On June 13th we collaborate with the local Chamber of Commerce and the Boothbay Region Art Foundation to showcase and celebrate our local artists. Donations for our Open House event will be given to Polio Plus. We are so lucky to have the works of many fine local artists who exhibit in the clubhouse; their great works help us rent our clubhouse to those who need it.

It was only fitting that a former speaker at Graduates’ Night was inducted into Rotary. Both Dick Reid and his wife and business partner, Anya Reid, became Rotarians.

Anya will be invested in Youth and Community development projects at Rotary. Dick will be engaged in Membership and Youth projects. Welcome to this dynamic duo.

We hosted 24 graduating seniors! Graduates’ Night at Rotary was a great success – on Saturday work day we even heard from a graduate that he had fun!

Ingrid shared her thoughts about the need for service in one’s life and how she was inspired by a work experience with a Jesuit school. There she learned that the tradition of service is a part of any Jesuit educational program. After her inspirational moment, she was successful in getting the grads to sign up for two service projects, the Edgecomb Eddy gardening program and the Rotary Auction. Well done, Ingrid!

I.J. Pinkham and Ingrid announced the names of the three graduates who are receiving Rotary’s scholarships of $1,000 each: The Vocational Award Scholarship is awarded to Noah Allen. The Service Above Self scholarships are awarded to Faith Blethen and Joseph Lane.

Speaking to the grads was an articulate instructor from Bath Regional Career Technical Center, Jamie Carter, who teaches metal work.

With humor that escaped no one in the room and with powerful and dynamic honesty, Jamie told all the persons in the room, young or old, wisdoms that he has learned in his life. He captured the audience with profound truisms that won’t be forgotten. He wanted to share what he learned the hard way since he graduated.

Jamie started out with this: “You’ve officially completed your childhood and you’re now an adult, That means that from now on, nothing is ever anyone else’s fault… it’s your fault.”

So being an adult is going to take a lot of practice, but its way better than being a kid.

“I graduated 30 years ago, 16th out of a class of 32 and with the highly coveted title of class clown. I spent my next 28 years at Bath Iron Works. I had six different jobs at BIW and every time I switched, I was both excited and afraid of the change. Two years ago I left the yard to become the welding instructor at the Bath Regional Career and Technical Center. I cried on the way out, the uncertainty of what I did hit me like a freight train.

“Think about all that you learned since you were an infant; at 18 years, you know enough to be dangerous. So ask an adult for help, try to impress them, you’ll be working for them, not your friends. Learn all you can from older people you work with and remember that some of them have been doing their job longer than you have been alive. Respect their experience … you don’t really have any experience yet. That comes with time.” Jamie’s candor “rocked.”

We all celebrated and congratulated the grads for their accomplishments and reminded them about the Rotary motto “Service Above Self.”