After 15 years as a member of the Scarborough Rotary Club, Jim Weaver began a term as president this July, taking over for Phil Mancini. Weaver, 60, is a Scarborough resident who works out of Portland as a consulting engineer for Haley and Aldrich, a consulting firm based in Boston. On Monday, he sat down with The Current to talk about the Rotary’s projects, his plans for his presidency and who he would like to have over for dinner.

Q: Why did you decide to join the Rotary?

A: I wanted to be part of a service organization that was involved in community projects. I was recommended by a friend who was already in Rotary, John Messer.

Q: What types of activities have you participated in over the past 15 years?

A: A lot. It really breaks into two categories. We sell Christmas trees and wreaths at Christmastime and fresh oranges and grapefruits in the wintertime. We have a booth at Summerfest. This summer, we’re running the concession stand at the chamber’s summer concert series. Our goal is to raise $15,000. The other side of that is we use that money to provide scholarships for Scarborough High School students. We sponsor sports teams – basketball and baseball. Another of our big programs is our senior picnic where we invite primarily seniors from Scarborough who are in nursing homes, the veteran’s home. It’s a lobster bake to get them out of their places. We also have a program called student of the quarter where each quarter we recognize one student from the high school and one from the middle school who are recommended by teachers, peers, guidance counselors. One of our big projects is RYLA, which is Rotary Youth Leadership Achievement, where we send 10 to 12 students primarily from Scarborough to a leadership training program. This year we’re participating in an international program with other area Rotary clubs. It’s a clean water project with a hospital in Haiti. The combined donation will probably exceed $45,000. We are a small club. We have about 30 people in our club, but we do a lot.

Q: What are your favorite projects to work on?

A: I’ve been heavily involved in the seniors’ picnic. I do enjoy that, and personally, I enjoy participating in the international projects. It gives a little broader perspective on the world. It’s great work that affects an awful lot of people.

Q: What are your goals for your term as Rotary president?

A: I’ve got several goals. One is to raise the $15,000 to fund our service projects. I really want to grow the club. We could do a lot more good if we had a lot more good people. And just to spread the good work that Rotary does.

Q: What is your best memory from working on a Rotary project?

A: We sell Christmas trees. The sales last three weeks or so. It’s a great time to work with other Rotarians. We meet a lot of people in town who have been longtime contributors to the Rotary. It’s the Christmas tree sales that are always a lot of fun.

Q: If the Rotary club had a mascot, what would it be?

A: Well, we have the Rotary wheel. It can’t be a lion because there’s already the Lions Club. St. Benard, because they’re kind and compassionate and are looking out for the interests of others.

Q: If you could cook dinner for any three people, who would they be and what would you make?

A: Right now, I would have to say it would be my son, my daughter-in-law and their new baby – even though the new baby isn’t here yet. That will be our first grand-baby. I would make whatever would agree with Stacey – that’s my daughter-in-law.

Jim Weaver is the new president of the Scarborough Rotary Club.