5/18/2009 Paul Harris Fellowship Celebration
Today, the Waterville Rotary Club celebrated in the awarding of 27 Paul Harris Fellowships at the Alfond Youth Center.
Rotary Meeting for Monday, May 18, 2009 held in the main gymnasium of the Alfond Youth Center. Here is a recap in case you missed our meeting!
Sergeant at Arms
Lisa Simm was again our Sergeant of Arms today. Great job Lisa!!!!!
Greeter
John Dalton served as Greeter today! Thanks John!
50/50 Tickets
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Frank Prelgovisk sold $126 worth of 50/50 tickets. Gene Beaupre won $63 and will sell tickets next week. Chris Gaunce won 10 free tickets to the next 50/50 drawing. Tom Longstaff will be our Greeter for next week's meeting in 2 weeks on June 1 at the Alfond Youth Center.
Fined for pictures in the Paper
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Peter Garrett and Kim Hawkes had their pictures in the paper this week and were fined accordingly.
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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World Service Cups
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The World Service cups for this month will go to support the Honduras Hygiene Project at Los Narjanos.
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
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Ally Karter introduced District Governor Yves Fecteau, District Governor-elect Sylvia Plourde, Former District Governor Elect Peter Garrett, and Past District Governors Jan Goddard, Elaine Toussainte, Gary Walker, Doug Ibarguen, and Bob Tonge.
Peter Garrett introduced his wife Jean Ann.
Don Plourde introduced his wife Irene.
Gary Hammond introduced his wife Martha.
Mark Ford introduced his wife Sandy.
Suzanne Uhl-Melanson introduced her husband Jeff.
Barbara Woodlee introduced her husband Jimmie.
What can you do?
* Be sure to join in the fellowship of the Auction in December, 2009 (dates TBD) at the Bank of America.
* 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
In the interest of time and the special program today, Ally postponed the offering of Happy Dollars until the next meeting on June 1.
Announcements
Ally announced that the Club will be hosting our guests from Germany this week at 2 events. On Thursday evening, May 21, we will be having a fellowship event at the home of Chris and Sue McMorrow. On Friday evening, May 22, we will again gather at John and Lisa Fortier's home. More information can be found on the Club website.
Also, in light of the Memorial Day Holiday, the next meeting will be on Monday, June 1 at the Alfond Youth Center.
Upcoming speaker schedule:
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May 25, 2009 | Memorial Day - No Meeting |
June 1, 2009 | Raffi Der Simonian, Rotary GSE (Group Study Exchange) Germany Trip |
June 8, 2009 | Bob Froberg, "FairPoint Communications "Bringing World Class Technology from the Sea Coast to the Mountains" |
June 15, 2009 | Meredith Jones, President and CEO of the Maine Community Foundation |
June 22, 2009 | Educare Presentation |
June 29, 2009 | Club Assembly |
08-09 Board of Directors:
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Ally Karter - President
Sarah Sugden - President Elect
Seth Sherwood - Vice President
Cathy Langlais - Secretary
Steve Kelleher - Assistant Secretary
Allan Rancourt - Charitable Treasurer
Don Borman - Operations Treasurer
Marc Pitman - Club Service
Mark Ford - Rotary Foundation
Eric Haley - Past President
Nancy Gallagher - Public Relations
Debbie Knox - Community Service
Ed Riggs - International Service
Reg Perry - Fundraising
Tom Longstaff - Vocational Service
Waterville Rotary Club Web Site
http://www.clubrunner.ca/waterville
Today's Program: Paul Harris Fellowship Celebration
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Foundation Committee Chair Mark Ford let the program. He introduced special visitors District Governor Yves Fecteau, Past District Governors Elaine Toussaint, Doug Ibarquen, Gary Walker, Jan Goddard, and Bob Tonge; District Governor Nominee Sylvia Plourde, Assistant District Governor Chris Gaunce and former District Governor Nominee Peter Garrett.
Dozens of Paul Harris Fellows from our club and the community also attended the celebration. Paul Harris visitors included Toby Schneider, Walter Simcock, Ron Smith, Wayne Theriault, James Toner, Barbara Wilson, Gregg Perkins, Jean Ann Pollard, Faye Nicholson, Lisa Fortier, John Poirier, Ken Quirion, Dough Cutchin, Philip Gonyar, Ken Eskelund and Martha Hammond.
The mission of the Rotary Foundation is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.
The Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world.
A major focus of the Foundation is the eradication of polio worldwide. Rotarians have mobilized by the hundreds of thousands to ensure that children are immunized against this crippling disease. Since the PolioPlus inception in 1985, more than two billion children have received the oral polio vaccine.
Rotary's $200 Million Challenge is the Rotary Foundation's response to the two grants totaling $355 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help eradicate polio. Every dollar given to PolioPlus will be counted toward the $200 million match, which must be completed by June 30, 2012.
Mark introduced his committee: Don Plourde, Suzanne Uhl-Melanson, Ken Viens, Louise Smith, and Erica Humphrey. Their goals for the 2008-09 Rotary year were to raise $12,000 and have 50% club participation. Over 60 members of our club have donated to the Foundation. Collectively the Waterville Club will donate $22,000 to the Rotary Foundation this year.
Mark reviewed the history of the Inner Wheel's help with our annual Pig Roast, and honored Jan Barton (posthumously) Martha Hammond, Sandra Ford, Irene Plourde, and Lisa Fortier with Paul Harris Fellowships in appreciation for their years of effort.
Assistant District Governor Chris Gaunce introduced Paul Harris Sustaining Members, Paul Harris Fellows and honorary Paul Harris Fellows in attendance. Receiving Paul Harris Fellow certificates today were Jeff Melanson, Tony LaMarre, Allyson Karter, David Whittier, Barbara Woodlee, Bob Barton, Marc Pitman, Seth Sherwood and Alan Rancourt. Not present to receive their certificates today were Paul Mitchell, Erica Humphrey, Seth Sherwood, Tim Terry, Louise Smith and Kim Lindlof. John Fortier dedicated a Paul Harris Fellow certificate to his mother, Yvette Fortier.
Additional awards as follows were presented to Suzanne Uhl-Melanson, PHF+1; Tom Barton, Mark Ford, and Gary Hammond, PHF+2; Tom Barton, PHF+3; Gene Beaupre, PHF+4 and PHF+5.
Past District Governor Gary Walker stated that in recent tracking of EREY (Every Rotarian Every Year) he's never seen another club of this size with our individual average for giving ($130 per person.) A good part of this returns to our district in three years, enabling us to continue the good works of the Foundation through the matching grant process. Congratulations and thanks.
Mark then presented District Governor Yves with a gift of wine. DG Yves has created a gold district citation and awarded it to the Sunrise Club and also to our club. Chris Gaunce received a certificate of appreciation for his great performance as ADG for the past two years. Peter Garrett also received a certificate of appreciation for raising membership numbers.
President Ally next presented DG Yves with a $1000 check for his Togo Project.
Also present was Ambassadorial Scholar Christine Shu, who was nominated by our club for this opportunity. She is a 2009 Colby graduate who speaks Russian. She will travel to Kazakhstan for a year of study funded by a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship grant.