Stories

Former federal prosecutor and National Domestic Violence Coordinator the the Department of Justice along with her husband and son-in-law visited us at our April 1, 2025 meeting.

The Students of the Month for March 2025 are Lucy Gingras from Shapleigh School and Jheidelys Rivera-Tavarez from Traip Academy

Our speaker for our March 18, 2025 meeting was David Patch CDR USN (Ret). After serving for 25 years in the U. S. Navy, and then another 20 years as a contractor for the Navy, David retired in 2011 and is now working to provide vital services for veterans. 

On Thursday, March 6, Kittery Rotary Club members got to serve at Table of Plenty at Mainspring's beautiful new facility on Shapleigh Road. 

On March 6, Bob Guay, joined by Brad Hirst and Eric Wadell presented checks to the Music teacher, Interim Principal, Assistant Principal, and a bunch of happy music students at Mitchell School.

 

 

 

Sarah Johnson and Janet Drew joined us for our March 4, 2025 meeting. There they gave a compelling presention on the state of incarceration in Maine and on upcoming related initiatives and legislation. They are members of the Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition, Parole4Maine, the Maine Participatory Defense HUB, Southern Maine for Racial Justice and the York County Jail Board of Visitors.

Our Students of the Month for February 2025 were Maisy Kramer from Shapleigh School and Myles Seckler from Traip Academy. It's always a pleasure to be able to recognize some of Kittery's exceptional students in this way. 

In our February 18, 2025 meeting, Dave Underhill shared information with us about Rotary Foundation's Endowment Fund and the ShareForever7780 Challenge.

 

 

 

February 4th 2025 the Rotary Club of Kittery was honored to have Michael McGovern, the Rotary International Polio Plus Chair as guest Speaker. Michael McGovern has , for over ten years, led Rotary Internationals efforts to eradicate polio around the world.

Sue Czarnionka is one of the Rotary Club of Kittery's longest members, inducted into the Club in 1992. Throughout her very active membership through Sue has been supported by her husband Paul Czarnionka, Tuesday, February 4th, was about Paul.

Congratulations to 4th Grader Jack Cicero and to Senior Makili Matty, the Shapleigh School and R.W.Traip Academy Rotary Students of the Month.

Working together, the Rotary Clubs of Kittery have joined the community rotation of regular support for Footprints Food Pantry at  Mainspring.  .January saw the delivery of bags of coffee to fill the shelves at the new location.

Literacy is very important to to Rotary, and Rotary Clubs have many different projects to promote literacy in their communities. One of the Projects for the Rotary Club of Kittery is to provide funds for Classroom books for each of the Mitchell School 3rd Grade Classrooms.

January 9th 2025; Rotary Club of Kittery Members Assistant Governor Pam Gray and Past District Governor Andy Glazier invited the club into their home in Eliot for a Potluck winter social.

The Students of the Month for December are Avery Taylor for Shapleigh School and Marilia Suri Mauricio Lope'z for R.W. Traip Academy.

The Club was honored  on December 17th  to be presented with a 'Bright Light Award" from the Choose to Be Healthy Coalition of York County.

The end of the calendar year was celebrated with a welcome addition to the Rotary Club of Kittery as Atencio Martin was inducted as the newest Rotary  Club member .

All good things come to a good end!

For years the Rotary Club of Kittery has met the end of the Holiday Parade with free cookies and cocoa and this year was no exception!

Megan Keil is a Rotarian and a RPCV (Returned Peace Corp Volunteer), very much a dynamic representative of the official partnership between Rotary International and the Peace Corp. On December 3. Megan gave a a one hour brief on the Peace Corp and the Rotary partnership, in 20 minutes - conveying a lot of information in a very concentrated exchange.

November 26 2024 the Club recognized and celebrated the November Students of the Month for R.W.Traip Academy and Shapleigh School, Eden Varney and Joshua Palos.

On November 19th the Rotary Club of Kittery was honored to welcome back five people in our community who routinely are changing lives for the better. The Club welcomed Emily Flinkstrom, Megan Shapiro-Ross, Diana Marzinzik, Beth Guilbert, and Agnes Charlesworth to receive donations from the Club to support their respective organizations:  Fair Tide, Footprints Food Pantry, Table of Plenty, Kittery Holiday Baskets, and Life and Hope Haiti.

On October 29th The Rotary Club of Kittery was honored to celebrate and recognize five Community Champions. Five individuals who are outstanding supporters and volunteers within our community. In a gathering at the Kittery Community Center the Club recognized the efforts and commitment of Whitney Blethen, Julie Dow, Kelly Philbrook, Steve Lawrence, and Frank DeSarro. 

The Rotary Clubs of Kittery combined with the support of the Tributary Brewery and friends, neighbors, and family October 24 for the fight to eradicate Polio.

A New School Year, and we begin once again to recognize and celebrate the R.W. Traip Academy and Shapleigh School Students of the Month! Meeting these fine young people is always a favorite Club event.

Calendar Sales have begun. Sales of the 2025 Calendar will fund service projects of the Club in the community.

Calendars Are Available! Featuring local photographs by well known Kittery area photographer Nelson Linscott.  Raising funds for service work of the Rotary Club of Kittery through the Kittery Rotary Rotary Foundation.

The Rotary Club of Kittery's guest speaker on October 1st introduced us to the non-profit "Computers4Vets" and shared some thoughts of the changes to the military over recent years.

Support of  the Rotary Foundation makes available funds that can be used in local projects by Rotary Clubs in the District. This year the Kittery School District identified a need for an inhouse washer and dryer at the high school for student use. The Rotary Club of Kittery responded.

Rotary Youth Leadership Camp (RYLA), feedback from the ten Traip Academy Students who attended this year's June experience.

Rotary International District Governors are required to make an Official visit to each of  their District's clubs at the beginning of their year as Governor. During the visit the District Governor shares their focus and that of the Rotary International President for the year. On September 17th District Governor Robert "Bob" McKenzie made his official  visit to the Rotary Club of Kittery. His presentation focused on substance abuse and recovery, and upon Rotary membership.

September 3rd our guest speakers at Rotary provided a clearer picture of the challenges faced by new immigrants and asylum seekers arriving in the State of Maine. We also gained a great deal of respect for the efforts of those individuals working to support them.

August 20th, the Rotary Club of Kittery was treated to a short show of exceptional wildlife photographer Terry Chick's recent work. Terry recently had his work included in a show at the Kittery Art Association and in January, he will be showcased at the Morgan Gallery at the Kittery Community Center. Terry is very interested in capturing wildlife behavior and habitat.

The Seacoast Wheelers are dedicated bicyclists who are commited to providing that experience to those who otherwise be unable to enjoy the pleasure of a beautiful ride around their community. In their own words ''...mobility should never be a barrier to enjoying the beauty of the world around us". On Tuesday ,August 13th, they brought one of their new specially adapted bikes to the Kittery Rotary Meeting at the Kittery Community Center to demonstrate .

 

 

                                                          Dr. Steve Fine                                          On split screen, Club co-President Brad and AG Pam

On August 6th the Rotary Club of Kittery had an eye-opening presentation on the dangers of melanoma from Dr. Steve Fine, Rotary Club of Peabody Massachusetts and President of the Melanoma Education Foundation. Far more than a risk to fair skinned, older sun worshipers, the silent killer is a much more broad based threat than we had thought.

July had 5 Tuesdays (our weekly meeting day)  this year and true to our tradition, the Rotary Club of Kittery got together with family and friends including members of the Kittery Rotary Afterhours Club, for an evening of pizza and socializing on the lawn at "When Pigs Fly Pizzeria".

The Seacoast Wheelers are bringing Adaptive Bikes to the area, Rides have been planned out, Bikes acquired. A new resource will be available for those who might not otherwise be able to get out and enjoy a bike in our communities.

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), taken from information provided by Sue in her presentation to the Rotary Club of Kittery on July 23, is "an emotional version of acupuncture without the needles" . stimulating pressure points by tapping on them with fingertips. "Tapping" 

Short Term Exchange students Akshay and Remick continue their experience with Akshay getting totally immersed in the Matty family summer adventures and a slight side trip to the Big Apple.

On July 9 the Rotary Club of Kittery recognized an young individual who has demonstrated with grit and determination, that one individual can make a change.
Nellie Young set out over six month's ago to support a project in Peru in conjunction with her Interact trip there last spring.   She set out to assist the rehabilitation of a school.

The International Short term Rotary Youth Exchange involves two young people from different countries spending about three weeks in each other's country, hosted by their respective parents.  Monday, July 8th, Remick returned from spending three weeks in India with Akshay, his exchange "brother's" family, Akshay will now experience three weeks with Remick and his family. 

With the 2024 District Conference held right on our beachfront (almost) we could not miss it. Several club members caught the boat and headed to the Isle of Shoals  on June 29th to complete the 2023-2024 Rotary Year!

Tuesday June 25th was our Club leadership change-over day as we begin a new Rotary Year July 1st. Over two years ago Pam Gray was called upon to take the Club leadership and is finally turning that charge over to 2024-2025  Club Co-Presidents, Pauli and Brad as she takes on the new role at a District Assistant Governor. There was a Buzz of excitement in the room as her long service to the Club was recognized and celebrated!

Collecting Salad Dressings for Footprints Food Pantry! As fresh garden produce becomes available and is donated to the pantry, salad dressings are needed to complement! However Salad Dressings don't grow in gardens, they need to be donated, and once again Club President Pam has initiated a Salad Dressing drive to fill Footprints Shelves for the gardening season.

Building young leaders, The Rotary Club of Kittery's Rotarian of the Year is setting a new standard for youth development.

 

Celebrating a birthday in style. On June 15th, after showing up at the Kittery Block Party with fellow Traip Academy Interact Club members supporting a children's activity, Remick Matty headed to Logan Airport to start a Rotary Short Term Exchange trip to India ~ all on his 16th birthday!

June 15 was the 13th Annual Kittery Block Party and the R. W. Traip Academy was there! Once again the Rotary Club of Kittery hosted the Interact Club for the all day community party in the center of town. The Interact Club's children's activity is very much a hit with the children as reflected by donations made by grateful parents to support Interact club service projects.

Congratulations to Fourth Grader Sigbjorn "Siggy" Vogestad, the Shapleigh School Student of the Month.

On June 11 the Rotary Club of Kittery recognized, the Club Scholarship winners for the 2023-24 year. 

On Tuesday June 4th the Club had a special guest as long time friend and Rotary Exchange Alumnus Michael Lombardi  attended the meeting and brought us up to date on his activities.

The R.W. Traip Academy Spring Normandy trip was a great learning experience, supported in part by the Rotary Club of Kittery.

Tuesday, May 28, we were honored to meet the May 2024 Students of the Month, 5th Grader Gabrielle Greene from Shapleigh School, and senior Hunter Hillard for R.W. Traip Academy.

Eric sent the club some added input from the 3rd Grade Classes we donated $100 each to for books this year.

The Eben Ezar School in Milot, Haiti, financed by "Life and Hope Haiti", is strongly supported by individuals, schools, and Rotary Clubs throughout the seacoast area.

 

On Tuesday, May 14 the Club received an update from organizers Amy Miller and Agnes Charlesworth on the the school and the children we sponsor.

Bob Guay is our newest member! Bob was inducted at our May 14th meeting

On Thursday May 9,2024, the Club once again joined with the R.W.Traip Interact Club in providing support for the free meals served by Kittery's Table of Plenty.

This month's International Cafe included a very welcome report on a Rotary International Project supported by our Club. A Human Milk bank in India funded by a Global grant we participated in two years ago is operating successfully with over 1800 women contributing todate

On our Tuesday May 7, 2024 meeting our special guest was Kendra Amaral, Kittery Town Manager. We were treated to an update on the latest town activities while enjoying coffee together supplied by Aroma Joe's ~thank you Maryna! fueled by a significant number of recent grants, the town is a busy place with many upgrades in progress.

 

April 30 was a Club "5th Tuesday" social hosted by the Kittery Art Association at their Art Gallery in the center of Kittery Foreside.

On Monday April 29,2024 Club Treasurer Andy received word that our application for official non-profit status for the new Rotary Club of Kittery Foundation, Inc. has been approved.

The Rotary Students of the Month for April are Seventh Grader Jaxson Amaral-Usle for Shapleigh School, introduced by Teacher Nick LaPierre; and Senior Colby Christiansen for R.W.Traip Academy, presented by Teacher Michelle Hayward.

Bernie Reim joined is for our April 2, 2024 meeting to talk about the upcoming solar eclipse and astronomy in preparation for the upcoming eclipse to occur across Maine and down through Texas on April 8th.

 

At our meeting on March 26^th, we were honored to recognize the March 2024 Students of the Month, For Shapleigh School, 8^th Grader Adeline Economou, and for R.W. Traip Academy. Sophomore Olivia Sillsby.

 

 

The 2024 Northeast President-Elect Training Seminar brought together over 400 Rotarians, the majority were incoming Club presidents, and we were well represented.

 

The Rotary Club of Kittery was invited to join the Kittery Rotary Afterhours Club for their 5th Thursday Social on February 29th.

Brian Nolen, responded to the devastation he saw in the invasion of Ukraine and knew he wanted to do something. Six trips and hundreds of of thousands of dollars of direct aide to Ukrainians later, he is planning on yet another trip into the country. 

Once again, the Rotary Club of Kittery joined in friendly competition with the Kittery Lion's Club and the Kittery Rotary Afterhours Club in a "Souper Bowl" to benefit Footprints Food Pantry.

The New Kittery Town Planner, Jason Garnham, was our Guest Speaker this morning for a short talk on what was being planned in Kittery.

Mental health is a significant focus area for Rotary.  We welcomed the head of one of the major organizations in Maine to talk with us this morning as we welcomed the president and CEO of Sweetser Jayne Van Bramer, and the organization's Senor Director of Public Relations, Justin Chenette.

January's Social at the Board! We embrace new ideas, Celebrate the newest gathering place in town , all with Old friends and New!

Congratulations to our January Students of the Month, Shapleigh School Cecilia Higgins, a 4th Grader, and R.W. Traip  Acaemy Junior Camden Wiles.

Supporting a safe and fun celebration for the 2024  R.W.Traip graduating class, the Club donates to project Graduation.

The Club donates funds to the Mitchell school 3rd grade classrooms for books.

Sheila Chapman and Chris Lombardo joined us today to provide more information about the Wreaths Across America program and especially the efforts in the Kittery community. Several club members have participated in placing the wreaths the last couple of years and as the pastor of 2nd Christian Congregational UCC Church Brad has officiated for the annual event.

Marshwood High School Interact Club member and Rotary Club of Kittery Family member Nellie Young presented a project to fund the renovation of a school in Peru. Nellie's Interact Club is traveling to Peru at the end of February.

The Club was honored to host the December Students of the Month, their families, and school representatives. For December, the Shapleigh Student of the Month is Fifth Grader Michael Shapleigh; the R.W. Traip Academy Student of the Month is senior Terry Gagner.

The Rotary Club of Kittery is pleased to invite the owners of new businesses in the community to be our guests at a Club meeting and briefly introduce themselves and their business. This week we were honored to have Chloe Scala , co-owner of " Board" join us.The Board is a charcuberie restarant and wine bar at 5 Shapleigh Road.

Traip Academy will have a group traveling to Normandy France this spring to tour the areas where the allies invaded occupied France in World War II.The group has been raising funds to ensure that the trip is open to all who want to go and has been studying the history of the battle and the area in preparation.

The Club sponsored another CPR and NARCON training session on December 9th

Our 2022-2023 Exchange student form Romania, Erika Parashiv contacted the club  this week to share scenes of holiday preparations at her home and asking for news from from  of  seaaonal activitieshere in Maine.

Great support by the Club for last Thursday's Table of Plenty

Our guest Speaker at our December 5th Club meeting, was Nicole Rutherford from the Maine Chapter of Make a Wish. Nicole talked about the focus of Make A Wish and what they have achieved, including some stories of the impact the program has made 

As we have for years, the Rotary Club of Kittery was waiting at the parade's end with free hot cocoa and cookies! Once again, we had very strong support from the very active Traip Interact Club. Many thanks to Aroma Joe's for the use of the thermos's, Subway for their donation of cookies, and 2nd Christian Church for the use of their kitchen to make all the cocoa.

December 5, Pam and Andy report that they have contributed a Rotary buoy to the town Buoy Tree. The "tree" is being assembled again this year next to the hardware store to raise funds for the new MainSpring Collabrative. White buoys are purchased by donors and decorated any way they wish and then hung on the tree form.

 

 

Capping years of work, Club member Maryna completed her Doctorate this year and invited the Club to join her, her family, neighbors, business friends, and fellow academic warriors to party and celebrate with her. Sixteen years ago, as a young student, Maryna arrived in the area, She achieved her bachelors, masters, and now her doctorate while hold multiple jobs, mentoring other students, raising a family and also, being a very active Rotarian, With all the fun and celebration, Maryna also took the moment to put a large spotlight on Rotary

                               

 

The November Students of the Month are Senior Bahnaya Cohen for R.W. Traip Academy, and 8th Grader Samuel Abbott for Shapleigh School

November Club Board meeting, all members invited to attend

In a special meeting Tuesday November 14 the Rotary Club of Kittery and the Congregation of 2nd Christian Church joined to honor the Service Above Self efforts of Wilma Wheeler.

 

Kittery Rotary initiates multi-year support of four students at the Eben Ezer School in Haiti.

District Governor Marion Cheney's Official Club Visit on November 7, 2023

 

A busy last Saturday of October capped off a very busy month for the Rotary Club of Kittery.

Kittery Community Center held its annual Community First Nonprofit Fair on October 25, 2023. 

 

 

 

At our October 24, 2023 meeting, we celebrated Students of the Month for Shapleigh Middle School and Robert W. Traip Academy for the months of September and October.

 

Kittery Rotary Club held our Community Champion Recognition Social at Robert's Maine Grill on October 24, 2023. This year's recipients are Ernie and Lisa D'Angelo who own Kittery Ace Hardware.

 

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Kittery Rotary club's support of the October 19, 2023 Red Cross Blood Drive