This Week: Jeana Stewart, SRMT Architects and Engineers
Jeana is the Director of Workplace Practice at SMRT Architects & Engineers. A perceptive, strong communicator, Jeana brings energy, vision and the latest research in the design and planning of workplace environments, with a particular passion for human-centered design fostering employee wellbeing. Working collaboratively with project stakeholders, she ensures that workspace, and the process used to design it, speaks directly to an organization’s unique culture, values, and ROI goals. She is a past president of the Maine Interior Design Association (MIDA) and holds a B.S. degree in Interior Design from Mount Ida College.
Jeanna's talk will focus on how life in the office has changed, how designers are designing for it, and what the future looks like.
Our Meeting of June 3: Col. Jen Fullmer |by Tom Talbott
Roxane Cole introduced our guest, Colonel Jen Fullmer, U.S. Air Force. Roxane told us that Jen was here to share her story of a dramatic rescue of a former military colleague and his family trapped in Kabul, Afghanistan. It would take a small but dedicated team to make it happen.
Jen opened with a photo of her friend, Colonel Mohammad Hakim Safi, who she befriended while attending U.S. Air Force War College, 2010-2011, at Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama. He was known to his friends simply as Hakim.
After War College, Hakim went back to his home country of Afghanistan. It was a particularly difficult and dangerous time of fighting, something Jen knew all about as she was a squad leader supporting the fighting from the air. Last July 2021, with Kabul in danger of falling to the Taliban, Jen was able to reestablish contact with her friend. Initially, Hakim was asking for letters to be placed into a reference package to obtain a visa at the Embassy. Unfortunately, the Embassy was so overrun with crowds that he was unable to get through, and the Embassy soon closed. Taking another tact, Hakim contacted an NPR reporter he knew in the area, and was able to do a 7-minute audio interview, making his case to be approved for extraction. It was delivered to Jen on August 13th, and Jen double-downed to help get Hakim and his family out.
By the 20th, after a lot of research on the evacuation process, Jen contacted Senator King’s office whom she had worked with to start the Boots2Roots program over the last five years. (Boots2Roots helps active military members transition into the community throughout the state of Maine.) Jen worked diligently to pull together as many letters of references as she could for Hakim, from former pilots she had flown with, to War College instructors. The entire situation was total chaos, with people at all levels of the military working overtime to get various associates who were all in serious danger out of Afghanistan before the window closed.
It was now the 24th of August. The meeting at King’s office got Hakim’s name added to various lists, but Jen described it as a nice but fruitless meeting. It ultimately came down to three key people who either Jen knew from the past like David Milner, a pilot she had flown with in the 90’s, and two new acquaintances; a professor at the War College, and a Marine named Sgt. Shawn Hughes. Through WhatsApp text communication, they relayed to Hakim, "if we can get to you, you have to be prepared to leave with your family immediately." Communicating thru the entire night of the 24th, the plan was to meet at a certain gate, and have Hakim hold up a sign, “AWC” for Air War College.
Unfortunately there was massive confusion, mobs of people, missed connections at the gates and checkpoints, and sketchy communication. Hakim had 10 family members, all ages, down to a 16-month old, trying to stick together. The crowds made it next to impossible to navigate, and the plan would have failed if not for Marine Hughes who, the following morning, was able to shepherd the family to the right gate for the connection. Hakim and his family were flown to Germany and stayed in a refugee camp for seven days. They were then flown to the U.S., Dulles Airport, and quarantined for 3 weeks after his wife tested positive for Covid. After that, they went to U.S. Army base in New Jersey for processing.
The next step for Jen was to find out everything about immigration, and how to get Hakim’s family to Maine. Through neighborhood connections and organizations, Jen shared the story of Hakim’s family, and an amazing family 2 miles from Jen’s house provided a 5-bedroom house to use on a temporary basis. By the end of December, the entire family had reassembled in Maine, including a newborn! In early 2022, Jen and her husband purchased a 3 unit building down in Biddeford for the family to move into on a more permanent basis. There is a long road ahead but everyone is doing well!
Jen concluded by saying she advocates for the Afghan Adjustment Act. She is using her contacts to help Hakim get a job, perhaps as a translator. He’s 63, a senior military officer, speaks 5 languages, but it’s hard enough for U.S. veterans to transition back into the work force, which is why Jen started the Boots2Roots program. Meanwhile, Hakim’s oldest son has been employed with a Biddford engineering firm and another son enrolled at Biddeford HS is nailing down straight A’s, and is headed to SMCC in the fall. Local Rotary clubs, including Portland, donated four laptops to the family.
Taking some questions, Jen was asked how many others are still stuck in Afghanistan trying to get out, to which Jen answered hundreds, thousands, no one really knows. What Hakim had on his side, was that he worked and trained with the U.S. Military, he worked with us in Afghanistan for many years, and was a target for the Taliban. The Taliban is a retaliatory mentality, and it was not just Hakim who was a target, but his entire family, making it all that much more important to help get them out.
As far as now being in the U.S., many refugees are still living in hotels, and resettlement organizations are completely overwhelmed. Jen stressed that there are so many families in Maine who would be successful with a little help, so if you are so inclined there are many ways you can help. Simple things like getting them to a computer, helping to fill out forms, minor things, are actually huge steps.
Riveting story, with many challenges ahead. We'll look to hear more from Jen in the future.
Bits and Pieces | by Bill Blount
On Friday, June 3rd, Portland Rotarians zoomed and met face-to-face at the Da Vinci Room in the Italian Heritage Center. According to hallowed tradition the bell was struck at 12:15 PM by Past President and Guest Host Ellen Niewoehner, who called the meeting to order. Prior to the ringing diners went to the buffet, served themselves to a delicious IHC hot meal and salad lunch and chatted amongst themselves.
Ellen again rang the bell, and called upon interim president Bruce Jones to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Bruce adeptly led us in an extemporaneous reflective moment as PP Cyrus Hagge, scheduled for said reflective moment, had not yet logged into the zoom.
Cyrus shortly appeared and discharged his obligation to the delight of the assembled, informing us that renowned children’s novelist Shel Silverstein was also a writer for Rolling Stone Magazine amongst other publications. Cyrus noted that Shel stressed much of our important work in life is telling stories.
Mike Fortunato orchestrated the raffle, with our guest speaker Col. Jen Fullmer pulling Erik Greven’s ticket for a chance to win $350. Erik needed to draw the Queen of Hearts from about 45 cards in the deck to take the prize, but alas, Erik drew the 9 of Hearts. The pot thickens.
Mike stayed at the podium to review how the Thursday night May 26th social event went at the IHC. 24 folks said they would come and 30 attended. Let’s do it again, Mike suggested, at a date to be determined later. Mike also informed us that the Pig Roast social had to be cancelled due to a double booking by the pig roaster. Our bad.
We have a nice new wrinkle in the “Student of the Month” award. Since Catherine McCauley HS is no more, we have expanded our awards to include the University of Southern Maine. Student Joseph Inabanza was introduced by Erin Macey, Executive Director of Development at USM. Joseph then very passionately discussed his coming to Maine. He was welcomed by the Boys and Girls Club who instilled in him a sense of community and purpose. He saw more meaning in his studies, getting much better grades and now seeks a career in law to help other immigrants find their paths to productive lives. Joseph accepted his $1000 scholarship and directed our $100 donation to the Boys and Girls Club on his behalf. (Photo: Ellen, Joseph, and Erin)
Ellen noted that former Portland Rotarian Jerry Gordon has passed, and we include his obituary here for you to read. Bill Blount recalled Jerry being an active Rotarian and kind soul in the noble profession of insurance. Bill remembered many discussions as to how insurance is the lubricant that keeps the wheels of our modern lives spinning smoothly.
Roxane Cole introduced our guest speaker. At the end of the meeting, Ellen wished incoming President Bruce Jones a pleasant “Kool-Aid” invigorating visit to Houston,Texas at the Rotary International Convention.
Committee Preferences
President Bruce is reminding everyone to please send in your preferences for the committees you wish to serve on for the upcoming Rotary year starting July 1st. Here is a link if you need the two documents that were emailed on May 3rd - A description of committees and a preference sheet you can fill in. Thanks!
Speaker Schedule
June 17 | Nick Lund, Maine Audubon, Migratory Birds
June 24 | Timothy Brosnihan, Victoria Mansion
President-Elect Bruce Jones will turn over the bell to these Past Presidents to guest host the following meetings: June 17th: Roxane Cole • June 29th: Ben Lowry
Club Executives President-Elect Bruce Jones 1st VP Dick Hall 2nd VP Patty Byers Treasurer Howie Herodes Secretary Michelle DiSotto Board of Directors Ellen Niewoehner, Mark Foster, Bob Clark, Roger Fagan, John Thompson Sergeant-At-Arms Dave Putnam Club Administrator Alice Alexander
The Windjammer is published online by
The Rotary Club of Portland, Maine.
Contributing Editors Bill Blount, Jake Bourdeau, Dick Hall,
Erik Jorgensen, Julie L’Heureux, Ben Lowry,
Tom Nickerson, Tom Talbott, Laura Young
4th Q Program Chair: Roxane Cole Managing Editor Tom Talbott Co-Production Alice Alexander
perceptive, strong communicator, Jeana brings energy, vision and the latest research in the design and planning of workplace environments, with a particular passion for human-centered design fostering employee wellbeing. Working collaboratively with project stakeholders, she ensures that workspace, and the process used to design it, speaks directly to an organization’s unique culture, values, and ROI goals. She is a past president of the Maine Interior Design Association (MIDA) and holds a B.S. degree in Interior Design from Mount Ida College.
she had worked with to start the 
a nice new wrinkle in the “Student of the Month” award. Since Catherine McCauley HS is no more, we have expanded our awards to include the University of Southern Maine. Student Joseph Inabanza was introduced by Erin Macey, Executive Director of Development at USM. Joseph then very passionately discussed his coming to Maine. He was welcomed by the Boys and Girls Club who instilled in him a sense of community and purpose. He saw more meaning in his studies, getting much better grades and now seeks a career in law to help other immigrants find their paths to productive lives. Joseph accepted his $1000 scholarship and directed our $100 donation to the Boys and Girls Club on his behalf. (Photo: Ellen, Joseph, and Erin)
