February 23, 2009 - Colby student Jenny Chen
Posted by Steve Kelleher
Jenny Chen, a freshman at Colby was our guest speaker today. Jenny is
a former Rotaract member in high school. She is from Montgomery
County, MD. In her presentation, she shared her experiences over the
past several years with her brother developing and marketing a literary
magazine for kids.
Rotary Meeting for Monday, February 23rd held at the Alfond Youth Center - Here is a recap in case you missed our meeting!
Sergeant at Arms
==============
Frank Prelgovisk was our Sergeant of Arms. Thanks Frank!
Greeter
======
Ryan Liberty welcomed us into the meeting today!
50/50 Tickets
===========
Kim Lindlof sold $68 worth of 50/50 tickets. Tina Chapman won $34 in the raffle and will sell tickets in next week. Gene Beaupre won 10 free tickets to the next 50/50 drawing. Harpold Buzzell will be the Greeter for meeting on March 2nd.
Fined for pictures in the Paper
========================
Paula Mitchell was fined for having her picture in the paper last week.
World Service Cups
================
The World Service cups will support the Quarry Road Trail Project.
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
=======================
Paula Mitchell introduced Francis Roderigue from the Sunrise Club.
Happy Dollars
===========
Sarah Sugden had 3 Happy dollars ... 2 for her daughter's new teeth and 1 for the great experience she's had over the past couple of weeks doing alumni college interviews of area students. Of particular note, she mentioned that the person who did her interview many years ago is a current club member... Wally Buschmann
Mark Pitman offered a Happy Dollar in honor of the 104th ANNIVERSARY OF Rotary's first meeting in Chicago.
Tom Longstaff shared a story about his son David who is deployed in the Middle East, noting a coincidental meeting he had recently with a store merchant who he had befriended several years ago in another city. He wanted the club to know that there is another dynamic over there and that many soldiers have made friends with the local residents.
Don Plourde brought greetings to everyone from Flo Vaschon who was home recently for the funeral of her father, Frank Hackett, a former Member and President of our Club. He also shared that next week his office will be moving to a new location at 133 Silver Street.
Ken Vlodek felt very to be singing today. He shared the events of his Quebec Valentine's Day trip to Quebec, the tale of the Ice Hotel, and how meticulously they prepared the ice goblets they purchased for the trip back to Maine ... looking forward to a cold one in July! Ken also shared an update on his daughter's treatment, the study that she's been accepted into, and asked for prayers for her during this difficult time.
Seth shared that his grandmother passed away recently at 97. He noted that she lived a great life and was very active right up until the end.
Elery Keene offered an apology to the group because of a change in the date of the talk John Kerry, the State Energy Commissioner, was going to deliver at Thomas College. It will now be at 6PM on March 3rd. Publicity will be going out on this. On another topic, He shared that when he was in the service, he spent a winter in Greenland and had an opportunity to have drinks chilled with "glacial ice" which was thousands of years old. Recounting the story, he told of a unique phenomenon with this ice in that as it melts, the air bubbles in the ice make a popping sounds.
Wally Buschmann is most appreciative of Sarah stepping up to the plate and participating in the alumni interview program. He also shared a wonderful and moving experience he had recently when he attended and participated in the memorial service for his college roommate who passed away from pancreatic cancer.
Gary Hammond is very happy about the 3rd birthday of hi grand daughter and the arrival of their new grandson. He and Marth a also had a great week in Mexico recently.
Eric, our caterer this month offered $5 happy dollars because when he returns in April, there will be no snow on the ground!
Announcements
=============
Ally indicated that there will be a meeting tomorrow at 10AM in the Board Room of the Chamber for those interested in assisting with the development of an itinerary for the visitors from Germany in May.
She also asked the Club to keep Butch and Ginny Merritt in their prayers because they recently lost their son-in-law in a fatal auto accident on 201.
Upcoming speaker schedule:
=======================
March 2, 2009 Carol L. Coffin, District 7790 Polio Plus co-chair
Today's Program: A Presentation on the Creation of the J. J. Express Magazine for Kids
(Jenny Chen, a Colby Collge Freshman)
============================================================================
Jenny Chen, a freshman at Colby was our guest speaker today. Jenny is a former Rotaract member in high school. She is from Montgomery County, MD. In her presentation, she shared her experiences over the past several years with her brother developing and marketing a literary magazine for kids.
She began by sharing her experience as a 10 year-old whose goal was to be published in a major literary magazine. At that time, she submitted a piece to Cricket Magazine which rejected it out right because she was a student author. With that experience in mind, when she entered high school, she and her brother embarked upon a project to create a publication that was neutral to age and ability with a focus on youth empowerment and social change. She shared that she believes for future students to become interested in social issues and change, there needs to be an avenue for them to learn about the issues and through their publication they have an opportunity for kids around the world to express their ideas. Thus, in 2007, they published the first edition of JJ Express. She distributed several copies of the magazine, which comes out quarterly and is in a semi-comic format, for the group to review.
Regarding their funding, the magazine is a non-profit (http://www.jjexpressmagazine.org/about.html) and started out with a $1,000 grant. Most recently, they received a $10,000 grant from Best Buy and another $500 grant from the Disney organization.
As for their immediate goals, they hope to continue focusing on social issues around the world in places like Brazil. As such their target market is more global and they plan to translate and distribute the publicationin a variety of global markets.
Since coming to Maine, she noted that she spoke at the Maine Youth Action League Conference held recently in Bar Harbor and received good feedback from the attendees. She is open to other opportunities to present to youth groups.
Questions:
1. Where can you get information on the publication?
The website is http://www.jjexpressmagazine.org/about.html . She can secure additional copies of the magazine if anyone would like to ge one.
2. Who publishes it?
JJ Express is published by a small publisher in Maryland.
3. How do you get your ideas and articles?
Generally, by word of mouth and the internet. Much of the work thusfar has come from the college level, but they enourage pieces from all age groups.
4. Where else in ME are you speaking?
Aside from the Maine Youth Action League, this was her first presentation in Maine.
5. How do you network?
Mostly through Facebook. They recently discovered the capability of webinars where they collaborate on line with other regarding layout, etc.
6. How many have you published thusfar.? How big is your circulation??
About 500 copies/issue. It costs about $8/copy and they charge $4/copy with the difference offset by their grant funding. She noted that the !0,000 grant from Best Buy was the result of a competition hwereby they submitted J.J. Express for review and voting by youth and they came in 3rd with 6,000 votes, which they felt very good about.
7. Is anyone from Cloby involved?
Not formally. She is working informally with the Art Department, seeking input and ideas for improving the publication.
Sergeant at Arms
==============
Frank Prelgovisk was our Sergeant of Arms. Thanks Frank!
Greeter
======
Ryan Liberty welcomed us into the meeting today!
50/50 Tickets
===========
Kim Lindlof sold $68 worth of 50/50 tickets. Tina Chapman won $34 in the raffle and will sell tickets in next week. Gene Beaupre won 10 free tickets to the next 50/50 drawing. Harpold Buzzell will be the Greeter for meeting on March 2nd.
Fined for pictures in the Paper
========================
Paula Mitchell was fined for having her picture in the paper last week.
World Service Cups
================
The World Service cups will support the Quarry Road Trail Project.
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
=======================
Paula Mitchell introduced Francis Roderigue from the Sunrise Club.
Happy Dollars
===========
Sarah Sugden had 3 Happy dollars ... 2 for her daughter's new teeth and 1 for the great experience she's had over the past couple of weeks doing alumni college interviews of area students. Of particular note, she mentioned that the person who did her interview many years ago is a current club member... Wally Buschmann
Mark Pitman offered a Happy Dollar in honor of the 104th ANNIVERSARY OF Rotary's first meeting in Chicago.
Tom Longstaff shared a story about his son David who is deployed in the Middle East, noting a coincidental meeting he had recently with a store merchant who he had befriended several years ago in another city. He wanted the club to know that there is another dynamic over there and that many soldiers have made friends with the local residents.
Don Plourde brought greetings to everyone from Flo Vaschon who was home recently for the funeral of her father, Frank Hackett, a former Member and President of our Club. He also shared that next week his office will be moving to a new location at 133 Silver Street.
Ken Vlodek felt very to be singing today. He shared the events of his Quebec Valentine's Day trip to Quebec, the tale of the Ice Hotel, and how meticulously they prepared the ice goblets they purchased for the trip back to Maine ... looking forward to a cold one in July! Ken also shared an update on his daughter's treatment, the study that she's been accepted into, and asked for prayers for her during this difficult time.
Seth shared that his grandmother passed away recently at 97. He noted that she lived a great life and was very active right up until the end.
Elery Keene offered an apology to the group because of a change in the date of the talk John Kerry, the State Energy Commissioner, was going to deliver at Thomas College. It will now be at 6PM on March 3rd. Publicity will be going out on this. On another topic, He shared that when he was in the service, he spent a winter in Greenland and had an opportunity to have drinks chilled with "glacial ice" which was thousands of years old. Recounting the story, he told of a unique phenomenon with this ice in that as it melts, the air bubbles in the ice make a popping sounds.
Wally Buschmann is most appreciative of Sarah stepping up to the plate and participating in the alumni interview program. He also shared a wonderful and moving experience he had recently when he attended and participated in the memorial service for his college roommate who passed away from pancreatic cancer.
Gary Hammond is very happy about the 3rd birthday of hi grand daughter and the arrival of their new grandson. He and Marth a also had a great week in Mexico recently.
Eric, our caterer this month offered $5 happy dollars because when he returns in April, there will be no snow on the ground!
Announcements
=============
Ally indicated that there will be a meeting tomorrow at 10AM in the Board Room of the Chamber for those interested in assisting with the development of an itinerary for the visitors from Germany in May.
She also asked the Club to keep Butch and Ginny Merritt in their prayers because they recently lost their son-in-law in a fatal auto accident on 201.
Upcoming speaker schedule:
=======================
March 2, 2009 Carol L. Coffin, District 7790 Polio Plus co-chair
Today's Program: A Presentation on the Creation of the J. J. Express Magazine for Kids
(Jenny Chen, a Colby Collge Freshman)
============================================================================
Jenny Chen, a freshman at Colby was our guest speaker today. Jenny is a former Rotaract member in high school. She is from Montgomery County, MD. In her presentation, she shared her experiences over the past several years with her brother developing and marketing a literary magazine for kids.
She began by sharing her experience as a 10 year-old whose goal was to be published in a major literary magazine. At that time, she submitted a piece to Cricket Magazine which rejected it out right because she was a student author. With that experience in mind, when she entered high school, she and her brother embarked upon a project to create a publication that was neutral to age and ability with a focus on youth empowerment and social change. She shared that she believes for future students to become interested in social issues and change, there needs to be an avenue for them to learn about the issues and through their publication they have an opportunity for kids around the world to express their ideas. Thus, in 2007, they published the first edition of JJ Express. She distributed several copies of the magazine, which comes out quarterly and is in a semi-comic format, for the group to review.
Regarding their funding, the magazine is a non-profit (http://www.jjexpressmagazine.org/about.html) and started out with a $1,000 grant. Most recently, they received a $10,000 grant from Best Buy and another $500 grant from the Disney organization.
As for their immediate goals, they hope to continue focusing on social issues around the world in places like Brazil. As such their target market is more global and they plan to translate and distribute the publicationin a variety of global markets.
Since coming to Maine, she noted that she spoke at the Maine Youth Action League Conference held recently in Bar Harbor and received good feedback from the attendees. She is open to other opportunities to present to youth groups.
Questions:
1. Where can you get information on the publication?
The website is http://www.jjexpressmagazine.org/about.html . She can secure additional copies of the magazine if anyone would like to ge one.
2. Who publishes it?
JJ Express is published by a small publisher in Maryland.
3. How do you get your ideas and articles?
Generally, by word of mouth and the internet. Much of the work thusfar has come from the college level, but they enourage pieces from all age groups.
4. Where else in ME are you speaking?
Aside from the Maine Youth Action League, this was her first presentation in Maine.
5. How do you network?
Mostly through Facebook. They recently discovered the capability of webinars where they collaborate on line with other regarding layout, etc.
6. How many have you published thusfar.? How big is your circulation??
About 500 copies/issue. It costs about $8/copy and they charge $4/copy with the difference offset by their grant funding. She noted that the !0,000 grant from Best Buy was the result of a competition hwereby they submitted J.J. Express for review and voting by youth and they came in 3rd with 6,000 votes, which they felt very good about.
7. Is anyone from Cloby involved?
Not formally. She is working informally with the Art Department, seeking input and ideas for improving the publication.