Freeport Elders Liason, Bob Small: The Elder's bus is finally coming and will arrive in May!  This is the $65K bus that Freeport Rotary has helped to fundraise for.  The bus will be used to transport the elders to various events.   Bob also reported that they are beginning work on a web site for the Elders.

Rotary Foundation, Todd Doolan: Polio survivor and District Polio Committee Chair Ann Lee Hussey will speak to the club this spring.

International Committee: Todd Doolan: The committee is finishing the grant reporting for the first year of our La Romana batey health project and getting ready to send funding to La Romana for next year.

Chamber Liason, Sande Updegraph: The Chamber will commit to polling our web site to put events on their calendar, as well as Freeport Elders events

Literacy Committee, Jeffrie Wetherhold: 15 tote bags have been donated by L.L.Bean for the Read to Succeed reading program.  After the bags have had the program logo embroidered on and the Rotary logo attached, the bags will be filled with kids books and rotated to various locations in town by volunteer readers.

P.R. Committee, Matt Morrison: Trying to get more PR for the club through FreeportUSA.  Also looking at marketing the club on Twitter.  Ann Davis has just been hired to cover Freeport for the Tri-Town Paper and Matt will work with her from now on.

Membership Committee, Mary Beth Hassett:  Jackie flowers and Sande Updegraph have been recently inducted as new members.  Bill St. Michele says he will be returning soon from leave of absence.  A new application has been received from Freeport Community Services Executive Director Melanie Sachs.  Mary Beth also reminded members to hand out the slick business cards she had printed and invite people to join us for a meeting.

Habitat For Humanity Committee, Tom Wilbur:  The March 15 Habitat house work day is coming up.  We will be doing finish work on the West St. project.

Crutches for Africa, Tom Wilbur: No new news to report.  Our speaker next week (March 12) is Dennis Robillard for Crutches for Africa

Interact Club International Service Committee:  Dominican service trip is planned for July 5 to July 12.  Thanks again to Rotary member Jerry Gould for being a chaperone again - three years in a row!  The committee held their first meeting with parents of students going on the July service trip.   They are asking for help from members of Freeport Rotary with their upcoming silent auction fundraiser which will be held March 29 from 6 to 9 pm at FCS.  They would like folks to hand out invitations to the event.  Fundraising for the Dominican Republic service trip in July is going well:  1) Club has received a donation from Ed Nolde of the Yarmouth club,  2) They currently have $3,500 towards their $10,000 goal,  3) Each family of students on the trip are to provide $400 to $500 for student travel expenses.  There is a Dominican Dinner fundraiser event coming up!

For the past 30 years the Freeport Rotary Club has been serving the Freeport and the surrounding communities; through volunteerism and monetary donations.  One of the more significant contributions is in the form of education scholarships for graduating high school seniors.  One of the largest fundraisers, which proceeds go to the Scholarship Fund is the Close to the Coast 5k & 10k on June 21, 2014. Help pitch in by signing up.  For more information check the link in our "events section."  To sign-on up online go to: www.close2coastrace.com.

The club currently gives out 3 scholarships per year: The Joan Benoit-Samuelson Award for $2000, named for the Freeport Resident and 1984 Gold Medal winner, The Stephen S. Leighton Award for $2000, named for charter member Edgar Leighton’s son, who passed away and the Technical Program Award for $1000.  To be eligible, students must be residents of Freeport, Durham or Pownal.  Academic achievement and financial need are considered in the award of these Scholarships as well as community service projects.

Over the past 30 years the Club has awarded well over $190,000 in scholarships and helped over 80 graduating seniors from the Freeport area attended college. Below are a few stories of some scholarship winners as written in their own words, so please take a moment to read them.  You never know how your small donation towards the scholarship fund may not only profoundly affect the life of one student but the lives that student may touch as well.

Dr Jimmy Hendricks

I was awarded a $2000 scholarship from the Rockland, Maine Rotary Club in 1991.  Given the fact that my yearly tuition in my first year of college was $11,000, that was significant amount of money.  I grew up as the youngest in a family five in the Rockland, Maine Area, my mother was a Postmaster and at the time I graduated high school, my father had just retired. With four children in my family going off to college by the time it was mine turn, financially things were a little tight. With the support of the Rotary Club and other scholarships I received it made the dream of going off to college a reality.   I went on to graduate from Springfield College in Springfield, MA with my BS in Sports Medicine and then went directly off to Chiropractic school to finish with another BS in Human Biology and my Doctorate of Chiropractic. When I came to Freeport, I became a member of the Rotary Club.  I have served as President of the club and have been on the board for 10 years.  I also direct the Close to the Coast 5k & 10k which all the proceeds go to our scholarship fund.  I think now more than ever with college costs rising, aspiring college students and their families need our help.

Joe Rotondo

I received a Rotary scholarship in Concord, Mass. in the good old days(1956). The scholarship was $1000.00.  In those days a $1000.00 was a lot of money. I was the fifth child in a family of six kids. My father made his living on a small truck farm. Needless to say money was scarce. Two of my older brothers were already in college at that time. I graduated from Babson and went to work for John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance company. My office was in Framingham,Mass. and was one of the company's most successful agency's. I retired at 55 and moved to Maine. Helen and I have always loved antiques and we built the red building where Frost Gully violins is today on Route 1 South in Freeport. We ran an antique store for six years until my back gave out. Then I started work at LL Bean and have worked there since. I joined Rotary back in 1996. I'm a past president and Paul Harris Fellow. Rotary did a lot for me and I'm glad to give back as best I can. 

Kristen Poulin

My name is Kristen Poulin and I was the recipient of the Joan Benoit Samuelson Scholarship from the Freeport Rotary Club when I was a senior at Freeport High School.  In a few weeks, I will be graduating from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine.  It’s hard to believe that I have already reached this milestone in my life - it went by so fast!  I had the most amazing college experience and I know that my education would not have been possible without the generous support from the Freeport Rotary Club and other scholarship programs that I was so fortunate to have received aid from.  I will be forever thankful to the Freeport Rotary Club as they made it possible for me to attend Bates College, which has opened so many doors and has offered more opportunities for me than I ever thought possible.

Freeport is my home - I have grown up here and my whole extended family lives in the area.  When choosing a college, I knew that I could not possibly venture out of the wonderful State of Maine.  I visited Bates College during the fall foliage and immediately fell in love with the beautiful New England campus.  I felt that the school was just the right distance away from home where my family would not be knocking at my door everyday, but I could still come home easily whenever I pleased.  Additionally, the idea of a liberal arts education was very appealing to me, as I was undecided on a major.  I had my heart set on attending the prestigious NESCAC school and with the Freeport Rotary Club’s support, I was able to pursue my dream.

During my freshman year, I took many classes in all types of departments and found an interest in Economics.  In May, I will be graduating from Bates with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and General Education Concentrations in (1) Applying Mathematical Methods and (2) Philosophy and Psychology.  At Bates, I have also been an officer of the Investment Club for the past two years and volunteer as a mentor at the local schools.  The Bates Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Teams, however, take up the majority of my time at Bates.  I love being a member of a sports team at College – we are almost like a little family - an “automatic” group of friends that I can always count on.  And I have made the best of friends and created amazing memories over the years.

My family and I could not be more impressed with Bates and the tremendous amount of resources and opportunities that they offer their students.  As a junior, I had the amazing opportunity of traveling overseas with other Bates students and two Bates professors and studying abroad in France.  For four months, I lived with a French family and was completely immersed in their culture.  It was a truly eye-opening experience that Bates made possibly. 

Additionally, through an Alumni internship program conducted by Bates’ outstanding career development center, I was offered a competitive internship at an Asset Management Firm in Boston, MA last summer.  The internship was an amazing opportunity for me to explore my interest in finance and it’s very exciting to say that I am the first intern and only student directly out of college that the firm has ever hired full-time.  I will be heading to Boston after graduation to start my career and life in “the real world”. 

I can’t help but think that where I am today and the opportunities I have had along the way have a lot to do with the Freeport Rotary Club’s very generous support of my education.  They made it possible for me to afford a Bates College education and have the opportunities and experiences that I did.  The Freeport Rotary Club is an amazing organization with a wonderful scholarship program that can really change students’ lives more than they may even realize.  I am so thankful to have been a recipient of one of their very generous scholarships.

Katee Sue Poulin

In 2011, when I was a senior at Freeport High School, I was awarded the Freeport Rotary Academic Scholarship. With the help of the Rotary Club, I have been able to further my education and work towards a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. I recently finished my sophomore year at the University of Southern Maine.

Growing up in Freeport has impacted my life significantly. I am the fifth generation in my family to grow up in Freeport so I have a lot of family in the area. Because of this, and my involvement in the community, I knew I wanted to attend a college that was close to home. Attending the University of Southern Maine has allowed me to continue to spend time with my family as well as remain involved in the Freeport community.

From a young age I always really enjoyed math, so I knew I wanted a career that would involve working with numbers. After hearing about the possible paths I could take, accounting appealed to me the most. USM has a very reputable School of Business, so I knew I would earn a great education there.

Upon graduating from USM, I plan to further my education by earning a Master’s Degree.  My career goal is to become a Certified Public Accountant.  I also hope to continue to be involved in the community in which I live, whether it be in Freeport or elsewhere. 

Receiving a Rotary Club Scholarship was an honor. I am so thankful for the generous contribution towards my education. It has allowed me gain great skills in my desired profession. Thank you again to all of the Rotary Club members for being committed to helping the community. 

more stories to come...

In the past, we have had the privilege of having members of Freeport’s Fire and Rescue, as our highlighted models. This year someone mentioned the attractive folks working in Bow Street’s meat and deli department. So for this year’s event, we are lucky to have the “Bow Street Meat Men”, along with a former Miss Maine and a former Mrs. Maine and several other models who are participating in this year’s fundraiser. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Freeport fuel assistance program, the Rotary scholarship program, along with the Freeport high school Interact Club’s effort to return to La Romana, Dominican Republic to provide clean water to those in need.

Tickets to the event are $25.00 in advance and $30.00 at the door. They can be purchased by calling 865-9696 or by emailing: gala@freeport-rotary.org. We look forward to seeing you all there!

ROTARY CLUB OF FREEPORT

SPRING GALA FASHION SHOW- FUNDRAISING EVENT

FREEPORT, ME (March 12, 2012) -- The Rotary Club of Freeport held its 2^nd Annual Spring Gala Fundraising event Saturday, March 10^th.   Proceeds from the event go to benefit the communities of Freeport and Pownal through various Freeport Rotary programs.

Close to a hundred people joined the Freeport Rotary Saturday evening for the Spring Gala at the Community Services Center on Depot Street, Freeport.  The evening began with delicious food donated by Linda Bean’s Kitchen, Buck’s Naked BBQ, Old World Gourmet, and chocolates from Wilbur’s.  Raffle and auction items were available for bid throughout the event.  

The spring fashion show kicked off just after 7:00 with members of the local Police and Fire departments as the runway models.  Clothing was provided to male and female  models by local vendors including Jos A. Banks, New Beginnings, Co/Op, Rapid River Boutique, LL Bean, GAP, Sashay’s, Mexicali Blues and Jockey. 

 “It was a pleasure to work with the Rotary on this fundraising event,” stated Tina Hendricks, Mrs. Maine 2011. “I hope the firefighters and paramedics had as much fun as I did.  We had several practice sessions and I gave them runway advice, but they took it from there and really put on a great show.”  Mrs. Hendricks represented Maine in Mrs. America 2011 and received the National Photogenic Winner award.

Michele Bois-Gilbody, Rotary coordinator of the Spring Gala, contacted the Freeport Fire Department for their participation in the event.  In addition, to the joint efforts and experience of Fire and Rescue and Rotary individuals working together, it was “great to see the human side of our first responders.  Their work is so intense, but they know how to have fun and help support our community,” commented Bois-Gilbody.

“At first there was some hesitation about being fashion models- we’re all used to being seen in turnouts and uniforms,” admitted Mike Crossman, a member of the Freeport Fire and Rescue. “However, we got excited after visiting the participating stores and seeing the great clothing that we’d be wearing!  Everyone looked fantastic, and had fun on the runway!  Additionally, we appreciated the opportunity to help the Rotary raise money for projects that help here in our own community and elsewhere around the world.”   

Proceeds from the event will support such local programs as:  Freeport Elders Association, Freeport-Pownal Children’s Libraries, Freeport Fire Company, Good Sheppard Food Bank, Holiday Help Line, Fuel Fund Support, Summer Rotary Youth Leadership Training, Freeport-Pownal Little League and more.  The Freeport Rotary Club also provides international giving to such programs as Seeds of Independence, Asian Tsunami Relief in India and the Polio Plus Worldwide Eradication Program.  For more information on Rotary programs or to find out how you can join the Rotary go to www.freeport-rotary.org.

Ben Le Hay was the Master of Ceremonies for the fashion show, other fashion volunteers included Barbara Jordan as music coordinator, Shay Johnson/Owner of Sashay’s Boutique, Tina Hendricks/Owner of Lipgloss for Lives, Sharyn Peavey/photographer, and hair and makeup by Acapello. Rotary event coordinators included:  Debora King, Matt Cartmell, John Bourassa, MaryBeth Hassett and Michele Bois-Gilbody.

The Freeport Rotary Club, formed in 1983, is a volunteer service club providing service to people in the Freeport and Pownal areas, and around the world.  It is comprised of professionals, business owners and community leaders who live or work in the Freeport and Pownal areas.  Freeport Rotary is part of the global organization collectively known as Rotary International or simply Rotary.  Members of Rotary clubs provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill, peace and understanding in the world. There are over 33,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.  Clubs are nonpolitical, nonreligious and open to all cultures, races and creeds.  As signified by the motto, Service Above Self, Rotary’s main objective is service – in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world.

~Written by Jennifer Cartmell

In the fall 0f 2011, club member Jimmy Hendricks was approached by Representative David Webster and Johanna Hanselman from the Town of Freeport General Assistance about a long time Freeport resident whom was having trouble with a falling down roof.  Johanna knew that the Freeport Rotary has a record of community service in Freeport and that we had undertaken “hands on” projects in the past.  They went on to explain that this gentlemen had a long history of helping others; including repairing bikes for children and collecting and repair furniture for battered women’s shelter.  David knew that he would not be one to ask for help himself but was in desperate need with his shed roof caving in around the access point to his basement; where his oil tank, sump pump and breaker box are all located.  David was worried that that the roof would not make it through another winter and that there was a good chance the owner could be injured from the falling roof as well as no longer have access to his basement.

After a short discussion with the Freeport Rotary Board, as consensus was reached that the club would donated funds and physical labor to ensure the roof was fixed. Before the project could get started the site area around the building need to be cleaned out. That project was undertaken by Chad Coffin and other members of the Maine Clammers Association.  Once that work was completed, David, Jimmy and another club member Ken Toner devised a plan of action and the project took place on November 4-6^th.  Many club members got involved to help out and the project went as smooth as an old rotting roof could get.  Friday the 4^th, a crew of 8 spent the afternoon ripping off the old shingles, cutting back rotten rafters and re-supporting the roof.  Saturday was spent with more of the same and day ended with the roof more than half way shingled.  A small crew returned Sunday morning to finish the job.  A special thanks goes to Ken Toner for donating all the lumber for job, Johanna Hanselman for donuts, cookies and coffee, Michelle Allott, Elaine Small and the home owner for donating lunch and The Fresh Batch for donating desserts to keep us going.

This year’s race will be held on Saturday June 2nd and we are celebrating our 17^th year. The race is one of the first of the summer race season and is held in conjunction with Winslow Park’s Family Fun day, including a 1k fun run for children.

The Rotary Club of Freeport, while part of a global organization, is comprised of approximately 45 local business people.  We are an entirely volunteer driven non-profit group, which ensures that all of the proceeds from events such as this are returned to the community.  We use the funds generated from this event to award educational scholarships and other grants to benefit children and the community. 

The race last year itself boasted over 220 runners and continues to grow.  Furthermore, because the race is held in conjunction with Winslow Park’s Family Fun Day, our sponsors have exposure to a large cross section of our community through signs, race t-shirts, run applications, awards ceremony and newspaper and internet advertising.  

The course is run on quiet roads and forest trails along the ocean in beautiful Winslow Park in Freeport, the home of the Lobsterman Triathlon. Registration is from 7:15 am to 8:45 am with the race starting at 9:00 am.

Since the race is part of the Winslow Park Family Fun Day, a great time for families with all the events free of charge.  Enjoy free entrance to the park for the day, hotdogs, ice cream, games, swimming, activities, playground and a moon bounce house. Oceanside camping is available for those wanting to stay over night.

Registration is $20.00 with guaranteed t-shirt through May 24, 2012 and $20.00 with possible t-shirt through race day.

We pride ourselves on our race prizes, PIES! The top 2 finishers in each category receive a pie!  

The 1K Kids Fun Run starts after the main race and requires no application or fees and children's prizes provided by Wilbur's of Maine.

If you wish to download an application please do so from our home page under "file downloads" in the upper right hand corner of the page.

To register online click here