Boothbay Harbor Rotary - Club History

Things started out with a new event last January: Our newly reconstituted Interact club (the high school service affiliate of Rotary) inaugurated Winteract, a family fun snow festival, to raise money for the local home heating oil fund. We're proud of our young people, who find fun and fellowship t hrough service, adn we know that it wouldn't happen without the hard work of their Rotarian advisors -- Debbie Graves, John Platt, Jason Lorrain and, most especially, Adam Maguire.

Our club members and their sweeties celebrated Valentine's Day in style at the Gallery (thank you, Laura Francis!) in February, and the evening was once again orchestrated flawlessly by Judy deGraw. In march we hosted the girls' Mid-Coast Basketball Tourney under the guidance of Coach I.J. Pinkham. A few weeks later we followed up with our annual Soup Bowl Supper, chaired by Jim Botti and put on in conjunction with the Watershed Center for the Arts.

In April we took time to surprise and honor Estelle Appel with the Lifetime Serive Award, which we present annually to a local citizen in recognition of a lifetime of service to our beloved community. Thanks go to Ken Honey, Bruce Tindal, Robin Reed and Chip Griffin who once again pulled off this surprise community event.

We invited the BRHS graduates to dinner in May, and we called on Rotarian and centennial man John Heyl to tell them about life in the past century as they move to take center stage in the new one. That month we also sold Vidalia onions under the tutelage of Dwight Swisher.

In June Stephanie Blecharczyk chaired our days with the inbound Group Study Exchange team from Poland, after we had seen off our own Kate Morkeski with our district's GSE team to Poland earlier in the year. Brenda Blackman teed up another successful Golf Tourney in partnership with the Lion's Club, and Daren and Debbie Graves were jointly awarded our club's Rotarian of the Year award for everything they do to keep our community and club activities ticking. At month's end we picknicked at the Botanical Gardens to congratulate Andy Hamblett on a job well done as he turned over the club presidency to Vic Taylor.

During July we kept busy preparing for our August charity auction, an all-hands event that brings in the lion's share of the money we give back to the Region. our biggest annual donations go to support the Scholarship Fund, Food Pantry, Home Heating Oil Fund,a nd a year's worth of effort always comes down to a one-day sales event on the Common. This year the weather gods prevailed with a rare bit of sunshine just when it was most needed, and chair Jim Botti and crew marked another highly successful auction, augmented as always byt he flea market, chaired by Debbie Graves; boutique, chaired by Mike and Penny Pollard; silent auction, chaired by Annette and Jim Stormont; and food tent, this year staffed by our Interactors, with Adam Maguire as chief burger-flipper.

September started off with a succulent Lobster Bake at the Southport Yacht Club, gracious chaired by Cy and Sandra Seifert. Then a new venue for Hometown Heroes -- the American Legion Hall -- and a new menu -- burgers and dogs grilled in abundance -- was pulled off by Daren and Debbie Graves and declared a success by all.

We hosted Friends Forever in October. These are young people caught up in the strife in Northern Ireland who spend a fe weeks together to learn what they have in common as opposed to what separates them. Once again, Debbie Graves was chief instigator in organizing their time here int he Region. That month we also sold citrus fruit under the generalship of Andy Hamblett.

We had to move our November Veteran's Appreciation Night to the SOuthport Town Hall to accommodate the overflow capacity of nearly 100 people -- veterans, actives, Gold Star ladies and families of those currently deployed. Jim Singer joined Frank and Marty Helman in chairing this event.

December marked our second annual Warm Winter Night dance, with all proceeds going to the Home Heating Oil fund. Elaine Halligan orchestrated this stellar event, and Annette Stormont once again made a major difference to the bottom line by working her magic in setting up the silend auction. that eventing had quickly followed onour annual carol sing, as Viv Daniels led the singing and Stephanie Blecharczyk kept us all in perfect pitch at the Boothbay Green and St. Andrews Hospital. Santa provided both lap time and a confidential year, and Rotarians were joined by a dozen or so young people including multigenerational Hamblett and Graves clans. Tammy Blackman and son Jacob Bishopp were welcomed enthusiastically following their long sabbatical, and Chef Kim Mills whipped up a child-friendly supper of dogs and trimmings.

That's a sampling of our Club events, month-by-month, but they don't tell the whole story. Behind-the-scenes, much work was ongoing all year, significantly by the committee led by Jim Singer that is working to determine real estate options and how the Clubhosue and the Scout Hall fit into our long-range plans. Meanwhile, the Building Committee, under chair Doug Roberts and with the help of energy auditor Dwight Swisher, has bene using up weekends and holidays dealing with the more pressing need to upgrade weatherization and security of the Clubhouse and to get the upstairs apartment ready for its new tenant.

There's also all the work that goes into our regular meetings, by President Vic Taylor and his Board, by program chairs led this year by Jim Stormont, and housekeeping jobs assigned by Connie Jones. By Judy deGraw and Viv Daniels who set the tone for our meetings each week, and by our treasurers Frank Helman and Mike Thompson.

The fun doesn't slow with the new year: Come by and find out for yourself.

2008 In Review

2007 In Review

2006 In Review

2005 in Review

2004 in Review

for earlier years, go to the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club history.