Brunswick Rotary - About the Rotary Club of Brunswick

The Rotary Club of Brunswick is a service organization of business and professional leaders from the mid coast Maine area that is united with Rotarians worldwide to conduct humanitarian projects, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and work toward world understanding and peace. The Club is one of the oldest in Maine (chartered in 1925) and one of the largest, with about 125 members.

Rotary International was founded in 1905 by Paul Harris and a group of four Chicago businessmen, Rotary has grown to over 27,000 clubs in 150 countries and more than 1.2 million members. The first Rotary motto, "He profits most who serves best", was adopted in 1911. In 1950, a second motto, "Service above self", was added. While both emphasize the Rotary ideal of service, the Service above self motto was adopted as the principal motto in 1989 because it best typifies the philosophy of unselfish volunteer service upon which Rotary is based.

The Rotary Club of Brunswick, as are all Rotary clubs, is organized into 4 Avenues of Service. The Vocational Service Avenue utilizes the unique skills that each Rotarian offers in their vocation as an opportunity to provide service. The Community Service Avenue focuses on service to the youth, aged, needy or homeless in the community to provide the hope of a better life. The International Avenue of Service develops service programs designed to advance international understanding, goodwill and peace. He Club Avenue of Service attends to the needs of the everyday operation of the club. Each Rotarian is expected to volunteer in one or more Avenue of Service in addition to regular attendance at the weekly club meetings.

Among the projects in which the Rotary Club of Brunswick is involved are a major project in the International Avenue of Service that is dedicated to providing our Sister State in Brazil, Rio Grande do Norte, with basic medical care not presently available to the residents there. In addition to establishing clinics throughout Rio Grande do Norte, we are also working to provide a mobile medical facility that will provide additional services such as x-rays, dental care and vaccines.

In the Vocational Avenue of Service we are involved with the local high school providing coaching/mentoring to students to help them with career choices. This project places Rotarians from a variety of careers with students with an interest in that field. The intent is to allow the students to get a look at what that career is about and expose them to other careers for which they might have an interest. Included in this effort is Meyers-Briggs testing and a strong interest inventory to identify occupations for which the students might be suited.

The Community Avenue of Service is involved with a number of projects ranging from a Memorial Day Parade and a 4th of July Celebration on the Mall in Brunswick to helping local charities raise operating funds and providing volunteers to rehabilitate facilities.

The Club Avenue of Service, among other activities, conducts the regular weekly meeting, arranges for speakers and programs, publishes a weekly newsletter to keep members abreast of Club activities and considers funding requests. In addition, the Officers and Board of Directors provides the leadership for the club and interacts with Rotary International and other clubs in the District.

Weekly meetings of the Rotary Club of Brunswick are held at noon on Mondays.

The current Officers and Directors are:

President - Stan Primmer

President Elect - Susan Chadima

Vice President - Don Kniseley

Secretary - Dave Dearborn
Treasurer -Scott Johnson

Board of Directors - 2008-2010 - Roger Dumont, Tara Hill, Mike Sfirri, John Voorhees

Board of Directors - 2009-2011 - Val Campbell, Connie Hartley, Chris Ladner, Carol Taylor

If you are interested in joining our club, please contact our Secretary - Dave Dearborn at: 725-7291.