July 8, 2025 Newsletter

 

Opening Ceremonies: Past President Jo Cooper called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm with opening remarks and the pledge of allegiance.

 

Jo thanked Debbie and Lincoln Ehrlenbach for taking care of Sergeant at Arms duties, Ashley for taking minutes, Michael for managing Zoom and everyone for help set up and take down the room.

 

Visiting Rotarian: Dom Efter

 

Birthdays and Anniversaries: Each week birthdays and anniversaries wishes will be sent from the club via email with an electronic greeting card. Be on the lookout for yours!

 

 

75th Anniversary Promo for The Ellsworth American: This year the Rotary Club of Ellsworth celebrates our 75th Anniversary and The Ellsworth American is going to feature us in a spread in their newspaper. Check out the promotional page below.  If you would like to reserve a space, please contact Julie Clark at the telephone number or email below.
Advertising Deadline/  July 23
207-266-0133
jclark@mdislander.com

 

 

Silverware Wrapping: Come help wrap silverware for the upcoming Pancake Breakfast at Debbie and Lincoln’s Camp located in Hancock at 111 Ferry Road starting at 4:30pm on July 17^th.

 

Darlings stuff the Truck: Darlings is collecting food items for the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry, a campaign "Stuff the Truck", which has been extended to July 12th. Please bring in non-perishable food items to the club meeting this Tuesday, July 8th to support this community effort.  If you cannot make the meeting on Tuesday, you can drop off food items at the Chamber and PJ will make sure that the items are placed in the "Rotary Box". 

 

 

Rotary Blueberry Pancake Breakfast – Saturday, August 2^nd under the big white tent at the Downeast Family YMCA Parking lot in Ellsworth. Sell or buy your tickets. Flyers available.

 

Tip Jar for the Waiter: Reminder to tip the waiter when ordering a meal at the weekly meetings.

 

Join a Rotary Committee: Rebecca Greenlaw encourages club members to join a committee within the club. Learn more about Rotary and how you can help!

 

Door prizes were won by Nancy Mayo, Carol Jordan, Peter Farragher, JoAnn Rodick

 

50-50 won by Marc Rich - $6

 

Happy Dollars–  1^st quarter Happy Dollars will be going towards Cody's Closet This is a great opportunity to support children in our Foster Care system in Maine and meet their needs. Several Rotarians shared happy thoughts.

 

July 15^th Meeting: Our next Rotary weekly meeting on July 15, 2025 will be held at DeMeyer Field to celebrate the Rotary 75th Legacy Project's first phase of completion with a Potluck BBQ. Thank you to Debbie Ehrlenbach and Peter Farragher for their dedication and leadership on this project and all Rotarians who spent countless hours bringing this phase of it to completion. During the evening we will also learn more about the next phase of the project. Exciting!

 We ask that all members bring a dish to share. If you would like to bring a meat to grill, there will be a grill onsite for the evening. Thank you to Lincoln for volunteering to bring a grill to cook on. Remember cooking utensils! Thank you to Tricia Quirk for bringing watermelon for all to enjoy.

 You may also want to bring a camp chair or folding chair as there are limited picnic tables available.

 

Guest Speaker: This week’s guest speaker was Ashley Pesek. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Cody’s Closet. Cody's Closet is built to serve the needs of teens in foster care. In memory of Dakota Markham.

 

Ashley is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has practiced in Hancock County for the last 20 years. Ashley began her career as a social worker in the field of substance use disorder, then after having her daughter and moving home to Hancock County, she began a career in Child Welfare investigating child abuse and neglect. Following her licensure as a clinician, Ashley transitioned to Aroostook Mental Health Center as the Clinical Supervisor to Mobile Crisis, where she remains today. In this position she has become an expert in severe and persistent mental illness and trauma.

 

 In an unexpected turn of events, Ashley found her most important work when she and her family became a licensed foster home more than 10 years ago. They have fostered over 30 children with 19 children finding their permanent home within this family. Mom is her most important role. In May of 2022, tragedy struck her family when her 18 year old son Dakota, Cody, died in a car accident 3 weeks before he was set to graduate from Ellsworth High School. This experience was transformative for the family. In their grief, they opened Cody’s Closet, a foster closet for teens that supports teens in foster care by providing basic necessities and helping them to build roots in community.

 

Visit their Facebook page. Donations are always needed! Cody's Closet

 

Polio Cups: Reminder to donate to Polio! For every $1 donated, 7 children are vaccinated.

 

Next week at Rotary- July 15^th – BBQ and Bocce at the DeMeyer Field in Ellsworth.