Don Perkins has served as the President/CEO for the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) since 1995. Don works with GMRI's staff, board, and external partners to drive GMRI's evolution as a strategic science, education, and community institution that serves the Gulf of Maine bioregion and to scale GMRI's impact beyond. Since 2013, Don has served as the Executive Director of the Harte Charitable Foundation developing their investments in the stewardship and sustainable development of the Gulf of Mexico. Don is dedicated to building creative, strategic organizations, traditional or virtual, that contribute to solving intractable problems and creating new opportunities in marine conservation, STEM literacy, and common property governance and management.
Don is active in the marine policy arena on multiple levels. He currently serves on the board of the Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation and recently co-chaired the Governors Ocean Energy Task Force. He was co-founder of Friends of Casco Bay and the Maine Marine Research Coalition. He previously served on the boards of the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, Gulf of Maine Ocean Observing System, Maine Department of Marine Resources Advisory Council, and Maine Legislature’s Task Force on the Development of Aquaculture. Reflecting his broader interest in governance, Don currently serves on the board of MMG Insurance.
Don brings an unusual mix of corporate and non-profit experience to GMRI. Prior to joining GMRI, Don instructed at the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School, directed the Marine Conservation Corps in California, served as a financial advisor to Native American tribes, advised The Health Foundation on its Latin American initiatives, and managed the operations of Binax, Inc., which provided diagnostic tests and tools for infectious diseases.
Don was born in Waterville, Maine and has lived in a variety of Maine's coastal and inland communities, as well as overseas in Israel and Brazil. Don holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Dartmouth College and a M.B.A. from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Don’s greatest sources of pleasure are his family, sailing along the coast of Maine, and an early morning run or swim.
Chief Bob MacKenzie started by giving kudos to Portland Rotary for all the work we are doing with our awareness training and the recovery coach training. He then gave us an update:
• The District 7780 committee meets monthly and all are invited to attend. The committee last met 1/24/19. Reducing stigma really makes a difference, and this is the #1 goal of the committee. The committee is always looking for ideas.
• New Hampshire Rotarians will be starting substance use disorder awareness and naloxone administration training soon.
• Through a Rotary Club, the District now has an account so it can accept donations to be used for the work.
• Last August, the Kennebunk “Above Board” group had a fundraiser to benefit substance use disorder. After the first 125 $25 tickets sold out, they expanded the event to 180 people. At the event a live ask netted $21,000, with a total of $55,000 from the event. The event will be August 23rd this year.
• Some proceeds will be used for more recovery coach training. A training was created to teach emergency responders to use the techniques from the coach training, primarily to treat everyone with respect. 25 first responders will be trained 1/28/19.
• From the results of this training a 2-hr training will be created and be added to this years mandatory training for all ME police officers.
• The Governor is very supportive of substance use disorder. Other groups such as Pine State Association and the National Education Association are developing training for all their members.
• AmeriCorps will be providing a person, to work with the Kennebunk Police and Rotary to support the opioid epidemic efforts shortly.
Q&A
What is happening with the pushers? ME Drug Enforcement is very active. There continue to be more drug dogs. Laws are being adjusted to focus on dealers not users.
What is the status of treatment beds? We are gaining ground with new beds being added in many parts of the state. Pine Tree Recovery Center and a Saco outpatient facility recently opened. We still need more but now are able to find a place for all who want treatment, even if they have to go out of state.
Where is the product coming from? Phentenol, the most addictive drug, is primarily coming from China.
What about the doctors who are pushing drugs? The chief said he heard there was a class action lawsuit to force drug makers to pay for the effect of their drugs, similar to the tobacco lawsuit.
How does legalization of marijuana affect things? The chief was not a supporter of legalization. He says that he has heard many times that marijuana was the first drug to be used. His daughter started with marijuana, and got hooked on opioids. She went through treatment and seemed to be doing better, but Thursday night she was arrested for dealing phentenol.
Which drug cause most overdoses? Phentenol by a wide margin. It is so strong and works so fast that it catches people by surprise. Often, when Narcan (naloxone) is not immediately available, it is fatal.
(Photo L-R: 1st VP Amy Chipman, Chief Bob MacKenzie and Matt Wolcott.)
(Photo L-R: the Club's Opioid Task Force - back row: Bruce Moore, Tom Ranello, Chief Bob MacKenzie, Jesse Harvey; front row - Jan Chapman, Gracie Johnston, Doreen Rockstrom and Megan Peabody.)
As the New England Patriots prepare for the Super Bowl, our club showed that we are in sync. President John Curran was in the DR with our 3H team, affording the first occasion of our 1st VP President Amy Chipman to take charge of the weekly meeting. She got the house in order, despite the bell being MIA. In standard tradition she commenced with a moment of inspiration/invocation.
Leave it to Charlie Frair to find a way to co-join the spirit and guidance of the venerable Doctor Martin Luther King and the moral fabric of the Rotary Creed. Charlie brought together the history, poetry and majesty of the voice of M.L.K. and the words and deeds of Rotary International.
1st VP Amy asked Paul T. Gore to sing forth without any instrumental accompaniment. P.T.G. summoned his immense pride, energy, and sincerity and led us in a grand performance of “God Bless America,” then Matt Wolcott led us in our “Pledge of Allegiance.”
Our current 7780 District Governor, John LoBosco was recently diagnosed with a life threatening affliction which requires surgical intervention, to provide repair and recovery. The condition is of significant debilitation to require that John stay off his feet and utilize a wheel chair. Regardless of the limitations, the evening prior John tended to the duties of introducing the latest effort of the District to get out the message of opiate recovery to those seeking training in identification of the warning signs of an overdose and how to administer the life-saving medicine, Narcan (naloxone). A card was signed and being sent to John, from his Portland Rotary friends, to buoy his spirits as he prepares for the procedure. We ask that all keep John in their thoughts and prayers.
PP Bill Blount, (photo at left with 1st VP Amy) obviously, enjoys breaking out in song even when he has to drag us who were born off-key along. There was hope that the new piano would be available but, alas, that’s to come soon. If you don’t have a piano, but you have passion and talent, you improvise when you can. Bill figured that everyone knew the words to “Oh, Suzanna” and needed little help, but he still needed to secure his spectacles in order to assure perfection of his rendition of Steven Foster’s 1848 song of longing love. He made it all the easier for us by first belting out the tune on his harmonica, helping us to get into tune, in the key of whatever may be.
Once a Rotarian, always a Rotarian, is the way to be and Mark Rajotte proved the point. Recognizing the plight of workers going without a government paycheck for the work they were doing, Mark knew that something must be done to lessen the sting, so he reached out to “ever ready” Mike Fortunato and suggested that the Rotary Club of Portland sponsor a dinner to help our friends in need. In just a little more than one week, the Mark and Mike (photo at right) duo pulled together a ziti luncheon at the Italian Heritage Center (one of the sponsors). Mark and PP Roxane Cole reached out to Hannaford and asked if they could help and got a contribution of $2,500 in gift cards, along with a $1,000 donation from the Cape Eliz-SoPo Rotary Club, as well as many donations from club members.
The weekly raffle got off to a new deck this week, since Linda Varrell pulled the Queen of Hearts from the pack last week, only to donate the money back to the club. With Mike Fortunato conducting the raffle, this week Julie L’Heureux got a chance to find the queen in the new deck of 52, but decided to let the lady rest and the pot to grow by plucking the 5 of spades.
2nd VP Ellen Niewoehner (photo at right) and PP Loretta Rowe are coordinating the “Sweetheart Auction,” which will be held on February 8th at the Italian Heritage Center. Many items are needed and any assistance you can offer, running for gifts or setting up and delivering, will be appreciated. If you can be at the IHC at 10 AM that would be perfect. Bottom line, help is desperately needed, so just get there and give a hand. (See separate article this issue.)
Charlie Frair returned to the podium to remind us that we had a phenomenal Veteran’s Appreciation luncheon event and raised some significant funds to distribute to veteran related organizations. At this time there are two organizations in the running, but time is still available for others to solicit support from the club. If you know of a veterans organization that has a worthy outreach project, please, invite them to make application. Contact Charlie Frair or Paul Tully for additional details.
Ben Millick (photo at left) is teaming up with Green House to facilitate a program to help the newest, non-native, members of the Greater Portland community. Many of the immigrants, similar to our forebearers, come with talent, energy and ideas looking to be part of the greatness of America. They are often stymied by procedures, language barriers, and business basics as they try to bring dreams to reality. Ben and the group will offer 6 months of training and assistance through mentorships and instructions to our new neighbors. Contact Ben at: bmillick@clarkinsurance.com if you are willing to mentor or sponsor a core business presentation.
PP Roxane Cole is now a PHF x 6, while Mike Reed is a PHF x 7, as well as member of the the founders club donating $1000 a year to the Foundation. It was the honor of our District Governor Nominee to District 7780, PP Dick Hall, to introduce these newest awards to these most-worthy recipients. (Photo at right L-R: PP/DGN Dick Hall, Mike Reed and PP Roxane Cole.)
Gracie Johnston is doing a terrific job as our Community Service Chair and that is especially obvious when we help the needful who come to the Preble Street Food Kitchen for dinner. Gracie, along with Jesse Harvey, (photo at left) spoke of the latest dinner when we were able to offer fresh fruit as part of the meal. This is just another example of little things making a big difference in the lives of those unfortunate who experience food insecurity.
Member Birthdays 5th - Gracie Johnston 14th - Charlie Frair 19th - Erik Greven 20th - Jesse Harvey 21st - Greg Hansel 21st - Doreen Rockstrom 23rd - Rich Campbell 24th - Eric Lusk
Date-Joined-Rotary Anniversaries 1 year - Xavier Botana - Bob Fowler - Joe Reagan 3 years - George Carr - Nan Heald - Leonard Scott 18 years - Ron Bennett 26 years - David Clough 31 years - Paul Tully 33 years - Paul T. Gore
Our Sweetheart Auction will be held on February 8, 2019 at the Italian Heritage Center, 40 Westland Avenue, Portland before and during our regular meeting. If you have an item(s) you would like to donate for this event, please contactLoretta Rowe(lrowe@maine.rr.com) 883-5432 or Ellen Niewoehner (eniewoehner@banksis.com) 329-1465. If you received an item as a Christmas gift that doesn’t quite suit you, donate it to this good cause. The items must be new or SLIGHTLY used. Please be sure to contact us BEFORE the day of the auction with a description and value of your items....there is multiple paperwork that must be completed to put items on the auction block and it takes time to complete it all.
Some suggestions for donations:
Themed Gift Baskets - Put a basket together with items for the theme: • Theater Nite (Tickets with various boxed candies) • Golf Anyone? (Golf glove, balls, towel, tees, cart fee, etc.) • Gardener’s Delite (Gardening gloves, seed packets, knee pads, etc.) • Personal Relaxation (Bubble bath, bath loofa, wine glass & wine, etc.) • Picnic basket (Plates, utensils, napkins, wine & cheese, etc. - NO ants, please) • Romantic evening at home (Bottle(s) of wine, 2 wine glasses, etc.)
Tickets to a sporting event Jewelry Gift Card to local restaurants - you dine out, ask to speak with the manager and request a Gift Card to support Rotary Pub Crawl for 2(?) - Tour of the Old Port Cruise on Casco Bay for (_?_) - If you have a boat and can host a few people Coffee Brewer Lobster Dinner for (_?_) 3-night stay at your vacation home Wine
One of the best items we've had in previous auctions was a certificate for home-baked desserts once a month for a year.
So put your thinking caps on and help us out.
Don’t forget, get your item descriptions to Loretta or Ellen ASAP. You can bring the item(s) to a Rotary meeting or to the Feb. 8th meeting/auction, but let us know ahead of time if you plan to.
Invocation: Cyrus Hagge Program Reporter: John Marr Bits & Pieces Reporter: Alan Nye Registration/Greeter: Marissa Fortier Sell Meal Tickets: David Clough Raffle: Chris Force Collect Meal Tickets: Stephanie Joyce Sgt-at-Arms: Mac Collins
The following items are needed on an on-going basis. Please feel free to bring them to a meeting where we will collect and distribute them to the appropriate projects.
Crutches4Africa - Crutches, canes, folding walkers and wheelchairs to be shipped to Africa. Contact: Roger Fagan, drrogerfagan@gmail.com
Toiletries for the Shelters - Collect those tiny bottles of toiletries you are paying for during your next hotel visit and bring them home for members of our society who find themselves staying at a shelter and in need of personal hygiene products.