Our president-elect Laurie Zimmerli has just come back from a weekend in Framingham, Massachusetts, at a president-elect learning seminar, but she only mentioned the opportunity to get together with all the other Rotary club presidents-elect in New England in passing.  No, the topic of the evening last Thursday was (ta-da, drum roll, please!) the three-weeks-away seasonal opening of the Rotary Barn for what will be its sixth year. 

A little history is in order. The club has collected stuff and sold it for longer than even Chip Griffin can remember.  But for the first 50 (or more) years, what we collected we stored in club members’ garages, basements, and barns, and we hauled it out on what always turned out to be the hottest weekend of the year and sold it in a single day on the Boothbay Common and later the high school field. 

Back in 1998, Robin Reed remembers that the auction hauled in a massive $2,800.  The numbers rapidly increased, and two decades later, it was grossing close to $70,000, but costs to rent chairs, tables, tents and porta potties were eating into that figure and bringing the net closer to $50,000. By that time, also, we had worn out our welcome storing things in members’ garages (et cetera) and Mike Thompson led a team that built the current barn to serve as a storage unit. Little did we know … 

Then came the pandemic.  Everyone knew that we couldn’t have a big outside event and invite lots of people, but Debbie had a better idea, and soon, tentatively at first, we organized the barn, created aisles and signage, created a mask mandate, and opened the doors on Saturdays to willing buyers. 

And we couldn’t believe how popular the Barn turned out to be.  Our buyers love the deals, but they love the community camaraderie even more.  Many come back Saturday after Saturday, just because it’s the place to be.  Our members love the barn as well.  There’s plenty of things that need doing, so that if selling isn’t your “thing,” well maybe sorting or hauling or trash-taking or pricing or taking the money or organizing is right for you. What is self-evident is that the Barn couldn’t exist without all of us pitching in. 

In fact, the Barn has also become the club’s greatest membership recruiter. People come in to volunteer or browse or maybe topurchase, discover just how much fun we are having and just how bad Robin’s jokes are, and they decide to come back and … eventually … to stay.  Or maybe theydon’t join the club, but they stay anyway.  We have volunteers who work in the Boutique every week who commute from Harpswell and Nobleboro just because the Barn is a great place to spend one’s Saturday morning.   

Plans for the new season at the Barn are underway.   

Hats off to Greg Thornton, who is taking over pickups.  Spread the word:  if you know someone who has stuff to donate, have them call or text 207-619-1417 or email rotarybarnpickup@gmail.com.  Greg is collecting names of volunteers; let him know your availability and whether you have a pickup, trailer or just willing muscles.  He is also, based on volunteer preferences, going to try to expand the times/days that we will schedule pickups. 

Other team captains remain steady from last year:  Laurie (furniture); Mike (boats and trailers); Cathy (flea market); and Barbara (Boutique). Reach out to them to volunteer – or just show up. 

 Our season opening is coming up in three weeks: April 5.   

Other plans in store for the new Barn season: 

1. Barbara is working on the World’s Largest Rotary Logo for the front of the barn.   

1. Improved traffic flow and expanded handicapped parking.  

And hopefully, an Art Evening on a Thursday to invite prospective buyers to the clubhouse and unload – I mean find new owners for – some of the accumulated framed treasures that are collecting on our walls. 

We are also looking for someone or some non-profit to sell coffee and doughnuts in the mornings as the crowd gathers and waits for the doors to open. We even have the coffeemakers (I mean the machine); what we don’t have is the bandwidth to do the brewing since all club members are working their tails off those minutes prior to opening.  But if someone else wants to take up the caffeinated challenge … 

Also, a reminder of items we do not take, either because they don’t sell well or because their weight is not worth the sale price: 

1. Large major appliances (dorm fridges okay but nothing larger) 

1. Beds/bedframes/mattresses 

1. Electronics 

1. Exercise equipment, dog crates  

1. Sleeper sofas, porta cribs 

1. Pianos and organs. 

Laurie reminded us that if in doubt, ask yourself the question:  Can two people haul it without bodily injury? If the answer is no, don’t accept it! (Or if you feel you must, please take directly to the dump.) 

We had a Barn work party last Saturday and it was fun! (Thereby fulfilling the fifth rule of Rotary’s Four Way Test.)  And what’s more, The Inn Along the Way was there to take whatever furniture we decided to dispose of. Soit’s all good. 

In other news from the meeting, our Teacher Appreciation Day will be Friday, March 21, 3-5 p.m. at the Clubhouse.  Nancy Adams has a few volunteer slots to fill to set up/cleanup/and pickup food including salad from the Bistro, who are always very generous when it comes to this event.  This is our opportunity to thank the teachers for all the hard work they do all year and is a great feel-good occasion.  Highly recommended. 

This Thursday, Feb. 20, our speaker will be Lynda Doughty from Marine Mammals of Maine.  Marine Mammals of Maine rescues trapped and injured seals, turtles and other sea going Mammals.  They have facilities for treatment while trying to rehab the animal to eventually release it back to the ocean.  This program sounds pretty interesting, especially since we'll soon be out on the ocean waters.  Vicki Haugen recommended this organization, Charlotte made the initial contact and set a date.  So, if you have an organization or a project for a Thursday meeting, just talk to Charlotte or Irene.  We're happy to have your ideas and recommendations.  We're an interesting group of folks (no kidding), with lots of ideas and experiences that can make our meetings more interesting and fun. 

Bruce Harris’ daughter Sarah was at the meeting to share news that our Interact Club has partnered with an Interact club in the Los Angeles area, and our Interactors are selling cool, fashionable plastic bracelets at $3 apiece to support LA rebuilding after the recent fires.  “Love burns brighter than fire,” Sarah reminded us.  Our Interact club has grown to a whopping 35 students (which means about 20 percent of the student body) and is planning a fun and fundraising spaghetti dinner at the Clubhouse on Thursday, April 10.  Plan on coming and getting caught up on all that our young people are doing.  It’s fabulous. 

And every week and in every way, don’t forget People Power.  It’s the volunteers that sign up to waiter, bartend, meet and greet and yes, write this column that make our meetings possible, and we’ve seen a few people be waiters way too often in recent months.  So sign up! Tory Paxton passed around the signup sheet, and pointed out that one of the plusses of waitering is the stylish blue apron you get to wear.   

As for our members: Doug Harley is sporting a brand new hip; Diane can’t wait to get him out of the house; and phone calls are appreciated. Charlotte and Rick have a brand-new grandson who came early and with a beatific smile. Photos available upon request. 

And Judi White has put on her always creative thinking cap and come up with some ideas for things we could do in the winters … when the Barn is on hiatus. Ideas include: 

1. Get Boothbay Harbor declared an “official Coast Guard city” which apparently is a designation Rockland has and which would support our USCG base. 

1. Arrange for a Peace Pole sporting a Rotary logo and QR code of emergency numbers to be planted in a visible place along the waterfront. 

1. Improve/update our Rotary signage coming into town 

1. Adopt a road and keep it free from litter. 

Another idea that combines fundraising with expanding the message of polio is to sell purple bulbs in the fall.  Maybe a project shared with the Interact Club. 

All great ideas! Let’s select one and make it happen.