Brenna Levasseur, Rotary Spirit Student of the Year

The club was honored to recognize its 2018-2019 Rotary Spirit Student of the Year (SOY) Brenna Levasseur at the Fort Fairfield Middle/High School (FFMHS) Honors Night program. Tracy Copeland, club President and Rotary Spirit Program Chairman, introduced the 2018-2019 school-year Rotary Spirit Student Award (RSSA) recipients Colby Giberson and Jessica Halsey (Sept/Oct 2018), Cammi King and Skyler Ouellette (Nov/Dec 2018), Brenna Levasseur and Jonas Armstrong (Jan/Feb 2019), and Autumn Sawyer (Mar/Apr 2019).

Fort Fairfield Rotarians unloaded 8,500 pounds of SWEET Vidalia Onions this morning. This means that these beauties will be delivered all over The County from Houlton to Fort Kent and all points in between during the next few days.

The club wants to give a big shout out THANK YOU to Hillside IGA and K-Pel Industries for much appreciated assist getting the onions to us, and another Thank You to our many Annual Vidalia Onions Sales fundraiser supporters.

ENJOY!!! 

Rotarians Wayne Troicke, Kevin Murchie, Larry Plant, Carl Young, Amy Dubay - Photo by Tracy Copeland

With all the snow still hanging around I know it is hard to believe, but it is Vidalia Onion Sales fundraiser time. Oh my! I can hardly wait for these sweet beauties to arrive. So here’s the scoop: still $25 for a 25 pound bag, order by 30 April for delivery around the second weekend in May. As usual the delivery date is somewhat fluid since it depends upon when the farmers can harvest in Vidalia, Georgia. If you ordered in the past you should be hearing from a friendly Fort Fairfield Rotary Club Rotarian but if you don’t please give Dianna, (207) 540-8818, or Carl, (207) 551-1495, a call. Also, please don’t forget that not only will you be enjoying these beauties you will also be supporting a wide variety of community and regional needs. We are all volunteer Rotarians so proceeds go towards helping others. Order now, ENJOY, and a big in-advance THANK YOU!

Fort Fairfield Middle High School (FFMHS) students Brenna Levasseur and Jonas Armstrong, Rotary Spirit Student Award (RSSA) recipients for school year-quarter January/February 2019, were recently honored at a club breakfast. Brenna, nominated by Kelly Koziol, and Jonas, nominated by James Smith and Jacquie Martin were recognized for their achievements in academics, citizenship, and personnel development. Each recipient received a recognition certificate and an iTunes gift card, will have their photo displayed at FFMHS, and is now eligible for RSSA Student of the Year selection and recognition during Honors Night at school-year’s end. 

 

Brenna and Jonas receive their RSSA certificates from Rotarian Larry Plant. 

Brenna and family with Kelly Koziol, FFMHS nominator (front-second from right) and Tracy Copeland, President (back-left)
 

Jonas with family and James Smith, FFMHS nominator (back-center) and Tracy Copeland, President (back-right)

Family and freinds enjoy presentation ceremonies 

Tracy Copeland, President, explains the Rotary Spirit Student Award (RSSA) program to the audience. 

Fort Fairfield Middle High School (FFMHS) National Honor Society (NHS) members Colby Langner, Colby Giberson, Olivia Langner, Jessica Halsey (President), Caijsa Benson and Faculty Advisor Garrett Martin attended the club’s recent breakfast meeting. During the meeting Jessica, on the NHS’s behalf, presented a $100 check to Tracy Copeland, Club President. These funds will be passed on to the Fort Fairfield Elementary School (FFES) faculty/staff as part of the Rotary club’s warm winter clothing project for youngers at the FFES who might not otherwise have mittens, caps, gloves or the like.

Amy Dubay (left) and Dianna Leighton are the club's newest Rotarians. 

The club inducted new Rotarians Amy Dubay and Dianna Leighton during its annual Christmas/New Year’s meeting held at the Fort Fairfield Middle/High School. Cliff Rhome, District 7810, Area 1, Assistant Governor (AG) presented the inductions citation. Rotarian Effie Murchie pinned Amy with Rotary’s membership pin and Rotarian Josie Lopez performed Dianna’s pinning. Debbie Rhome (Limestone club Rotarian) together with Floyd Rockholt, former Area 1 AG and Presque Isle Rotary club member visited with us for the ceremonies.

Rotarian Effie Murchie pins Amy with her Rotary International membership pin. 

Rotarian Josie Lopez pins Dianna with her Rotary International membership pin. 

Mari-Jo Hedman, FFMHS Music Department, accepts "Happy Dollars" donation from club President, Tracy Copeland 

The club held its annual Christmas/New Year’s seasonal meeting at the Fort Fairfield Middle/High School (FFMHS) recently. Rotarians are very happy at this time of year and raising $300 during “Happy Dollars” donated these funds to the Fort Fairfield Elementary School to purchase warm winter clothing for youngsters who might not otherwise have mittens, caps, gloves or the like. School staff being very much aware of needs administer the winter clothing program for the club. Mari-Jo Hedman, Music Department, accepted the donation on the school’s behalf from club President, Tracy Copeland. During the meeting a FFMHS choral group, under Mari-Jo’s direction, provided seasonal musical selections with club members joining in on several selections. The school’s cafeteria staff provided an excellent breakfast. Cliff Rhome, District 7810, Area 1, Assistant Governor (AG) and wife Debbie (both Limestone club Rotarians) together with Floyd Rockholt, former Area 1 AG and Presque Isle Rotary club member visited with us for the festivities. 

The club wants to thank all these members who volunteered to provide seasonal selections at the meeting. 

Delightful seasonal pieces provided by the coral group. 

Mari-Jo accompanies the coral group. 

Jessica Halsey and Colby Giberson were recently honored as the September/October 2018 Rotary Spirit Student Award (RSSA) recipients at the club’s breakfast meeting. This kicked off the RSSA program’s eighth year at the Fort Fairfield Middle/High School (FFMHS).

Each school year-quarter the Fort Fairfield Middle/High School faculty/staff provide girl and boy student nominations for the RSSA. The club’s program committee then selects recipients from amongst these identification redacted-nominee write-ups. The program’s evaluation criteria recognizes that in order to be a productive member in the community the student must be well-rounded in academics, citizenship, and personal development. Each recipient receives a recognition certificate and an iTunes gift card. 

The club recently held an Open House function and we want to thank those who came out to visit with us and learn more about Rotary and the club. Here are the slides from the revolving presentation provided which show many of the organizations/projects supported by our generous fundraisers supporters. As you will note the club is very active in the community, region, and internationally celebrating 40 years of “Service Above Self”.

If you live or work in Fort Fairfield, we would like to take this opportunity to invite you to join us. Currently we meet the second and fourth Wednesday of each month 7-8AM, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Annex, 170 Main Street, Fort Fairfield. May we ask that if you would like to join us but these meeting times don’t fit into your busy schedule, please suggest a more preferable time(s) in the Comments or more privately via an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Fort Fairfield Misses — with Little Miss Fort Fairfield Addie Levesque, Pre-Teen Miss Fort Fairfield – Cady June Stairs, Junior Miss Fort Fairfield – Skye Elizabeth Strid, Miss Teen Fort Fairfield – Meghan Louise Schupbach and Miss Fort Fairfield – Leigha Ruth Langley. 

Although temps were a bit “warm” spirits were high and it was a refreshing ride for Fort Fairfield’s Maine Potato Blossom Festival (MPBF) royalty. Miss Fort Fairfield – Leigha Ruth Langley, Miss Teen Fort Fairfield – Meghan Louise Schupbach, Junior Miss Fort Fairfield – Skye Elizabeth Strid, Pre-Teen Miss Fort Fairfield – Cady June Stairs, and Little Miss Fort Fairfield Addie Levesque were greeted by smiles, cheers, and waves from friends, family, and well-wishers as the Misses’ Rotary float made its way along the MPBF parade route. Many thanks to Crown Equipment for its New Holland tractor which piloted by Rotarian George McLaughlin provided a smooth ride for the Misses. 

Miss Fort Fairfield – Leigha Ruth Langley. 

Miss Teen Fort Fairfield – Meghan Louise Schupbach.

 Junior Miss Fort Fairfield – Skye Elizabeth Strid.

Pre-Teen Miss Fort Fairfield – Cady June Stairs.

Little Miss Fort Fairfield Addie Levesque.

Many thanks to Crown Equipment for its New Holland tractor 

New bikes await raffle winners 

The club hosted the annual Bike Rodeo during the recent Maine Potato Blossom Festival. Youngsters ages 2-12 came out to receive new helmets, bike riding safety instructions from retired Officer Jim Cerrato (many thanks Jim for coming out), a chance to win a new bike, and a hot dog with all the fixin’ lunch. 

Rotarians Kevin Murchie, Carl Young, Effie Murchie, and Larry Plant are ready 

Chief Newell checks that all is well 

Waiting for practice runs 

On the riding safety course 

Officer Jim Cerrato provides safety instructions 

New bike winner Brock Everett

New bike winner Kaiden Lay

New bike winner Jayden Corey 

Ready for escorted ride down Main Street 

And we're off 

Riders show that they can properly stop with brakes 

Officer Jim recognizes a good stop 

Winners one and all 

Rotarians Paul Towle, Kevin Murchie, Wayne Troicke, Larry Plant, Tracy Copeland, Carl Young with guest Karen Reynolds, and District 7810 Governor Silvana Bosca display the "WE ARE Rotary" banner. 

At a recent a meeting the club welcomed Silvana Bosca, District 7810 Governor, Rotary-year 2018-2019. Silvana, a Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada native and Rotary Club of Bathurst member, provided an upbeat presentation centered on Rotary’s 2018-2019 theme, “BE THE INSPIRATION”.

Silvana presented the club a congratulatory certificate recognizing the club’s 40 years of active service in the community. Also recognized were the many organizations and projects supported by the club. These may be visited on the club’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Fort-Fairfield-Rotary-Club-201228719900441/?ref=hl or select Archives  (here, or the tabs menu above). 

Silvana presents a congratulatory 40 years of community service certificate to Tracy Copeland, President. 

Tracy presents Silvana a commemorative Fort Fairfield Rotary Club tote bag. 

The club honored its Rotary Spirit Student of the Year (SOY) Alex Sprague, and recognized Rotary Spirit Student Award (RSSA) recipients for the school-year 2017-2018 at the Fort Fairfield Middle/High School (FFMHS) Honors Night function. RSSA recipients recognized are Chelsea Ouellette and Malcolm Langner (Sept/Oct 2017), Hunter St. Pierre and Sam Butler (Nov/Dec 2017), Dixie Grady and Solomon Daigle (Jan/Feb 2018), and Ali White and Alex Sprague (Mar/Apr 2018).

The RSSA program seeks to recognize one girl and one boy student each school-year quarter from among those nominated by the FFMHS faculty/staff and selected by the club’s RSSA Committee. Recipients are selected based upon their achievements in academics, citizenship, and personal development for the specific period. The SOY is then selected by the club’s RSSA Committee from among the eight RSSA recipients.

That sweet aroma across The County is from the Vidalia onions delivered by club Rotarians and being used by our faithful Vidalia Onions’ fundraiser supporters, families, and friends. 450 twenty-five pound bags were recently delivered from Houlton to Fort Kent, Fort Fairfield to Ashland and numerous communities in between.

The club wants to give a big shout-out Thank You to our many supporters and we are looking forward to another successful year for the many local organizations supported by these fundraiser monies. 

Ali White and Alex Sprague were recently honored as Rotary Spirit Student Award (RSSA) recipients at a recent club meeting. Ali and Alex were nominated by the Fort Fairfield Middle/High School faculty/staff based upon their academic, citizenship, and personal development during the March/April 2018 school-year period. Ali and Alex are now eligible for consideration as the Rotary Spirit Student of the Year (SOY) recipient.

The Rotary Spirit SOY is chosen by the club’s RSSA committee from amongst the eight school-year RSSA recipients. All spirit recipients and the SOY are recognized at the school’s Honors Night program. The SOY receives a recognition certificate, a monetary award, and their name is engraved on the Rotary Spirit SOY perpetual plague that is mounted in the school’s lobby. 

Ali accepts her certificate from Wayne Troicke, club President 

Alex accepts his certificate from Wayne troicke, club President 

Ali with family and Kelly Koziol, FFMHS nominator (front right), Wayne Troicke, club President (back left) and Tracy Copeland, RSSA Committee (back right)

Alex with family and (back row) Jacquie Martin, FFMHS nominator, Tracy Copeland, RSSA Committee, and Wayne Troicke, club President 

Tammy Clavette, Sexual Assault Services, Aroostook Mental Health Center (accepting tote bag from Tracy Copelend, Vice President) was the guest speaker at a recent club meeting. Tammy noted that while there are Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) in southern Maine there has not been a CAC in The County. 

So, for the last two years Tammy and others have been diligently working to open a CAC somewhere in the local area so that those requiring services will not have to drive more than an hour to access these services. These efforts have now been rewarded as facility space has been donated, and community organizations and volunteers have provided renovation materials and labor which will result in a CAC being opened in the Fort Fairfield TAMC facility (28 High Street) in the very near future.

For those who are not familiar with the CAC mission, purpose, and processes, material is presented at the following online location: http://www.cacmaine.org/ . 

Rotary Spirit Student Award (RSSA) recipients Dixie Grady and Solomon Daigle were recognized at a recent club breakfast meeting. Having been nominated by the Fort Fairfield Middle/High School faculty/staff, Dixie and Solomon were selected by the club’s RSSA program committee based upon their academics, citizenship, and personal development during the school’s January/February 2018 school-year quarter. 

Dixie surrounded by family Stephen, Jennifer and Daisy with Kelly Koziol, faculty nominator (second from right), and Tracy Copeland, RSSA Program Lead (far right). 

Solomon with family Tiffany, Mike, and Micah, with Kelly Koziol, faculty nominator (second from left) and Tracy Copeland, RSSA Program Lead (far right).