Rotary Star
April 28, 2011
Program: The Rotary Foundation
Marty Peak Helman led the program on The Rotary Foundation (TRF). Marty reported eight matching grants in our area this past year ranging from $500 to thousands raised by each club for a total of $29,000 raised locally and leveraged with Foundation money totaling $273,000 to help people in need all over the world, including the Dominican Republic, China, Poland, and Nigeria. All of our donations come back in some form to our district, which has control over how they are spent, and so we spend what we raise. Moreover, 100% of all funds donated to TRF go to projects and not to administration. Frank Helman added that even the CEO of TRF has the same salary as the rest of us: zero; all Rotarians are volunteers and our payments are thanks.
Tom Churchill recalled how he had served in the international service committee of his old Portland club and purchased an ambulance, which they filled with medical supplies and shipped off to people in desperate need. He also raised money and purchased Herbie, a water buffalo for a remote Philippine village, valuable for dairy products, farming (the “tractor of India”), fuel from dung, and meat and leather at the end. Marty noted how this illustrates how TRF, like all of Rotary, works from the bottom up.
Craig Tukey came aboard Rotary in 2001, when Bob Jacobson was president and inspired many of us to give to the Foundation. Craig joined because he knew that Rotary helped others in the community, but he soon found out that we do so much more. Marty added that TRF gives to three general areas: polio eradication, humanitarian grants, and scholarships (including Peace Fellows, a masters program in eight universities around the globe).
Past District Governor, Bob Jacobson, noted the Rotary motto, “He profits most who serves the best,” and often the giver gets even more than the receiver; it’s almost a selfish thing. Recently, Bob and Muriel contributed funds for a wheelchair to provide dignity to crawlers in Africa, just 27 cents a day. Many cannottravel to foreign countries, set up shelters, nor cure cleft palates, but together we can through TRF. After Bob Jacobson spoke, President Connie Jones awarded Bob with his second Paul Harris Fellow pin, amidst much applause.
Marty told the riveting story of how our club surprised and honored Brenda Blackman’s mother, Sandra Peaslee, who had been invaluable for our Rotary auction, with a Paul Harris Fellow Award. Annette Stormont added two hilarious stories about another non-Rotarian recipient, Big Al Cohen, who got Annette up in a fork lift and related another story of his going to Philadelphia to witness his friend getting the same award.
Business meeting and announcements
President Connie Jones banged the gavel, Marty Helman gave the invocation, and waiters Sue and Skip Kreahling, Ham Meserve, and I.J. Pinkham served our dinners. For May, Annette Stormont will be steward, Rick Elder our sergeant-at-arms, Bob Pike our invocation, Laura Francis our 50/50, and Ham Meserve will scribe. Before the meeting, Skip and Sue Kreahling were collecting multiple donations from club members for the Rotary Foundation.
President Connie noted that perfect attendance, though not stressed any longer, can mean involvement, commitment, and follow-through for an excellent club. She recognized Frank and Marty for their 7 years, Billy Dodge for 9 years, and Chip Griffin for 30 years.
Connie also reminded us of the May 4 evening event at her old Brunswick club to listen to Dr. Khassain Baiev, a Chechnyan surgeon, speak about the war there. She promoted remarkable speakers at our District Conference, May 14-15 at Sable Oaks in South Portland. Our District Conference should be attended by all who can, in the Portland area, May 12-14, where we can learn from humanitarian speakers from all over the world, including California, Nigeria, and Chechnya. Any of us can come for a day or the entire event. Check out our website,
Doug Harley extended the orders for Vidalia onion until May 5. Orders are already a bit above last year, and the delivery date should be around May 13. Seth Hedgcock invited any and all to help out for the bike repairs this weekend and later.
Adam Maguire announced the good news that the Interact Club is volunteering at the Lincoln County Animal Shelter and at St. Andrews Village. Our Interact Club has just won the Presidential Citation, which requires 30 of 50 points; this club achieved an astounding 45 of 50.
Jim Botti circulated his People Power form. Many of the jobs for 2011 have already been taken. Skip Kreahling thanked us for the checks for the Foundation and also thanked the 6-8 volunteers for the May 14 Rebuilding Together Day project being headed by Mike Thompson. Rebuilding Together was initiated here by Rotarians.
Stephanie Blecharczyk is chaperoning and guiding the Friendship Exchange Rotarians from India in the region, Chip and Denise Griffin are providing the homestay, and Marty Helman is the travel guide.
Chip and Marty won the 50/50. Jim Stormont regaled us with an incredible journey today when he finished his quest to find his father’s long lost boat built in 1956 by master builder Norman Hodgdon and his visit with the builder’s youthful daughter, Alice Thompson, and reunion with this boat. Sue Kreahling fell for the royal wedding, Ham Meserve trashed his Yankees, and Linda Foster was thankful that tax season is over and especially for the recovery of her grandson.
This coming meeting, May 5, will feature Ham Meserve doing double duty as scribe and program chair for speaker Don Wolotski from the high school speaking about the Boothbay Video Festival and Friends of the Harbor Theatre.
May 12 will feature Dr. Chip Teel speaking about his exciting initiative of allowing elders to age gracefully at home, through combining community volunteering, some paid part-time caregivers, and video and other technologies. He is launching his Full Circle America nationally after his success in our midcoast area during the past five years.