11/2/2009 Nan Bell, Family Violence Project
Sergeant at Arms
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Lisa Simm was our Sergeants of Arms today. Thanks, Lisa!!!!!
Greeter
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Ally Karter served as Greeter today. Thank you Ally!! Erica Humphrey will be our Greeter for the November 9th meeting.
50/50 Tickets
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Frank Prelgovisk sold $85 for the 50/50 raffle today and Rene Burdett was the winner of $42.50. Rene will sell tickets on November 9th. Scott Bullock won 10 free tickets for next meeting's 50/50 drawing on November 9th.
World Service Cup
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The beneficiary of the donations for this month's World Service Cup will be the Central Asia Institute chronicled by Greg Mortensen in his book Three Cups of Tea.
Fined for pictures in the Paper
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There were no fines for pictures in the paper last week and were fined.
Cell Phones
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A $10.00 fee for cell phone ringing continues for the 2008-2009 Club year. No fines assessed today.
On Leave
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Cam McKay
Joan Phillips-Sandy
Paul LePage
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
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David Geller introduced J.R. LaMountain.
Nikki Desjardins introduced Nan Bell from the Family Violence Project.
Bill Thompson introduced his wife Stephanie.
Sarah Sugden welcomed our newest member, Roger Woolsley, Director of the Colby Career Center.
What can you do?
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* Tell Board Members what you are passionate about for community projects
* Tell the program committee about interesting speakers/topics you would like to listen to
* Be involved, join a committee
* Be active
* Be positive
Happy Dollars
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Patti Newmen shared that she recently attended the wedding of her son, Andrew, in Spokane, WA.
Sharon Abrams announced that the Home for Little Wanderers just received approval from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to expand their counseling services to the AYC. This expands their services to more kids in need of counseling. Also, Sharon shared that they are beginning their Red Stocking Appeal and indicated that the stocking card are available though her. She will be putting together pacets for interested Rotary members.
Tom Longstaff and his wife Cindy spent a great week end in CT wwith their daughter and grandkids. He also shared that the Vocational Service Committee will be meeting immediately after adjournment.
Lisa Hallee indicated that she has moved her office to the Hathaway Center. She also noted that MaineGeneral raised $96,000 from the Walk for Hope recently.
Kim Hawkes reminded the group that the AYC Holiday Ball is taking place at Champions this Friday. They have a great band and over $30,000 in auction items.
Suzanne Uhl-Melanson happily shared that she recently had a great vacation in Florida visiting friends and enjoying the wam weather and water.
Seth Sherwood recounted that when he was cleaning out his grandmothers house last year, he came across Three Cups of Tea. Fast forward to this June, Greg Mortenson is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the RI Convention in Montreal. Seth again urged those planning to attend to get their reservations made now, since rooms are filling up fast.
Marc Pitman is very happy about the success of the Fall Pos Concert. Overall, Inland raised $37,000 to support the clinical training center at the hospital. Marc also shared that his family had a nice Halloween in Vassalboro with Sarah Sugden and her family. He concluded by sharing the legend of the Sugar Fairy. Members interested in this tale can contact Marc directly for details.
Gary Hammond shared that he, Martha, and their granddaughter are heading to Florida tomorrow for a vacation.
David Geller shared a recent experience in home repair and gladfully reported that he was not responsible for the recent power outage in his neighborhood.
Sarah Sugden shared that she is very happy about the assistance she and her staff received from the Colby Lacrosse team last week and sung praises to their community minded spirit. She also was happy about her son Jack's renewed happiness about Trick or Treating since he got packages of pretzels which he likes. Finally, Madeline began walking on Saturday.
Announcements:
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The Vocational Service Committee will be meeting immediately after adjournment.
Tim Beals shared that we are in bad shape with respect to confirmed slips for auctionable items, noting that if the auction were to be held today, we would be significantly below the level we are targeting. He noted that the problem is not slips that have not been picked up, but, rather, slips that are outstanding. He urged people who may have slips but can't follow up on them to return them to him so that they can be followed up on by another member. He reminded the group that the auction this year will be at Central Maine Motors (Dodge/Chrysler site) and shared a number of improvements that we will have over the previous location at Bank of America.
Sarah noted that November is Rotary Foundation Month and that as part of our recognition of that, she has asked a number of members of the Foundation Committee to share a few thoughts regarding what the Foundation means to them. With that, Karen Heck shared her thoughts on the Foundation, starting with her initial indoctrination in 1992, when she went to the Dominican Republic as part of a Group Study Exchange. She indicated how valuable that experience, funded by the Foundation, was to her and how it changed her perspective of Rotary. She also shared her subsequent experiences in the Dominican Republic, including her dealings with a small convent and the impact the order of nuns had on transformation of a town and a school with the help of our club over the years. Thank you for sharing your insight with us Karen!!
Upcoming speaker schedule:
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November 9, 2009 Nikki Desjardins and Cora Corley, RYLA
November 16, 2009 Classification Talks
November 23, 2009 Dave Grenier and Tim Beals, Auction Update and Final Planning
November 30, 2009 Anita Diaz, Rotary Youth Exchange Student from Argentina
Waterville Rotary Club Web Site
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http://www.clubrunner.ca/waterville
Today's Program: The Family Violence Project (Nan Bell)
I was here about a year ago at the Manor. At that time we were talking about violence against women.
I am working to coordinate with a task force in Somerset county. It looks at how we respond to domestic violence andgets a big picture of what we are doing about it.
Was at New Orleans at a conference and we were allowed to see what is happening nationally with domestic violence. When I went there for 3 days they had woven throughout the conference the voices of survivors ..... a reminder of how powerful and important it is to listen to the voices of victims.
I was a victim of domestic violence (dv) and had never figured that I would do work around this cause. My first introduction was when I accessed services. I experienced an open door policy at the Family Violence Project. Its clients encountered dv. As you are experiencing it you are learning about it. I considered myself a survivor. I have been out of that relationship since 1992 and it was difficult trying to get away from that. It was a process. It didn't happen quickly. It was more learning and understanding what I was experiencing and the resources available and how to get out of it.
I didn't get married to get divorced and that was one of the hurdles I had to overcome. My voice has made a difference in the community. I was destined to "give back" to those people who helped me get out of my situation.
Once past my relationship I took the training which led me to work in this field and to the realization to change society and make my voice heard.
My son was a victim. My nine year old son, Matthew, was killed by his father after leaving the abusive relationship. Domestic violence is sometimes redirected at someone else. I think this conference was a reminder that experience has made me want to make a difference.
I spoke out this year at the day of remembrance for victims of murder. My ex-husband was convicted of depraved indifferent murder. Domestic violence was not allowed to be named. In my leaving that relationship it was my hope the violence would stop but it was redirected. He was 9.
He has become my hero. If you work with an issue like this and see it day in and day out, you have to come to grips with how it would affect your life and brings me back to why I do this work.
I left in '92. Matthew died 18 months after I left. Reminded constantly of older son and re-united with two other children. Ex was sentenced to 35 years in Warren. Our lives are consumed with trying to get back together and become a family again.
Telling you this I realized that I need to be talking about this to communities about how it impacts families and your members. I had a whole community come out and support our efforts. My community was Harrington where Matthew attended school. People knew something was wrong but didn't know what. People would see me in the community bruises or a black eye. My kids were being very irregular at school. Pediatrician was encountering us as a family and getting frustrated my canceling appointments or not showing up. I don't think anyone understood what was happening inside our family, but know we have come a long way.
Now I have seen communities taking an interest and want to make a difference.
Was to tie this in with a coordinated community response. When victims come in this is what they might look like and this might be how they act.
When first came to this work I expected change to happen faster and frustrations kept driving me forward. Have come to understand that making social change is hard and making people hear things they don't want to hear.
The other day I was doing a lunch-and-learn at DHS. Was giving my information about services we offer.
What do you consider a success when you do this work? We work on empowerment model were we hope they will decide what is best for them. Not our job to say you need to leave.
A coordinated response applies to what is happening in WTVL. Recently we had a silent vigil in October and remembered victims. It rained and it's usually outside but we were allowed to go inside at midnight Blues and it was the most well-attended vigil since I have been working here. and that was based on our communications that we have built over the years. Nikki Desjardins had t-shirts made up and brought them to the vigil and they were a wonderful way of saying we are doing something about this. A lot of people from area schools were there. They have that hope that this can be prevented in the future. This was an example of a coordinated effort.
It takes time and work and effort to make inroads to let people know this is an impact issue. You have to keep at it to say this isn't ok for our community and I think this is the message we want to send so that our young people can help prevent this.
Prevention education K-12 is important. How to treat each other in relationships to see how abuse can impact lives and how people don't deserve to be treated with abuse.
We are really excited to have taken up the charge to prevent domestic violence.
After her presentation, Sarah presented Nan with a Rotary 4-Way Test keychain as a token of appreciation and with the thanks of the Club.