Helping Our Neighbors

By Marty Helman

It’s easy to take for granted – it’s great to have a chance to reflect on what a tremendous community we live in. And how much our public servants want to do what they can to help community members.

It was nine years ago that then-Chief Bob Hasch reached out to young people caught up in opioid addiction, and promised to get them help before they did something stupid that would require him to arrest them.  Last week, Rep. Holly Stover and Police Chief Doug Snyder came to the club to catch us up to date on what Community Resources and the Police Department are doing now to keep the momentum going.

And the answer is: a lot. Chief Doug continues to talk to people – either before they do something or after arrest – to try to get them into rehab.  The biggest challenge is that the drugs have changed – whereas a decade ago the drugs of choice were prescription meds, today cocaine and other drugs are being laced with fentanyl, a substance that is extremely powerful and too-frequently lethal because it is much stronger than the buyer recognizes.

Holly stressed that people in addiction by necessity turn every relationship into a transactional one, and will do anything to keep their supply of drugs forthcoming.  Most people who sell are doing it to feed their own addiction, and most people who buy will sell  or steal or do whatever they can to find the means to purchase the drugs.

Doug explained that some of the stuff that comes in is so powerful that even skin contact can get you high, and the police have to be extremely careful when around suspected users.  The good news is that there is now a test to determine the contents of the drugs. Holly has made up “test kits” and is distributing them to restaurants downtown, asking that the bartenders hand them out to suspected users so that they can test the stuff before they take it.  Of course, the testing only makes sense if the user isn’t already high but still capable of reading the results. 

This program is just one organized by the Community Resources Council.  Our club is involved in several other programs, very much including feeding programs including the Community Fridge and Food for Thought.  Judi White said that local farms are beginning to produce, and asked for volunteers to support her, Brian McGrath and Bill Louisignau on their weekly trips to pick up food and deliver it to our neighbors who need it most.  

And then the conversation turned to the Windjammers Boat Parade, and the absolute need to protect our first-place win in last year’s parade.  So come on out – everyone – Wednesday at 1:00 pm at the Clubhouse.  Wear blue pants (shorts okay if weather appropriate) and white tops.  Come to decorate, organize, kibbitz or just generally get in the way.  Bikers, walkers, and riders needed for the parade itself.  Be there.  It’s tremendous fun, and this writer is just sorry that she will be out of town and forced to miss the event.  

It's also our last call to contribute to The Rotary Foundation, the 501(c)3 that supports all the good work that Rotary does locally and around the world.  Donations bring fabulous prizes as well as the reality of helping out – and no one knows this better than Jim Herbold, who was  honored for his remarkable gifts over the years to the Foundation.  Giving online or by check to Judi White works equally; reach out to Judi if you need help with either method.  But remember: The deadline for gifts to be counted this fiscal year is next  Wednesday.

And Thursday is our annual Changeover, when we say “thank you” to the dynamic duo  of Mike Thompson and Alden Wood and “congratulations” to the amazing Laurie Zimmerli and the dynamic VP team of Byron Cortez and Conxa Packard. Not only that, but the usual “Change Over” Dinner fun too.   In honor of Paul Harris and the world wide impact of the Rotary Foundation, our esteemed Membership Coordinator Linda Clapp asks that we wear our Paul Harris pins this Thursday.  Drag them out of your top drawers, pin them to your shirts, let them shine and show our  Club’s commitment to the work of the Rotary Foundation.

Between then and now, and every Saturday, it’s good to remember that the Rotary Barn is open to deals and steals.  All hands needed on Saturdays and throughout the week; check with Laurie if you aren’t sure how you can help.  Believe me, you can!

And if you see summer workers out there on Rotary bikes, thank Bill Prince for his organizational skills, and thank Mike Thompson who successfully garnered a $30K gift from the Chester and Muriel Dawes Foundation to upgrade and replace bikes as needed.  This is a project we started way back in 2006 – this is its 20^th year – and the program has only grown and become more needed as time has moved along.

Interested in Rotary and all the good work we do?  Come to one of our “regular” meetings every Thursday evening at the Rotary clubhouse, 66 Montgomery Street.  The joint is jumping by 6:00 pm and the (not very) formal dinner and program start at 6:30.  We’re outta there by 8:00 pm.  Or come to the Barn (same address) each Saturday morning from 8:30 to 11:00 am and support our weekly Barn sales that make it possible for us to give back to the community.  Got something to donate to the Barn sales?  Please call Greg via phone or text at 207-619-1417 or via email at rotarybarnpickup@gmail.com to schedule a pickup or drop off.  Then watch while Rotary magically turns trash into treasure. Please note: No white goods, bed frames or mattresses, pianos or organs, athletic bikes, books or clothing.  Thank you.