A tribute to Cy by Chip Griffin

Ralph H. “Cy” Seifert was born March 27, 1928 and died May 22, 2018, at age 90. He loomed, often larger than life, throughout many of his ninety years.

Cy and Sandra were a continuous thread in our club since Robin’s year as president in 1996-97, when we had a flood of new members, 11, and Cy outlasted them all in Rotary. Cy was president of our Rotary during our lowest ebb in membership, around 2002, but he never complained and did his best to reverse the trend, which eventually succeeded as evidenced by our robust club 15 years later.

Cy was a buoyant optimist even during periods of serious adversity, not only in Rotary but also in his service for 20 years in the Navy and in his insurance business of 55 years in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He helped so many and was in turn invigorated through his volunteer service his entire life, including the Boothbay Region Student Aid Fund (for 28), Congregational Church, Southport Island Association, and Southport Town Moderator for several years. Cy loved sailing and volunteered in the Southport Yacht Club, Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club, and Down East Yacht Club during the past few decades.

He loved to share stories, as he did with my Dad, when they shared Rotary together in 1996 and 1997, and commiserated about their shared hometown of Mansfield, Massachusetts. Cy could connect with most anyone. We will miss his frankness, edgy humor, and dedication to his community.

My favorite living writer, Wendell Berry, almost Cy’s age, captures some of Cy with these words:

Go with your love to the fields.
Lie down in the shade. Rest your head
in her lap. Swear allegiance
to what is highest your thoughts.
As soon as the generals and the politicos
can predict the motions of your mind,
lose it. Leave it as a sign
to mark the false trail, the way
you didn’t go. Be like the fox
who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection.

May 24 meeting

Our evening speaker was Amy Smith, volunteer for the Chamberlain Project, defined by the speaker as a nonpartisan organization founded solely for educational purposes with a mission to educate the public and undertake research regarding the electoral system to strengthen democracy in the U.S. Smith’s presentation focused on rank choice voting as it permits voters to rank as many candidate as the want in order of choice.

The background: Ranked choice voting past is the citizen initiative in the Nov. 2, 2016 election with the second largest vote of any soliciting initiative in the state’s history. In the special session of October 23, 2017 the main legislature voted to repeal the law. On Oct. 27, 2017, a referendum to restore the election reform passed in 2016 requiring 61,123 signatures in 90 days and turned in over 80,000 signatures to the Secretary Of State. This resulted in the restoration of Ranked Choice voting for the June 12, 2018 primary election of Governor, State House, State Senate, and Congressional races.

The concerns raised about Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) are tabulation, cost, and time. The benefit, as described by the speaker are: restores he majority rule, eliminated vote splitting, gives, more choice and voice to voters, and reduces incentives for negative campaigning. You can learn more about the issues by going to Maine.gov and watch the video through https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcGGH7E_vNk&feature=youtu.be

May 31: BRHS Senior Night: Led by Ingrid Merrill and I.J. Pinkham, Rotary will have a fun evening with graduating seniors and  a young speaker, Matt Brown, who is a BRHS grad working as financial advisor. If you would like to be a table host (no cost) for three graduates at your table, please contact Alice Mutch.  Reservations are limited for this evening. Contact Ingrid Merrill or IJ. If you want to host a table of grads, let Alice Mutch know 410-353-3861

Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club Bike Program: Rick Mitterling and his team are asking for volunteers to be on site to loan bikes. For those seasonal workers requiring transportation to and from work the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club will begin their annual program of lending out bikes for the season starting on Saturday, May 26 from 9 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. at the Rotary Club’s clubhouse and  barn located at 66 Montgomery Road. Bike loans will continue every Saturday until July 7 at the same time. Additionally bikes can be pick-up at the Rotary Club’s Barn every Thursday between 5 and 6 p.m. starting May 31 until July 5. Although the Rotary Club does not charge for the use of the bikes a $100 deposit will be required which will be fully refundable upon return of the bike undamaged. Thanks to the collaboration with the Congregational Church, lights and locks will be provided with the bikes. Please call 860-670-6471 if you have any questions. Some bikes will be available at the Congregational Church during its annual International Workers Welcome event on June 20 from 2-4 p.m. where all workers are welcome to attend and hear about the resources available to them during their stay.

June 6: Celebrate Fellowship Night “How about some fun with your fellow Rotarians, partners, spouses, and friends who might become prospective Rotarians?  Missed a Rotary meeting? Come find out what’s happening in your club. Join in for some refreshments the upcoming second Wednesday of the month. This month well meet on Wednesday, June 6, 5 p.m., at the new home of Linda and David Clapp. Bring a refreshment if you have time.