Last Thursday's meeting of the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club was devoted to a club assembly, primarily concerned with financial matters. Treasurer Frank Helman distributed a summary statement of operations for the first half of the fiscal year 2007-08.

Following the invocation, president Skip Kreahling reported that Mike Thompson is awaiting triple bypass surgery and asked members to keep him in their thoughts and prayers.

Skip opened the business meeting by thanking volunteers who had agreed to once again chair club fund-raisers this year: Jim Botti for the Soup Bowl Supper, Dwight Swisher for the Vidalia Onion Sale and Brenda Blackman for the Golf Tournament, as well as Auction Chair Vic Taylor.

Marty Peak Helman reported that the Group Study Exchange team from District 7780, which she is leading, will depart for a one-month study trip to the Philippines Wednesday morning. She thanked Connie Jones, Elaine Halligan and Bob Jacobson for recommending team members, with the result that not only the team leader but three of the four members are either from Boothbay Harbor or have Boothbay Harbor connections, making this year's GSE team almost more of a club event than a district one. She also thanked Ann Hedgcock, wife of member Seth Hedgcock, for creating the gifts she will bring to the district governor and GSE representative in the Philippines; Vic Taylor, who put together the video the team will present at its meetings with the Philippine clubs; and - last, not least - Connie Jones, who volunteered to pick up the group at 2:45 a.m. Wednesday and drive them to Portland to catch a 6 a.m. flight. Members can follow the group's progress on its blog, http://RotaryGSE2008.wordpress . com, and can post comments on or additions to the blog by email to blogmistress Christin Walth, cwalth@comcast.net (use your full name so Christin can figure out who you are).

Judy deGraw announced that 30 guests have signed up for the Valentine's Day dinner at the Gallery Thursday, which promises to be a gala affair, with wine procured by Tom Carroll and a secret door prize.

Andy Hamblett invited members to participate in the "Karl's Kids" skiing event at Sugarloaf on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 29-March 1. The event, which is sponsored by the Damariscotta-Newcastle club in memory of their recently deceased member Karl Berger, provides an opportunity for families and children to come together for a skiing trip. Special group rates will be offered, and donations are welcome. Information packets are available for those interested.

The Bath Sunrise club's "Death by Chocolate" affair, originally schedule for Saturday, February 9, has been postponed until March 29. Contact Chip Griffin for details.

This year's Rebuilding Together day will be May 10, and Vic Taylor asked members to tell him, Tammy, Skip or Chip of any families they may know who might be candidates for the program. Deadline is March 1.

Visitors included Doug Roberts, a prospective member, and Hamilton Meserve, treasurer of the Harbor Theater (and a former Rotarian).

On Thursday, Feb. 21, Katherine Freund, founding director of Independent Transportation Network and of ITN America will describe how her Portland-based organization got started; the unique, social entrepreneurial aspects of ITN; and her exciting new initiative, ITN Lite, transportation for rural America, and how the Boothbay Region will be an important focus group for this cutting-edge transportation concept. Tom Carroll will be greeter that night and offer the invocation, with Bob Jacobson and Bob Pike as waiters and Chip Griffin as program chair. February housekeeping assignments are: steward, Sue Kreahling; innkeeper, Deb Graves; 50/50, Rick Elder; and sergeant at arms, John Platt.

Mike Thompson will provide us with an update on the Uganda Mission on February 28. And on March 6, Carolyn Johnson, a frequent visitor to our club, will introduce us to the Guatemala Literacy Project, which provides books and pencils for the country's rural poor.

Check us out on the Web: www.boothbayharborrotary.org.