Friday, September 22, 2023 our friend David Underhill, from the Portsmouth Rotary Club visited us to remind us how important our financial support to the Rotary Foundation is and how those funds GROW!
Every year we can apply for grants to help support causes that we find important.
Thanks Dave for this important and informative presentation!
Long time (and incredibly accomplished) Rotarian Holly Sargent returned from Augusta to talk about her experiences so far in her first term in the Maine House of Representatives serving on the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee. We are grateful for her involvement in making our state a better place. Welcome back, Holly!
We are so excited to reunite with Lila Sewall, 2020 York High School graduate and Rotary scholarship recipient. Lila graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 2022 (her specialty is pastries) and now works at the White Barn Inn in Kennebunk. Lila also shared her experience as a volunteer with Zebra Crossings, an organization that provides programs for children with chronic health conditions and support for their parents and siblings. We are so proud of Lila and hope she will come back to see us again soon.
We were fortunate to welcome Charlie Black and Mary Andrews to the meeting this morning and learn about the Trooper Black Foundation which provides assistance to First Responders and their families during times of crisis or need. This mother-son team started the organization in 2019 to honor Mary's late husband Charles Black who died in the line of duty in 1964 just weeks before Charlie was born. To help the foundation serve more first responders and their families, the Trooper Black Foundation is organizing 5K Run/Walk for First Responders which will be held on Saturday, October 21 in York, Maine. For more information about the organization and the race, please visit trooperblackfoundation.org
Nick Darby, Special Events Coordinator at the Town of York, Parks & Recreation Department was INSTRUMENTAL in assisting York Maine Rotary in pulling off one of our MOST SUCCESSFUL Four on the 4th Road Race events ever!
Nick helped coordinate a new race route, volunteers, sponsors, marketing and SO MUCH MORE.
In a small effort to show our appreciation, several members of the Events Committee presented Nick with a Paul Harris Fellow Award.
Thank you NIck for all of your help, and providing "Service Above Self".
Who is Nick Darby? He is a wonderful FRIEND of the York Maine Rotary Club!
Yesterday's guest speaker at the August 4, 2023 York Rotary Club Regular meeting was York Police Department's own Chief Owen Davis.
We appreciate Chief Davis taking the time out of his busy schedule to come to our meeting and update the club with what
York Police Department does to keep our our town and citizens safe every day.
Thanks Chief!
To learn more about the York Maine Police Department, please visit their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/YorkMainePD
At Friday's meeting- we had the pleasure of having Elly and her mom Barb join the meeting. Elly is a 2022 York Rotary Scholarship winner, and she visited the club to update everyone on what her first year of college was like, and what her future plans look like.
We are SO PROUD of you Elly~ continue to do amazing things in the world!
Because Elly happened to be in the audience, we asked her to help us with our July 2023 Car with a Cause Early Bird Drawing.
Elly was asked to reach into the tumbler and draw our latest $250 winner.
Congratulations to Scott A. of Clinton Massachusetts- ticket # 581.
YOU WON $250 Plus your ticket goes back into the tumbler, making it eligible to win future drawings- maybe even the CAR!
Have YOU gotten your ticket yet? If not, you might want to get on that! We're getting down to the wire! Tickets are on sale;
Each weekend in front of the Golden Rod Restaurant at Short Sands (until sold out)
At Kennebunk Savings Bank at Hannaford Drive during regular banking hours
and from ANY York Rotary Club member!
Congratulations to lucky ticket #0542- Kevin G from Kerhonkson, NY. You WON $250!
Did you get your ticket yet?
We've sold 504 tickets to date!
Visit us on weekends in front of The Goldenrod Restaurant at Short Sands, York Beach
Stop by Kennebunk Savings Bank- Hannaford Drive in York OR
Reach out to your favorite York Rotary Club Member
Thank you!
Congratulations to Cindy Raymond!
She was just awarded a Paul Harris Fellow Award from her husband Kevin Raymond.
Kevin wanted to recognize all the wonderful things that Cindy has done over the years such as;
* Being a Special Education Teacher at Coastal Ridge Elementary School,
* Teaching thousands of York Maine children to swim through both Town of York Parks & Rec,
*Coaching York Little League Softball and,
*Supporting Kevin while he was in York Maine Rotary Club over the years
Thank you Cindy for embodying the characteristics of Rotary by being an example of Service Above Self!
Congratulations to Tim Pearson- Paul Harris Society Award Winner!
Tim has been an incredible "behind the scenes" member for several years. Anytime there is a project, or an event, or an immediate need, Tim is the first to step up and help in any way he can. He is a true example of "Service Above Self".
Thank you Tim for being part of our Club, and for representing York Rotary Club every day.
There's one for the books!
Our 2023 Four on the 4th
4 Mile Road Race Along Beautiful Long Sands Beach is COMPLETE!
SO many people to thank!
Thank You Runners & Walkers!
Thank You Volunteers!
Thank You to the Race Announcer & Timing Company!
Thank You Pillar Sponsors
Aland Realty!
Estes Oil & Propane!
Norcom Mortgage!
Simpson Financial Strategies!
York Hospital!
And of COURSE~ Thank you to our Race Partners Town of York Maine Parks & Recreation Department!
Congratulations to Max~ York Rotary Club's May 2023 Student of the Month!
Max chose American Friends of the Ocean Cleanup Foundation as his preferred charity to make his $100 donation to. When asked why he had chosen this donation, he stated, "I have chosen this charity because growing up in an ocean side town has made me understand the importance of our oceans. I would like to donate to a charity that will help minimize plastic pollution"
Well said Max! Well said!
Just another example of the bright light our future has due to the thoughtfulness and dedication off this young generation!
Friday, June 2, 2023 WAS a HUGE day for York Maine Rotary Club. On this day, we awarded 2 High School Scholarships.
The first was awarded to Sage Collis who was the winner of our James Bartlett York Rotary Club Scholarship in the amount of $5,000.00. Sage informed us that she plans on attending the American University of Political Science.
Our second scholarship winner was Matthew Charpentier, who is planning on attending Bates College in the Fall.
Congratulations to BOTH! Enjoy your next chapter, and know that York Rotary is proud of your accomplishments!
Actually, we were in THEIR house on Friday, June 2, 2023.
On Friday, June 2nd we were invited to hold our regular club meeting at York Middle School. What a nice time we had! After a lovely breakfast, we had a presentation by the York Middle School 2022-2023 Interact Students. They gave us an update on what they have been doing this year, and York Rotary had the opportunity to present them with a BIG CHECK in the amount of $388 towards their annual "Purple Pinky Project". What a great group of young people, paving the way for a WONDERFUL FUTURE!
Thank you York Middle School!!!
Friday, June 2, 2023 York Rotary Club's meeting included the first of several 2023 "Car with a Cause" Early Bird Raffles. The Early Bird Raffle winner, (drawn by our scholarship winner Sage) was lucky ticket # 402, P.N of North Las Vegas won $250 PLUS his ticket goes back into the raffle. He could win other early bird drawings and/or the CAR! Did you purchase your ticket yet? To purchase tickets please visit the Car with a Cause website at https://carwithacause.org/
Yesterday's meeting, May 12, 2023 was held at the Center for Wildlife in Cape Neddick, Maine. It was the PERFECT venue for our speakers, Heather Campbell, Executive Director and Keelan Wackman, Director of Development & Community Outreach from White Pine Programs. Keelan asked us to think back to a happy childhood memory, and to write down the sights and sounds that we remember from that time. Many Rotarians shared their happy memories with those in attendance.
This was a great reminder on how important it is to spend time outside and connect with the nature 
SO many great things happening at York Rotary Club's meeting this morning!
First, the location- Thank You to York Public Library for allowing us to use your space! With the addition of a couple of tables, hand-crafted placemats courtesy of Robin Cogger, live plant centerpieces and a great breakfast from Bagel Basket the setting was perfect!
Then we welcomed a great friend, Pauline Cashman as an official NEW member.
And to wrap things up, the wonderful Sally Manninen from York Hospital's Community Health Needs Assessment was our guest speaker. Ms. Manning provided us with local statistics regarding the health of York County High School Students. To read more about York Hospitals Community Needs Assessment for 2021-2024 please follow the attached link: https://www.yorkhospital.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/YH-CHNA-Report-2021-2024-1.pdf
At the May 5, 2023 York Rotary Club meeting, we had the absolute please of hearing from Victoria Simon, Chloe Whitbred, and Maxine Edelson from the York High School Eco Club Plastic and Reduction Task Force. York High School Eco Club Plastic Reduction Task Force has expressed concerns, on behalf of York children and young adults, about the impact of plastic pollution on their future health and safety.
Students are taking the lead in creating an Ordinance that will benefit the citizens and visitors of York, reduce the cost to the town of solid waste disposal and protect our environment.
Our speaker on Friday, April 21, 2023 was Bill Tobin, Rotary Relations Manager from ShelterBox USA.
Everyone deserves a place to call home.
Right now, more than 113 million people around the world have lost their homes to disaster and conflict. ShelterBox USA is working to change this. By providing emergency shelter, tools, and household supplies to displaced families after disaster, they enable families to begin to rebuild and recover, transforming despair into hope.
To learn more about this important Rotary partner, please visit their website at https://www.shelterboxusa.org/
TIckets are now available at Kennebunk Savings Bank, 2 Hannaford Drive, York, ME! You can purchase your ticket through the drive through or inside the bank at the teller windows.
Or to purchase online please visit our Car with a Cause website at http://carwithacause.org
Today's speaker was Dennis Dean, executive director of A House For ME. A House for ME was created by a group of concerned people, health care providers, veterans, advocates, parents and educators who have come together to change how supported housing is provided for community members with special needs. They surround their residents with a Circle of Support people are in their lives because they want to be there- people who enrich their lives and help them fully integrate into the community. Want to learn more about this important local nonprofit organization? Visit their website at http://ahouseforme.org/
Yesterday's meeting introduced us to this months York Middle School's Student of the Month, Issac. Issac's teacher Brit Rowe explained why he was selected as this month's student of the month- indicating his quiet, under the radar way of making people feel good about themselves is his super power! Due to Issac's love of music, he selected the organization "Save the Music Foundation" to donate his award to.
Thank you Issac for being an excellent role model for others to follow! We are proud of you!
Did you know 7.8 million children live in a household headed by a grandparent or other relative?
Yesterday's speaker was Denyse Richter of Step Up Parents. What is Step Up Parents? Step Up Parents was formed to provide financial assistance to kinship caregivers in New Hampshire (soon southern Maine also) who have stepped up to raise the children of parents struggling with substance use disorder.
To learn more about this important and unique organization, please visit their website at https://stepupparents.org/
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Service Above Self
York, ME 03909
United States of America