Another cold winter night. It sure has been an old-fashioned, real Maine winter. Lucky for us we got to hear about a Rotary International Grant in Guatemala and see pictures of palm trees, flowers, people walking around without coats, hats, mittens. A definite boost to our heavy-coated selves. Our speaker, Michele Bose-Gilbody, shared with us the framework and local impact of the Rotary International Grant her Freeport Club is anticipating by partnering with Amigos in Santa Cruz, Guatemala to build a school for young children. Along with her talk about the challenges children have in Santa Cruz to attend decent schools she shared the positive effects to the local economy because of the Amigos Vocational School which has offered culinary arts, construction skills, marketing and business skills for many years. The training at the Amigos Vocational School has positively impacted the local economy and really improved people's lives.    

This week is the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club celebration of Mardi Gras. Another way to drive the cold winter away. There will be New Orleans music, Mardi Gras beads and masks for all. Wear a costume or come in Mardi Gras colors: gold, purple or green. Don't be shy, Mardi Gras is the time of fun and extravagance before Lent. New Orleans native, Jeff Long, ordered two authentic King Cakes from a famous baker in New Orleans, babies (small, plastic baked-in figurines) included. Doug Lockwood is making his family recipe of jambalaya. There will be fun and games. Family and friends are also invited. They probably need a mid-winter boost too. Come join the decorations team at 4:30. We'll start the party early and transform the clubhouse into  gold, green, purple New Orleans (or maybe Boothbay) Mardi Gras.

Don'tforget dues are due. Just leave a check for $142 in the Clubhouse desk or mail it to, BBH Rotary Club, P.O. Box 518, BBH.

Might feel like winter, but the days are definitely getting longer. Before you know it April will be here and it will be the sixth year of the Big, Gray, Rotary Barn. But first, the annual Barn clean up on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 9 a.m.  Inn Along the Way in Damariscotta is joining us again with their trucks, trailers and muscles. Just remember to dress warmly. No one has installed heat in the Barn when we weren't looking. 

We meet every Thursday at 6 p.m. for dinner and a program at our Clubhouse, 66 Montgomery Road. Join us. You’ll be glad you did.