Rotarians and their dates gathered at the Gallery on Route 96 last Thursday for a gala celebration of St. Valentine's Day. Hearts, flowers and candles created a romantic setting for the tantalizing hors d'oeuvres, tasty entrees and tempting desserts served up by chef extraordinaire Laura Francis, while host Steve Francis attended to the comfort of the guests. Event chair Judy deGraw was warmly applauded - as was Tom Carroll in absentia - for putting together another night to remember!

President Skip Kreahling reported that Mike Thompson is at home recuperating from his quadruple bypass and expects to be back with us for the February 28 meeting.

Frank Helman responded to many inquiries about the Group Study Exchange team's flight to the Philippines the preceding day by recounting the anxious moments resulting from the winter storm that blew in after Tuesday midnight. Despite flight cancellation, re-booking and further weather delay, they got to Detroit in time (just!) to make their connection with the flight to Manila where they arrived in good spirits - if somewhat the worse for wear - late Thursday evening (Thursday morning Maine time). Connie Jones, who had originally volunteered to drive the group to Portland Wednesday morning, responded above and beyond the call of duty by taking them to Manchester instead when their outbound flight was re-booked.

The team's progress can be followed online on its blog,

http:

//Ro

taryGSE2008.wordpress.com/ .

Comments on or additions to the blog can be posted by email to blogmistress Christin Walth, cwalth

@comcast.net (use your full name so Christin can figure out who you are).

Members are asked to bring non-perishable contributions to the club meeting on February 21 for the food bank collection organized by the South Portland Rotary clubs in connection with this year's World Peace and Understanding dinner. Most needed items are one-pound canned hams, hash, Spam, baked beans, pancake mix and syrup, peaches, pears, pineapple, toothpaste, shampoo and deodorant. Members interested in attending the dinner, which will be held at the Sable Oaks Marriott in Portland on February 23, can still sign up with President Skip; the cost is $60 per person. Rotary International President Wilf Wilkinson will be the keynote speaker.

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

Members who know of any families who might be candidates for Rebuilding Together should inform Vic Taylor, Tammy Blackman, President Skip or Chip Griffin. The deadline for nominations is March 1. Work day this year is May 10.

On Thursday, February 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.

Want to learn more about Rotary or about our club? Interested neighbors, visiting Rotarians and guests are invited to join us for our weekly meetings each Thursday at our one-of-a-kind Rotary Clubhouse at 29 Oak Street in downtown Boothbay Harbor. The bell is rung and dinner is served promptly at 6:30 p.m. Then comes a short business meeting and special speaker, and the evening ends by 8 p.m. Check us out on the Web: www.boothbayharborrotary.org.