banner
Stories
Top of the Week July 28, 2019
 
Top of the Week!
July 28, 2019
 
 
Make Peg’s Day!
 
Dear Fellow Rotarians:
 
Our dear friend and Portsmouth Rotarian Peg Millar is looking for some Rotarian fellowship during the week.  Since Peg is unable to drive it leaves her feeling a bit lonely and isolated.   A half hour visit can go a long way in putting a smile on Peg’s face.  We have had a small circle of our Rotarian’s visiting Peg and helping with errands but with everyone’s busy schedule it would nice to get a few more folks over to spread a little cheer Peg’s way.  Please reach out to Peg for a visit at 603-501-0910.
 
Thank you from Rotary Connections Committee
 
Volunteer for Cross Roads
 
Upcoming dates for meal service at Cross Roads House:

Wednesdays:

August 7
 
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 July 18, 2019
Rotary Log for July 18, 2019
 
A perfect summer day, and so, perhaps, a few vacations kept the attendance numbers down. Still, our sunny Greeter, Jessica Hamilton, brightened the goodwill and energy of the crowd. President Leo brought the meeting to order with the Pledge. Then turned to one- or perhaps two-time past-Rotarian Russ Grazier to lead the patriotic song. Susan Gold followed that up with an inspirational invocation on having gratitude for life’s significant remembrances.
 
Guests 
 
Among the guests was Beth Danislowski, proudly, and with clarity, introduced by her dad, Basil.  Beth brought his latest grandchild, a girl, into the world. 
 
 
Cindy Alex stood in for Ted to introduce PMAC Executive Director Grazier, Development Director Judy Pinkham and performer Kai DiMuzio (more on him below.)  
 
Stella Scamman introduced Leslie Weld, wife of today’s guest speaker, the Honorable William Weld of Massachusetts and many of the Governor’s supporters.
 
And Peg Millar introduced her grandson, Will, a fine young man visiting her from Florida.
 
Announcements and Raffle
 
What?!…  There were no announcements.
 
Dave Holden accepted the $43 raffle prize on behalf of Walter Liff.  Is that legal? No match.  On to the packed program…
 
Jeremy Alex Fund PMAC Scholarship Recipient Kai DiMuzio
 
 
Russ took the podium again after a brief introduction by Ted’s better half.  He offered gratitude to our Club, the Jeremy Alex Fund, and to Ted for supporting a scholarship for Kai DiMuzio, the latest in a line of recipients. 
 
Jeremy disappeared into the Maine woods 15 years ago during Ted’s presidential year.  An intelligent young man with many gifts, Jeremy had also made tragic choices leading him down a path of drug use. 
 
Ted turned an unthinkable tragedy into something positive by establishing the Fund in Jeremy’s honor. It offers a positive message and better choices for at-risk youth.  Jeremy’s love of music led to the annual PMAC scholarship.
 
 
Kai thanked the Club for the Award which enables him to take private lessons on upright bass and to play with PMAC’s jazz ensemble.  Kai performed a brilliant duet, “Autumn Leaves,” with Russ on saxophone, demonstrating his talent and passion for music and the upright bass.  Kai will attend UNH in the fall, majoring in music composition.
 
Guest Speaker Honorable William Weld
 
 
Long-time Rotarian, New Hampshire Republican of note, and all-around very nice person, Stella Scamman, provided the introduction. She advised everyone that today’s was the first presentation in our Club’s Candidate Outreach program.  The purpose: to allow us to hear from as many presidential, senatorial and house candidates as possible leading up to the 2020 election.
 
The ground rules are simple: listen respectfully, questions only from Club Members and one question only- no editorials or follow-up questions.
 
On to our speaker, Governor Weld, who had already made the rounds of the room as part of a tongue-in-cheek campaign goal.  He intends to shake the hand of every New Hampshire voter three times between now and next November.
 
 
The Governor, a self-described fiscal conservative, was elected to Massachusetts highest office in 1990 with 50% of the vote.  He was re-elected in one of the bluest Democratic states with a 70% majority.  He credits his success in balancing the budget, lowering taxes, reforming welfare and creating jobs to “building alliances across party lines.” Governor Weld did not mince words in comparing his approach to that of President Trump, who he referred to as a “divider”.
 
The candidate drew many comparisons to his campaign goals and the record of the current resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and the legislature. In his stump speech and responses to follow-up questions Governor Weld identified his many priorities:
 
Putting an end to deficit spending. By his account it is moving to $30 trillion, a price that will be paid by future generations. He intends to accomplish a balanced budget with a zero-based budgeting strategy.
 
Focus on work force and education realities. The rapid rise of technology, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and self-driving vehicles will result in the loss of 25% of the jobs done by lower-skilled workers.  There is a need to invest in the training and education of these workers in the technical fields. Great effort is required to remedy increasingly divisive income inequality, according to the candidate.
 
Ensuring that our country is an honest, respectful, and loyal ally internationally.  He described that strategy as a force multiplier.  By contrast he referred to the rhetoric coming from the Trump administration as akin to that of 1930’s Germany.
 
Committing to climate agreements in the face of scientifically undisputed global warming.
 
Convincing the electorate that he is the most socially libertarian-leaning candidate.
 
Ameliorating divisiveness in our country.  How? By “reaching across the aisle, not politicizing the oval office and stop bashing people over the head.”
 
He concluded his pitch by remarking that, “His dogfood is selling pretty briskly.”
 
So how does Governor Weld intend to upset the seemingly invincible incumbent in the primary?  Simply, he posits, by starting with a win in New Hampshire.
 
Thus, the election season is in full force and promises to be another interesting time for our country and the Rotary Club of Portsmouth. President Leo left us with the message to live by the Four Way Test.  Could we use more of that in our political discourse?
 
Respectfully submitted, Neal Ouellett
 
New Members Photos
To see photos of our new members click on the following link:
 
http://portsmouthrotary.org/PhotoAlbums/new-member-photos-welcome
Speakers
Aug 01, 2019
NH Community Loan Fund
Aug 08, 2019
St Pauls School
Aug 15, 2019
Polio Eradication
Aug 22, 2019
The Music Hall
View entire list
Upcoming Events
Cash Committee Meeting
Petersen Engineering
Jul 31, 2019
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
 
Basic Needs Committee Meeting
Infinite Imaging
Aug 14, 2019
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
 
Basic Needs Committee Meeting
Infinite Imaging
Sep 11, 2019
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
 
Membership Committee Meeting
Portsmouth Country Club
Sep 19, 2019 11:00 AM
 
View entire list
Sponsors
Interested in being a sponsor?
Download the website sponsorship guide
Russell Hampton
ClubRunner
ClubRunner Mobile
Photo Albums
July 17, 2019: Gov. Bill Weld Running for President
C. 2019 Rotary Club of Portsmouth, PO Box 905 Portsmouth NH 03801
Email: portsmouthnhrotary@yahoo.com. www.portsmouthrotary.org.
eBulletin Editor: John Rice