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Top of the Week May 8, 2019
 
Top of the Week!
May 8, 2019
 
Rotary Fest
 
Have you signed up yet for RotaryFest, our free, one-day (June 22nd), District Conference at Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth? If not, better get with it. As of now, we have 111 adults and 40 children registered. Even though there is no registration fee, we need to know how many Rotarians and guests there will be in order to have enough free food and drink. Registration is a snap; click on the link on the Home Page of our District website. rotary7780.org
We have been adding more fun and tasty items to the agenda: a Moon Bounce for kids, cotton candy and popcorn machines, and lots of free coffee in the morning. We promised you Rotary speakers and here is the tentative lineup:
  • Bob MacKenzie from the Kennebunk RC speaking on opioid use disorder to be followed by Narcan training for those who are interested.
  • A panel of younger Rotarians discussing what drew them to Rotary and how we can interest others.
  • PDG Sheila Rollins presenting on the service trip she and a group of Rotaractors took to Puerto Rico to help out with hurricane relief.
  • Our International Outreach team talking about their trip to Romania.
  • Scott Linscott of the Westbrook-Gorham RC discussing Donate Life.
  • Short presentations on some of the District and Global Grant and other International projects being carried out by a few of our Rotary clubs.
Of course, you can attend any or all of the speakers or tour the park, fly kites, listen to music, play games, or just socialize and relax. It is up to you.
We have lots more to share about this unique and fun district conference so keep your eye peeled for future emails and District newsletter articles. This will be an event you won’t want to miss.
Lawrence Furbish
RotaryFest Chair
 
 
Presidential Project at the John Paul Jones House
 
 
Despite unseasonably cool weather and the threat of rain, Rotarians showed up this past Friday and Saturday to do some much needed maintenance to the building and grounds of the John Paul Jones House.
 
 
As is standard practice with these projects, mission creep led to additional work at the Portsmouth Discovery Center.  As always, Captain Ted Alex and his core group of hands-on volunteers led the way on projects varying from interior painting to backfilling of the building's repaired foundation.
 
 
Volunteers were rewarded with grilled burgers and hot dogs and, of course, Rotary Fellowship.
 
 
A great big Rotary thank you to all who participated.
 
Click the link below to see more photos from the project.
 
 
 
Rotarians Serve at the Salvation Army
 
Thank you to the Rotarians who served the supper at the Salvation Army on April 30.
 
 
Pictured left to right are Linda Browning, Sara Treacy, Al Lantinen, Rick Wallace and Paul Lucy.
 
If you would like to participate in the next Salvation Army dinner service, contact Sara Treacy.
 
 
Crutches 4 Africa
 
There will be a loading party on Saturday, May 11, at 9 AM at the Biddeford site (30 Gooch St. Biddeford, Maine).  Anyone available to help load is invited to participate in this fellowship event. In the past there have been about 10 Rotarians helping out, but it would be wonderful if we could get 15+ to participate.
 
Anyone who wants to chip in should contact Bill Hurley or Leo Gagnon.
 
Thank you in advance for your involvement.
 
 
Save the Date!
 
 
Tie on your walking shoes and join the fight to STOP DIABETES at the American Diabetes Association’s inaugural New England Classic Walk.
  • July 13, 2019 on the Durham campus of UNH. Walker check-in at 11 am.
  • Choice of walk routes from 1 to 5 miles    (or more!)
  • Information expo and family fun at the finish
  • Registration will open soon at www.diabetes.org/newenglandclassic
  • In the meantime, more info can be found at www.necwalkatunh.home.blog
 
Volunteers are needed for advance planning and day-of-event. Contact the walk coordinator, Barbara Sehr, at bsehr@iuk.edu to volunteer or get further information.
 
 
Volunteer for Cross Roads
We still need volunteers for Cross Roads for the following dates:

Wednesdays:
June 5
July 3
August 7

Saturdays:
May 25
July 20
 
Cooks 3-5 pm and Servers 5-7 pm.
 
If you would like to volunteer please text or call Tiffany at 603-380-5872. That way I will know when we have enough volunteers and can coordinate other dates that need to be filled.
 
 
PHA Volunteer Coordination
 
Mary Kelliher, Volunteer Coordinator at the Portsmouth Housing Authority forwarded the following:
 
“I'm reaching out regarding a recurring volunteer opportunity that has sprung at two of our resident building. We now hold a coffee hour at our Margeson building on Mondays at 10am and at Feaster on Thursdays at 10am. These are opportunities for residents to get out of their apartments and spend time in a communal space to have a treat together. We'd love to have volunteers sign up for a particular day or recurring days to bring donuts, pastries, and/or fruit (coffee is provided) if anyone would like to do so! This is an easy opportunity to also chat with our resident population, as well. Each building also has a piano, waiting for anyone with a passion for it to play during coffee hour as well!!
 
Let Mary know if anyone might be interested.
 
 
 
AmeriCorps Seeks Rotary Volunteers 
 
Mary Kelliher is the Volunteer Coordinator for AmeriCorps working out of Portsmouth Housing's Greenleaf Recreation Center with the Resident Services team which assists low-income residents, senior residents, and residents with disabilities in finding resources for different needs, such as budgeting, financial literacy, transportation, etc. Mary and AmeriCorps is seeking volunteers who would be willing to volunteer. One example of a volunteer opportunity is assisting an older female resident who lives alone in moving heavy furniture (strong people needed!) into and from a UHaul during her planned move from her Feaster apartment to Connor's Cottage. If there are any volunteers intersted in lending a hand please contact Mary at maryk@nh-pha.com
 
 
Sorry We Missed You
 
If you have a makeup for a missed meeting, please email it to the following link:
 
 
 
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 May 2, 2019
Portsmouth Rotary Log for May 2, 2019
 
           
President Cleo opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance, Al Lantinen led our song, Barry McArdle the 4-Way Test, and John Rice the invocation.
 
Guests (and possible future members) plus visiting Rotarians were introduced.  Birthdays and anniversaries were acknowledged.  Jonathan Flagg produced an historical poem from a 1968 Log. It teased us into today’s Poetry Hoot program.
 
Beginning the announcements, Cleo gave guidance about the Presidential Hands-on Project at the John Paul Jones House. The Club was scheduled to spend most of Friday and Saturday at work in and outside of the famous structure. The lure of a cookout encouraged Rotarians to show up en masse.
 
(Despite rainy and cold weather, the next day, Rotarians did show up. They were painting, scraping, weeding you name it.  And lunch was served.)
 
 
Tiffany Mckenna, who is organizing our Crossroads commitment, announced May 25 and June 6 are open for volunteers.
 
 
Ramona Dow welcomes volunteers to the Community Baby Shower on May 11 at the Community Campus. The Club is supporting this event. But if that doesn’t work for you, Joanie Dickinson explained that the Wallis Sands beach cleanup is the same day from 9 to 11 am.  It’s an Interact project, but volunteers are certainly welcome.
 
 
As per her recent emails, Vocational Service Awards Chair Alexia Leddy, seeks your nominations for one of the four Vocational Service Awards. The presentation is coming up at our June 20 meeting.  Put your thinking cap on and help us recognize deserving unsung heroes in our community.
 
And, hard to believe, but the Golf Tournament is eight weeks away on June 28. Consider a sponsorship or recruiting one or two.
 
 
The program was Rotary Poet Laureate Dave Holden’s Annual Poetry Hoot. While we have no scientific evidence, there seemed to be more “bards” than usual providing a wide variety of verse. Indeed, our literati covered the gamut from Shelly to Silverstein. From heartfelt affection to the “two knives they have hired.” 
 
 
Poetry was meant to be spoken aloud, not read silently in a chair. That is what this day offers us.  Hearing the words recited, not sung, as in the Universal Soldier, which Andy Fleisher read, somehow makes them more poignant. 
 
 
Several poems made us laugh which shows how close to the truth they are.  Poetic license by Judy Loto rendered Shel Silverstein’s poem “Sick” into a universal excuse for not participating in Rotary activities.
 
 
Susan Gold teared up as she shared a beautiful original work by her husband proclaiming marital love.
 
 
John Rice read C Day-Lewis’s Walking Away, the powerful piece about fatherly love being in the letting go of their sons. And, of course, no Hoot would be complete without David’s recitation from memory of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s classic “Ozymandias.”
 
At the end of the day, the Annual Poetry Hoot is a funky, quiet program that makes everyone better for taking time out to listen and think.  Maybe next year YOU can participate in this club tradition.
 
Respectfully submitted, Al Lantinen
Photos by Matt Randall
 
New Members Photos
To see photos of our new members click on the following link:
 
http://portsmouthrotary.org/PhotoAlbums/new-member-photos-welcome
Speakers
May 09, 2019
Hospice Help Foundation’s efforts to serve those in need
May 16, 2019
Our Upcoming Year & Your Input
May 23, 2019
Scholarship Day !!
May 30, 2019
Our Veteran's Count
View entire list
Upcoming Events
Basic Needs Committee Meeting
Infinite Imaging
May 08, 2019
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
 
Communications Committee Meeting
Portsmouth Country Club
May 09, 2019
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
 
Membership Committee Meeting
Portsmouth Country Club
May 16, 2019 11:00 AM
 
Salvation Army Soup Kitchen
Salvation Army
May 21, 2019
4:00 PM – 6:15 PM
 
New Member Orientation
Aileen Dugan State Farm
May 23, 2019
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
 
Basic Needs Partner Service: Cross Roads House
Cross Roads House
May 25, 2019
3:00 PM – 7:00 PM
 
Sponsors
Interested in being a sponsor?
Download the website sponsorship guide
Russell Hampton
ClubRunner
ClubRunner Mobile
Photo Albums
5/2/19 poetry day
John Paul Jones Hands On Project May, 2019
C. 2019 Rotary Club of Portsmouth, PO Box 905 Portsmouth NH 03801
Email: portsmouthnhrotary@yahoo.com. www.portsmouthrotary.org.
eBulletin Editor: John Rice