We’ll be meeting at the clubhouse deck and back lawn this Thursday. It sure seems like a long time since we’ve gathered at our Rotary home. I don’t know about you, but I sure am looking forward to seeing you all there. This is an outside meeting, back deck and lawn, so we’ll be starting at 5:30 p.m. The rhododendrons planted by Steve Solario are in full bloom, so it will be lovely, a garden paradise. No masks required if you are fully vaccinated. Amy will be making her wonderful appetizers, so come hungry. Linda Clapp and the membership committee are setting up on Thursday morning. Come help if you can.

The big, gray Rotary Barn was really hopping last Saturday. We had several large pickups last week. The sorting area was very full of interesting things. It’s always fun to sort through the donations. Our neighbors certainly live interesting lives. But, we need you, members and volunteers to help on Saturday at the barn between 8:30-11:00 a.m. It is a lot of fun and you meet the most interesting people. If you have items to donate please contact Deb Graves at 207-380-3550 to arrange pick up or drop off of your items.

The Change-Over party is set for July 1 at the clubhouse. We are planning a fun night. I hear we might have live original music. But, we need you too. Alice and Sandra want to curate a show of Rotary Club members’ creativity during the pandemic. Have you been painting, sewing, writing, woodworking, metal smithing, etc, Email Alice or Sandra.

We sure have been busy this crazy pandemic year, and productive too. But, last week I received the official notice that our International Grant for Disease Prevention through Improving Sanitation in Nakigalala, Uganda has been approved. This grant was initiated by the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club with $2,000 last fall. Through the magic of Rotary Grant writing and the financial support of many of our neighboring Rotary Clubs in Maine and a partnership with the local Rotary Club in Uganda it grew to $50,035.00. So, now there will be a sanitation block built in Nakigalala, Uganda along with a tree planting program to mediate soil erosion. This is a real accomplishment, especially in these pandemic times. Even our Rotary club here in Boothbay Harbor, Maine can make a worldwide, positive impact because we are a member of the Rotary family.

Not just Uganda, but Bagalore Sadasivanigar, India too. The Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club name will be added to a plaque acknowledging all the Rotary Clubs that helped complete two check dams in this community in India. This project was initiated by a Rotary Club in Copenhagen, Denmark and through the magic of Rotary grant writing we were able to participate and now have our name by a check dam that will allow the land in Bagalore Sadadivanigar, India to feed the local community again. We are indeed people of action, even in this last very challenging year.

The Rotary Foundation process really is magical, but the essence of the magic has to do with our donations to the Rotary Foundation. And even though these two grants are international, we’ve had plenty of help through the grant process for projects right here in the Boothbay region. Just this winter we received a $10,000 Rotary Foundation grant to address food insecurity on our peninsula. We used part of this grant to make and deliver around 900 pints of nutritious soup to our local food pantry. Local grant monies also contributed to the playgrounds at BRES and Edgecomb Eddy schools and the gardens at Edgecomb Eddy and the YMCA. So if projects — either local or International — are important to you send your check for the Rotary Foundation to our wonderful Foundation chairperson, Judi White. Or you can go online at www.rotary.org and give online. Together we make a difference locally and throughout the world.

We have bikes to loan to summer workers. Just meet us at the barn on Saturday morning between 8:30 and 11 and you can ride away. The bike crew has them all tuned up and ready to go. Just email Irene at ifowle50@gmail.com if this is not a convenient time for you.

Looking forward to seeing you Thursday evening on our back deck. Thank you building crew for making this lovely back deck.