Hurricane Melissa Relief for Jamaica
Marilyn, originally from Montego Bay, Jamaica — one of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Melissa — shared a heartfelt update with the club. For several days, she was unable to reach her family. Thankfully, she has since heard from most of them, and while they are physically safe, they have lost everything.
The hurricane has left severe damage across the island, destroying roads and cutting off access to many communities. In response, Marilyn has taken action to help, working with Darcy and Tim to coordinate support through Rotary.
Donations will include both monetary gifts to the Rotary Club of Montego Bay and essential supplies such as:
🪥 Toothbrushes & toothpaste
🍼 Diapers
🔦 Flashlights & solar lights
👡 Flip-flops & simple sandals
🧴 Personal care items (combs, face wash, underwear, etc.)
Collection sites are located at:
York Hospital Oncology Infusion Center, 127 Long Sands Road, York
Tropical Caribbean Grocery Store, 655 Post Road, Unit 1, Wells
All taxes and surcharges have been waived by the Jamaican government, and donated items will be packed in barrels and shipped directly to Jamaica.
No gift is too small — every item will help a family rebuild.
Local Food Drive for Gather
Dinon provided an update on our ongoing partnership with Gather, highlighting the growing need for food assistance in our local communities — especially as the holidays approach. Many families and seniors are struggling to meet basic needs, and every donation helps make a difference.
We’ll be collecting items over the next four meetings, through December 3rd, with drop-off locations at:
Rotary meetings
Darcy’s office (in York)
Dinon’s office (at Pease)
Susan’s home
Requested items include paper towels, pet food, canned goods, and other pantry staples — anything nonperishable is welcome. Dinon’s goal this year is to collect one ton of food, after last year’s successful total of 1,800 pounds.
Guest Skip, who previously ran the Share Program in Rochester, suggested donating smaller packages (like 6-packs of cans) to better meet the needs of older individuals and couples.
Business After Hours – November 12
Cindy announced that on Wednesday, November 12 from 4:30–6:30 p.m., the Old York Historical Society will host a Business After Hours event in partnership with the York Rotary Club.
Guests are invited to enjoy an evening of networking, refreshments, and raffle prizes while supporting the community. Nonperishable food items will be collected at the event to benefit local food programs.
Admission is $20 at the door, with proceeds going to the Greater York Chamber of Commerce. It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow Rotarians, local business leaders, and community partners — and to learn more about the great work happening in York!
- Window Dressers: $1000 for our affordable housing funds. Motion is for $1,000 to help with Window Dressers. Larry explained that 35% is to low income at no cost. Anyone that gets free inserts (up to 10) they can make a donation. Excess $ is to help cover the free inserts. Larry said he’s already measured 10-12 homes this year, and 4 of them are low-income getting free inserts here in York. Northern Maine there are a lot of people that are low-income. Looking for volunteers for Dec. 6th -12th to help build at Laudholm in Wells, Maine. Right now 250 inserts ordered. Usually 350 windows.
- Holiday Season: $1500 for Spread the Joy and Gather .
- Global Eye Project (Dr. Shandra) – $3,000
- Maher India Villages (Ann Bliss) – $1,000 toward a global grant pledge.
- Uganda Water Project (Saco-Biddeford Rotary) – $2,000 toward their global grant.
- ShelterBox – $1,000 to support Gaza response efforts.
- RI Disaster Response- $3,000 not discussed at board as the disaster happened after. Funds will go to Jamaica and Haiti for Hurricane Melissa Response through various sources.
District Leadership Insights with Michele Bois-Guilbody
Michele began her presentation by thanking the club for welcoming her and expressing how inspiring it is to see the incredible work our members are doing. She praised the team spirit, noting that everyone contributes, asks for help when needed, and supports one another — a true example of Rotary’s pillars of service in action.
A native of Ogunquit and Wells, Michele spoke about taking service to the next level. She has worked with several club members, including Jud, Marilyn, Susan, and Darcy, in her role as a District trainer, giving her a deep understanding of both local and District-level Rotary efforts.
She emphasized that leadership in Rotary is joyful and rewarding. Michele encouraged members who are interested in exploring a larger role to join the ZOOM call for future presidents next Saturday, highlighting that Darcy is leaving a meaningful legacy through her leadership.
At the District level, she explained, District Leaders are just like our Rotarian Members — they attend meetings, participate in service projects, and actively support their clubs. Michele highlighted that fun and engagement at the District level create even more opportunities for service, including project support and funding assistance. Pam Gray, the Assistant Governor, is a key resource for clubs seeking guidance or support.
Michele also discussed the District leadership track and succession planning, emphasizing that strong clubs ensure leadership continuity by mentoring members to step into key roles such as president, treasurer, and secretary. She cited examples, such as a club member chairing a project like Car with a Cause potentially moving into a presidential role next year.
She stressed the importance of flexibility and accessibility in Rotary: leadership doesn’t always look as expected, but it should be fulfilling both personally and for the community — ideally, 60% for you, 40% for the community. If members don’t feel nourished by their involvement, they’re less likely to stay engaged.
During the discussion, Heather asked how clubs approach succession planning? Michele suggested observing members who show leadership, generate ideas, and contribute consistently — sometimes the quiet, reliable member is the perfect candidate. She encouraged clubs to have open conversations about what good leadership looks like, the vision for the club, and who has the skills and experience to guide the club forward.
End-of-Meeting Announcements
At the close of the meeting, Darcy shared several important updates:
The November calendar has not yet been distributed. Keep an eye out for Jackie’s Monday message with details.
Upcoming Meetings:
November 14 – Our first Member Spotlight of the year, featuring Scott Brown and Claire DeLorenzo.
November 21 – Meeting at the Library. Breakfast details will be confirmed. This will be an interactive session focusing on the membership budget and a short survey, led by Susan.
District Meeting Update: Tim, Larry, Susan, Jackie, and Darcy attended a recent district meeting where goals were shared. The club will review these goals and plan how to achieve them locally.
No meeting will be held the day after Thanksgiving.