Houlton Rotary

WHOU at Rotary

In the photo: Rotary President, Scott Dionne; WHOU Morning Show Host, Jason Hill; Fred Grant, Rotarian and WHOU Owner and General Manager.

Fred Grant, the new owner and general manager of WHOU, featured his business plan during a presentation to Houlton Rotary at the January 30^th meeting.  Grant, who is a Rotarian and past president of the Houlton service organization, has a strong background in internet marketing and web design.  He is leveraging this skillset with the power of radio to grow WHOU not only as a station on the dial, but as a marketing firm.  Grant realizes that in rural Maine small businesses can’t afford a diverse advertising portfolio, so he offers cost effective opportunities to access numerous advertising options by bringing together internet and radio.  Though a business may pay for his services to establish a website and facebook page, Grant credits back the fee to the customer in the form of radio advertising.  Essentially, he is making it less costly for businesses to develop both a web and radio presence.

Since he has taken over the station only a few months ago, he has established morning and evening radio shows, a source for current news and weather, designed unique advertising solutions through giveaways and contests, and brought the ability to listen to music and live high school basketball games to the WHOU website: whoufm.com.  Grant looks forward to adding more radio hosts and advertising opportunities in the near future.

Maine State Chamber of Commerce

In the photo left to right: Lori Weston, Houlton Rotarian; Peter Gore, Maine State Chamber of Commerce; Houlton Rotary President, Scott Dionne.

Peter Gore of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce spoke to Houlton Rotarians Monday, January 9th. As Vice President for Advocacy and Government Relations, Peter chose to highlight how he thinks State Governor Paul LePage will help position our state for economic growth and financial stability in the future. Reducing Maine’s dependence on fossil fuels will be a primary focus going forward. Improving energy self-sufficiency in our state means creating more jobs and preventing money from flowing out of Maine. Moreover, developing localized and renewable sources of energy can reduce costs for businesses, making the state more attractive to companies considering moving into our region. Workforce development is another priority that will help bring new employers to our state. There is a lack of skilled workers ready to step into professional and technical jobs as they open up. The governor will help address this need.

Peter is optimistic that Maine has opportunities on the horizon, and he is impressed by the development that has taken place in our community over the past few years.

Adopt-A-Block

In the photo courtesy of Mike Clark: Lisa Surran, Adopt-A-Block Event Coordinator; Tammy Goetsch, Program Coordinator; Scott Dionne, Houlton Rotary President.

Tammy Goetsch and Lisa Surran joined Houlton Rotary on September 26^th to promote Adopt-A-Block of Aroostook.  Adopt-A-Block originated in California and has spread across the country, focusing on creating personal connections by reaching out to support individuals in specific community blocks.

Members of local churches, town government, businesses, the police department, and area residents collaborate to restore a community block by walking the streets, knocking on doors, and offering goods and volunteer services to those living in the area.   The program also organizes special events that target needs in an entire community.

The Annual Thanksgiving Box Project is one particular event Houlton’s Adopt-A-Block program carries out to help eliminate hunger in our community.  This year’s 3^rd Annual Thanksgiving Box Project will provide 200 local families with the full fixings to prepare a hot Thanksgiving meal.  With funds from Houlton Rotary and additional support from local farmers, food banks, and supermarkets, Adopt-A-Block will reach out to our neighbors this fall to establish connections that are often lost in the urgency of daily life.

Shakaree Red Deer Farm

In the photo left to right: Scott Dionne Houlton Rotary President and Mark Drew from Shakaree Red Deer Farm.

Mark Drew from Shakaree Red Deer Farm visited Houlton Rotary this past Monday, July 11th.  Before educating Rotarians about red deer, Mark gave the crowd a lesson in the languages of Star Trek.  Did you know ‘Shakaree’ means ‘Land of Paradise’ in Vulcan?

Also, did you know this 600-acre deer farm in Northern Maine is acclaimed internationally and was the first red deer farm in the eastern United States?  After learning how the antler velvet of deer was being used to treat arthritis, Gary Dwyer, realizing the business opportunity, imported 105 red deer from New Zealand in 1990.

With the help of Mark Drew, Mr. Dwyer has expanded the farm tenfold.  The Shakaree Red Deer Farm now consists of over 1,000 deer and four separate properties in New Limerick.  The antlers of these deer are still a prized commodity, but the expert breeding and care put into the herd has made the deer a commodity in themselves.  Hundreds of live deer are exported from New Limerick to larger ranches throughout the United States every year.

Digital Mammography

On May 2, 2011 Rotarian Dr. Robert Ellis welcomed guest speakers, Mrs. Sue McLaughlin, Radiology Manager and Dr. Madix, Radiologist from Houlton Regional Hospital.  The topic was about Digital Mammography.  Houlton Regional Hospital is switching from analog to digital mammography.  May is Mammography month and HRH have been raising money to pay for this unit.  Digital mammography has 20% reduction in radiation, is faster and more efficient.  It is also less time and more accurate and sensitive than analog.  One benefit is that with digital, it can be sent to any facility in the world for other doctors to look at. The Health Services Foundation is having a Charity Auction to benefit the Foundation’s Breast Cancer Campaign for the Digital Mammography.  This will be held Saturday, May 21, 2011 at York’s of Houlton Showroom. Preview time for the auction is at 6pm with a start time at 7pm.

Margaret Casey

On April 25, 2011, Rotarian Tammy Mulvey welcomed guest speaker, Margaret Casey, Medical Case Mgt. Services for HIV and Aids in Aroostook County.  Margaret has been employed for 10 years with Community Health and Counseling in Houlton.  Margaret spoke about people with HIV and Aids being able to live longer because of medication that is now available.  People can live with the virus for 10-12 years and not know it.  Margaret explained how it can be difficult for some people to get the medication as it is so expensive.  There is a fundraiser that is being held on May 21st at the Northeastland Hotel in Presque Isle, Maine.  It is called the Red Ribbon Gala.  This fundraiser is to help fill in the pockets of the budgets that have been cut to help assist with AIDS and HIV.  It is also to be able to help raise awareness.  There will be a dinner and a dance and tickets are available by calling Community Health and Counseling in Houlton.  They are also taking sponsorships.

Rotary Youth Exchange at Rotary

On Monday, March 7th, Kim Levesque presented a photo program to the Houlton Rotary Club of her trip to the Netherlands .  During the summer of 2010, Kim was a Rotary exchange student and visited Amsterdam and Paris during her exchange.  She told of the things she saw, what she did, the food she ate and many more exciting things during her trip.  At the end of the presentation, she thanked the Rotarians for the opportunity of this trip…..she will never forget it!!!

Pictured left to right:
Dana Delano, Student Exchange Chairman
Kim Levesque, 2010 Exchange Student
Abby Kinens, 2011 Exchange Student
Ally Carmichael, 2011 Exchange Student

Tim Crowley from NMCC

Tim Crowley, President of Northern Maine Community College, spoke at a recent meeting of the Houlton Rotary Club.  Tim advised the Rotarians of programs available now and what programs are in the works.  The nursing program is now huge and will only continue to grow as healthcare needs will always need to be addressed.  Occupational therapy, medical coding, home care, information technology and alternative energy are just some of the new programs that may be developed.  Tim said there is new focus from the federal and state governments to address rural education in moving kids forward to get ready for the workforce of our future.

Pictured left to right:  (Photo by Michael Clark)
Otis Smith
Tim Crowley, NMCC Pres.
Scott White, Rotary Club Pres.

Carriages of Acadia

At a recent meeting of the Houlton Rotary Club, Mike Carpenter told the Rotarians about the “Carriages of Acadia”.  Mike and his daughter, Emily, operate the horse-drawn carriage tours of Acadia National Park’s carriage roads.

Mike is a living example of “I have a dream.”  His dad was a blacksmith, so he grew up with horses.  In 1989, he went to Acadia and saw the stables and from then on, went every year.  In 2007, Mike saw an ad looking for someone to run the operation starting in 2008.  On October 2, he got the contract for the next 10 years.  In 2009, Emily graduated from UMO and joined him in the running of the business.

In 2010, they carried nearly 20,000 people over the 50 miles of beautiful carriage roads that wind through the hills and vistas of Acadia.  The tours have become very popular with people near and far.  For five months a year, Mike’s  weekends are filled with playing with his horses and making money in a majestic place working with his daughter….his dream is fulfilled.

Pictured left to right:  Craig Bean, Rotarian; Mike Carpenter.

Photo by Michael Clark

Andrew Plant Speaks About Grass Pellets

Andrew Plant, an educator from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, visited Houlton Rotary on December 20th. Andrew has spent the past two years researching how perennial grasses and straw left from grain rotations can be turned into pellet fuel. His research has shown that these low-maintenance and waste crops developed on marginal or fallow farmland in Central and Northern Maine can be compressed into fuel pellets and used as an energy source. With grass pellets as a viable biofuel, local farmers have a new cash crop that does not displace current food production. Moreover, Mainers have additional means produced in our own backyards to reduce energy costs. Andrew and Michael Bilodeau, director of UMaine’s Process Development Center, are carrying out a biomass engineered fuel project using $1.65 million provided by the Maine Technology Asset Fund. Over the next four years, the project will fully examine the development and commercialization of grass pellets.