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Top of the Week March 8, 2017
 
Top of the Week!
 
 
More Peanut Butter Drive Donations
 
Rotarians Ramona Dow, Julia Ghigliotti, Cathy Nickerson and Sara Treacy were busy handing out peanut butter and checks to local non-profits.
 
 
Julia, Ramona, Paula Jacobson, Methodist Church Secretary and Cathy at End 68 Hours of Hunger
 
 
Ramona, Sara, Laura O'Brien and Cathy at the Salvation Army
 
 
Julia, Cathy, Jacquelin Kepner, Ramona and Sara at the Seacoast Food Pantry
 
 
Julia, Ramona, Cathy and Mark Rivera at Operation Blessing
 
 
Sara, Julia, Ramona, Cathy and Martha Stone at Crossroads House
 
 
Upcoming District RLI Session - Deadline Today!
 
This is just friendly reminder about RLI (Rotary Leadership Institute).  If anyone in your club plans on attending RLI on March 18th at York County Community College in Wells, registration must be done by March 8th as that is the day the registration closes for the March 18th session.
 
The session is generally done by 3:00-3:30 in the afternoon.  A continental breakfast and lunch are provided.  To register go to www.rlinea.org, click on Wells, ME (7780) in the left hand column in Upcoming Events.  This will take you right to the Wells registration page.  Click on course registration, complete your information, select the session you wish to take – Part I, II or III or the graduate program - and complete the dietary choice, then click on select options on the right side of the page and complete the payment section. 
 
 
KCMC-IMEC Rotary Neonatal Project Trip
 
A year ago, Dr. Sue Abkowitz, Internist, and Dr. Glen Crawford, Orthopedic Surgeon, came to speak to us about their work in East Africa, which besides treating patients, is training physicians, nurses, and other hospital practitioners how to use medical equipment.  Most of this equipment is sent through the IMEC (International Medical Equipment) organization, with national headquarters in North Andover, Massachusetts.  The equipment itself is donated by hospitals not only from Massachusetts and New Hampshire, but across the country and shipped to North Andover where it is maintained, repaired if necessary, packed up, and then shipped to developing countries.
 
After the Crawfords’ visit to us, Tom Decker donated $5,000 which was subsequently matched by Rotary International, and this amount has been used for expenses related to a very large shipment, full of mostly OR and Labor & Delivery suites---bound for Moshi, Tanzania, where we have a partnering Rotary club to oversee it while waiting for the Crawfords and local medical staff to place it into use!
 
Sue and Glen (as well as their African colleagues!) are so grateful for this generous Rotary global grant and would like you/us to visit IMEC before the shipment leaves and for a tour of the IMEC facility---also lunch if you can stay!  They’ll start the tour about 11 AM with lunch at 12; Sue has to get here to the hospital for her shift by 2 PM.  THIS IS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15TH.
 IMEC’s address is 1620 Osgood St., North Andover 01845, and is in the old Lucent plant.
 
Please Donna know if you plan to make it, or If you need more information!  Donna Lewallen, 433-4002 (Portsmouth Hospital and feel free to leave a message) or Donna.Lewallen@hcahealthcare.com
 
 
 
Biomed team working on baby warmer.
 
 
Neonatal resuscitator for KCMC.
 
To see additional photos from the project, click the link at the bottom of the page.
 
Upcoming Interact Conference - Deadline is March 10!
 
From Kevin C. Raymond, District 7780 Interact Chair
 
Greetings Interact Advisors:
 
Attached please find the information and registration forms for this year’s “Feeding the Hope”  Interact/New Generations Conference.  It’s going to be a good one!  Please distribute the invitation and keynote bio to all your Interact members.  Some items to note are below:
  • Date:  Saturday, March 25
  • Location:  Scarborough High School
  • Keynote Speaker:  Travis Roy (his bio is with the information/invitation)
  • Registration Deadline:  Please register ASAP so we can plan accordingly.  March 10 is the deadline for registration and payment to be in the mail to me, as noted on registration form.
  • Fee:  Students and Advisors are $10.  Others and Rotarians are $15.
  • We are asking each attendee to bring 1 or 2 canned goods.
  • As noted from the evaluations last year there will be breakout sessions in place of the panel discussion this year.  We really do read themJ
Thank you and let me know if you have any questions.
Kevin
 
 
 
 
 
St. Patrick’s Comedy Gala at the Music Hall
Saturday, March 18th, at The Music Hall, Portsmouth
 
 
What better way to recover from all those green beers than with some great comedy for a good cause. A percentage of proceeds go to VetsCount.org, and The Daniel Healy Foundation. Click on the link below for details and tickets.  Rotary members use discount code SaintPatick.
 
 
 
Rotary Connections is back!!!
 
Rotary Connections let’s our members know that their Rotary club is thinking of them.  Members facing a health issue, death in the family or a life celebration, we are here!  
 
If you know of any of our members who may need a Rotary Connections, please reach out to the Cathy Nickerson or President James.
 
 
Let us Know What is Happening!
 
If you have an event or news that you would like to share with your fellow Rotarians, please forward the information to Dennis Moulton for inclusion in the weekly eBulletin. My contact information is d-moulton@comcast.net.  And please send photos!
 
 
Rotary Log for March 2, 2017
Rotary Log for March 2, 2017
By Suzanne Rapoza
Photos by: Sara Treacy
 
President James brought the meeting to order as Bob Sheesley led us in song for the first time. He did just fine! Greeter Jay Gibson then led us in the Four Way test.  John Rice gave the invocation, one of Rev. Allen’s brief classics.
 
 
Guests to this week’s meeting included our Assistant District Governor, Julia Phelps, Steve Martineau and two international guests.
 
Then the meeting moved on to club announcements. It was announced that the Basic Needs Committee received money to help Common Table. This program has provided 12,000 meals since its inception ten years ago…Leo Gagnon reminded everyone that the next Rotary Social is on March 14th at the Atlantic Grill from 5:30pm-7:30pm. Everyone is welcome! …
 
 
Susan Gold, chair of the Communications Committee, did a great job communicating (we can see why she heads the committee…) She let us know that the Rotary website will now have a public calendar. All committee meetings and volunteer opportunities will be posted.
 
Leo was back again to remind the club that a District Training Assembly will be held April 8th from 8 am to 12:30 pm at USM- Portland. All are welcome and there will be education on grant writing and funding.
 
 
Finally, Donna Lewallen updated the group regarding two physicians who are traveling to Africa in April. They are delivering much needed used medical equipment, restored with funds that Tom Decker donated. Those monies were also matched by Rotary International. All are welcome to tour the medical equipment facility in North Andover on March 15th from 11am to 1pm.
 
Happy Dollars did not make an appearance. However, the back table won the raffle with Dave representing. They walked away with $55 but did not match the number for the $250 bonus!
 
 
Chelsea, Director of Community Relations at Friends Forever introduced one of our international guests, Ilya. Ilya is a 2017 Eileen Foley Fellow interning at Friends Forever headquarters. Once her internship is complete, she will become the point of contact in Israel. Ilya explained that her Friends Forever experience has helped her learn how to express herself and influence people positively. She has also gained an understanding of other perspectives and uses these skills during political dialogues.
 
 
James then introduced Julia Phelps with whom he had the privilege of traveling to India for National Immunization Day. He began by sharing four fun facts that he learned about Julia while traveling on the bus. First, she is a past Rotary International Director, being only the 7th female to hold the position. Second, she is a past District Governor. Third, Julia belongs to the Amesbury, Mass., Club despite living within shouting distance of the Portsmouth Country Club. Finally, she is a retired public school administrator.
 
 
Julia showed us many inspiring photos. The Amesbury Rotarian described the incredible work that she, James and 16 other members performed as they travelled throughout India. She summed up the trip in one word: extreme. They witnessed extreme poverty and wealth, extreme needs, extreme generosity and extreme colors.  There were 2.3 million vaccinators and 640,000 polio posts. Some 167 million children under the age of five were vaccinated. Over the two day effort, 236 million households reached. Those numbers are outstanding. Further, because Julia and James stood at the edge of the road to draw crowds in, the numbers grew even more.
 
 
Julia explained that each child vaccinated received a visor, ball and purple pinkie. The purple pinkie was painted to track who had received the vaccine and was a vital component to the effort.  Julia was passionate regarding the trip and did a great job of describing it. She left James only had eight seconds for his part of the presentation. Still, he was able to clearly describe the many modes of transportation encountered in India. He also noted the phenomenon of folks taking power from the powerlines throughout the city! We can be sure that learning about their experience has inspired others to act!
 
 
Respectfully submitted, Suzanne Rapoza
 
 
New Members Photos
To see photos of our new members click on the following link:
 
http://portsmouthrotary.org/PhotoAlbums/new-member-photos-welcome
Speakers
Mar 09, 2017
TBA
Mar 16, 2017
Grand conjunction: St. Patty's Day!! & the Ides of March!! (Something for All)
Mar 23, 2017
Rotaplast - Our own Experiences
Mar 30, 2017
National Holiday: It is April 1st shortly, afterall!!
View entire list
Upcoming Events
Golf Tournament Committee Meeting
Portsmouth Country Club
Mar 02, 2017
1:15 PM – 1:45 PM
 
Basic Needs Committee Meeting
Infinite Imaging
Mar 08, 2017
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
 
Communications Committee Meeting
Portsmouth Country Club
Mar 09, 2017
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
 
Rotary Social
Atlantic Grill
Mar 14, 2017
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
 
Golf Tournament Committee Meeting
Portsmouth Country Club
Mar 16, 2017
1:15 PM – 1:45 PM
 
Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI)
York County Community College
Mar 18, 2017
7:30 AM – 3:30 PM
 
Sponsors
Interested in being a sponsor?
Download the website sponsorship guide
Russell Hampton
National Awards Services Inc.
Sage
ClubRunner
Photo Albums
March 2, 2017: Trip to India by President James
KCMC- IMEC - Rotary Neonatal Project
C. 2016 Rotary Club of Portsmouth, PO Box 905 Portsmouth NH 03801. Email: portsmouthnhrotary@yahoo.com. www.portsmouthrotary.org.