Congratulations to our newest Paul Harris Fellow: Pam Cushing!
Opening Ceremonies: President Debbie Ehrlenbach called the meeting to order.
Invocation was read by: Kelly Brown and we all said the Pledge of Allegiance.
Sergeant at Arms: Bob and Mary Thomas
Setting up Zoom: Clyde Cushing
Guests: Stacie Brown, Don Cooper, Trinity Brown, Kent Weisner
Visiting Rotarians: Kent Weisner
Birthdays: Ashley Johnson
ROTARY BUSINESS:
Annual Meeting: The following Officers for the 2024-2025 club year were voted unanimously:
President: Jodie Cushing, President Elect: Rebecca Greenlaw, Secretary: Tricia Quirk, Treasurer: Rhonda Parker.
The Club Bylaws were approved.
Paul Harris Fellow Recognition: Congratulations to our newest Paul Harris Fellow: Pam Cushing!
Partner Program Update: As of today, 39 businesses have donated to the program at $11,000.
December 19th Meeting/Cookie Exchange - In the spirit of giving, at our club meeting on December 19th, along with wrapping gifts for the children at KidsPeace, we would like to include signing Christmas cards for residents at Seaport Village in Ellsworth and collection/sharing of cookies. Please bring cookies to share that evening with a few extra to make 4 boxes for first responders in the area: Ellsworth Police Department, Ellsworth Fire Department, Hancock County Sheriff Department and Maine Coast Hospital.
EHS Interact Club: The EHS Interact Club met earlier in the week and the new advisor is Dotty Small.
Rotary Learning Center - Rotary Learning Center was introduced at our November 28th club meeting. Club members can earn makeups and have a donation in their honor to Rotary International Annual Fund by completing 15–20-minute training modules in the Rotary Learning Center. For now, the program will go through January 31 2024.
Rotary Leadership Institute – Trainings are available via Zoom and Online. This is a great opportunity to learn more about Rotary.
Rotary Blood Drives are the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at the Elks Lodge in Ellsworth. Please sign up to help. Shifts are from 11:00am to 2:00pm and 2:00pm to 5:00pm.
Door Prizes: The lucky winners were: Kent Wisener, Marian Wells, Carl Lusby and Julie Clark
50/50: $17 to Clyde Cushing
Happy Dollars: 2nd Quarter Happy Dollars will go towards: The Club’s Prosthetics Project to the Centro De Protesis of the Dominican Republic. All these funds will bring us close to our goal of $5,400 for nine leg socket adapters, thus providing the “Gift of Walking.”
The following individuals gave Happy Dollars: Clyde Cushing, Carl Lusby, Jo Cooper, Lincoln Ehrlenbach, Mike Marino, Rob Hemenway, Pam Cushing, Jodie Cushing, Rhonda Parker, Laurie Fogelman, Kelly Brown, Laura Pellerano, Gene Pellerano, Debbie Ehrlenbach, JoAnn Rodick and Dave Wells.
Christmas Gift to Waitress Jamie: The club gave our waitress Jamie a Christmas gift thanking her for serving the club throughout the year. We appreciate it!
Guest Speaker: This week’s guest speaker was Dr. Anne Langston Noll. She is a PhD, MSc, MA, and BSc in marine biology, sea farming, research, and other geeky marine things.
Anne is an aquaculture researcher and project manager, an oyster farmer, and a marine educator based in Orland, Maine. Her career in aquaculture began in Scotland in 1995 at the Scottish Office Fisheries Research Service marine laboratory in Aberdeen, and from there led to work-related aquaculture adventures in Norway, Ireland, and elsewhere in Scotland.
Anne moved from Scotland to Maine in 2011 and was the inaugural Associate Director of the Aquaculture Research Institute at the University of Maine. Anne joined the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center in 2020 and is now the Associate Director there managing a portfolio of 15-20 research and education projects.
Respectfully submitted by Rotarian Ashley Johnson
