February 1, 2018 Meeting of West Bay Rotary

Buckets on the Table are for the Shields Mission Project.  

Kristen's husband Paul Doiron, vice chair of the board of the Maine Humanities Council, introduced Hayden Anderson. Hayden grew up in NH, and attended Rotary meetings with his grandfather when visiting his grandparents in New York. 

MHC is the state affiliate of the National Endwoment for the Humanities and with a staff of 11 in Portland, with a volunteer board of directors from across the state. It is one of the many state and territorial humanities councils in the US. The vision of the council is the communities of Maine transformed by the power and pleasure of ideas.  Their operating budged is $1.25M, about half paid through the NEH.  

NEH turned 50 a few years ago. The NEH was statutorily created during the Johnson administration citing ideals like democracy demands wisdom and vision, and being masters of technology and not enslaved by it. It encourages critical thinking, wrestling with big ideas.

MHC works in partnership with public libraries including reading groups gather to read and talk about books together. They also bring speakers to public libraries to speak on various educational topics, partner with adult education to build literacy skills, gives grants to organizations around the state on a small scale. They are kicking off a veterans book group program in Thomaston this spring, inviting veterans to gather for conversation and sharing. It started in Portland and has been in Augusta, Bangor, and other cities around the state. They read things like Homer's Odysee.  They plan to meet at the Knox Museum and will be free of charge for veterans. 

In 2017 MHC also did a series on race and policing. Mainehumanities.org is their website.

The next board member is the 7th at Quarry Hill at 7a.

Camden Bowling challenge has been cancelled for the time being.

There is a football pool with 14 slots still open.  See Sandy about slots that are $10 each. 

Noel Cox was recognized for bringing children's books to the Knox County Jail for departing inmates.

Leamon Scott announced a new annual sponsor making the total 11 sponsors for our 5 events, Edward Jones Investments being the newest. 

Parking cars at Toboggan Nationals/Snowbowl parking, lead by Steve Dailey, is coming right up, the weekend of February 10.

Chili Challenge at the Sea Dog is progressing well, 8 restaurants and maybe a 9th providing chili. Etienne still needs volunteers for between 3:30 and 8p on Saturday of Toboggan Nationals. 

Mark Masterson asked all who participated in last weekend's Habitat work day to stand and be recognized.

Tom Albertson announced E Waste on April 21. He would like input on adding Cash for Clothes to the shredding, ewaste and drug disposal stations.

Randall Liberty from Maine State Prison will be our speaker next week.