HOULTON, Maine — The Houlton Rotary club met Monday Sept. 10, 2018 for its luncheon meeting. The guest speaker was Tammy Goetsch, who was hosted by Rotarian Kyle Taylor. Goetsch is a native of Houlton and met her husband Bill when she relocated in the early 1980’s to California. In that state Goetsch was a competitive gymnastics coach, an interior designer, an administrator for “Ride to Walk” and “Double Vision Studios.”
Returning to Houlton in 2005 Goetsch became involved with a program at the Military Street Baptist Church titled “Adopt a Block.” She works as an Executive Administrative Assistant at MSBC and Director of AABA.
AABA is a non-profit coalition and partnership of local churches, town government, local businesses, community association, service and health agencies and resident who collaborate to bring restoration and transformation to Houlton and surrounding communities. The mission statement is basically “Find a Need and Fill It… Find a Hurt and Heal It.”
Goetsch has served on the RSU 29 Board for several years. She also serves on ACAP’s Aroostook Policy Advisory Council, on the S. A. Community Justice Collaborative and on the Healthy Houlton Grant Advisory Team. She and her husband have raised four children and now have eleven grandchildren.
Goetsch showed a video that depicted the work of AABA. Many local recognizable faces reported on the good work that AABA does for the community. Clothing, furniture and food are provided for those in need. Learning to eat healthy food is stressed as well as modeling healthy relationships.
The after school program on Tuesdays and extended Wednesdays once per month provides care after early school closing days. Fifty-five to 75 children benefit in this program each week. In addition, a summer camp titled “Just for Boys” for boys between the ages of seven and 12 is offered each year. Camp counselors become role models for boys and model what healthy relationships look like. The after school program has existed for eight years and the camp for nine years.
Goetsch said that AABA does not look for things to do but things comes to them just as the items given away come to them to be given away. Last year, 42 tons of food and produce came to them to give away in the food pantry. The organization also gives hope to people who have lost a sense of hope and also helps people to set goals to achieve a better life style and to make better choices in their lives. For more information on AABA there is a Facebook page for Adopt-A-Block of Aroostook and one for Choices. People may also call 532-2783 x102.
Also at this meeting Rotarian Forrest Barnes brought a guest who is a relative and president elect of the Portland Maine Rotary Club, Rotarian Amy Chipman. Also there was a new member induction for Clarissa Sabattis that was performed by Rotarian Leigh Cummings. Rotarians Mac Randolph and Nancy West gave a full report of another successful E-Waste Day.
