The evening of June 1 was exuberant with Rotary’s celebration of 39 graduating seniors. Students shared their anticipated journey in the upcoming year. Plans were varied and interesting ranging from exciting vocational training to university and to other creative jobs. Club leaders discussed at each table the kinds of community service which the graduates had performed during their high school years. The graduating class participated in the community service program requirement since their sophomore year (the year it began) and in three years has accumulated 1,538 community service hours.

Two young speakers stole the show. Dick Reid, former coach for these graduates and now young entrepreneur and owner of The Thistle Inn, set the tone with a spellbinding talk about success and failure which left many with tears in their eyes, standing up and celebrating his wise guidance and many gifts of inspirational work with kids.

Here are Dickie’s words to the graduates:

“ Many of you know me, some as the pizza guy, some as the ice cream guy, possibly as the person who took over the Thistle… and on a more personal note you may know me as coach Dicky, or just as your employer and friend.  When Alice Mutch asked me a few months ago if I would be willing to speak at this event, I was happy to jump at the opportunity.

I, like many of you, am from this area, grew up here, held my high school jobs at local establishments, played school sports, tried to help and become part of our local community … Eventually I had opportunities that have allowed me to put down permanent roots and be more involved with this community that we all love.  

After much thought, I decided to speak to you young ladies and gentlemen about the most important lesson I’ve learned in my own life … so far … Before I divulge this wisdom, I will tell you, I have made many mistakes and had many failures since graduating high school. I am sure all of us who are adults here can say the same, this is just a chance for me to perhaps help you reach whatever you determine to be success with maybe a few less bumps in road.  

I understand that you feel as though you have just achieved one of the most important milestones in your life and you have! That diploma will feel great in your hands, it will open new doors and present new opportunities … however, opportunities are not success … execution, hard work, dedication … this is what brings success.  Some of you are off to college, some of you are going to trade school, some of you are looking for a full-time job (call me) … success in any of these ventures will come from overcoming the challenges presented to you on a day to day basis. There will be times you’ll want to quit, but if you stay focused on winning one fight at a time … you’ll win the day. Focusing on where you want to be will allow you take advantage of the right opportunities when they present themselves. Be hard working, dedicate yourself to your goals, and don’t give up on your dreams no matter how far off they may seem at times.

I will say there are no guarantees in life, and none of you are entitled to success, you have to earn it.  All of you at some point or another, despite all of your best intentions, will fail. Sometimes the hand of cards you are dealt, will not beat the house. Sometimes you will be the cause of your challenges or failures. So here’s that wisdom part … always view failure and challenge as a gift and as an opportunity to be resilient. How you react to challenges and failures is what will define you in life. When you google resilience, let’s be honest who grabs a paper copy of Webster anymore? RESILIENCE is defined as the ability to quickly recover from difficulties; toughness … GRIT … these are the traits that determine success. Be tough, move on, become smarter, better, learn from your mistakes, and learn from those that have come before you. Be resilient in your own way. NEVER GIVE UP ON YOURSELF.   

I wish you all the best of luck … It’s a big world … stay focused on what is in front of you, with a constant eye on what you want your future to be. But remember when you fall down it’s your responsibility to pick yourself up … I, and I think I can speak for all of us adults here, believe in you and know you can rise to any challenge that comes your way. The rest of your life sits in front of you waiting, now go out there and define yourselves with the determination and resilience to become the person you are meant to be.”

 The second speaker was Ogy Nikolic, a young Rotarian who was a Rotary Exchange student and who lived in former Yugoslavia during a 3.5-year war. Ogy said that his Rotary exchange student experience led him to a successful career. He asked the students to remember to take their time in planning life’s course and be reassured that it takes time to find a direction; and to respect failure because failure coupled with the right attitude brings future success. He offered advice: “You will be afraid and that is ok. Failure is not fun. It can be awful. But living so cautiously that you never fail is worse. If you are willing to stand for what you believe in, you will be able to handle whatever comes”. Augie’s current community service passion includes helping high school students with filling out college applications and participating in the Rotary youth exchange program.

Rotary’s long standing and coveted Service Above Self Award was presented by I.J. Pinkham to Molly Thibault, graduating senior, for her efforts to serve the community. Members of Rotary’s extended family, Interact, serve in order to create positive change at home and around the world. And because of this, they’re making Rotary and Interact clubs stronger, communities better, and peace possible. The Club honors our local graduate for her dedication and valuable contributions.

Rotary’s letter to our graduating seniors:

On behalf of the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club, we congratulate you for your accomplishments. The class of 2017 has undertaken 1,538 hours of service here in our community.

Rotary's motto is "Service Above Self".  Your community service experiences over the last four years not only have made a positive impact on your community but have sparked an interest that will grow throughout your lifetime. In this way you can be a “Gift to the World.”

Volunteering is a great way to become involved in your community. While you will certainly be busy with your new endeavors, we hope that you will continue to explore opportunities to serve your local community and explore options for international travel and exchanges. Rotary or Rotoract is a great way to pursue community service in an organized and international manner. Don't be shy about reaching out to Rotary clubs to attend a meeting or consider founding a Rotaract Club. 

Please feel free to join us here at the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club anytime.

Upcoming meetings

June 8: Jim Donovan, CEO, Lincoln Health – Update on the state of the health care system in the region. 

June 15: Louis Sell, 28-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service speaking on various aspects of U.S.-Soviet relations.

June 22: Nick Ullo, Boothbay Region Land Trust executive director and Jonathan Tindal – What the Land Trust is doing to ensure Quality of Life in the Boothbay Region – Newsworthy new developments.

Persons interested in Rotary, visiting Rotarians and guests are always welcome to join us at our weekly meetings. 6-8 p.m. at the Rotary Clubhouse, 66 Montgomery Rd., Boothbay Harbor. Contact Alice Mutch 410-353-3861.