Today (June 20) was the longest day of the year, and unseasonably warm at that. Inside the Rotary Hall, conviviality and fellowship were on full display. Our speaker was David Patch, one-time Rotarian and now full-time support for fellow veterans throughout Maine. 

Dave started with some sobering statistics:   

• 13 percent of the homeless population are veterans 

• Veterans are 50 percent more likely to become homeless 

• 36,000 veterans throughout the nation are homeless 

• Maine ranks eighth in rate of veteran homelessness 

• 22 veterans kill themselves every day in America 

The reasons have to do with difficulty in fitting back into civilian society, and a general reluctance to seek help. 

Dave also explained that most – if not all – organizations out there to support veterans are available during the work week – but problems that surface on a Friday night need to wait until Monday to be adjudicated – and sometimes that is too late. 

As a result, Dave created Maine Veterans in Need (MVN) in 2020.  It’s funded by donations only (no government support); it’s all-volunteer, and it’s available 24/7. 

Dave says that the organization listens and talks, alleviates the immediate issue and then refers the veteran to the appropriate agency, often walking the vet through the paperwork or bureaucracy in doing so. Too often, “the point is to stabilize the situation until Monday,” he explained. 

MVN will pay for a temporary hotel, for utility and food bills, for gas bills or transportation, and for heating fuel.  The typical cost to stabilize is less than $500 per incident, he said. 

And, in the three years that MVN has been in operation, Dave has developed a support network from other, more traditional organizations.  In the last year alone, MVN helped 117 veterans.  This year, that number is averaging around 25 per month. Many good questions and concerns followed Dave’s presentation.   

In contrast, much of the pre-speaker conversation focused on fun stuff: Our upcoming float in the Windjammer Parade (chair Karen Pritchard says everyone is invited to do something. You can also  ride on a chair in the back of Linda Foster’s new truck, waving bubble wands, handing out candy or even if it’s just to watch and cheer; remember the theme of our float: RelationSHIP building through service in Rotary!). And oh, yes: Parade goers should be dressed in a Rotary work shirt and be at the high school from 2-2:30 on Wednesday to help with last minute decorating.    

Judi White reminded us all that annual donations to The Rotary Foundation are good anytime, but must (must) must be received by her by this Thursday, June 27 to be met and matched this Rotary fiscal year.  Or go online at www.rotary.org; follow the prompts, and select “Annual Fund.”  And remember:  It’s The Rotary Foundation that supports our grants and all the good work Rotary does around the world.  Those who support The Rotary Foundation receive fabulous prizes for reaching certain levels, and Judi “pinned” both Jeff Long and John Skogund for this generosity. 

Our Changeover will be this coming Thursday and major events are being planned by the Fun Committee. Tory Paxson will receive that much-coveted “past president pin;” Alden Wood and Mike Thompson will become our co-presidents, with Laurie Zimmerli as president-elect and Rick Jameson as vice president. Rounding out the Board of Directors are Bill Prince and Brian McGrath as treasurers, Irene Fowle and Jim Herbold as secretaries, and Deb Graves, Cathy Fisher and Charlotte Jameson as directors at large. 

Want to join in on all the fun we do? Eager to give back to the community? Join us! Ask a Rotarian, or come to one of our weekly meetings. The Clubhouse at 66 Montgomery Avenue is rocking and rolling by 6 p.m. every Thursday, dinner is served at 6:30, we have a speaker or other program and we’re outta there by 8. You’ll be glad you came. 

And don’t forget to come shopping for deals and steals every Saturday morning from 8:30 to 11 when we turn trash into treasures at the Rotary Barn (also at 66 Montgomery).  You’ll get the best prices in town, plus, all the money we raise comes back to the community in myriad ways.  We're accepting donations for the Rotary Barn, just text Deb at 207-380-3550 for pick up or drop off plans.  Your donations help support projects like the Woodchucks, the Community Center, the Boothbay Region Food Pantry, the Rotary High School Interact Club and many more.  We’re Rotary!