Next Meeting: Students of the Month for January, 0730, R.W. Traip Academy

 

Guests: None

The meeting demonstrated the flexibility of participation now capable as members checked in from home and office. Once again Maryna joined from her car ~ but Blayne set a new standard of flexibility, as she joined while walking at Fort Foster!

 

  a) A "Meet and Greet" Flyer that can be used when inviting guests to our Wednesday January 31 Social

  b) A Note from PDG Claudia addressing support for a District Grant to address a Global Grant to fight malaria in Kenya 

  c) Treasurer's Financial Report

 

Fifth Tuesday Meeting: The last meeting of January is a club social at the "Board". The meeting will be on Wednesday instead of Tuesday that week (The "Board" is open Wednesday through Sunday). Guests are highly encouraged. So the end of the Month meeting is Wednesday January 31, 5-6 pm!

 

President Pam reported that we will be awarding the $500 donation to Project Graduation at the Student of the Month meeting next Tuesday. After the meeting we will go to Mitchell School where we will be presenting $100 to each 3rd Grade Classroom for purchase of Classroom books. For our newer members, or several years we had presented the 3rd Graders personal dictionaries, we have transitioned to budgeting funds to allow each 3rd Grade classroom to purchase books as they see fit.

 

Sue reported on the status of spreading the community availability of CPR/NARCAN training. She is planning to attend a presentation at Dover Rotary Club shortly, with a goal of getting as many Rotary Clubs as possible to host programs in their communities.

 

The Club discussed the District Global Grant support to address malaria control in Kenya and agreed to provide a  $200 commitment.

Maryna was asked about Nellie Young's progress on fund raising to support the restoration of the school in Peru  that she presented last week. Nellie has already addressed several other clubs including the South Berwick-Eliot Club (Nellie is a Marshwood High school sophomore and Eliot resident), she is also talking with many of the business owners who supported our December Calendar raffle and other business owners she has met. She is trying now to raise the entire cost of the project ($12,000), or as near as she can get. Andy moved and the Club approved that the Club donate $500 to the project.

 

President Pam reported that she had lined up the vendors to support a May 11 recycling and shredding Fund Raiser and asked the Club  to verify we still wanted to go ahead, the club members present agreed.

 

In a later discussion on support for the Mainspring Project in town, it was suggested that instead of taking funds out of reserve for the  Mainspring donation, that we hold those funds for the smaller projects and dedicate the spring fundraiser to that single project ~ which might yield a better community response. There are a few items brought up that need to be checked first, but the idea got good club support

 

The concept of how to interest more people in participation in Rotary raised by Jeanne at last week's meeting was discussed. There were several reports of similar efforts by other clubs and Jeanne presented further ideas on both the interests and concerns of some of the newer residents in the community. Andy offered to right up a proposal of how we might present a 'Friends of Rotary' concept and run it by Jeanne with the goal of having something in place at our January 30th social. Also addressed was the fact the several newer residents were away for the winter  and we should plan on a late spring gathering as well.

 

Andy gave an update on the work of setting up a club 501 C.3. We have hit a few bumps on the road with identification and several suggestions were made on how to proceed.

 

Dave reported that we already have one application in process for a short term exchange this summer, and Blayne confirmed that there are more being prepared by students.

 

Our next Table of Plenty scheduled support is February 1st, our next Blood Drive Support is February 15th.