Rotary Log, August 11, 2011: Maritime Portsmouth and The Sawtelle Collection

Stan Cross led us in song to the aforementioned Star Spangled Banner. Murmurs across the room after the last glorious, warbling note faded seemed to indicate that Stan will be relied upon heavily in the future as Chief Songbird and Cat Herder. Way to lead the troops today, Stan!

Brian Gallagher led us in the Four-Way Test, and Reverend Allen delivered his usual soothing invocation. (Great voice, huh?)

Visiting Guests
Susan Treleaven joined us as Immediate Past President Diane Foley’s guest. Kevin Shultz was a guest of aforementioned Chief Songbird, Stan Cross. Sidebar on Stan and President Tony. Our Prez thought he heard the last name Gross announced instead of Cross. Stan quickly corrected him from the field. Tony recovered fast, and tried for a joke. The moment of levity was lost on the crowd. A few seconds passed with blank stares and a cricket or two from the far corners of the room. We moved on. Lanie Hammer joined us as Jay Gibson’s guest. Fran Mallon attended as Ed Mallon’s guest, and Michelle Nadeau was Leo Gagnon’s guest.

Happy Bucks
The dough was flying today! Members were in an extremely generous mood. A request for leniency for this week’s log writer, if I may. Having been here a little under two months, I’m still learning names and faces. Try as I might, I could not capture every person’s name and Happy Bucks tribute. Please know that your generosity is appreciated… and I’ll try harder next time. Shout-out to Prez Tony and Immediate Past Prez, Diane, for helping me fill in names. A tape recorder may be in order for log writers. (Hint, hint, Jon Flagg.)

Ben Wheeler gave ten happy bucks -- $5.00 in thanks for the Police Officer Medal of Honor that was awarded to his brother Colin, and another $5.00 for his father becoming the Town Manager in Raymond, NH. Judy Ringer gave a happy buck in thanks for her mother’s upcoming 85^th birthday. Everett Eaton gave happy bucks in recognition of his daughter Olivia being an All-State selection for the Girls Lacrosse Team, and being named to the NH/VT “Select Team” as well as to the Foster’s Lacrosse Dream Team. John Lyons matched Ben’s ten happy bucks, and gave $5.00 in celebration of his 34^th wedding anniversary, and $5.00 for finding out that he will be a grandfather for the first time! Gene Bailey also celebrated baby news, offering a happy buck for finding out that he will be a great-grandfather! Sandy Tucker is thrilled that we moved to the Portsmouth Country Club, and she produced a happy buck to prove it. Eric Weinrieb gave a happy buck shout-out to fellow Rotarian Bob Davis for pulling together a successful Thunder Chicken Road Race last week. Paul Famulari gave two happy bucks in celebration of his 36^th wedding anniversary. And, Peg Millar gave five happy bucks as she gets ready to bid us adieu for three months and move to Prince Edward Island for a change of scenery. Peg is doing a house swap, and she intrigued all of us at her table as she described how she found this opportunity. Peg extended an open invitation to Rotarians to visit her… so pack your favorite Fair Isle sweater and start scoping Travelocity for flight deals!

Announcements
There are three important date reminders in September:

September 1 -- President Tony reminded us that we will NOT have a meeting on September 1 due to the facility not being available that day

Additionally, the Board agreed to separate the $30 Country Club restaurant gift certificate into its own raffle each week. Thanks to Luis Melchor for this great suggestion!

President Tony also shared that Rotarian Lynn-Del has regrettably left our club due to a job change. Norm Olsen will now lead our Programs Committee. Norm asked us to consider what topics we would like to hear in the coming year. Please share your feedback with Norm to help him build a rewarding speaker series. He is also seeking volunteers to join his committee!

Mort Schmidt introduced us to the Portsmouth Country Club staff who will be working with us at our new venue. Mort welcomed restaurant manager, Kevin… head server, Sandy… and chef, Jim into our fold.  

Leo Gagnon reminded us that our Rotary Club’s “Website Sponsorship Contest” is in full swing. Visit us at www.portsmouthrotary.org for contest details. You could win four tickets in the first row at Fenway Park, right field just beyond the Pesky Pole! Enter before midnight September 4 to be eligible.

Dennis is a Paul Harris Fellow, historian and author. He has published over 1,000 articles on New Hampshire Seacoast history and culture. His hardcover histories of Strawberry Banke Museum and Wentworth by the Sea Hotel both received honors from the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH). His next book, America’s Privateer, focuses on privateering and the War of 1812. 

Dennis reminded us how uniquely important our local history is, thanks in large part to being one of the original 13 colonies. He stressed the importance of “port life” that has shaped our town for centuries and is in our namesake, Portsmouth. He applauded the community support that has kept our many historic buildings alive and open to the public, and reminded us that we need to maintain that support as a community to ensure that our rich history will remain available for generations to come. “Are you aware,” he asked, “that Portsmouth has about 35 historic houses open to visitors? Compare that to Portland, Maine, which is almost ten times our size yet has three historic houses open to the public… or Newburyport, Massachusetts, which has two.”

Dennis urged everyone to visit the exhibit, “Maritime Portsmouth: The Sawtelle Collection” within the next 20 days (exhibit closes on August 31) for a rare look into our town’s fascinating maritime history. The exhibit, located at the Discover Portsmouth Center, features close to 200 original paintings and artifacts from the “Age of Sail” that art collector, maritime enthusiast, and local town benefactor, Joe Sawtelle, gathered over decades from his travels around the world. Dennis pointed out that Joe was impressed by how often he would come across paintings that featured Portsmouth’s vibrant sea life, no matter where he was in the world.

In addition to collecting art with Portsmouth as the subject, Joe Sawtelle was a highly regarded philanthropist who always gave back to the community, often anonymously, in a multitude of ways. In addition to helping found Cross Roads House and provide affordable housing, Joe invested time and resources into the Portsmouth Historical Society, the Portsmouth Athenaeum, the Portsmouth Maritime Society, and the mills in Rochester and Somersworth, to name a few efforts.
Maritime Portsmouth: The Sawtelle Collection exhibit is a wonderful tribute to our beautiful seaport town that was home to historically important merchant captains, shipbuilders, craftsmen and patriots during the Age of Sail. The exhibit is open daily, 10:00-5:00, through August 31 at the Discover Portsmouth Center at the corner of Middle and Islington Streets. Call 603-436-8433 for more information.

President Tony closed the meeting by presenting Dennis with a Rotary coin that features Paul Harris on the head and the Four-Way Test on the tail. 

See you next week!