President’s Message September 2021

August was a rather busy month for the Belfast Rotary Club.

On August 4, we had our annual District Governor visit when Doug Curtis came and spoke to us about his agenda for his 2021-2022 term. Doug spoke about the District’s Covid response, Rotary’s membership drive, the creation of a District 7790 Foundation. The District Project is to be determined but will be related to the environment.  There are two global grants to fund the project; one for Maine and one for Quebec.

Doug announced that the District Conference is scheduled for May 13-15, 2022 at the Le Georgesville Hotel in St. Georges, Quebec, Canada.

Doug also, announced that he’d like us to participate in an Environmental Clean-up in conjunction with Earth Day (April 22/23).  I’d like everyone to put on their thinking caps and come up with some ideas on how our club might participate in a clean-up project for Belfast or Waldo County.  Doug suggested projects dealing with rivers, lakes or the ocean.

We returned to a Zoom meeting format on August 11 due to the uptick in Delta Variant Coronavirus cases in Waldo County.  This was based on the advice of Waldo County Public Health officials.

 The August 11 meeting was a Club Assembly.  We heard from various committee chairs on the state of the club.  Duke Marston was the last chair that we heard from and there was a great discussion about Harbor Fest and we took care of a number of last minute details.

August 13-15 saw the return of Harbor Fest to Belfast after last year’s cancellation. 

Some highlights:

We donated just under $3,000 to the Waldo County Pet Food Pantry from our online Art Auction.  Many thanks to Sue Beemer, Dorothy Havey and the rest for a successful auction.

We received $23,600 in cash Sponsorships, setting a record, and $9,700 in in-kind donations.  Thanks to Bob Adler and Mickey Sirota for their work on putting this together.

We received $163 in pass the hat donations and over $500 in Vendor income.There were about a dozen vendors on Saturday, several returned on Sunday.

The Annual 5K Bug Run was held on Saturday morning.  Results are on the Harbor Fest website (https://www.belfastharborfest.com) and on the Belfast Harborfest Facebook page.

There was a giant duck in the Harbor named Joy.

Steve Wickenden and Tom Murphy spent just under 4 hours demonstrating how to build a boat for the National Boatbuilding Challenge.

There was a Boat Gear Swap in front of the Boat House.

For the kids there was a Touch-A-Truck, plus games and face mask making.

Mother Nature got into the act with a thunderstorm around three o’clock on Saturday. The Puppet Show was delayed but did take place following the rainstorm.

On Sunday, we held the famous Cardboard Boat Race.  There were seven participants, a large crowd and a couple of spectacular sinkings

Thanks to all who helped put this event together, especially Duke Marston who coordinated everything.

On August 25, we had a visit from the Belfast Repair Cafe Jasmine Fowler and Bart Read told us about Belfast Community Works and the types of repair work that they do around Belfast.  Their webpage is https://www.belfastcommunityworks.org/ and their Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/bcwmaker

Just a reminder, Monday Night Football returns on September 13.  Once again we are having a Football Pool to benefit Rotary’s Polio fund.  Contact Jill Goodwin (jbg@roadrunner.com) and buy a square or three, just $10 a square.  You can mail your checks to Jill Goodwin 116 Union Street, Belfast, ME  04915.

I received the following message from Ferolyn Curtis of the Rockland Rotary Club:

 “I wanted to let you and members of your club, who enjoy golfing and might be interested in playing 18 holes of golf at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, to know that our club is sponsoring its annual Marcel LaCasse Memorial Golf Tournament, Friday, September 24, to raise scholarship money for local high school seniors.

There will be raffle prizes, a Silent Auction and a drawing for a Weekend Get-Away at the Samoset Resort valued at more than $1,000. There will also be a chance to win a new car with a Hole-in-One on #7, $5,000 for the Long Putt on the green next to the Club House, plus prizes for Closest-to-the Pin on #11, and the 50/50 putting contest on #10.

We’d love to have you, members of your club, family, and friends join us for fun, camaraderie, barbecue, and 18 holes of golf on this spectacular course for this worthwhile cause. Included in the player fee is a golf cart and lunch. Our Golf Committee has ordered a day of soft, ocean breezes, sunshine and nice temperatures. It would be a great way to start a weekend.”

I have included a registration form below.

Marcel Lacasse Memorial Golf Tournament

Friday, September 24th, 2021

Samoset Resort Golf Club, Rockport Maine

8:00 AM Registration, 9:00 AM Shotgun Start

Scramble Format – Registration Deadline: September 8, 2021

We understand there are unique challenges that we are currently facing as a community.  Golfing format may be subject to some new rules and regulations based on social distancing requirements.  Be prepared for format adjustments prior to start time. 

 For over 40 years the Rockland Rotary Club has sponsored the Marcel Lacasse Memorial Golf Tournament to assist area high school seniors in realizing their dreams of higher education.  The Job before us has never been greater!  You can help in this important effort by becoming a tournament sponsor or by simply making a contribution. We’ve enclosed a page showing the different sponsorship levels and a sponsorship form for your consideration.

 Last year Rockland Rotary provided ­­­­10 exceptional local high school seniors with $1,000 scholarships for college.  This year we are attempting to raise $15,000 in order to meet the increased needs of students in the Oceanside East & West, Medomak Valley High Schools as well as the Coastal Christian School.

 The field is limited to 100 players, so please register soon, this is a first come, first serve basis.  (Registrations are not complete until a registration form and payment are received.) The tournament fee is $150 per player or $500 per team which includes greens fees, cart, and lunch after the tournament and prizes. 

Sincerely,

Bob Bird

Rockland Rotary Golf Committee Chair

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Golfer Registration

(If you don’t have a foursome you will be matched up with others)

1.       Name:                                                               Handicap:                     Home Course:                        

E-mail:                                                                        

2.       Name:                                                               Handicap:                     Home Course:                        

E-mail:                                                                        

3.       Name:                                                               Handicap:                     Home Course:                        

E-mail:                                                                        

4.       Name:                                                               Handicap:                     Home Course:                        

E-mail:                                                                        

Please mail registration with check payable to Rockland Rotary for $150 per golfer ($500 per team) to:

Hillary Jackson, Rockland Rotary, P.O. Box 1811, Rockland, ME 04841