Roxane Cole introduced our very own, Rusty Atwood, as our speaker. Rusty asked to be on the program for the July 20 meeting because of the date, July 18, 1918, being a critical turning point in World War I. He wanted to tell us “the rest of the story,” and, by extension, pay homage to many others whose service and sacrifice during “the war to end all wars” has faded into history. He spoke to us about a Centennial Saga involving 1st Lt. Earle Adams Billings. Rusty’s wife, Sue, is the great niece of Earle Billings. 

The Saga began with “the Immortals” of Portland High School, the boys that never came home from the war. Earle Adams Billings was one of those boys. A Gorham native, he graduated from Portland H.S. in 1912, then entered West Point in 1914. According to the Register of the U.S. Military Academy:  “His career at the Academy was one anyone might well be proud in that he graduated with his class in August, 1917, nine months prior to the date set for the graduation of the Class of 1918. His kindness and thoughtfulness toward everyone with whom he came in contact was distinctively prominent in his every act and those characteristics, coupled closely with his loyalty, integrity and his everlasting determination to succeed through squareness to others, gained for him from his classmates a profound respect and admiration.”

Lt. Billings, upon graduating, was assigned to the 9th Infantry, which at that time was overseas. He was one of the few officers of his class who was fortunate enough to receive an assignment to a unit which had already embarked for foreign service.

Before sailing, he married Ruth Dingley Jenkins, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Samuel Wesley Jenkins of Portland, Maine, on October 10th, 1917. He was with her only until November 2, 1917, at which time he sailed for England. He remained in London a few days and then joined his regiment, the 9th Infantry, in France and was with it until sometime in January, 1918, when he was detailed to an officers’ school as an instructor. In the latter part of March, 1918, he was appointed as range officer, which duty he performed until the thirtieth of May when he was sent to the front to rejoin his organization and was with the 9th Infantry up to the time of his death on July 18, 1918.

Many events were taking place in the world in 1918. The US declared war on Germany. Moscow became the capital of the Soviet Union. The Red Sox won the World Series. The Romanov family was executed in Russia. Nelson Mandela was born. The Battle of Soissons began on July 18 between the Allied (French, British, American) and German troops. This battle ended after four days with 107,000 Alied casualties and 168,000 Germans. 

After falling on the battlefield at Soissons, the West Point class ring of Lt. Billings was stripped from his body by a German soldier. It was recovered when the German was captured a short while later, and returned to Earl’s widow, Ruth. When Ruth remarried and had a daughter, Katharine, the ring eventually was passed down to her. Katherine married another West Point graduate, Edgar Nichols and many years later, Billings’ ring was donated back to West Point. It was carried into space by yet another West Point graduate, Col. William McArthur, in October, 2000.

Upon the completion of the space shuttle mission, the Billings ring was back at West Point to be melted down as part of the Academy’s nascent Memorial Ring Program. Gold from the Billings ring, along with several others, was incorporated into the class rings of the West Point Class of 2002. Each year since, more donated rings are melted and the new class receives rings containing gold from past graduates.

After the war, Portland recognized their fallen sons by planting Linden Trees on Baxter Boulevard, one for each soldier lost. Each soldier from the Great War had a story to tell, perhaps not involving a ring that traveled into space, but important to a family nonetheless.

Rusty recommended several books: one by Richard Rubin, The Last of the Doughboys and Back Over There as good accounts of life as a soldier in the Great War, and a two-volume book by Don Zillman and Elizabeth Elsbach, Living The World War: A Weekly Exploration of the American Experience in World War I.
 

(Photo L-R: Rusty Atwood and President John Curran.) 

A new Rotary year has begun, out of the basement cavern we have come, the year ahead will be service and fun, and our new President John Curren will assure it’s well run. President John got us started by welcoming 46 members, 1 visiting Rotarian and 1 guest, then recognized the program theme, the fallen of WWI, and a speaker familiar to us....not a guest, but a son. 

Charlie Frair was asked to offer a moment of inspiration and noted the occasion. While the focus was to be World War I, the war to end all wars, he invoked the inspiration of a war time leader of a later date, Winston Churchill. Charlie offered three quotes from the Prime Minister and hit the mark.

Continuing our patriotic theme, we willingly Pledged our Allegiance to the Flag and followed that, sans instrument or specific song leader, with a heartfelt singing of our national anthem. Our group proved that the right song and the perfect admeasure of pride and passion is beauty in and of its own.  Great job!

It has been determined that the majority of the club prefer a lighter lunch (our third week) in order to keep down the calories and cost. We have honored majority rule and have gone to a meal offering which will keep the price at $17. However, President John advised that we are not selling enough meal tickets to cover our overhead. Consequently, every member is asked to show support, either by buying lunch or making a donation;  how about giving a few dollars while signing in? 

Past President Laura Young remembers asking all of us to bring guests and introduce them to Rotary, in general, and the magnificence of our club and acts of service in particular. Laura, always a woman of her word, brought two guests to the meeting and we believe they will both be sponsored by Laura to become members. 
We also had a guest from far away.. ..Ed Mast, a member of the Lakewood Foothills Club, located outside West Denver, Colorado traded banners with President John (photo at left).

Every Rotarian is proud of what we do and every club has hallmark service projects, of which to boast. We all bemoan that these acts of service and largess are not well known within the community. When we list the service projects and gifts of our club, we pop buttons with pride but scratch our head later wondering why so few know. Juliana L’Heureux, has taken on the charge of Public Relations and outlined the plans the committee has developed to get the word out and give us better community exposure and enhance our membership efforts. Through collaboration, such as Chamber events, we can get the word in front of prospects and others who need to know. If you have an idea to share or know of an upcoming event, pass it along to Julie.

Our summertime, Savannah-based, member Kirk Duffy told the group of his initiation to our Club’s efforts to help the kids in the Cedar Unit at the Long Creek Youth Development Center. Kirk was instrumental in our serving up an abundant barbecue to the boys, along with a little frisbee can bash on the side. It was the first time that the boys said that they had too much food! Mike Fortunato and PP Jim Willey have been spearheading the Cedar meetings for over 5 years and they keep finding ways to make it better. Despite the addition of Kirk and Joe Reagan, they need more help. If you’re free on the third Tuesday of the month, please consider joining the group. Kirk will tell you that he passed the background check and came away a free and happy man.

The many projects of Rotary only happen because of the help of our members. There is room for everyone to help on any project and we ask that you look around and find the project that best fits your intentions and calendar. Roger Fagan, International Service Chair, asked for members to show up on Thursday, July 26th at the warehouse located at 20 Gooch Street in Biddeford to help with the Crutches4Africa project. It’s a light-lifting night with a start of 5 PM and you should be going home by 7 PM. If you can help please contact Roger at: drrogerfagan@gmail.com. If you’re busy on Thursday, how about Wednesday, the 25th? Our Community Services Chair, Gracie Johnston (gracie.johnston@newscentermaine.com), is heading up our monthly effort to help feed the needy at the Preble Street Resource Center. The kitchen duties are many and there’s something that will fit the abilities of anyone wanting to help. We meet at the center at 3:30 PM and on our way home around 6. The needs are many and we don’t confine ourselves to our club alone. Meredith Small brought to our attention the need of the Saco Bay Rotary Club to find a new sponsor for their signature fundraiser, The Duck Pluck. If your business is willing to help, please get in touch with Meredith at: mertsmall@hotmail.com.

On the subject of plucking, Jerry Angier orchestrated our weekly raffle and offered up a pot of $805 if you plucked the Queen of Hearts. Our speaker of the day, trusty Rusty Atwood, pulled the name of Alan Levenson (photo above L-R: Jerry Angier and Alan Levenson). Alan had good plucking luck the last time his name was drawn and gave his winnings back to the Club. He didn’t have any luck on this day and didn’t have to decide whether to spend or share, so the kitty will be greater next week. Come to the meeting, buy many tickets and enjoy the treasure of Rotary fellowship....a stand alone prize.
 

Invocation:  Julie L'Heureux
Program Reporter:  John Marr
Bits & Pieces Reporter:  Alan Nye
Registration/Greeter:   Jennifer Frederick
Sell Meal Tickets:  Terri St Angelo
Raffle:  Dave Putnam
Collect Meal Tickets:  ________
Sgt-at-Arms (Setup):  Matt Tassey 
Sgt-at-Arms (Take Down): Dave Putnam

If you would like to mark your calendars,
we are scheduled at the following locations
through August 17, 2018:

2018 
Jul 27 - Holiday Inn By-the-Bay

Aug   3 - The Clarion
Aug 10 - The Clarion
Aug 17 - Hadlock Field
Aug 24 - tbd
Aug 31 - tbd

Blue BOLD dates are scheduled Board meeting days.

Any questions, please contact Loretta at: lrowe@maine.rr.com