The guests welcomed to our meeting were Ann Prost and Holly Stover, our speaker.

Judi White shared a recent exciting trip to Portsmouth where she met the Rotary pilots of “Flight To End Polio.” A self-funded philanthropy where all donations go to the Polio Plus Fund. She also reminded us to make our yearly donation to the Rotary Foundation. The Rotary Foundation is the home of Polio Plus and many other programs and projects that "build goodwill and peace in the world." Our club is part of more than 31,000 Rotary Clubs located in 167 countries that comprise Rotary International.

Irene Fowle reminded us that next Thursday’s meeting will be a “clean up the club house yard” meeting with sandwiches supplied by our chef, Amy, to sustain us as we spiff up the grounds in our grubby, ready to work, clothes. Yawl come! Don't forget your rakes, clippers and other implements of destruction. Our Saturday morning visitors will be impressed.

The Rotary Board Meeting was held this Monday and President Bruce Harris gave us many highlights including, approval of two new members, Margit Ahlin and our first corporate member, the YMCA (Andy Hamblett, Hannah Joule Wayda, and Rudi Bottse).

He reminded us that this year’s Senior Night will be June 1 where we will recognize seniors and award four Service Above Self scholarships to graduates. He also reviewed the 5K Lobster Roll race to be held the last Saturday in July. Rotary will assist and volunteers are needed.

Bruce also gave a call out to solicit a volunteer for a representative at the District Level for Rotary’s new focus on care of our environment.

Finally, because of raising food costs the board voted to increase our weekly dinner cost to $15. The dinner price has not been raised for years and the board was reluctant to make this increase. But the current price of $10 was not covering costs and straining our club finances. Brian McGrath prepared an in-depth study which is available to members. Just reach out to Brian or Bruce. The document of the food costs study that Brian compiled is also available in the members’ area of our website.

Our club’s tradition each week is to collect “happy dollars” that commemorate a recent joy or sadness that is then used as a donation to the club. Tonight’s Happy Dollars soon became a plethora of donated “Holly Dollars” or “Holly Dollies” as even before our beloved speaker Holly Stover gave her program, many of us felt the desire to thank her for all her kind, wise, hard work as the director of our Community Resource Council.

Holly’s program outlined and gave poignant examples of the Community Resource Councils (CRC); community navigator, addiction outreach, community fuel fund, food for thought, set for success, Boothbay rides, woodchucks, and the community fridge. The CRC sustains many folks during times without food, fuel, or shelter. We continue to lose friends and neighbors each year to opiates and alcohol addiction. We have kids and adults needing health care resources or socialization and human connection. Without the CRC these numbers would crush your heart. Every donation and volunteer help to keep these numbers down and make our peninsula the caring community we mean to be.

Another sign of spring, The Rotary Bike Lending Program is officially starting this Saturday, May 20. The Rotary Bike Program lends good quality bicycles out to summer and temporary workers. A $100 deposit is required, then returned in the fall, if the bicycle is in good condition. Bikes can be borrowed at the Rotary Club Barn on Thursdays evenings from 5 to 6 and on Saturday mornings from 9 to 11.

The Rotary Barn is open every Saturday from 8:30-11 a.m. We are accepting donations of gently used furniture, pots/pans, dishes, household goods, tools, collectibles, art, boats, you name it. Text Deb at 207-380-3550 for pick up by our friendly pick up crews or if you schedule dropping off items.

If you're interested in the fun and work of Rotary, join us any Thursday at 6 p.m. at our Clubhouse, 66 Montgomery Road, Boothbay Harbor.