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BRIDGTON — Aaron Hagan, KeyBank-Bridgton vice president and branch manager will take over the presidency of Bridgton-Lake Region Rotary in July. Rotarian Carol Madsen recently sat down with the native of Australia for some Q&A. (This interview has been edited for space considerations)
Madsen: Tell us about yourself.
Hagan: I joined the club just before COVID-19 hit and it went into virtual mode. Thank goodness we got involved in some good projects, with the food pantries in our area, the Bridgton Community Kettles and some environmental cleanup work. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had an opportunity to get to know my fellow Rotarians. When they asked me if I would run for president, I’d only been around a year. They said, “No problem, you’ve got a year and a half to learn the ropes.” Well, that year and a half is almost up.
Part of my role as president elect was to chair the Duck Race Fundraiser, which I did last year. At the same time, I’ve been chairing the Community Service Committee, which oversees local projects. I do jump on board for every opportunity to serve. I love people and want to make an impact in the community. I bring my boys, Hudson and Kai, along with me. They are learning the difference between service and chores.
Madsen: How did you end up in Bridgton?
Hagan: The short version of the long story is, in 1999 I got a job at a camp in Waterville. After camp had finished, a mate and I bought a car and travelled around the U.S., doing over 15,000 miles. After that, I worked in London, then Scotland and Ireland. It was in Ireland where I met (my wife, Mainer) Lindsey. We had the Maine connection. She and I hit it off and, frankly, I would have followed her anywhere. At some point we decided we had to settle down if we wanted to start a family. I gave in to Lindsey’s desire to be in the U.S. and I’ve never regretted it. We started our family in Portland, and when Kai was ready to start school full time, Lindsey took the opportunity to restart her own career. We found good jobs in the Bridgton area. We are settled in and are enjoying the Lake Region and having a blast raising our kids. Lindsey is the School Counselor at Stevens Brook Elementary School.
Madsen: Why did you join Rotary?
Hagan: Previous managers at KeyBank-Bridgton have belonged, and KeyBank encourages community involvement. I have always been drawn to Rotary, largely due to the influence of my wife’s stepdad, George Crockett. George was a long-time Rotarian in the Portland area. I would see the changes he was making in people’s lives both abroad and in the U.S. When I took on my new role in Bridgton, it gave me the opportunity to get involved.
Madsen: What do you hope to accomplish as president?
Hagan: I want to continue to help grow the club and the projects the leaders and members before me have in place. We had to adapt when COVID started, focusing on smaller community projects, partnering with local food pantries donating health and wellness products, with the Bridgton Community Center for Drive-Thru Community Kettles, and with other local organizations for environmental cleanups. I’ll look to continue these partnerships and work with other local groups to see how else we can be of service.
I’d love to see us continue to move towards more in-person activities, though as a club it needs to be a safe environment. And we need to be respectful of the concerns of all members.
