June 25, 2015 West Bay Rotary Meeting

Today’s Speaker:  Club member Sarah Ruef-Lindquist, CEO of Maine Women’s Fund, spoke to the membership about the Maine Women’s Fund.   The Maine Women’s Fund (MWF) is a non-profit organization that was started in 1989 by a group of women for women.  The MWF’s vision is to have a caring and just society in which women and girls can thrive and prosper through economic security.  MWF works to raise funds in order to provide grants to organizations that support women and girls in gaining and maintaining economic security.  The largest fundraising event the MWF has is their annual leadership luncheon in Portland.  This year there were 700 attendees and they raised about $150,000 gross.  Their best yet!!

 

Sarah gave some disturbing statistics about girls and women in Maine and the nation.  The data was compiled from a survey of 3000 people around Maine.   Some of the data Sarah shared with us found that girls reach their highest level of aspiration at age 8 (national stat).  After age 8, girls start to reduce their aspirations.  This may be from messages and expectations from our culture, families, teachers, peers etc.  In Maine, girls read better than boys at fourth grade.  Girls have a higher graduation rate from high school and the majority of University of Maine college graduates are women.  However, the professions women go into are often lower paying and women earn, on average, 78.5 cents for every dollar that men earn.

 

Two of the most critical factors that impact economic security for women are 1) access to preventative and reproductive health care and 2) being able to earn a livable wage.   Nearly 10% of all households are run by single mothers and 40% of these single mothers live below the poverty line. Women and girls make up 44% of the homeless population in Maine.  92% of TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) are headed by women.  At retirement women have an average income of $17,000/year compared to men who have an average retirement income of $26,000/year. 

 

Domestic violence is a major factor as well.  The majority of domestic violence victims are women.   One out of four women are victims of domestic violence.  Domestic violence is the leading cause of homicide for women and leading cause of homelessness.  32.1% of women reported experiencing rape or sexual assault at some point in their lives.

 

For the last 25 years the MWF has responded to these challenges by funding organizations that support women and girls of Maine.   In 2015 the MWF awarded $98,000 worth of grants to the Elder Abuse Institute of Maine, Girls Scouts of Maine, Mabel Wadsworth Women’s Health Center, Maine Boys to Men, Maine Women’s Policy Center, Next Step, Maine Inside Out, Seniors Plus, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services, Wayfinders Schools and Passages Program and Women Unlimited.   

 

For more information about the Maine Women’s Fund go to http://www.mainewomensfund.org/

 

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Jane Lefleur recognized the following EREY contributors.

Amber Heffner

Betsy Saltonstall

Bob Stiehler

 

Buckets on the table:  For Holly Campbell and her husband

 

Red Badge to Blue Badge

Deb Fink has earned her Blue Badge.  Good job Deb!!

 

Rotary Annual Dinner – Tuesday evening June 30^th at the Samoset

Cocktails – 6-7pm, dinner at 7pm.  If you haven’t signed up, talk to Barbara Heard.

 

Street lamp restoration in Camden:  Thank you to the members who helped re-store the street lamps in Camden.  Sandy Cox was very pleased with the process and how it all turned out.

 

Rockland Rotary has asked if WBR would be interested in a variety show with WB, Camden and Rockland Rotary clubs.   Rockland Rotary would like to start an exploratory committee to determine feasibility of this idea. Talk with Terry Bregy if you are interested.

 

Next week is our club assembly with our new club president Lisa Sojka.

 

Tim thanked the membership for a great year!