Students in the Boothbay Region whom we have helped with individual scholarships came to the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club last week to express their thanks for our help and to tell us about their adventures.

The first speakers were Brittany Woods and Jessica Simmons, who attended an environmental ecology course in Bermuda sponsored by Thomas College, with help from a Rotary Club grant. They spent each day of the course in field work investigating a different aspect of the island's ecology - beaches, reefs, cave, etc. - and then in evening classes analyzed and integrated the results of that day's work. Bermuda is uniquely suitable for this type of study because of its geographic isolation and high population density.

They came away with a deeper understanding of how human activity affects the environment, and also received college credit for the course. As it happened, Brittany's father, who is a boat builder, was at that time building a boat for a Bermudan, so they had the opportunity to meet a local family and experience life on the island more fully than with a typical tourist guide.

Both of them are making use of their course work: Brittany has already held a summer job at Bigelow Lab where her experiences in Bermuda proved exceedingly useful, and Jessica plans to major in environmental ecology in college.

Karl Berger, a junior at BRHS, then spoke of his Maine Coastal Semester at Chewonki Institute this past fall, which the club had supported with a grant. Chewonki occupies 400 acres on Montsweag Creek in Wiscasset, and the core of the program is communal living in close contact with the land. The 38 students in Karl's group came from all over the country, although those from the East Coast predominated.

Karl spent most of the day in farm work, with a break for classes. The kids on the program grow most of their own food, including livestock; they raised chickens, pigs and sheep, sheared the sheep and slaughtered the chickens themselves, while the pigs were sent out for slaughter. Karl also participated in a canoe trip on the Sheepscot River (other options were sailing or kayaking). A three-day solo adventure, in which the student sets out into the woods alone with minimal supplies and gear, had to be aborted on account of the violent windstorm last October.

It was clear from Karl's presentation the program had had a profound effect on him and he confirmed that it had been a life-changing experience for him.

In the final segment of the evening, Jeanne Tonon, teacher at Boothbay Region Elementary School; Maya DeGroote, student; and Tim Diomede, AmeriCorps volunteer, reported on the Healthy Communities/Healthy Youth Conference sponsored by the Search Institute in Minneapolis in October, for which the club sponsored one student.

The core of the conference program was the Institute's concept of developmental assets, which are experiences and qualities essential for young people to achieve success. The Institute has identified 40 such assets, but has determined that the average young person in the U.S. has fewer than half of them. Those attending the conference could choose from among various "tracks," and then from individual events within that track.

It was a full three days but, as Maya noted, still allowed time for a visit to Mall of America (We're glad the important things were covered!). Jeanne reported that this was the first time students have gone to the annual conference but felt that from now on there would be even more students. She, Maya and Tim then spoke about various aspects of introducing the concept of developmental assets into the educational system here. The point is for the young people to work together to determine their goals, and then to carry them out. One immediate agenda item the kids are working on is to fund and build a skating rink here in the Boothbay region.

Guests at the meeting were Karl's proud mother, Caroline Schubert, and former Brunswick Rotarian and prospective Boothbay Harbor Rotarian Connie Jones. Dave Patch, who is returning to the club after a leave of absence, was roundly welcomed "home" with applause and a miniature of scotch.

The club took time to remember Hanley Denning, the young woman from Maine who started Safe Passage, the program in Guatemala with which our Club has been involved for several years, and who was killed in a car crash late last week. President Marty said that Hanley was testament to the Rotary sentiment that all it takes is one person with passion to change the world, one small life at a time. Hanley started Safe Passage seven years ago with the goal of getting 30 children off the dump and through sixth grade. Today, Safe Passage has 600 children in school, and the organization's biggest issue is how to support high school and what to do about university. Marty stressed that Safe Passage is sustainable, that it is moving forward and that its staff and hundreds of volunteers have already recommitted to supporting Hanley's kids. In fact, a group from our club is traveling to Guatemala as scheduled in the next few weeks to reconnect with the children and attend the inauguration of the new preschool.

A number of activities will be forthcoming in the near future right here at home: Event co-chair Judy deGraw reminded members to email her their entree choices for the Valentine's Day Bash at the Gallery on Route 96 on February 15. Deadline for r.s.v.p.s is February 1! The event begins with a social hour at 5:30 followed by dinner at 6:30. The cost is $25 per person, which includes dinner, wine, and the works.

Orders for Vidalia onions will be taken beginning in March or April, according to co-chairs Dwight Swisher and Craig Tukey, with delivery in late April or early May. Stay tuned for information as it becomes available.

Also in May, reported President Marty, we can expect a visit by a substantial group of Kennebunk Rotarians who clearly plan to party; further details will follow.

President Marty noted with sadness that Dorothy Abbott, whom the club honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1970, and who at age 100 is the oldest resident of Boothbay Harbor, is nearing the end of her life. Mike Thompson reminded members that she had been Postmistress of the Isle of Springs for 36 years and that her late husband, Paul Abbott, was a Rotarian and Club President back in the '40s, and a major force in building our Clubhouse.

Next week's speaker will be Roland Gagne, from the Biddeford-Saco club, who will speak on the Rotary Foundation and the tremendous work it does - with seed money from individual Rotarians such as us - all over the world. It is the Rotary Foundation that has helped our club make a difference at Safe Passage in Guatemala, as one tiny example.

In President Marty's absence, Andy Hamblett will be wielding the gavel the next two weeks. Innkeeper in February is Sue Kreahling, 50/50 will be handled by Skip Kreahling, and Viv Daniels will be our Sergeant at Arms (Bone up on your musical trivia!). Splitting the steward duties in February will continue to be Sue Kreahling and Steve Salorio. Waiters next week will be Jim Botti and Pat Forestell, with Debbie Graves serving as greeter and giving the invocation.