Speakers
Program Chair: Patty Rice
Mar 22, 2023
Greeter: Lynne Schott
Program Chair: Bob Schott
Mar 29, 2023
Greeter: Patty Rice
Program Chair: Warren Spencer
Apr 05, 2023
Greeter: Dave Preble
April Students of the Month
Apr 12, 2023
Alice Paul
Program Chair: Chris Summers
Apr 19, 2023
Greeter: Ron Morse
Program Chair: Val Weston
Apr 26, 2023
Greeter: Liz Knox
Upcoming Events
 
Home Page News
Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.
As we  honor our Students of the Month, we always ask if any of them still have their dictionaries we gave them back when they were in 3rd grade, and many of them still do!  We delivered dictionaries to all of the elementary schools in SAD 17.  This year, there are 211 students who will receive a dictionary. This is a project that all club members enjoy participating in by handing them out directly to the students and talking to them about Rotary and the dictionaries. One thing the kids always like to find is the longest word in the English language! A few years ago, we named the Dictionary Project in honor of Mary Lou Burns, a long time teacher and administrator in SAD 17 and a Rotarian for many years who was instrumental in starting this project. Since we started donating dictionaries back in 2004, to date we have given out 4,704! 
February is World Understanding and Peace Month: Our commitment to peacebuilding today answers new challenges: how we can make the greatest possible impact and how we can achieve our vision of lasting change.  We are approaching the concept of peace with greater cohesion and inclusivity, broadening the scope of what we mean by peacebuilding, and finding more ways for people to get involved.
Our Mission statement: The Rotary Club of Oxford Hills is a diverse group of service-oriented men and women providing hands-on and financial support within our community and beyond.  We exemplify "Service Above Self" while encouraging high ethical standards, enjoying fellowship and promoting world understanding, peace and goodwill.
Remember our Membership Challenge!  The board has challenged each member to propose a new member during this Rotary year.  Have you proposed your member yet?? Someone invited you, now it's your turn to share Rotary!  Each one, bring one!
 
 
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Our Club Meeting Info
Welcome to our Club!
Oxford Hills

We meet In Person
Wednesdays at 7:30 AM
1st Congregational Church
17 East Main Street
South Paris, ME 04281
United States of America
We are currently meeting in-person, following Covid guidelines under the direction of the Church requirements. We also have Zoom available. Please contact Tina Fox for a link if interested.
Home Page Stories
Just a reminder, tickets for our 1st Chili & Chowder event are all PRESOLD, so if you're thinking of waiting till the event, it'll be too late! $12 for either a fish chowder or chili to go. Who wants tickets? For tickets, contact President Elect Beth Abbott at 207-461-2334. All proceeds go to help fund our 7-$1,000 scholarships to OHCHS graduates! Thank you for your support!
 
In honor of January being Vocational Service month, the Oxford Hills Rotary Club has invited guest speakers to come to our meetings and share their vocation with the members.  Each speaker is thanked and presented a framed certificate of appreciation.  Recently, Newly Retired Norway Fire Chief Dennis Yates shared his vocation and said he has worked for the Norway FD for 48 years, serving as chief for the last 13 years.  Dennis said he had used the Rotary 4 Way Test, but never knew where it had come from!
MSAD 17 Interim Superintendent Heather Manchester spoke about her extensive education background, both as a teacher and an administrator.  We’re hoping ‘interim’ gets dropped soon and she is hired as our full time Superintendent.  
The Oxford Hills Rotary Club is pleased to welcome its newest member, Leanna Bowie. Leanna’s classification will be Insurance-Marketing as she is employed at WJ Wheeler Insurance in South Paris where she is the Marketing Manager. Congratulations and welcome to OH Rotary Leanna! Shown here receiving her pin, info and Rotary mug presented by President George Rice and sponsor, Curtis Cole.
The Oxford Hills Rotary Club recently presented Joe Galletta, who is celebrating 10 years as Owner of Ripley & Fletcher Ford, with a Paul Harris Fellow Award.  A Paul Harris Fellow is an award with a $1,000 donation being made to The Rotary Foundation, the charitable arm of Rotary, and is named after the founding Rotarian, Paul Harris, in 1905, to someone who exemplifies Rotary’s motto “Service Above Self”.   The award was made due to Joe’s interest and dedication to the Rotary Club by providing time for employees like Glenn Huntley and Connor Burnam to participate in club activities.  He has, over the years supported OH Rotary Club’s fundraisers by purchasing tickets for Lobsters, buying cheese wheels, and especially donating used vehicles for the Annual Auction/Yard Sale.  Joe truly epitomizes the Rotary Motto “Service Above Self”.  Shown L to R: Glenn Huntley, member sponsor, Joe Galletta, newest PHF, and President George Rice.   Congratulations Joe!
 
 
 
Please plan to join us Thursday, 10/27/22 at Honey Badger in Oxford. Pints for Polio=$1.00 per adult beverage will be donated towards Rotary's "End Polio Now" Campaign. Please come and invite all your friends! Special thanks to Honey Badger for hosting and their willingness to do this donation!
It's time for our annual Rotary Cheese Wheel sale. Each wheel is 2 lbs of Cabot Sharp Cheese made in Cabot, Vt.   Price is $20 per wheel and can be purchased from your favorite OH Rotarian.  All proceeds go to support our Dictionary, May Day Play Day and Scholarship projects. Thanks for your support!
A special THANK YOU to Community Concepts and John Williams from Williams Broadcasting for their help hosting and recording this podcast.  You can click on the link and it will take you (hopefully!) to Community....What a Concept" site.  Then scroll down until you find the podcast titled "Rotary Club of Oxford Hills Spotlight" http://www.ccimaine.org/podcast.  You can also find the direct link on any podcast platform (Apple, Google, Spotify, etc)  Hope you enjoy it and learn a bit about Oxford Hills Rotary! (recorded 8.17.22)
 
To sign-up please contact Dave Preble via email at preb@roadrunner.com or text 207-890-6794.  A HUGE THANK YOU to all our sponsors!  See you at the Oxford Fair and let's play some Cornhole!!
 
Join us for a Rotary Cornhole Tournament to be held at the Oxford County Fair, 67 Pottle Road, Oxford, ME on Saturday, Sept. 17th, noon to 4:00.  *registration starts at 11 am *Doubles only* Advanced Teams  $30 entry fee* Social Teams $20 entry fee * Double elimination * ACA Rules of Play * Using Scoreholio app * Air Mail Contest * Over $1400 in prizes * All proceeds to benefit Senior Citizen and Veteran Programs * FMI  contact Dave Preble at 207-890-6794. 
THANK YOU to our sponsors: Edward Jones, Ameriprise Financial, Ripley & Fletcher Ford, Hannaford of Oxford, Austin Associates, Norway Savings Bank, Oxford Casino, Record Lumber, Oxford NAPA, Reid's Service Center, Norway Brewing Co., 290 Main Street, The Lake Store, Twin Town Homes, WOXO Radio.
 
 
 
The 2021-2022 Rotarian of the Year Recipient has been a past president, long time board member, and an active member with many of our club’s activities and community service projects. 
 
He is an active member of our club’s Scholarship Selection Committee and Membership Committee. He always responds and participates in all of our club’s community service activities - whether it’s to help set up and/or take down our club’s tents, preparing and serving food at the OHCHS Senior Class Picnic Day, working at our annual Auction/Yard Sale Day, and helping prep and serve with our club’s annual Lobster Drive-Thru Dinner.  
 
This member’s biggest role with our club’s community service projects is with the SAD 17 Grade 3 Dictionaries Project. As chair of this project, he orders dictionaries, arranges distribution and assists with dictionaries presentations, to all 3rd Graders at MSAD 17’s eight elementary schools. 
 
His biggest role and service with our club is that of “Club Communicator”. He has served tirelessly as our club secretary for many years. He also designs and sends out our club’s weekly Rotary Reader, taking notes at our weekly club meetings and monthly board meetings, ordering pins, mugs, certificates, and special recognition plaques for club members and community members. He also acts as our agent when filing annual reports with District 7780 and Rotary International. 
 
The 2021-2022 Rotarian of the Year of the Oxford Hills Rotary Club is John Griffith!!  CONGRATULATIONS! (top photo 2019 ROY Peter Kaurup, John Griffith, and 2020 ROY Dan Hart; middle pic, John with his wife, Shelley; bottom pic John with his special cake)
 
Oxford Hills Rotary Club is holding a Yard Sale on Saturday, July 9, 2022 from 8am to 2pm at Oxford Hills
Comprehensive High School, South Paris, in the bus loop. No auction this year, but there should be
some good bargains at the Yard Sale. If you’d like to bring your own table and join us, for no charge,
please do! We will have a “Fill-A-Bag Sale” for $5.00 from 1-2. BYOB (bring your own BAG). Proceeds
will benefit the many projects OH Rotary supports. FMI contact Paul Thornfeldt, 207-592-4663.
 
The Rotary Club of Oxford Hills was joined at their breakfast meeting recently to recognize the top 5% of the 2022 graduates of Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School.  Their future plans and aspirations are extremely admirable! The Club then honored Retiring Principal Ted Moccia with a Paul Harris Fellow Award to thank him for his interest, dedication and support of their Rotary Club over the years, as well as to the entire Oxford Hills community!  A Paul Harris Fellow is an award with a $1,000 donation being made to The Rotary Foundation, the charitable arm of Rotary, and is named after the founding Rotarian, Paul Harris, in 1905, to someone who exemplifies Rotary’s motto “Service Above Self”.  Congratulations Ted and best wishes on your retirement!
May Day Play Day is back on for 2022! Saturday, May 7, 2022 from 9-12 noon at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School! FREE fun activities for the kids! Please help us spread the word!
 
It's time again for our Annual Lobsters for Scholars raffle. Tickets are on sale now for $40 with only 75 sold! Winner Winner, Lobster Dinner! Who wants tickets? Message us here, contact George Rice at 207.890.3122 or contact your favorite OH Rotarian! All proceeds benefit our Scholarship Fund. Thank you for your support!!
Remember our Membership Challenge!  The board has challenged each member to propose a new member during this Rotary year.  Have you proposed your member yet?? Someone invited you, now it's your turn to share Rotary!  Each one, bring one!
Greetings:
Commencing Saturday, January 1st, Rotary International promotes Vocational Service Month. 
In addition to our January 2022 Club Meetings' Programs and Members' Vocation & Career Bios Booklets, Heidi Ortiz, Ed Millett and I also wish to share with you the following Vocational Service Month promotional information: 
 
The Object of Rotary is a philosophical statement of Rotary’s purpose and the responsibilities of Rotarians. The concept of vocational service is rooted in the Second Object, which calls on Rotarians to “encourage and foster”:
These objectives are:
     * To encourage and foster high ethical standards in business and professions, to recognize the worthiness of all useful occupations, to dignify the Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society.
     * To apply the ideal of service in personal, business and community life.
     * To advance international understanding and goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of businessmen and professional men and women united in the ideal of service.
Paul Harris wrote: "Each Rotarian is a connecting link between the idealism of Rotary and their trade or profession".
 
Vocational Service is the way Rotary fosters and supports the application of the Ideal of Service to the pursuit of all vocations. It is the shared responsibility of both the Rotary Club and its members. The role of the Club is to implement and encourage the objectives by its own actions in dealing with the community and by the development of projects that enable members to use their vocational talents in the service of the community.  The role of members is to conduct themselves and their businesses in accordance with Rotary principles, and support the Vocational Service projects that the club has developed.
 
During January, Rotarians are encouraged to focus on this important avenue of Rotary service.  Discussions on vocational service can lead to projects that not only develop the ethical consciousness and vocational skills of Rotarians but also the talents within their communities.  Vocational Service Month is an opportunity to begin year-long vocational service activities, ranging from Rotary discussions to awards to community projects.
 
Here's our club's Third Annual Vocational Service Month's Community Speakers Series schedule (may be subject to change): 
Wed. January 5th: 
1) Monica LaVerdiere, owner of Bear Foot Realty (Dave Preble)   
2) Jim McCarthy, Assistant Manager at Lee Auto Credit Express (Alice Paul) 
 
Wed. January 12th - OHCHS Students of the Month Program 
 
Wed. January 19th - (our evening club meeting) Perry Palmer, Manager, Town & Country Mobile Home Community (Alice Paul)  
 
Wed. January 26th
1) Michael Dailey, Paris Police Chief & Military Veteran (Patty Rice & Liz Knox )
2) Open 
 
Wed.  February 2nd  Open** 
** Should we need this date for speaker's availability or due to a January club meeting weather related postponement.
 
Yours in Rotary,
Dan Hart, Vocational Service Director
 
The Rotary Club of Oxford Hills would like to say ‘thank you’ to 290 Maine Street Bar & Grill in Norway for hosting their 1st Annual Pints for Polio fundraiser.  290 agreed to donate $1 for every ‘pint’ sold at the event, which was held on 10/24/21, World Polio Day.  Yes, Polio has been eradicated in the US, but it is still out there in 3rd world countries and only a plane ride away! 
 
When Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, there were 350,000 cases of polio in 125 countries every year. We’ve made great progress against the disease since then. Today, polio cases have been reduced by 99.9 percent, and just two countries continue to report cases of wild poliovirus: Afghanistan and Pakistan. And we remain committed to the end.  The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to match that 2-to-1, for a total yearly contribution of $150 million.
 
Rotary members would also like to thank the entire OH Community, both those who participated in the Pints for Polio event as well as those who made donations at their recent Polio Road Toll held on 10/17/21.  Between the 2 Polio events and with the Gates 2-to-1 match, over $7,000 will go towards the eradication efforts.  Thank you 290 and the entire Oxford Hills!
 
 
 
 
It's time once again for our Annual Cabot Cheese Wheel sales fundraiser. Same price at $18 per 2 pound wheel, gets you a nice Cabor Sharp Cheese wheel, wrapped in wax delivered in a nice gift box. We only have 600 to sell, so get your orders in early! Cheese will be available mid-November in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Proceeds help support our Dictionary and Scholarship programs. FMI contact Paul Thornfeldt @ 207-592-4663 or Patty Rice @207-890-2332. Thank you!
Please join us for our 1st Annual "Pints for Polio" on Sunday, 10/24/21 from 2-6 pm at 290 Maine Street, Norway, ME.  Door prizes, 50-50 raffle, Patriot's Football and fun!
Our club members (L) Patty Rice and (R) Beth Abbott  shown making donations to 2 of the local food pantries, top is Daddy O's, bottom is Oxford Helping Hands.  Donations were also made to the West Paris, East Otisfield and Norway Universalist Church food pantries.
World Polio Day is October 24, 2021.  In recognition of this day, all District 7780 Clubs are encouraged to participate in "Pints for Polio" to raise awareness in our communities about Rotary's efforts to eradicate polio worldwide, while having a fun social event for the club and community, and raising funds for PolioPlus.  Join us for our "Pints for Polio" FUNraiser, to help eradicate Polio, 1 pint at a time!  FMI, contact Co-President Peter Kaurup.
Tickets on sale now! 35th Annual Lobster Fest, curbside drive-thru again this year! Must have tickets in advance. $25 pp. Contact Co-Prez Peter Kaurup @ 207.739.1148, pkaurup@gmail.com or contact your fav OH Rotarian! Sat 8/21/21 4-6pm, who wants tickets?!!  TICKET SALES ARE NOW CLOSED, THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PURCHASED THEM!
Club Executives & Directors
President
President Elect
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Immediate Past Co-President
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Foundation Chair
Membership Chair
Club Protection Officer
Public Relations
Interact Advisor
Web Administrator
Sergeant-at-Arms
Immediate Past Co-President
RYLA Chair
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