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Stories
Top of the Week December 20, 2017
 
Top of the Week!
 
Rotary Social
 
 
With spirits riding high from the afternoon meeting, Rotarians gathered at the Raleigh Wine Bar in downtown Portsmouth on January 11. 
 
Delicious food and drink accompanied by cheerful conversation made for a wonderful, fun evening.
 
The establishment boasts one of the best views in the city as it faces the Memorial Bridge.
 
Hope to see you at the next social...details to be announced.
 
 
Cheers.
 
 
Rotary Gives the Gift of Warmth
 
 
Check Your Profile
 
The Communications Committee is asking that everyone log onto ClubRunner and check your profile to make sure it is up to date.  Change is part of life and we hope to be able to reflect those changes in our website.  Happy surfing.
 
 
Rotary Connections is back!!!
 
Rotary Connections let’s our members know that their Rotary club is thinking of them.  Members facing a health issue, death in the family or a life celebration, we are here!  
 
If you know of any of our members who may need a Rotary Connections, please reach out to the Cathy Nickerson or President Ben.
 
 
Let us Know What is Happening!
 
If you have an event or news that you would like to share with your fellow Rotarians, please forward the information to Dennis Moulton for inclusion in the weekly eBulletin. My contact information is d-moulton@comcast.net.  And please send photos!
Read more...
Rotary Log for January 11 2018
 
Rotary Log for January 11, 2018
 
 
Our club ushered in the New Year with gusto. This first meeting of 2018 had it all. There were important announcements, much happiness paid for and many fines levied. Exciting news regarding our club’s involvement with Rotaplast was also revealed.
 
First, the preliminaries. President Ben’s pledge was followed by Al Lantinen’s song. Justin Finn passed the Test. Before John Rice’s invocation, President Ben shared a poignant story.
 
This past Thanksgiving our club got the call that a lady in Portsmouth was still lacking a meal. One of our members (Ben did not divulge the name) prepared and delivered the missing meal. The lady was overwhelmed as she shared the Thanksgiving meal with her family. Ben said that was a great example of how our members do the right thing and for the right reasons. Not for recognition, but because it is the caring thing to do. Ben paused, then added, “She passed away the next day”. Your scribe heard a pin dropping somewhere.
 
Guests (and Rotarian hosts) included:
 
Angela Ferris (John Pratt) Note: Angela is on seven-day notice.
 
Mike Labrie (Ted Alex)
 
Peggy Small-Port (Cathy Nickerson)
 
Linda Underhill (Governor Dave)
 
Jessica Kellogg (John Pratt)
 
Jay Evans (Stella Scamman)
 
Announcements.
 
 
Past President Mort Schmidt updated us on the whereabouts of the 2017 Number 1 Christmas Tree Ornament. For newbie Rotarians, 50 years ago Club President Ray Jones developed the idea of an annual ornament. The creations, each with a number, were to be sold along with Christmas trees. Each year Ray would outbid everyone at auction to win ornament number one. The rest is a complicated story (ask Mort for the details.) As it has in the past, this year’s number one ornament was awarded with thanks to Ray’s widow, Marlene.
 
Sara Treacy is filling out the 2018 schedule for Salvation Army dinners. Contact Sara to volunteer.
 
Happy Dollars and fines.
 
Money can’t buy happiness, but it sure paid for it!
 
Ellen Labrie was drolly “happy to be vertical” and with her fellow Rotarians. And we with you, Ellen!
 
John St. Pierre made his first down payment celebrating his fourth (!) child, lovely Genevieve St. Pierre.
 
Tom Decker appreciated the 44 Rotarian signatures on his get-well card. Cuzzin’ Richard was happy to feel the heat.
 
Tristan Shanley thanked her Rotarian mother, Cindy, for childcare help over the holidays.
 
 
Peg Millar echoed Ellen’s sentiments about being alive and with all of us.
 
Governor Dave lauded the lobster and eggs benedict breakfast he enjoyed while dutifully visiting another club. Sorry, Dave, unlike McDonalds we don’t serve breakfast 24/7!
 
Finemaster Neal Ouellette helped fill President Ben’s budget gap. Birthdays were fined, but payable by everyone else at that table. Neal noted that Jim Labrie would have been disappointed if his wife Ellen and son Michael escaped unscathed. Whereupon Neal did his duty with alacrity.
 
Today’s program: all things Rotaplast!
 
 
Past President Ted Alex reviewed his recent Rotaplast trip to Cebu City, Phillipines. There the Rotaplast team withstood seven days of oppressive humidity and torrential downpours, but still got the job done. Surgical correction repaired the cleft lips and palates of 103 children. In so doing the team gave these kids and their families a new lease on life. This was Ted’s tenth Rotaplast project! We gave Ted a well-deserved standing ovation.
 
 
Ellen Labrie tenderly and proudly reflected on her husband’s life. She recalled his passion for service and the connection he helped forge between Rotaplast and our club. Jim rose above the challenges posed by his own congenital cleft lip and palate to become a successful businessman. He joined Rotary in 1976. Ten years later the Labrie’s son, Jimmy, died in a motorcycle accident.
 
The tragedy led Jim to reflect, Ellen said. He felt called to a life of service and channeled his response through Rotary. He discovered the work of Rotaplast, then a fledgling operation based in California. As Club President and then District Governor, Jim was instrumental in introducing Rotaplast to Rotarians throughout the Northeast. Ellen’s story was appreciated with a standing ovation.
 
President Ben then announced that in honor of Jim Labrie our club will undertake the full sponsorship of a Rotaplast project. The project’s scheduled date is October 2018 and the location is in Bangladesh.
 
Much work lies ahead to turn this opportunity into a reality. Hopefully most of the volunteers will be drawn from our own club. While we will have considerable input, the final personnel decisions are out of our hands. All interested members should begin considering this service project now.
 
 
Our club is committing to raise $95,000 dollars. To help with this, Michael Labrie announced that the Labrie family will provide a $25,000 matching grant! Heartfelt thanks go to the Labrie family for jump-starting the fund raising.
 
Several club sources will be made available, including $10,000 from President Ben and President-Elect Cleo’s Presidential Funds. Governor Dave has provided $5,000 from a District Fund. President Ben said more fundraising details will be forthcoming.
 
Oh, yes. The Liff Cartel won the $67 raffle (no match) and promptly donated the money right back into the Rotaplast project.
 
These are exciting times for our club!
 
Respectfully submitted, Richard Greulich
New Members Photos
To see photos of our new members click on the following link:
 
http://portsmouthrotary.org/PhotoAlbums/new-member-photos-welcome
Speakers
Jan 18, 2018
Stem cell therapies
Jan 25, 2018
Leadership - Your Potential
Feb 01, 2018
Seacoast Pathways
Feb 08, 2018
Campaigne for Legal Services for NH Legal Assistance
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Sponsors
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Russell Hampton
National Awards Services Inc.
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Photo Albums
12/14/2017 Christmas luncheon
C. 2017 Rotary Club of Portsmouth, PO Box 905 Portsmouth NH 03801
Email: portsmouthnhrotary@yahoo.com. www.portsmouthrotary.org.
eBulletin Editor: John Rice