Speaker Steve Rodrigue, a graduate of UMO and a landscape horticulturist and designer from Windsor, spoke to Rotary May 23 about his vast experience in horticultural business, industries, and interests in volunteerism in our area. His additional experiential learning came from working in the Netherlands where he practiced commercial research on varieties of plants. He built and lives in a 320 square foot house which is off the grid, a story which was published in the Bangor Daily News. One of his specialties is raised bed gardening, which is of great interest to Rotary as we seek to collaborate with the YMCA and Edgecomb Eddy School for youth education in the area of self-sustainable gardening practices and food education.

Many thanks to our awesome onion specialist, Doug Harley. As always, delicious Vidalia onions are being enjoyed by many region residents through our annual onion sale.

Rotary is once again lending bicycles to summer workers. The program begins June 1 and runs until June 29. For more information, contact Rich 1-860-670-6471 or Seth 1-207-633-2069. We need volunteers for bike loans; easy to do with others who will work with you. June 1 and June 6 .

We’re installing Little Libraries in special accessible sites for anyone to borrow a book. The latest is Russ and Cathy’s Little Library at Pinkham’s. Take a look at this! Hats off Linda Foster, chair, and to the Chamber and Community Center for collaboration on this project.

May 30 is Graduates’ Night at Rotary. We invite the local high school grads to dinner and have them sit with a Rotarian to talk about their futures and how Rotary will enhance their lives. Speaking to the grads will be an articulate instructor from Bath Regional Career Technical Center; he will reaffirm the importance of vocational futures for many of our students.

June 13: In conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce and the Boothbay Region Arts Foundation Rotary invites the public to stop in at Rotary and view a selection of well known artists who are exhibiting their works from 5:30-7 p.m. Donations go to Polio Plus in order to achieve eradication of polio throughout the entire world. This has long been one of Rotary’s major commitments and has motivated the Gates Foundation to partner with us. For information contact Sandra Leonard.

All those who like candy, look for the Rotary float on Windjammer Day Parade!

Prospective members, visiting Rotarians and guests are always welcome to join the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club at our weekly meetings, held Thursday nights 6-8 p.m. at the Rotary Clubhouse, 66 Montgomery Road in Boothbay Harbor.  If interested, contact Alice Neily Mutch at 1-410-353-3861. Conviviality at 6, dinner at 6:30, followed by a short business meeting and  a special speaker.  To learn more about Rotary and our Club and all the good things we do, visit our website: www.boothbayharborrotary.org or "friend" us on Facebook.