Aaron Paiton is an Underwriter at MEMIC. He grew up in Minot and attended Hebron Academy. He graduated from USM in 2015 with a degree in business. Aaron was hired by MEMIC right out of college, where he started in a support role for underwriters. He was later promoted to Underwriter. He works with local insurance agencies to write workers comp insurance.
Aaron volunteers with Junior Achievement helping to teach financial literacy in local schools. His hobbies include going to camp, exercising, hunting, fishing, family and real estate. He is sponsored by Ethan Johnson
22nd Annual Gorham Business Exchange Marketplace – Saturday March 30, 2019, 10AM-3PM. Visit and support local businesses. Admission is free. There will be about 80 booths representing all kinds of businesses who provide products and services to the people and businesses of Gorham. Lots of entertainment including bounce houses and games for the kids. Food court supplied by local businesses. If you’d like to register your business as a vendor, go to: Gorham Biz Exchange 22nd Annual Marketplace
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. Program TBD. Note: March 19 is Winter Dinner. Week of April 15 is our annual Road Race so no meeting that week.
WRVC Awards Ceremony - Thursday May 23, 2019. 7PM Westbrook HIgh School Auditorium
RYLA Registration – 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
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
Rolling Thunder Fundraising Dinner for Veterans – This Week!! Saturday March 23, 2019 5-6:30PM, WRVC Dining Room - $5.00 per person $3.00 under 12. Home cooked food.
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: Mar 27, Apr 10 & 24, May 8 & 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.
Community Celebration & Fundraiser - Benefit Kenny Reed, a 3rd grade student at Narragansett School who is fighting a rare form of childhood cancer. Sunday March 31, 1:30-3:30, Gorham Sports Center, 215 Narragansett Ave, Gorham. Auctions, Raffles, Face Paint, Bounce house, and more.
Bob Marley Fundraiser for Altrusa - Wednesday May 8, 2019, 7PM at Keeley’s Banquet Center, Warren Ave, Portland. $25 General Admission. Purchase at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bob-marley-performs-to-benefit-altrusa-tickets-58293228616
Bill Chadwick provided an update on water projects he’s been working on in Guatemala on behalf of Westbrook-Gorham Rotaryand in an effort to secure a Global Grant. This work is being done in partnership with several Rotary Clubs across three Districts, including the Los Amates Rotary Club in eastern Guatemala.
The original plan was to dig a well in Cuatros Cayos, a community we’ve become familiar with over the past few years. It is the community in which Bill and his teams from Stroudwater Christian Church and Rotary have worked over the years on several projects, with help from Marvin Paiz, Brenda Vadez and other members of the Los Amates Club. Unfortunately, it was determined that the roads to the area could not support the weight and size of the equipment needed to reach the depth required to strike water. Bill has since worked with Marvin and Brenda to identify another community in the region in need of a well.
The new community identified is Pozon, an area of about 2000 people. Bill and members of the Los Amates Club have met with over 100 members of the community to discuss the need. Currently, their water comes by tanker truck deliveries - trucks that also hall gasoline. They also met with the cocode or “town fathers” who make decisions for the community. The community has agreed to become a partner on this project by repairing and connecting an existing distribution system and providing a 55,000 gallon tank.
The Los Amates Club is taking the lead on the new grant. If approved, it will result in nearly $80,000 in funding, including club contributions, District matches, and Global Grant funds. Several key items have already been addressed in Pozon that should smooth the approval process. Soundings have been completed with the drill team is ready to proceed and a community health assessment has already been completed by the government. Bill will continue to keep the club updated on progress.
In addition, during his most recent trip to Guatemala, Bill traveled to the Pacific coast to a community called El Dormido. 60 homes of this small town have been isolated from the community’s water source due to a storm that washed out connecting infrastructure. Clean water is brought in by boat from the opposite shore. There is a river nearby, but the water is not clean. Next year, the plan is for a team from Stroudwater Christian Church to build eco-stoves, pour floors and run a dental clinic. In addition, Bill is proposing to build 60 biosand filtration systems over two years. These systems are poured concrete containers filled with layers of sand, gravel and a biolayer. They have a useful life of about 10 years. He is proposing that our club apply for a District Grant to help fund these filtration system and hopes to include Rotarians on the team.
The Paul Harris Fellow recognition acknowledges individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation. Rotary established the recognition in 1957 to encourage and show appreciation for substantial contributions to what was then the Foundation’s only program, Rotary Foundation Fellowships for Advanced Study, the precursor to Ambassadorial Scholarships. The PHF recognition has come with a certificate of appreciation since inception, and now comes with a pin to proudly wear as a demonstration of your support for the work of Rotary.
But it doesn’t stop there. For each additional $1000 of cumulative giving, the Rotary Foundation recognizes your giving with Paul Harris Fellow +1, +2, etc. PHF+1-5 pins include a blue stone for each increasing level. At PHF +6, the pin includes a single red stone. Red stones are added until you reach $10,000 in cumulative lifetime giving. At this level you gain the designation of Major Donor.
Major Donor Level 1 represents $10,000 - $24,999 of lifetime giving. Major Donor Levels 2-4 represent up to $249,000 of giving. The Arch Klumph Society recognizes our largest donors and begins at $250,000 of cumulative lifetime giving.
The number of Paul Harris Fellows reached the 1 million mark in 2006 and continue to increase each year. Donations to support the Annual Fund, Polio Plus, Endowed Fund, an Area of Focus, or a specific Global Grant all receive credit towards PHF recognition.
Grants Management Seminars 2019 – Monday March 18, 6-7:30PM, Southern Maine Community College, 29 Sewall St Room 102, Brunswick.
Next Generation Interact Conference 2019- Saturday March 23, 2019 - Oxford Hills High School. Interested Rotarians are welcome to attend. More details to follow. Snow Day March 30, 2019. Sign up: https://rotary7780.org/event/interact-conference/
District Training Assembly - Saturday April 6, 2019. 8AM-1PM. York County Community College. Join your club members and form a car pool to attend this annual opportunity to learn with Rotarians from across District 7780.
Rotary Leadership Institute – Saturday April 20, 8Am-3:30PM, York County Community College, 112 College Dr, Wells. Parts I, II, III and Graduate available. Recommended for all Rotarians, but especially for those considering leadership positions. If you 'd like to attend, the club may pay the registration fee. Talk to club President. For more information and to register: www.rlinea.org
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.
For listing of all District-wide events, visit: https://rotary7780.org/events/calendar
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 March 13 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.
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 April and May.
Here is the list of upcoming speakers and programs:
* 3/19 - Evening at WRVC - Youth Services
* 3/26 - Rebecca Hobbs Exec Director - Through These Doors
* 4/2 - Club Assembly
* 4/9 - Sheila Rollins - Rotaract in Puerto Rico
* 4/16 - No lunch meeting. See you at the Road Race on 4/15
* 4/23 - TBD
* 4/30 - Eliza Kenigsberg - Community Career Coordinator GHS
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