thursday and 9AM to 6PM on Fridays. Guest chef volunteers make dinner every night and on holidays, as well as breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays. These volunteers also spend time with the families.
There are many opportunities to help the Houses. Volunteers are always needed for a variety of tasks. You can find out more by visiting their website https://rmhcmaine.org/ or by visiting a House to tour the facility.
Thanks to all who brought in items from the May 2019 Wish List and for saving your can tabs. The monthly Wish List can always be found at https://rmhcmaine.org/wish-list/ if you’d like to help further.
Chartering Event & Service Project - Saturday June 15, 2019 at Camp Hinds 146 Plains Rd, Raymond, ME - John Messer/Rotary Training Center. Charter Event for District 7780's newest club New Voices 9-10:30AM, Service Project 10:30AM to 3:30PM. Service project is to help get Camp Hinds ready for RYLA 2019. Come for one or both events. RSVP NewVoices7780@gmail.com
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
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.
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 and July 23 at lunch. Dates are also available in August.
Here is the list of upcoming speakers and programs:
* 5/21 - Rotary Night Out - Lynn Leavitt - City of Westbrook
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During our lunch on May 14, 2019 we thanked outgoing Westbrook High School Interact President Kimberly Goddard (L). She has done an outstanding job leading the Interact Club this school year. We wish her the best of luck as she heads off to study Nursing at Husson College in Bangor. She'll also be joining their field hockey team. 
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There are many opportunities to help the Houses. Volunteers are always needed for a variety of tasks. You can find out more by visiting their website .png?_=636940103022783230)
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