Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club presented Boothbay Region Elementary School teachers and staff with lunch March 2. Rotarians sponsored lunch for Southport Central School the previous week and will make their rounds to Boothbay Region High School and Edgecomb Eddy School March 18, said Rotary President Jeff Long. “But this is Irene’s brainchild.”

Rotary’s immediate past president Irene Fowle said she asked around about showing the region’s teachers and school staff appreciation for their work over the past few years. Rotarians jumped on board with the project immediately and BRES Principal Shawna Kurr helped arrange the noon gathering, Fowle said.

“We're just trying to cheer the teachers up because they've had a rough few years, you know? We just decided they needed a teacher appreciation day, so we got this together.”

Rotary ordered out about two dozen pizzas from several area businesses, Pinkham’s Gourmet Market donated salads and Hannaford’s donated drinks. Nathan’s Wellness Pharmacy and Apothecary donated items for two raffled gift baskets and Education Boothbay provided Dunkin Donuts gift cards for bus drivers and other staff who were not able to attend the brief gathering.

Said Fowle, “It's part of this great community we all live in. We all take care of each other.”