World Mental Health Day Webinar • October 10
Join RI President Gordon McInally, along with Zone Director Drew Kessler for this important webinar. Register here to receive the link to this virtual event.
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Pints for Polio - October 24 @ Revolution Hall, Lexington What you can do on October 24, 2023: Come to Revolution Hall in Lexington, drink beer & eat heartily to support the Rotary End Polio Now campaign.And bring all your Rotary members, friends, and family. Host & Sponsor: Revolution Hall is donating up to $1,000 of gift cards to use to purchase food and beverages. ServPro, as a sponsor, will donate $1 per pint purchased that day. Become a Collaborating Club: When your club donates $100 to End Polio Now, you'll be listed as a participating Club on event promotion materials on both District's website and other communication channels and you will receive one $50 gift card to use at Revolution Hall on October 24. To be a collaborating club, email polio@rotary7910.org. |
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DGN Johnny (got) Bounced for the Foundation At Toronto’s Learning to Lead, Rotary Zones 28 and 32 contested a "Zorb faceoff."  On Friday evening in Toronto there was a series of “battles” to see who can stay in the ring while bouncing off each other in Zorbs (an inflatable bubble that you wear). The intrepid Johnny Ahern represented our District 7910 in this amazing (and amusing) competition. He got bounced, literally and figuratively Will you sponsor Johnny and raise money for The Rotary Foundation? Our District 7910 has pledged $1000 of their $50,000 goal to support the Foundation for this event. |
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Confused about Rotary's Logo rules?Rotary's rules for the use of its logo have changed. If you were an expert in logo use even two years ago, you probably need a refresher! In fact the rules changed in 2013, but many of us are still catching up. Every large corporation evolves its logo usage over time to keep its look fresh and modern. It is important that we all adhere to the international brand guidelines to keep the look of our club fresh and consistent with all the other clubs throughout the world.  |
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District 7910 Assists Leominster Recovery On Sept. 11th, 2023, Leominster experienced historic and damaging floods when almost 10 inches of rain fell in the city within a few hours. Flash flooding caused massive sinkholes, washed out numerous roads, and left many residents and businesses with several feet of water causing massive damage. The Fix, where the Rotary Club of Leominster meets, was under 7 feet of water! Even with the loss of property, vehicles and more, the city is extremely fortunate that there were no reported major injuries or casualties.Photo: Sump pumps and fans provided to OEM on behalf of District 7910
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Successful Rotary Night at Fenway What a fantastic night was had while Rotarians, friends, and family watched the Boston Red Sox take on the Chicago White Sox on Sep. 22nd for Rotary Night at Fenway Park! Over 50 people across three districts joined together and cheered on the Red Sox for their 3-2 victory. Not only were tickets very affordable, but the Boston Red Sox were able to make a $255 donation to our district which we will pass along to The Rotary Foundation as part of our ticket sales. We are looking forward to doing this for years to come and expanding our group each year. Thank you to everyone that attended!Photo: Our section of Rotarians at the Red Sox vs. White Sox Game 9/22/23
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What does Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) Have for Course Content? RLI has a broad array of topics that gets introduced to those attending. RLI has three progressive levels (RLI1, RLI2, and RLI3) plus graduate courses. Each of the levels has it own content, however, the curriculum gets more strategic with each level. The course content is broken into seven units. |
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Left Right Center October 20, 2023 LEFT – RIGHT – CENTER TOURNAMENTThe most fun you’ll have playing a game that takes under 3 minutes to learn! Cash Prizes, Raffles, 50-50, Pizza, Popcorn & Cash Bar ! When: Friday October 20, 2023 Doors open at 6:00 pm & Game starts at 7:00 pm Where: The Elks Lodge, 134 North Main St., Leominster, MATickets: $20.00 per person / Tables of 10 Available / Seats are Limited FOR TICKETS: Contact: Paul Gauvin 978-855-2145 paul@wsbeauty.com 21+ Event Proceeds to benefit the charitable endeavors of both Rotary clubs |
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The Rotary Foundation Moment WHAT ARE ROTARY’S AREAS OF FOCUS? (1 OF 2)We concentrate our efforts in order to maximize our local and global impact. Our most successful and sustainable projects and activities tend to address these causes, and all humanitarian projects, scholars, and vocational training teams funded by The Rotary Foundation’s global grants work toward specific goals in these areas of focus:  |
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Brookline Dog Day 10/22/23 October 22, 2023, Brookline Rotary will host its third Dog Day from 11:00 - 3:00 at Brookline Avenue Playground at 575 Brookline Avenue. This has been an extremely popular community event for the entire family and a very successful fund raiser for the club. It includes vendors, interactive activities such as a costume parade and doggie yoga, food trucks and dog training demonstrations by the Brookline Canine Patrol, among other events. Attendees and volunteer can sign up by going to the Brookline Rotary club website: or tickets: https://bit.ly/dogday2023 and to volunteer: brooklinerotary.org/event/dog-day-2023 and click volunteer. |
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Hoarding Disorder: Addressing Mental Illness In support of Rotary International President Gordan R. McInally’s commitment to mental health, the Westborough Rotary Club has invited accomplished speakers to discuss this critical issue.At the club’s September 13 meeting, Lynn Faust, Executive Director of Metro Community Development Corporation, a regional non-profit corporation that promotes self-sufficiency in the MetroWest and greater Boston, specifically addressed hoarding disorder. |
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October 7, 4:00 PM - Rotary Club of Northborough Golf Ball Drop Fundraiser
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Acton-Boxborough Rotary Co-Sponsoring NE Walk Against Hate October 15 HATE is an anathema to everything Rotary stands for – consequently the Rotary Club of Acton-Boxborough is one of 25 diverse local community organizations who are co-sponsoring a New England WALK AGAINST HATE on Sunday, October 15, 2023.The walk will be an inspiring family-friendly event, bringing together individuals of all backgrounds and beliefs. It's not just a walk - it's an event that demonstrates the collective power of Community. Please tell your family, friends, and neighbors, and encourage them to participate in this important Community event. |
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Rotary Club of Concord Presents the Al Filipov Awards on 9/11 Each year on 9/11 The Rotary Club of Concord hosts an appreciation awards ceremony in memory of a beloved Concord Rotarian, Al Filipov, and all those who perished 22 years ago during the attacks at the World Trade Center. "Al Filipov was a humble man, who was all about making people's lives better," stated Sharon Spaulding. "He prioritized service to the community. It is fitting on this day that we honor the first responders in Concord who keep us safe every day."Photo: Left to right, Sergeant Tia Manchuso of the Concord Police Department, Concord Rotarian Steve Levitsky, Firefighter Samantha McChesney of the Concord Fire Department
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ESRAG Provides Guidance for Clubs to be Carbon Friendly Visit BecomeSustainable.org to learn how YOUR club can become carbon friendly in its meetings, events, and other activities. The site identifies projects that clubs can consider doing, and ideas on how to make what you're already doing more gentle on the environment. The process can also be used for your residence, other organizations you may belong to, businesses and municipalities.If you’d like a slideshow to use to present the idea to your club, click HERE to download. |
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Weston Classic & Antique Car Show on September 23rd! Weston-Wayland Rotary Club member and Car Show chairman, Richard DeVito Jr., spoke with Weston Media Center about the upcoming Classic & Antique Car Show on September 23rd.Rich spoke about the long history behind the car show that began with his father, what you can expect for its 26th rendition, and more! Check out the video and we hope to see you there! https://imd0mxanj2.execute-api.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/ssr/watch/64ff496413a0f600084c34e0
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Climate Cafe September 28, 2023 at 6:30pm!Join us on Thursday, September 28th at 6:30pm to learn about some fascinating pollinator research being done right here in Massachusetts!  Dr. Robert Gegear founder of the Gegear Lab at UMass Darthmouth and his team are attempting to answer questions such as: What is the significance of floral display complexity? Why does foraging vary among pollinator species? What are the causes and consequences of global pollinator decline? How effective are different restoration and conservation strategies for native pollination systems?To address these questions, they use highly integrative experimental approaches that combine concepts and methodologies from fields such as animal behavior, human psychology, molecular biology, community ecology, and computational biology. Click to learn more about the Gegear Lab. Click HERE to register!"
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Why Should You Attend Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI)? There are many different reasons why you should join Rotary Leadership Institute. RLI will offer you a positive experience with other Rotarians and the more you learn, the better Rotarian you will become.1. You will gain a greater understanding of Rotary.
2. You will be in an environment where you can exchange ideas. 3. You will be engaged with other Rotarians just like you. 4. you will improve communications. 5. You will learn how to build teams. 6. You will gain project leads. 7. You will be an enhanced member. 8. You will understand public image. 9. You will have fun! |
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Rotary Foundation Moment WHAT IS SHARE?The SHARE system is how The Rotary Foundation distributes funds to districts. When you contribute to Annual Fund-SHARE, the first 5% is deducted for operational costs. The remainder of the contribution is divided between the World Fund and District Designated Funds (DDF). The Trustees of the Rotary Foundation allocate money from the World Fund, and your district allocates DDF to the programs that people in your area want to support. The name defines what the system does, because contributions are shared throughout the world. You can help our district and support meaningful projects by giving to the Annual Fund-SHARE! |
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D7910 Morley Scholarship Awarded to Resident of Stow (sponsored by Rotary of Nashoba Valley) The Rotary Club of Nashoba Valley is delighted to announce that the David and Eleanor Morley Endowed Global Grant Scholarship has been awarded to Katherine Painter, a lifelong resident of Stow. RNV sponsored Katherine as a candidate for this scholarship and is thrilled that she was selected! This unique Scholarship was established in 2002 by David and Eleanor Morely, to be granted to a resident of Rotary District 7910 who will be doing graduate-level study outside the US in one of Rotary’s areas of focus. David Morley was a Rotarian, a graduate of Worcester Polytech Institute, and had a long career at General Electric. Photo: Katie and RNV members
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District Governor’s September Message
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Climate Cafes are Back! Join us on Thursday, September 28th at 6:30pm to learn about some fascinating pollinator research being done right here in Massachusetts! Dr. Robert Gegear founder of the Gegear Lab at UMass Darthmouth and his team are attempting to answer questions such as: What is the significance of floral display complexity? Why does foraging vary among pollinator species? What are the causes and consequences of global pollinator decline? How effective are different restoration and conservation strategies for native pollination systems? To address these questions, they use highly integrative experimental approaches that combine concepts and methodologies from fields such as animal behavior, human psychology, molecular biology, community ecology, and computational biology. Click HERE to learn more about the Gegear Lab.Click HERE to register! |
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2023 District Nominations RequestedIt is the beginning of this year’s nominating cycle for District leadership positions and this is an exciting time for District 7910. The future of our clubs depends on qualified candidates serving in leadership roles throughout the District. In order for our Clubs to grow and have more impact addressing local and international needs, there must be Rotarians who will fill leadership roles and provide vision and management skills in support of the business aspects of running our District. The link for the general call for nominations is found here, and the link for the applications for DGND and District Trustees is found here.
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Solar Farms Out at Sea Are Clean Energy's Next Breakthrough Buffeted by waves as high as 10 meters (32 feet) in China’s Yellow Sea about 30 kilometers off the coast of Shandong province, two circular rafts carrying neat rows of solar panels began generating electricity late last year, a crucial step toward a new breakthrough for clean energy.The experiment by State Power Investment Corp., China’s biggest renewable power developer, and Norway-based developer Ocean Sun AS is one of the most high-profile tests yet of offshore solar technology. It’s a potential advance in the sector that would enable locations out at sea to host renewables and help land-constrained regions accelerate a transition away from fossil fuels. Click HERE to read the full Bloomberg.org article. |
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Join us September 22 at Fenway Park for Rotary Night!  Join us for a spectacular evening at Fenway Park for Rotary Night as the Boston Red Sox take on the Chicago White Sox on Friday, September 22nd! Rotarians, friends, and family from across multiple districts could join us for only $39 per ticket while supporting our Foundation. $5 of each ticket purchased will come back to us to support The Rotary Foundation! Enjoy a Friday evening game at this gorgeous park and check out the city of Boston while you are here.Tickets for the Rotary Night game must be purchased at: https://fevogm.com/event/Rotary in order for us to be grouped together and for the donation to get back to our district. The DEADLINE for ticket purchase is September 18th at 11:59PM so don't wait! We would love you to wear your Rotary gear and we look forward to seeing you at Fenway Park! |
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Mental Health Action Group Inaugural Meeting • September 12 @ 6:30pm 7910 Action Group Kickoff Meeting Join us on Zoom Tuesday, September 12 at 6:30 pm for the kickoff meeting of the District 7910 chapter of the Rotary Action Group for Mental Health Initiatives. Bob Anthony, Chair of RI's Action Group for Mental Health Initiatives, will be joining us to explain the mission, goals and opportunities for our Clubs to help remove the stigma associated with mental health diagnoses and treatment. Download Looking Inward Presentation How do we help the Rotarian who sits across the table from us? We invite you to download the presentation "Looking Inward" which outlines President Gordon's vision and can be used as a tool to begin the conversation about Mental Health Awareness in your Club. The presentation includes a video with Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola where we see how self-talk either helps us or becomes a barrier to our connection and communication. Take the Survey Looking Inward includes a brief anonymous survey to help assess our members' perception of their own mental health. President Gordon has asked that we survey our membership to provide a snapshot in time. Please complete the survey (takes about a minute) by Saturday, September 9th so we can review the results at our meeting on September 12. Click here to take the survey. Questions: Contact District Governor Elliott Rittenberg. |
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PDG Family at Summer Outing August 2023 A fun time was had by all during our stay at the Cape Cod home of Victor Tom and Sze-Wen Kuo in Marstons Mills, MA. We ate well and had terrific fellowship. We even conducted District business when we chose PDG Tom Polito to serve 3 years on the Nomination Committee. Present in the photo are IPDG Victor Tom, Ingrid Detweiler, PDG Cliff Rober, PDG Klaus Hochfeld, PDG Diana Nestorova, PDG Bob Cassidy, Glenys Hochfeld, PDG Dick Manelis, Sze-Wen Kuo, PDG Carl Kalzewski, DGE Joyce Graff, PDG Carol Toomey, Joe Toomey, PDG Jim Fusco, Karen Fusco, Reina Rago and DG Elliott Rittenberg. |
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2022-23 Rotary Citation Awardees The Rotary Citation award (formerly the RI Presidential Citation) recognizes the hard work clubs do throughout the year. It is one of the highest honors that Rotary International can bestow upon a club. To achieve the recognition, These Club Presidents (Dawn Kociubes, Teresa McCarthy, Jack Colamaria, Johnny Ahern and Susan Wilkinson) had to choose 13 out of 26 RI stated goals covering, for example, membership, sustainable service projects, giving to the Rotary Foundation, and building awareness of Rotary in their communities. And then they helped steer their clubs this past year to achieve those goals.By working to achieve their goals, they helped engage their members, stay relevant in your communities, and have more fun. And they contributed to the overall health and culture of Rotary for generations to come. Current Club Presidents, it is never too late to enter your goals in Club Central and work towards achieving a Rotary Citation for your club. |
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20 Tips for Increasing Club Membership 1. Create a list of all the great things about your club.2. Keep a list of potential members. 3. Know your club’s strengths. 4. Make membership growth your club’s top priority. 5. Look to young Rotarians for fresh perspectives. 6. Identify occupations lacking in your club. 7. Appeal to local volunteers. 8. Connect with their passions. 9. Talk about Rotary wherever you go. 10. Make a list of club member’s responsibilities. 11. Realize there is no finish line. 12. Emphasize service. 13. Celebrate when you get a new member. 14. Get new members engaged right away. 15. Be persistent. 16. Be vibrant. 17. Embrace diversity. 18. Get them in the door. 19. There are no Rotary police. 20. Make it fun. If your club has been growing over the last year, what strategies did you engage in to attract new members? Please let the District Membership Committee know by emailing membership@rotary7910,org – We’ll share your success stories in our next newsletter. Additional resources may be found at https://www.rotary.org/membership |
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What is Interact? What is Interact? Interact is Rotary International’s service club for young people ages 12 to 18 (middle and high schools). Interact clubs are sponsored by individual Rotary clubs, which provide support and guidance, but they are self-governing and self-supporting. |
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Golf at Blissful Meadows in Uxbridge! It's not too late to register! Sept 13 Although the name may SOUND like a cemetary or retirement home, Blissful Meadows is actually a beautiful and challenging 18 hole championship course located in Uxbridge. Blissful Meadows was designed by Golf World magazine's 2000 "Architect of the Year", Brian Silva, and the award-winning layout, catering to both high and low handicap golfers, offers varying fade and draw shots to satisfy both left-handed and right-handed golfers.All proceeds will benefit the scholarships of the Blackstone Valley Rotary, a small but powerful club serving Uxbridge, Northbridge, Blackstone, Webster, Millville and other former mill towns along the Blackstone and French River valleys. Click HERE to get more information or to register! |
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NVSR Club Helps The Town Calm Traffic in the School Zone Needham Street traffic, in Dedham, often sees cars and trucks speeding past the Riverdale Elementary School at 30 to 45 mph, despite being a signed school zone, and having a raised speed table in place.Dedham’s Active Transportation Working Group (ATWG) was looking for a low cost, but elegant solution, to this safety hazard. They found it in the Mass Government’s Safe Routes to School program. The ATWG planned a mural as a low cost, temporary intervention to promote traffic calming in the area and received two grants to implement the project. They also received funding from the Neponset Valley Sunrise Rotary Club for paint for the project. |
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What is Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI)? RLI is a multi-district, grassroots leadership development program of member districts organized into regional divisions in various parts of the world.Using trained facilitators, RLI seeks to provide quality education in Rotary knowledge and leadership skills to Rotarians interested in enhancing their Rotary knowledge and have an interest in potential club leadership. These educational opportunities teach skills that will benefit the members both in their lives and in their volunteer service. District 7910 will have multiple dates available in 2024 for RLI. The first RLI will be on Saturday, January 27, 2024 at the Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School in Marlborough. Should you have any questions about RLI please forward them to Mark Vital at marlboroughrotaryleadership@gmail.com. Photo: Our successful 2023 RLI
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Visiting Rotarian from Pakistan Summering in Shirley The Rotary Club of Ayer, Harvard, Shirley and Devens had a special international guest in early August all the way from Pakistan. Rana Saeed Ahmad is the Past President of the Rotary Club of Faisalabad, where he has had perfect attendance for the last 30 years. His club is 70 years old and works on many projects centering around school and literacy. He credits the youthful membership in his club to good speakers, sports and a viable Rotaract program. Saeed spoke to us with interpretive assistance from his son, Jalal Rana, who lives in Shirley and works in Marlborough as a mechanical engineer, manufacturing vaccines. Photo: Visiting Rotarian Rana Saeed Ahmad, left side center, with members of the Rotary Club of Ayer, Harvard, Shirley and Devens. He is spending the summer in Shirley, visiting his son, Jalal, seated right, front.
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Watertown Rotary Club’s Traffic Circle Cleanup One of Many Events in the Coming YearThe island in the middle of the rotary connecting Common and Orchard street is filled with all kinds of greenery for the public to admire. On July 20, the Rotary Club of Watertown spent their day gardening the rotary so the city can add some colorful plants to it in the near future.
The weeding and cleaning of the island through the City of Watertown’s Adopt-an-Island program is one the many events Watertown’s Rotary Club holds each year. |
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Mental Health Action Group Kickoff Meeting • September 12 @ 6:30pmJoin us on Zoom Tuesday, September 12 at 6:30 pm for the kickoff meeting of the District 7910 chapter of the Rotary Action Group for Mental Health Initiatives.At this meeting, we’ll discuss the chapter formation, structure, and overall mission. |
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Rotary President Elect Stephanie Urchick keynotes Aug. 26 Climate Webinar Concerned about the climate or other environmental issues? You and your club can easily be part of the solution by becoming more climate-friendly and sustainable. How? Come hear Rotary International President-Elect Stephanie Urchick, Synergy Rotary Fellowship Alliance, and ESRAG leaders share ways you can succeed. On Saturday 26 August at 10:30 am - 12:00 pm EDT join:
Can’t make the meeting time? Register anyway, so you will be sent the recording. Share it with your club! This event is sponsored by Synergy Rotary Friendship Alliance and ESRAG, the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group. |
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Rotary Responds - Support the Maui Fires Relief Fund A relief fund for victims of the devastating wildfires in Maui has been established through the Rotary District 5000 Foundation as we come together to recover and rebuild. Please consider donating to this special fund and sharing the opportunity with others to help.From Hawai'i Rotary District Governor Mark Merriam, August 9, 2023:
Today has been a tragic day for our Rotarians, families and friends on the Island of Maui. The fires across the island have changed lives forever. Truly devastating. Our sympathy, thoughts and prayers are with everyone impacted. |
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Weston Antique & Classic Car Show Returns Sept 23rd! Join us for the 2023 Weston Antique & Classic Car Show. The weather is perfect this time of year and we look forward to seeing all our friends return again to support this great event. Arrive early for best location. Thanks for your support!WOW, CAN YOU BELIEVE OUR THIRD DECADE? OUR 26TH YEAR! Join us for the 26th Annual Weston & Wayland Rotary Club Antique & Classic Car Show scheduled for September 23rd, 2023. Rain or shine promises to be another great event for car owners and families alike. The 2019 Car Show attracted over 200 cars ranging from Classic Muscle Cars to Micro Messerschmidts and over 2,000 attendees. We are pleased to be bringing this show back to life after covid! |
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Learning: ClubRunner for Club Executives Have you met ClubRunner? There are convenient features in ClubRunner for all club members and executives. We have prepared some brief (15 minute) videos to introduce you to the essential features that you will need for your position in the club.Check out the Learning Page where you will find all the ClubRunner videos, plus the Meet the Presidents series -- meet presidents who have revitalized a 100-year-old club; set goals and met them; won Best Club three years running; founded an e-Club; had great success with Interact; and explored opportunities to engage with Mental Health. Your club could be the next great success! |
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Mark Your Calendar - Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) is Coming Jan 27, 2024Mark your calendars. The Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) has been scheduled for Saturday, January 27, 2024 from 7:30 am - 3:00 p.m..We will be meeting at the Assabet Valley Regional High School in Marlborough. All four levels of RLI will be offered. Registration should open in September. Please check out the link for more details about the curriculum: rotaryleadershipinstitute.org
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Golf at Beautiful Blissful Meadows AND Support Blackstone Valley Scholarships! Sept. 13 There are lots of golf tournaments floating around right now, but THIS is the one you really want to participate in! Blissful Meadows is a beautiful and challenging 18 hole championship golf course located in Uxbridge. You've probably never played it. This is your big chance!To sign up to golf OR become a sponsor please CLICK HERE. |
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Habitat Build Day in memory of June Grace In memory of June Grace, Rotarians from clubs in Concord and Bedford volunteered at a Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell home being built in Concord. June once mentioned that a nice way to honor someone who has passed away is to volunteer for something that was important to them and so when she died in May the idea was born. Sharon Spaulding reached out to Suzanne at Habitat for Humanity who loved the idea of honoring a previous volunteer by hosting a Habitat Build Day! June and her husband, Buck, very much enjoyed volunteering at Habitat. June had volunteered at the Carter Way Bedford Habitat project as well as a house in Concord. Photo: Rotarians from Concord and Bedford Clubs
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Spirit of Hudson Brewfest - Saturday August 5th 2023 Our 8th annual spiritofhudson.com will take place within the Avidia Bank parking lot at 30 South Street Hudson, MA 01749.Over 30 breweries and distilleries will provide free samples from 3PM-6PM. We have four food trucks, a cigar seller with mobile humidor, and live band! Come help support the Rotary Club of Hudson raise money for our shared Rotary goals. For more information please contact Jeff Tucker 978-857-0619
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Distinguished Service Award to Ralph Hammond At DG Elliott Rittenberg’s installation event, PDG Dr. Victor Tom had the honor of presenting the most prestigious Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award (DSA) to Ralph Hammond, of the Rotary Club of Bedford, who has rendered exceptional service to the Foundation beyond the District level and for an extended period of time. This award is extremely competitive and only 50 Rotarians may receive this award each year, out of 1.4 million Rotarians worldwide.Photo: Ralph and Jean Hammond with Award |
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Global Initiatives: Disaster Plan For People With Disabilities and Cerebral Palsy Fellowship Interested in working on global projects for people with disabilities?We have two projects we are working on that might interest you. First, countries have disaster plans, but few give attention to people with disabilities. We are developing such plans with a goal for global distribution. Second, Cerebral Palsy has no global awareness efforts. We are setting up a Rotary Fellowship to do just that. Interested in either project: Contact the Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy by email: Rotarywda@gmail.com. Visit us on Facebook.
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D7910 Quarterly Rotary Foundation Update Meeting Thank all of you who took the time Monday evening this week to review our District 7910 Rotary Foundation Grants and Donations. |
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30th Annual Wachusett Area Rotary Club Golf Tournament - Sept 18 Great opportunity to promote your business!The Wachusett Area Rotary Club will be holding our signature event and main fundraiser, our annual Golf Tournament, on Monday, September 18th at Oak Hill Country Club in Fitchburg. This year we are commemorating our 30th anniversary of running this event to raise funds for our projects, grants and scholarships. Please consider supporting us through purchasing one of our sponsorship packages. Opportunities range from affordable promotional signs on tees and greens through packages that include playing spots and premier corporate recognition. Or if you’d just like to play golf, that’s an option as well. |
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Learning: Meet the Presidents and Learn This year's Learning Agenda begins with a series of interviews with recent club Presidents who have successfully led their clubs forward. In each interview we focus on the "secret sauce" brought to the club by this leader, and provide hints for making the club more exciting and successful over time. |
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Marlborough Club to Host Golf Tournament - Sept 20 The Rotary Club of Marlborough will be hosting an exciting golf tournament at Juniper Hills Golf Course in Northborough on September 20th. We are hopeful that other clubs will participate with foursomes and sponsorships as all proceeds will be used for the Rotary Homestead, a homeless shelter for single women in greater Marlborough.A round of golf is just $140 which includes golf, a cart, and a delicious meal afterwards. We will be also having a raffle and silent auction (donations gladly accepted. Come on over to beautiful Juniper for some exercise, fellowship, and fun! See this 1-page overview for more information.
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District Governor's August Message August is Membership Month on the Rotary International Calendar. In 2022, more than 78,000 Rotarians participated in our All Member Survey and the results are clear – the number one driver of member satisfaction is a member’s experience within their club. Just as taking care of customers is crucial for the success of any business, our survey showed that an inclusive and caring club experience is the primary reason that our members stay in Rotary. Conversely, members leave our clubs when they don’t feel connected, and expectations are unmet. |
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The Epic Ride for Rotary & Charities - July 22 There are many ways Rotarians serve their communities and Rotary.On Saturday, July 22, three District 7910 Rotarians found a new path to do that: They participated in “The Epic Ride,” a charity fundraiser organized by Warren Green. This year, John Marchiony and Rob Mosher joined the ride, and Weston-Wayland president Katya Portnaya apparated at the 100-mile mark with water and snacks. Collectively, the riders are raising money for eight charities, including The Rotary Foundation and the District 7910 Charity Fund. Riders Rob, Warren and John at the Train Bridge in Bourne.
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2 Global Initiatives: Disaster Plan For People With Disabilities and Cerebral Palsy FellowshipInterested in working on global projects for people with disabilities? We have two projects we are working on that might interest you. First, countries have disaster plans, but few give attention to people with disabilities. We are developing such plans with a goal for global distribution. Second, Cerebral Palsy has no global awareness efforts. We are setting up a Rotary Fellowship to do just that. Interested in either project: Contact: Rotarywda@gmail.com |
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2 Spirit of Hudson Brewfest - Saturday August 5th 2023Our 8th annual Spirit of Hudson Brewfest will take place within the Avidia Bank parking lot at 30 South Street Hudson, MA 01749. Over 30 breweries and distilleries will provide free samples from 3PM-6PM. We have four food trucks, a cigar seller with mobile humidor, and live band! Come help support the Rotary Club of Hudson raise money for our shared Rotary goals. For more information please contact Jeff Tucker 978-857-0619spiritofhudson.com/
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What are the benefits of having an Interact Club? It appears that a few of the clubs in the District have lost their Interact Club during the pandemic. This is a troubling trend that we hope to stop and reverse directions with over the next school year.What is Interact? Interact is Rotary Club for students between the ages of 12 and 18 (middle and high school age). They can be school or community based. Interact Clubs must be sponsored by a District club and must complete at a minimum two projects per year. Believe it or not there are 14,911 Clubs in over 145 countries with over 342,900 young people involved. Photo shows Marlborough's Rotary and Interact Clubs clearing trails in their city.
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Auction: Bid by Aug 2 for Aug 10 Patriots Tickets on the 50 yard line
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District Mental Health Action Group: Get Involved – Sign Up to Serve RI president Gordon McInally has prioritized mental health and well-being as a signature focus for the year ahead and beyond. He’s challenged Rotarians to lead the way in eliminating the stigma around and to raise awareness about the importance of mental and emotional health. As I’ve visited our Clubs and raised this subject over the last few weeks, it’s clear that many of our members feel passionately about this topic. The mission of the Rotary Action Group on Mental Health Initiatives is to create and support opportunities for all to improve their mental health and wellness for healthy, happy and productive lives. |
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Rotarians’ Epic Ride for Rotary - July 22
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Help Wanted: Rotary Club Of World Disability Advocacy Seeks Treasurer The Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy is in need of someone to be Treasurer of the Club.The Treasurer would oversee all the financial transactions of the club pertaining to the club's banking account and complete appropriate filings when needed. It is a volunteer position and is an essential part of the Club's mission to improve the human rights of people with disabilities globally. Since the Treasurer position will be an officer in the club, the individual would need to be a member of the club. For more information, please write to President Ken Masson at Rotarywda@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/Rotarywda/ |
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Wachusett Area Rotary Club Hosted June 3 Event: Focus on Fun! On June 3, about 80 people gathered at Lilac Hedge Farm in Rutland for the Wachusett Area Rotary Club’s Annual Spring Fling. Put on hold for several years due to Covid, the event was historically a themed dinner dance and fundraiser. This year, the club decided to do something different.Photo credit: Danielle Ray, The Landmark Rotarians, left-right- Savvas Fotiadis, Richard Traina, Tony Fotiadis, Helena Donlevy, Marisol Dittami, Rick Mansfield, Desiree Leader, Roberta Duke, Kim Cary, Matt Smith. |
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Saying Goodbye to PDG Val Callahan It is with a heavy heart that we bring to you news of the passing of Past District Governor, Mary Valentine Callahan - “Val Callahan,” as she was known. For over 30 years Val had been a Rotarian, beginning in District 7910, where she was Club President, Foundation Chair, GSE leader, Assistant Governor and District Governor 2014-15. When Val moved to Boston, the Boston #7 club welcomed her. She became the club’s Foundation Chair. Val was a Major Donor, Sustainer and Bequest Society Member.She will be missed by Rotarians both near and far. Val leaves behind her husband, Rotarian Mohamed Elhanash, her two grown children and their families.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, at 10:00AM on August 26, 2023 at Trinity Church, 206 Clarendon St, Boston, MA 02111. All are welcome to attend. |
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The Yale Climate Connection released their “Climate Change in the American Mind: Beliefs & Attitudes” The Yale Climate Connection released their “Climate Change in the American Mind: Beliefs & Attitudes” report this month, based on data from the nationally representative survey they conducted in Spring 2023. Click HERE to read the report! |
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Do you have questions about solar or electric cars? Come ask them at these free online events! The Green Energy Consumer’s Alliance is offering a series of online events where you can “Ask a Solar Expert” or “Ask an Electric Car Driver”. Visit https://www.greenenergyconsumers.org for details and to register. |
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Want to help stop climate change without leaving your house? A team of Rotarians and community members are working on a “project-in-a-box” for clubs worldwide to host viewing events and discussions about the amazing Climate Feedback Loop films. Google Drive and good organizational skills experience preferable, zoom experience required. Also interested in people with website and creative talents. Please contact Sue Peghiny at suef0503@gmail.com for more details. |
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July 22 is Climate Emergency Day The NY Society for Ethical Culture has created this day to pay attention to climate. It is connected to the climate clock and the time that we have before we exceed 1.5C. To learn more, click HERE. |
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Help Wanted: Rotary Club Of World Disability Advocacy Seeks TreasurerThe Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy is in need of someone to be Treasurer of the Club.The Treasurer would oversee all the financial transactions of the club pertaining to the club's banking account and complete appropriate filings when needed. It is a volunteer position and is an essential part of the Club's mission to improve the human rights of people with disabilities globally. Since the Treasurer position will be an officer in the club, the individual would need to be a member of the club. For more information, please write to President Ken Masson at Rotarywda@gmail.com |
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Runners & Walkers Support Westborough Rotary Club Scholarships (June 17) Dreary weather and the threat of rain on Saturday, June 17, did not dissuade 130 runners and walkers from participating in the Westborough Rotary Club’s 5K Dads and Grads Race.This was the club’s 19th race, with only one year missed due to COVID. Image: Proud race participants from left to right: Sharon Foster, Highland City Striders Running Club member, Steve Sager, Past District Governor, Jorge Yarzebski, Westborough Rotary member
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2023 Needham Carnival July 20-23 Come check out the Needham Carnival. We will have kiddy rides, thrill rides, the midway, and everything in between. No price for entry, so you can come ride a couple rides and go home. July 20-23. For more, go to www.NeedhamCarnival.com. |
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Final Official Message from DG Dr. Victor Tom Fellow District 7910 Rotarians, as we end the 2022-2023 Rotary year, I would like to express my gratitude to all of the Club officers, District officers and committees, the DG chain, my advisor Jim Fusco and finally Sze-Wen, our District Secretary who did much more to keep me on track. It takes a village, no one person can take on so much responsibility and that is true at the club as well as at the district level.It was a sincere honor to serve as your District Governor and I am leaving the District in the capable hands of Elliott, Joyce and Johnny. I am not disappearing from District duties, but will step aside and focus on the various initiatives that I helped start this year. Photo: DG Dr Victor and Sze-Wen at Rotary International Convention in Melbourne
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May 27th Outdoor Music Festival
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District Governor's Vision Statement for 2023-24 I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July holiday weekend. I am both honored and excited to begin my term District Governor. We are very fortunate to have a strong leadership team in place, and we look forward to working with you to Create Hope in the World.First, congratulations and thank you to outgoing District Governor Dr. Victor Tom. It’s been a both a privilege and a pleasure to work alongside you this past year, and our District is most definitely in a better place because of your leadership.
I love Rotary, and I love what we do. |
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Newton Rotary Celebrated its Centennial at Installation Night on June 27th A great time was had by all Tuesday night, the 27th, at the Scandinavian Living Center, where Rotarians, their families, friends, and former community Paul Harris winners gathered for a sumptuous pot luck supper. We celebrated our 100th Anniversary, gave out this year's Paul Harris awards, and installed our President for 2023-24, Liz Tavares and the Board of Directors. |
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Stuff-A-Cruiser: Nashoba Valley Police Departments duke it out to fight food Insecurity. The Rotary Club of Nashoba Valley's continued its collaboration with local police departments at the stuff-a-cruiser event; Stow Police Department, Bolton Police Department and Lancaster Massachusetts Police Department duked it out! Who will stuffed the most cruisers? Please read on. Ultimately the WINNER was WHEAT Community Connections. Food Insecurity in our communities is alive and well, we can make a difference. |
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Rotarian Volunteers Made RYLA Possible from June 23rd-25th District 7910 hosted the annual Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) weekend leadership conference at Fitchburg State June 23-25.In the words of PDG Victor Tom, "RYLA is where leaders emerge." This facilitation would not have been possible without our illustrious Rotarian volunteers, RYLA core committee members and RYLA Chair Christine Pinney. Thank you for making this wonderful leadership conference possible!
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Surprise Visitor from Overseas The Lowell Rotary was pleasantly surprised on 27 June with a visit from Njau Chege, the president of the Rotary Club of Mombasa, Nyali in Kenya. Njau was in town visiting relatives after attending commencement at WPI. He presented us with a banner and we had a wonderful and informative conversation about Rotary in Kenya and around the world. |
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Elliott Rittenberg's Bio (DG 2023-23) Elliott Rittenberg has been a Rotarian since 2009 when he joined the Rotary Club of Sharon in District7950. There he served as club treasurer, president in 2013 – 2014, and then as treasurer of the club’s charitable foundation.After moving to Westborough in 2015, Elliott transferred to the Westborough Rotary Club and became active on several committees, served as assistant treasurer, and then as club president in 2019 – 2020. Elliott’s service to the Club was recognized when he received the Club’s Rotarian of the Year award in 2022. Elliott has served as an Assistant Governor, is a Paul Harris Fellow, and a graduate of the RotaryLeadership Institute. He also serves as co-chair of the District’s recently formed EnvironmentalCommittee, and is an active member of the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group. |
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Oct 1: Walk to End Alzheimers
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Westford Rotary Receives $10,000 Award Westford Rotary was awarded $10,000 by the 100 Women Who Care of Greater Westford. The award will support the club’s program plans and activities for 2023-2024 year. 100 Women recognizes four organizations per year, and provides remaining funds to the runners up.The two other applying organizations – Nashoba Neighbors (a senior “village” in the Berlin, Bolton and Lancaster area) and PACH Outreach (food distribution program in Pepperell and Dunstable) - will share the monies collected in excess of the $10,000 and will be eligible for another opportunity to be considered at a future meeting.
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District Grants: Funds for your projects - June 30 deadline
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Environmental Action Group Update: July 2023 Update: New content, invitations, and programming. |
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Environmental Action Group Update |
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Newton Rotary Awarded Bibbo Scholarships ~ May 24th The Rotary Club of Newton awarded scholarships to 3 amazing Newton High School seniors at the annual Newton Mayor's Breakfast on May 24th. The scholarships are named after Anthony J. Bibbo, a founder and long-time Director of the Harmony Foundation, as well as a much-beloved Newton Rotarian from 1970 until his death in 2018. Club President Andy Willinger introduced the awards, and also announced the 100th anniversary of the Rotary Club, which was greeted by enthusiastic applause. Interim Superintendent Kathy Smith introduced each winner, and the Mayor, Ruthann Fuller, added her congratulations. Newton Rotary also awards annual scholarships to 3 deserving students from Newton North's Career and Technical Education Program. These awards were announced on May 29th, and will be presented at a Rotary luncheon on June 6th. |
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Littleton Rotary's Day of Service 2023
 On May 20th, The Littleton Rotary Club celebrated Rotary International’s “Day of Service” by helping children in its area in need of one of life’s essentials: a bed. President-elect Chris Alphen hosted the Littleton Rotary Club, members of the Littleton High School’s Honor Society, and Littleton citizen-volunteers at his Dolphin Insulation headquarters at a Build-a-Bed event in which piles of wood were miraculously made into beds destined for children in need. To get the job done smoothly, Chris assigned a specific task to each person from cutting to sanding, assembling, staining, branding and packaging. Everyone built up an appetite and by noon all enjoyed a delicious lunch donated by The Littleton Sub Shop and Tavern on the Square. By the end of the event, twenty-three beds had been built, branded with the Rotary International logo and prepared for delivery to children throughout the area. |
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Wachusett Area Rotary Club Awards Scholarships At our June 2nd meeting, the Wachusett Area Rotary Club awarded $2,000 scholarships to three students living in our service area. The scholarships were awarded to students who demonstrated a commitment to community service, as well as academic achievement and financial need.Pictured here are the 2023 scholarship recipients, Amaya Santimore, Joseph Collard, and Ella Bradshaw along with the Scholarship Committee Jessica Favreau, Betty-Jean Lane (Project Chair), Marisol Dittami and Matt Smith.
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“Rotary Climate Action Now” Needs Your Brainpower! The D7910 “Rotary Climate Action Now” project is moving into its final stages and could use some more brainpower. Going forward we will be finalizing the toolkit and then sharing the project opportunity throughout Rotary. If you’d like to hear more about this impactful project, please contact Sue Peghiny at suef0503@gmail.com. |
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The D7910 Climate Cafés need your help!These events have been a very popular way to meet the experts and share all kinds of environmental and climate information. They are moving to a quarterly format, but Sue needs someone to help pull them together. It’s an easy and fulfilling lift. Please contact Sue Peghiny at if you’re interested. |
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Do you have an EV, Solar Panels, Heat Pumps, or other energy-saving devices? The Climate Café is looking to create a panel of experienced users to share their experiences and views on their devices at one of our quarterly cafes. What do you like about your device(s)? What don’t you like? What do you wish you had done differently? Please email Sue Peghiny at suef0503@gmail.com if you’re willing to be a panelist. Once we have 3-4 people we’ll figure out a mutually agreeable date and time. Thanks! |
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Spirit of Hudson Brewfest is back! August 5 After 3 years in hibernation the famous Spirit of Hudson Brewfest will return Saturday August 5th 2PM-6PM for an 8th year. All beer enthusiasts will enjoy a fantastic time at our tasting party and supporting Rotary on a summer afternoon. We will have food trucks or after the event you could take a walk along the "Best Main Street in America" to have dinner. We expect about 1,000 attendees. |
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Colorado Farm Links Community Agriculture & Community Solar Agrivoltaics, the synergistic use of solar energy production and agriculture on the same land, is fast becoming an important innovation to help boost renewable energy production and help farmers navigate a changing climate. Farmers are embracing the opportunity to diversify their farms and ranches by using solar arrays to reduce water usage or provide shade for grazing animals, all while producing energy to run their farms and sell to their communities. Jacks Solar Garden in Colorado is the largest active agrivoltaic research site in the U.S. and produces 1.2 MW of power, which is distributed to local homes and businesses. The land beneath and beside the solar panels is used by Sprout City Farms to grow crops, pollinator plants, and to keep bees. They have also created the Colorado Agrivoltaic Learning Center to help educate future leaders in the agrivoltaic industry. To learn more about Agrivoltaics, click HERE. |
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Want to use less plastic? Eliminating plastic from modern life is virtually impossible (believe me, I’ve tried), but below are some websites that offer great products to help you significantly reduce your plastic use. Have questions on how to get started? Email Sue Peghiny at suef0503@gmail.com.
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Groton-Pepperell Rotary: An Evening of Bird Photography and Field Notes with Ken Janes ~ Monday, June 19 Ken Janes, long-time Groton resident, retired surgeon and avid birder, shares a selection of his amazing bird photographs and stories of birding at this special presentation. Ken’s images have most recently appeared in his books, Life List: Field Notes of a Maine Birdwatcher and Life List: A Maine Birdwatcher in Florida. Ken is also the author and photographer of Florida Birds: A Birdwatcher Discovers the Sunshine State coming this November. Please join us for this special presentation to support the Nashua River Watershed Association on Monday, June 19 at 7 PM in the Lawrence Academy Media Conference Center, Groton.
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Swing into Summer on June 16th - Athol The Athol Orange Area Rotary Club (6551) invites Rotarians to head over to Swing into Summer! on Friday, June 16th from 6 to 10 PM.Join us for an evening of baseball and golf themed fun in collaboration with Ellinwood Country Club. The event will feature live music and magic, beer tasting, a corn hole competition, and silent and live auctions of great items, including sports memorabilia. Cash bar and a full menu available from the Ellinwood and a complimentary sundae bar by AO Rotary. Tickets are available from any AO Rotarian and at the Ellinwood located at 1928 Pleasant Street in Athol MA. Visit atholorangerotary.org for more information.
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Enjoy local Beer & Wine with Wachusett Area Rotary! - June 3 The Wachusett Area Rotary Club is hosting a Beer and Wine Tasting event on June 3rd at Lilac Hedge Farm in Rutland MA. Tickets are $40 and include beer and wine tasting, a fabulous barbecue, entertainment and activities! All are invited to join us - please email WARotaryClub@gmail.com for tickets. Click on the graphic to enlarge it. |
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Fitchburg 2023 Annual Rotary Awards Dinner - May 24 Each year The Rotary Clubs of Fitchburg and Fitchburg East host an Annual Recognition Dinner at Fitchburg High School. On Wednesday, May 24, 2023, we recognize our city’s finest for their commitment to public service and community. |
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Rotary Night at Worcester Bravehearts - July 21
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We are amazing. You are amazing. Rotary Day of Service! On May 20, 2023, more than 500 Rotary clubs and 14,000 Rotarians participated in service projects all on the same day. In District 7910 alone, more than 300 Rotarians and more than 200 community volunteers came together to do 33 service projects. See a carousel of large photos. |
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Westford Rotary Collecting for Westford Food Pantry Summer Needs Program. Check your Pantry too!!!! The Westford Rotary Club is collecting Food for the Westford Food Pantry for the Month of June. The Westford Rotary Club does this each June...... summer months are usually low in collections and with children home and no school lunch programs...... the needs are more. Listed below are some of the many items the Westford Pantry needs, especially snacks, breakfast/lunch items and drinks for kids ITEMS: SNACK BAGS, JUICE BOXES AND CHILD-FRIENDLY ITEMS. The following items are in need too CANNED ITEMS: CHICKEN BREAST, TOMATO SAUCE, SPAM, STEW, CHEF BOYARDEE, BAKED BEANS, POTATOES and HASHJELLY and PEANUT BUTTER |
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Interesting Climate Tidbits from the D7910 Environmental Action Committee! Insects are a Climate-Friendly Option for Animal FeedUsing insects for food has been discussed as a potential climate change solution for numerous reasons. Notably, raising insects requires minimal land, they can be fed on food waste, and their entire bodies are edible. But while consuming insects may be a nonstarter for some people, it appears to be less eyebrow-raising to use insects as animal feed for livestock and for pets. According to a recent report by CBS News, insects are being explored as a high-protein, low-carbon alternative to conventional feedstocks. The use of insects in animal feed has gained attention as a means to address sustainability concerns. It has been estimated that around 1.2 trillion edible insects are raised on farms annually, providing ranchers with an opportunity to reduce their reliance on carbon-intensive crops such as soybeans |
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Facing Mental Health Issues Head On, Presentation June 6 The Rotary Club of Bedford and the Bedford Youth and Family Services invite you to a presentation by Rotary International representative Bob Anthony on Tuesday, June 6th, 2023 from 12:30 PM-1:30 PM in the Reed Room in Bedford Town Hall, 10 Mudge Way, Bedford, MA. Bob is a recognized leader in the field of Mental Health who will present on Rotary’s 2023 mission of Facing Mental Health Issues Head-On by breaking stigma, raising awareness, and increasing access to prevention and earlier treatment. |
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D-7910 Night at Worcester Bravehearts Calling all baseball fans on Friday, July 21st Rotarians and their families are invited to a Rotary Night at the Worcester Bravehearts at Fitton Field at Holy Cross. Not only will this be an excellent night of fellowship for Rotarians and their friends and families, we will also be treated to a postgame firework show.Come out and see the Worcester Bravehearts as they take on the Vermont Lake Monsters. Gametime is 6:30pm but arrive at 5:30 for the pre-game buffet and social hour. |
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Rotary@Work: Turn Networking into Sales - May 22
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Rotarians & Clubs Recognized with Awards at 3 District Conference  Rotarians gathered for fellowship, learning and fun at our 3-District Conference on April 22 at the Burlington Marriott. Business meetings, breakout sessions and an engaging keynote presentation from Rotary’s public image changemaker Evan Burrell entertained and educated members throughout the day. Among the day’s highlights were the many awards presented by Governor Victor Tom to our members and clubs, including Rotary’s most prestigious, the Service Above Self Award presented to Concord’s June Grace (pictured here) for her dedication, passion and leadership. And once again, the Rotary Club of Weston & Wayland took home the bell as Best Club. Click on “read more” below to see photos of the award recipients. |
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RYLA Volunteers - Come Join The FUN! Would you like to support District 7910 RYLA and the 170 participating sophomores this year? Volunteer opportunities are available on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday June 23-25! Online Sign-Up is Now Open You must be pre-registered and fill out a CORI to volunteer. Prospective Rotarians and non-Rotarians, are welcome to help as well!
Volunteer training was held previously. Be prepared - please watch the 60 minute Volunteer Training recording. New members and volunteers from your club/area can set up carpools and have a blast helping out together! Learn more about opportunities and sign up to volunteer at RYLA! |
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Media blitz to Make the Most of our Day of ServiceWith the Rotary Day of Service coming up fast, it's time to contact the press and make sure that your project receives the recognition it deserves! See our District 7910 Rotary Day of Service page for resources: http://rotary7910.org/page/day-of-service Rotary Day of Service Promotional AssetsClick on the graphic to reach a Google Drive full of customizable assets:  We have assembled lots of great information and materials to help you do this.
 There is a video prepared by Joyce Graff and Taylor Quaranta to help you with getting press coverage and with optimizing social media. Watch the video. If you have any other questions, please contact us at dayofservice@rotary7910.org.
Thank you for all you do every day for your club, your community, and the world. We are looking forward to a wonderfully successful Day of Service. |
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Success Story: Westford Rotary Club “Junk in the Trunk and More “ Big Success Sat, May 6,2023 It was a busy morning at the Westford RotaryJunk in the Trunk & More Free event at the Abbot Elementary School Parking lot in Westford on Saturday May 6, 2023!The Wish Project had a truck to take furniture, kitchen items, Baby items and clothes, and more. The New England Textile Recycling had a truck to take the items including Textiles and stained/torn clothes, that were not taken by the public and the Wish Project. They get the items they collect to correct organizations. Image: Westford Rotary members at Rotary Seed and Plant table . Rotary info cards were available too. Penny Hamel, Patti Mason, Megan Doehing and Jessica Arsensult.
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Johnny Ahern: District Governor Nominee Designate (DGND) Johnny Ahern has been selected as District 7910's District Governor Nominee Designate (2025-2026). He is a native of Lowell, MA and completed two combat tours (Kuwait and Iraq) in the United States Army during his ten years of active-duty service. After completing his military service, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Deaf Studies Specialization from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., the world’s only university in which all programs and services are specifically designed for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Students. |
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21st Rotary Duck Race on the Charles- June 17 Calling all Rotarians and their families and friends for our 21st Annual Duck Race on the Charles River. June 17th from 1-3pm, the Neponset Valley Sunrise Club will be holding their 21st consecutive* Duck Race, with free food and drinks, DJ dance party, games and more. Check out our website for location, duck adoptions and sponsorship opportunities. www.nvsrotaryevents.org. |
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Film Nagar School Expansion Project In memory of Raghav Rao, Rotarian from the Jubilee Hills club in Hyderabad India, there is a project underway to expand the local Film Nagar government school. Raghav has a daughter in Needham. In 2016, the Needham club, working with Raghav and with help from other 7910 clubs, paid to put a solar array on the school. Image: Film Nagar School students
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May 20th is ROTARY’S DAY OF SERVICE & BROOKLINE’S SPRING FEST
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Southborough: Planting Pollinator Preservation Meadow - May 20 Native pollinator plant gardens are key to sustaining natural environments around us. Our CTA: join us at 9:30am at the Beals' Preserve in Southborough to prepare a Pollination Preservation Meadow to help plant for future pollination plants. Photo from https://solf.org/beals-preserve-blog/
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Southborough Food Trucks Festival Starts May 24 The Rotary Club of Southborough Food Truck Festival is back and bigger than ever! Join us for each Wednesday starting on May 24 through June 14 (Happy Flag Day!) from 3:30 to 7pm ET for an evening filled with food, fun, and friends! All proceeds collected at this event will help support our programs such as Earth Day, Pumpkin Stroll, Heritage Day, sponsoring RYLA students, Foldscopes, and most importantly, our Scholarship Awards. |
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Installation - District Governor & Presidents - Wednesday, June 28  "The world needs Rotary more than ever before," states Elliott Rittenberg, the District Governor Elect for District 7910 and member of the Westborough Rotary Club.Rittenberg, a Rotarian for almost 15 years, is excited and honored to take on his new role as District Governor for the 2023-2024 year. His experience as former past president of the Sharon and Westborough clubs, co-chair of the District Environmental Action Group, former board member of Westborough Connects, and founding member of Square One, a community coalition focused on mental health and well-being, has prepared him well to lead the district. Installation of District Governor and all Club Presidents in attendance.The installation of Rittenberg as District Governor and Sandy Kearney as President of the Westborough Club, as well as all other Presidents-Elect from 7910 in attendance, will be WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28 at the Framingham Country Club from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. <RSVP here to attend Installation Celebration.> $55 regular Rotarian registration cost through June 15th at midnight. $65 last-minute registration fee from June 16th - June 22nd at midnight.
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Success! Mini Golf Tournament for End Polio Now On April 20, the Rotary Club of Marlborough was proud to host its inaugural miniature golf tournament, which raised approximately $1,000 for End Polio Now. Fellow Rotarians and their family and friends were invited to have friendly competition, eat pizza and ice cream, and win prizes!The mini golf tournament was hosted at Trombetta’s Farm, located in Marlborough. President Mark Vital brought this idea to Rotarian Julie Thibodeau, and she chose to use this opportunity as a way to support End Polio Now. “Through RLI, I learned one of Rotary International’s first projects was the eradication of Polio, “Julie said. “So, what better way to bring fellowship with other Rotary Clubs than raising funds for End Polio Now?” Even though polio cases have reduced by 99.9%, it is still crucial polio vaccination remains a priority. The Rotary Club of Marlborough would love to continue hosting this event annually. Please contact Julie Thibodeau for additional information. Photo Caption: Julie (yellow) with the winning team, Hole-in-Oners Camila, Sebastian, and Dean
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What’s Next? A Better Way to Deliver Cancer Treatment - May 16
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Success! Mini Golf Tournament for End Polio Now 2On April 20, the Rotary Club of Marlborough was proud to host its first inaugural miniature golf tournament, which raised approximately $1,000 for End Polio Now. Fellow Rotarians and their family and friends were invited to have friendly competition, eat pizza and ice cream, and win prizes!The mini golf tournament was hosted at Trombetta’s Farm, located in Marlborough. President Mark Vital brought this idea to Rotarian Julie Thibodeau, and she chose to use this opportunity as a way to support End Polio Now. “Through RLI, I learned one of Rotary International’s first projects was the eradication of Polio, “Julie said. “So, what better way to bring fellowship with other Rotary Clubs than raising funds for End Polio Now?” Even though polio cases have reduced by 99.9%, it is still crucial polio vaccination remains a priority. The Rotary Club of Marlborough would love to continue hosting this event annually. Please contact Julie Thibodeau for additional information. Photo Caption: Julie (yellow) with the winning team, Hole-in-Oners Camila, Sebastian, and Dean
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Westford Junk in the Trunk and More Event May 6 The Westford Rotary “The Junk in the Trunk” is Sat May 6, 2023 at Abbot Elementary School 25 Depot Dt. Westford MA. All items are free!The Wish Project Truck will be there to pick up donated items including summer clothes from birth to adults and list of needed items on our information flyer. Westford Rotary will be adding veggie and flower seeds to the plant table. No Shredding in May, but will have Shredding Truck at Summer and Fall event - watch for details in late June. |
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Concord Music Fest- May 27th A fun family day of music for a great cause! Join the Rotary Club of Concord on May 27th at the Rideout Field in West Concord from 1-7 PM. Live music featuring The Bruce Marshall Group will entertain all ages.Proceeds will benefit Concord Children's Center. Bring a picnic and your friends or family to kick off the unofficial start of summer! See our sponsorship information. For tickets or information, contact co-chairs Hilary Taylor 336merlin@gmail.com or Rebecca Lynch peachymama59@gmail.com.
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Weston (Kids) Fishing Derby - Sun, April 23 Calling local children who fish, or want to learn!The Rotary Club of Weston & Wayland invites you to our annual Fishing Derby—a 40+ year tradition. Sunday, April 23rd 9 am-Noon at the Weston High School Pond. Bring your own gear, bait (no lures, please), and bucket. Fishing starts at 9 am sharp! Prizes are in four age categories up to age 14. This is a FREE event. Please register online to attend. Rain or shine (the fish like to eat in all weather)!
Food and refreshments will be available for purchase. Volunteers (signup here) are welcome. Fishing is great family fun! |
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Support Newton's Marathon Runner; Raising funds for women's shelters and scholarships (Apr 17) Ashley Garcia will run the 127th Boston Marathon on April 17th, representing the Newton Rotary Foundation. She aims to raise $7,500 to fund the vocational and RYLA scholarships awarded to Newton High School students each spring. Ashley spoke to the club on February 7th, receiving her race jersey from President Andy Willinger and President-Elect Liz Tavares.This will be Ashley’s 9th Boston Marathon, with her first coming ten years ago in 2013. A mother of 3, Ashley is a critical care nurse in the intensive care unit at Beth Israel in Boston, working on the front lines up to 60 hours a week throughout the Covid crisis. |
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Marlborough Rotary Brings Back Golf Tournament - May 3 Golf is back! The Rotary Club of Marlborough is starting up its annual Golf Classic after almost a decade. The Marlborough Rotary Club Classic will be held at Juniper Hills Golf Club in Northborough on May 3rd starting at 9 AM. The cost of playing in this scramble is $140 per golfer. Golfers will receive a cart, a round of golf, and a wonderful meal. Raffles will also be included, along with other fun activities. Patrons can also enjoy the meal for $35 per person. All proceeds benefit the "Rotary Homestead" - a temporary residence for homeless women. For additional information and to sign up, please go to www.marlboroughrotary.org |
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Screening of Bending the Arc, tribute to Partners In Health's Dr. Paul Farmer - Wed, May 24 Please join the Rotary Club of Northborough for a screening of Bending the Arc, a groundbreaking documentary that tells the story of Partners In Health and the work of extraordinary doctors and activists, including the late Dr. Paul Farmer, Dr. Jim Yong Kim, and Ophelia Dahl.Their work, forty years ago, to save lives in a rural Haitian Village grew into a battle for the right to health for all. You may have heard of Partners In Health through their US Covid response and their fight against Ebola in West Africa. |
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Rotary Climate Action NOW Project Premiere (12pm, Sat, May 13) The Rotary Climate Action Now Project (RCAN) will premiere May 13th at noon at the Westborough Environmental Action Fair! This is a D7910 Environmental Action Group effort to provide a "project in a box" for clubs to show the incredible Climate Feedback Loop films, lead a meaningful discussion afterwards, and inspire people to prioritize effective group climate action. We are the keynote of the event, which is being held at the Westborough High School and the producer of the films, Melanie Wallace, will kick off the event. Come learn how YOUR club could take a significant step toward fighting the climate crisis. |
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No Mow May! (May 1-31) What is No Mow May? The goal of No Mow May is to allow grass to grow un-mown through the month of May, allowing wild flowers to come through and create habitat and forage for early season pollinators. This is particularly important in urban areas where floral resources are often limited, suburban areas where heavy landscaping is common, and everywhere in Massachusetts this year because of the early spring. |
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Groton-Pepperell Rotary supports local causes with fundraising Over the last few months, the Groton-Pepperell Rotary Club spread the love to local non-profits and causes that they are passionate about. Donations were made to two local food pantries, Loaves & Fishes, PACH and Stone Soup Kitchen. They also donated to the Town of Pepperell K9 Unit and Groton Fire Department Gift Fund.Photo: Stone Soup Kitchen |
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Wachusett Area Rotary Germinates Seeds for Pollinator Garden (May 20) Members of the Wachusett Area Rotary Club got together to start the process of germinating seeds in preparation for their Rotary Day of Service event. The seedlings will be used to create a pollinator garden which will be built on May 20. The effort is in support of native pollinator species that are threatened and at risk in Northeastern Massachusetts.Photo: Members of Wachusett Area Rotary Club Germinate Seeds for Pollinator Garden.
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Rotary International Highest Award to Concord Rotary's June R. Grace June R. Grace, a member of the Rotary Club of Concord, has been awarded the Rotary International Service Above Self Award by the RI Board of Directors. June is one of 101 Rotarians from around the world receiving the award this year. The Service Above Self Award is considered the highest honor that RI can bestow on a member. Nominees must have demonstrated exemplary humanitarian service, in any form and at any level. Emphasis is placed on personal volunteer efforts and active involvement in helping others through Rotary.Photo: Former D-7910 Service Above Self Award recipients with June Grace: All are PDGs: Carol Toomey, Richard Manelis, Klaus Hachfeld.
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Lowell Rotary Club Park Cleanup (May 20) As part of the 20 May Service Day, the Lowell Rotary will join forces with the community to clean up and refurbish the City owned Rotary Club Park. The Park has suffered neglect for several years, so we will spend two days, 8 April and 20 May bringing it back up to something in which we all can take pride. |
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District Assembly - May 6 - Register Today! Join us on Saturday, May 6 at Assabet Valley Tech in Marlborough for our District Learning Assembly.Enhance you Rotary knowledge, meet fellow Rotarians and refine your Club leadership skills. All Rotarians are welcome. Tuition is just $20, and our curriculum will cover a variety of topics relevant to all Rotary members. Our program begins with continental breakfast at 8:00am, and will conclude by noon. Separately, a new member welcome and grant qualification seminar will follow our learning sessions. See the evolving agenda of learning sessions. Register today at https://rotary7910.org/event/district-assembly-2 |
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Southborough Speaker: "BPA to PFAS: How Environmental Chemicals Harm Health; What To Do About It" - May 3 Dr. Laura N. Vandenberg has agreed to give a talk on May 3, 7:00 pm at the Southborough Library, 25 Main St, Southborough, MA 01772. The title of her talk is: Knowing what is around us and taking care of our environment are critical elements to a healthy future! Come learn more about what environmental chemicals may be harming our health and what can we do about it. Learn from Dr. Laura Vandenberg what we can do to better protect ourselves, our environment, and our future! |
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Newton Pickleball Meetup Supported Second Step On April 8th, about 30 folks of all ages and athletic ability got together for a few hours of fun Pickleball at the Boys and Girls Club in Newton, where three courts were set up in the gym. Organized by Newton President-Elect Liz Tavares, with the help of Rotarian, and Executive Director of the Newton Boys & Girls Club, Dave Sellers, the players donated $25 to the Newton Rotary Foundation and got to participate either as a beginner, or an intermediate+ player. Caption: Beginners were eager to learn pickleball. |
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2nd Annual Westford Rotary Club Golf Ball Drop May 14, 2023 2:00 pm Something new at the Westford Kiwanis Apple Blossom Festival this year. On Sunday, May 14, 2023 at 2:00 pm will be the 2nd Annual Westford Rotary Club Golf Ball Drop by Helicopter. Get your Golf Balls now….. see details on this flyer. If your Rotary Club would like to sell golf balls as a fundraiser for your Rotary Club, please contact Mary Foerster at mary@maryff.com for details, selling forms and percentage earned on each group of balls. All funds earned by Westford Rotary Club is used for Rotary projects and more. |
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Southborough and the Diaper Queen Rotary Club of Southborough's Lina Zolock spearheaded an effort to collect diapers sizes 4-6 as diapers are expensive. The club and clients from her business (Expressions Hair Studio in Reading, MA) collected 15 diaper boxes. That's over 1,000 diapers!Lina and her business partner, Terry, met with Paula Borges-Stalker to transfer the diapers. The diapers will go to families at Finex House, Emmaus House, and Everett Grace Food Pantry as well as other organizations in the local communities that need them. Our next project to help families in need is our Rotary Club of Southborough Handbag Drive - we are collecting gently used handbags, purses, and pocketbooks to add small personal items to unsheltered or homeless mothers for Mothers' Day 2023. All mothers deserve something special! The club is actively collecting until April 30 and then we will gather to add items such as small lotions, hand sanitizers, tissues, and more to the handbags. For more information or how to get involved, please email us at rotarysouthborough@gmail.com. |
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Charles River Rotary Scoopapalooza Ice Cream Festival - June 24 Please join Charles River Rotary Club as we celebrate our 10th Scoopapalooza year and the start of Summer with an all you can eat ice cream festival on Natick Common Saturday June 24th from 11:30 AM to 3PM. Rain Date is June 25th. We expect to draw over 2,000 people to the event for frozen treats, community connecting, music and activities for the whole family. The event will raise significant funds for Charles River Rotary’s local philanthropic efforts, including a St.Patrick’s Day Dance for teens and young adults with special needs, literacy programs, scholarships for seniors at Keefe Regional Technical School, RYLA, Natick Food Pantry, local veterans and many local nonprofits. Tickets are $7. |
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RYLA student registration deadline is coming up fast! The RYLA student registration deadline is in 10 days. Now is the time for you to:1. Make your student selections 2. Submit names. 3. Provide the registration link to attendees and alternates 4. Monitor your student's registration status Deadline: Saturday, April 15, 2023 Note: you must submit names before students register Questions? Ask your RYLA support person/committee coach. Because of all you, this will be the BEST RYLA EVER! Christine Pinney RYLA Chair |
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Westford Rotary Club and FIRST Robotics Team 4905 Partner Together with Ukraine Rotary & German Rotary on Water Project. The Westford Rotary Club partnered with FIRST Robotics Team 4905 (Ayer Shirley Regional School District) to raise funds supplying emergency assistance to citizens of Ukraine in need of clean water. Photo: one of the Aquaboxes with Potsdam German Rotary memberAs we know, Russian forces have targeted public utilities in the Ukraine with the intent of making the residents uncomfortable. With public water supplies damaged, there is an urgent need in many communities for clean water. Rotary Clubs in the Ukraine are working with the Rotary Club of Potsdam Germany to coordinate the purchase and supply of Aquabox water filtration systems. |
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Fill Boston's Symphony Hall to Support Rotary’s New Peace Center Let’s join together for peace and make an impact! Volunteers are needed to plan an exciting event that will celebrate Rotary’s new Peace Center, scheduled to open in 2024 in Istanbul. Peace Centers are located at universities across the world – there are seven now and Istanbul will be the eighth. Rotary Peace Centers offer specially deigned curricula to train individuals devoted to peacebuilding and conflict resolution. To date, more than 1,500 people have been trained and serve in governments and NGO’s throughout the world. This project, spearheaded by District 7930’s District Governor Elect Lori Karas, was inspired by a group in Israel who produces musical events. They create a three-part harmony by bringing people together in a large space and dividing them into various parts to sing. See https://youtu.be/XqvKDCP5-xE as an example of the program we are planning. There are three parts to the program: |
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Left Right Center - April 21 The Rotary Clubs of Fitchburg & Montachusett Area present: Left-Right-Center Tournament The most fun you’ll have playing a game, that takes under 3 minutes to learn! Cash Prizes, Raffles, 50/50, Pizza, Popcorn & Cash Bar! When: Friday April 21, 2023 Where: Elks Lodge, 134 North Main Street, Leominster, MA 01453 Tickets: $20 per person| Tables of 10 Available | Seats are limited For Tickets contact: Paul Gauvin (Fitchburg Club) Phone: 978-855-2145 Email: paul@wsbeauty.com |
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Film Nagar Schools Classroom Expansion In 2018, Needham Rotary Club partnered with Raghav Rao of Hyderabad, India and his Rotary Club (RC Jubilee Hills) to add solar panels to schools there to help provide power and light. Sadly, he recently passed away. One of his daughters lives in Needham, and the family reached out to us to propose a classroom expansion project in his honor. Currently, the elementary and high schools in Film Nagar (suburban Hyderabad) are serving a population well in excess of capacity such that students are taught for only about half of the required hours of instruction. The plan is to meet this instructional need by adding eleven classrooms and eight toilets at a total cost of $150,000. Needham Rotary Club has committed $5000, and we would like to try to raise the incremental $7000 of funds together with like-minded clubs in our District sufficient to cover the cost of one classroom, about $12,000. |
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Rotary Spotlight: Sandra Burgers, Shrewsbury For Sandy Burgers, “the ability to connect” is one of the things she appreciates most about Rotary. And it shows.Last Fall, Sandy was part of the Rotary team who brought fifteen-year-old Emily Stukalo from Kyiv to Massachusetts, where she is now a sophomore at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School. Connections were at the heart of it all: Sandy’s connection to Steve Albright of the Rotary Club of Yarmouth/inbound chairman of Rotary Youth Exchange District (RYE) 7950; Steve and Sandy’s connections to Kyiv Rotary; and Emily’s family connections to that same Kyiv Rotary club. As Sandy aptly put it, “this is a great example of how Rotary works—connections!” Hard to believe given all she’s contributed, but Sandy was kind of a “reluctant Rotarian” at first. |
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Rotary Day of Service - May 20 On Saturday, May 20, 2023, 12,000 Rotarians from 450 clubs across five states will be doing a wide variety of local service projects in their communities. We are just weeks away from our Rotary Day of Service on May 20th, 2023! We have received projects for 32 of our 49 clubs and we would love to see the rest doing a project as large or small as you could handle on May 20th. To submit a project, please complete this simple Google form. We have created project tiles for those that submitted early and are continually adding more for the projects submitted after the deadline. See this Google Drive folder to use the project tile graphics. Click "Read more..." for info on the Rotary Day of Service Website, your club's Banners, the digital marketing Toolkit, and other resources for your Club.
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No Fooling, Much Bidding Set for ABRHS Interactors' Community Auction Night April 1
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Climate Cafe March 23: How To Talk About Climate Change (and not alienate people)If you were unable to attend our March 23th conversation on "How to Talk About Climate Change", the recording and presenter slides are now available! Please click HERE to access them. Our next Climate Cafe is Thursday, March 23rd at 6:30pm. Our topic is How to Talk About Climate Change. This can be challenging, including starting the conversation and responding to other people’s beliefs and feelings about the climate. In this session, we will explore ways to personally connect with others to create a safe space for climate conversations, including listening to people with doubtful or dismissive beliefs.
Our guest will be Dr. Matthew Ballew, Ph.D., Research Specialist at the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Click HERE to get more information or to register. |
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Shrewsbury Club Emergency Preparedness Kits Service Project on March 27 Are you ready for an emergency where you need to leave your home in a hurry or shelter in place? For most of us the answer is no. Rotarians in Shrewsbury will be creating 100 emergency preparedness kits as part of a service project to benefit local veterans, senior citizens and families served by Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services and St. Anne's Human Services. |
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Nourishing Newton Program
Nourishing Newton -- The Third Year
For the past two years, The Charles River Regional Chamber has received funds and distributed state funds to pay for meals made by local restaurants and coordinated for delivery to local food pantries by the Rotary Club of Newton. Alie Mahar, Director of Community Development, Scandinavian Living Center and Keilly Cutler, Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley, both members of the Newton Rotary Club, have spearheaded this initiative with the Chamber and the local restaurants. |
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Westford Rotary Donates Cultural, Diversity & Inclusion Books to WPS Students and the Community The Westford Rotary Club in connection with author Shirley Holdman (member of the Billerica Rotary Club) and the Billerica Adventure Series has introduced the children’s book, “This is My Community,” which talks about Racial Diversity and Inclusion. It was first introduced at the Westford Remembers “International Block Party” in the Fall of 2022 and followed this Winter 2023 by donating the books for the 1st-2nd grades classrooms at Miller, Nabnasset, Abbot Elementary Schools and the Roudenbush Community Center Afterschool Program. In Westford and Billerica public schools, they are using the book as a classroom reading activity and discussion book. The book is written for K-2 grades. The Club has displayed and donated, “This is My Community” book to the Westford Community and students as part of the ongoing Westford Rotary Cultural/Diversity/Education Projects. |
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Southborough Rotarians Raising Money for Turkey-Syria Disaster Relief to March 31
 Over 47,000 people have died due to the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. Rescue missions continue. The Rotary Foundation Trustees decided that all donations marked Disaster Relief made from now until 31 March 2023, will go to the Turkey/Syria Disaster Response Fund and will be used to aid earthquake relief projects. In addition, the Trustees made available more than $125,000 to Rotary districts affected by the earthquake through Disaster Response Grants. |
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Weston (Kid) Fishing Derby on April 23rd Calling all kid anglers (children who fish)! The Rotary Club of Weston & Wayland invites you to our annual Fishing Derby—a 40+ year tradition. Sunday, April 23 rd 9am-Noon at the Weston High School Pond. Bring your own gear, bait (no lures, please), and bucket. Fishing starts at 9 am sharp! Prizes are in four age categories up to age 14. FREE event, register online to attend. Rain or shine (the fish like to eat in all weather)! Food and refreshments will be available for purchase. Volunteers are welcome to help measure fish. Fishing is great family fun! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER |
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Acton-Boxborough Serves Lunch to Boxborough Senior Citizens
The Rotary Club of Acton-Boxborough sponsored and served the monthly Boxborough Council on Aging Senior Luncheon on March 8. Club Sergeant-at-arms and COA Board member Maureen Masciola planned and coordinated the event, which was held at the Boxborough Community Center. Stock photo, above/Creative Commons |
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Why Not Collaborate? A couple of years ago when Shelby Marshall, member of the Westborough Rotary Club (WRC) and former President, was first approached about serving as the Club’s representative for the Boy Scouts she hesitated. In fact, she shook her head with a silent “no.” However, Dave Kaiser, then President of WRC, assured her that this role was a “light lift.”So, what changed Marshall’s mind? Inspiration. Pure and simple.
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Open Table Benefits from Two Clubs' Grant Funding, Donation Drive
Open Table is benefitting from two Rotary Clubs' grant funding and donation drive. The Maynard-based charity is dedicated to fighting hunger and building healthy communities in 21 local communities, including Acton, Boxborough, Concord, and Maynard. |
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Rotary Youth Exchange: In-person exchanges are back! Rotary District 7910's Rotary Youth Exchange Team, chaired by Milford Rotarian Jane Schroeder, has been busy letting Rotarian know that in-person exchanges are back after COVID temporarily halted them. Caption: Jeanne Reimonn hosted a December Holiday Brunch for students and their parents interested in Rotary Youth Exchange programs. ESSEX Team members as well as several District and Club leaders joined in the festivities too. Owen and Felipe are in the center of the front row.
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Westford Rotary Donates Seeds Spring is on it’s Way. Visit the JV Fletcher Library Seed Catalog and check out all the veggie and flower seeds donated by the Westford Rotary Club as part of their “Garden Planting and Grow Your Own Food” Project. All seeds are FREE. People can check often, seeds are replenished as needed at the Library. Start your seeds NOW... Grow your own food and flowers. The Westford Rotary Club receives the seeds from the Walmart -Hudson NH Donation program. Rotary donates the seeds to youth groups, schools, Westford Cameron Senior Center, Girl and Boy Scouts, Westford Community Gardens, JV Fletcher Library Seed Program, tables at Town events, and more programs. Westford Rotary received over 1000+ packets in 2022 seeds and will receive 2023 seeds in May to distribute. Watch for more stories on the Westford Rotary Club and Walmart donation Partnership program to get needed items to different non profit groups and others. " |
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Rotary Spotlight: Roy Balfour, Shrewsbury Roy Balfour is a cheerful giver. He doesn’t say no. He gives time, money, support, encouragement, you name it, he says yes, and he learned the power of generosity and community –– are you ready? –– at Woodstock.The three-day 1969 music festival in upstate N.Y., which was attended by 500,000 people, he says, “was a dramatic moment for me. Pivotal. It was the defining event of my life. |
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Ukrainian Family Needs Help Setting up Household The Ukrainian family Joyce Graff has been hosting has found an apartment in Lexington and is in need of some furniture and house goods. Please feel free to share this list with family and friends. We are hoping we can set them up in style after all their difficult adventures. |
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Taste of Wellesley 2023: Fight Food Insecurity After a three-year pause due to COVID, the Rotary Club of Wellesley is proud to bring back its ""Taste of Wellesley"" annual fundraiser to support our community. The event will again feature a wide variety of signature dishes from Wellesley restaurants, cafes, caterers, local breweries and wineries, along with live music and auction items that are locally sourced. We will be hosting the event for 300 guests at The Gardens at Elm Bank on Thursday, May 4, 2023 from 6:30 until 9 pm. The event will provide a wonderful evening of food, beverages, live entertainment and opportunities to gather in community.
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Wachusett Area Rotary Delivers Love "The Love Story," as told by Jessica Favreau: "Before COVID, we had a breakfast for the senior citizens in our community held at the Manor. We did this around Christmas time and had upwards to 500 seniors from our community."Due to Covid, we had to pivot because we didn’t want to put our most vulnerable population at risk. We decided to do like a meal on wheels type thing. We partner with the senior centers from Holden, Sterling and West Boylston. They compile a list of seniors who would like to receive a meal. "The manor prepares the lasagna, salad, rolls and butter. Our high school kids put together chocolate bags and elementary students make valentines. The seniors come to the respected senior center drive up and pick up their meals. Inclusive of warming instructions." Top Left: Herman Eknanian and Wachusett Area Rotary President-Elect Jess Favreau organize grab-and-go bags. Photo by Marisol Dittami - Wachusett Area Rotary President
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Help us fight food insecurity by participating in the Taste of Wellesley 2023 After a three-year pause due to COVID, the Rotary Club of Wellesley is proud to bring back its "Taste of Wellesley" annual fundraiser to support our community.The event will again feature a wide variety of signature dishes from Wellesley restaurants, cafes, caterers, local breweries and wineries, along with live music and auction items that are locally sourced. We will be hosting the event for 300 guests at The Gardens at Elm Bank on Thursday, May 4, 2023 from 6:30 until 9 pm. |
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Lowell Rotary does Winterfest Lowell Rotary once again participated in the annual Lowell Winterfest. The Club operates a marshmallow toasting booth (with optional s'mores) to raise money for scholarships. This year the Winterfest was 17-18 February. The Winterfest is sponsored by the City of Lowell and includes music, food, a market and other activities. In addition to raising money, the Winterfest booth is an opportunity to raise Rotary's image in the community and to provide an opportunity for members to work together to benefit the community.Right: Ryan Burke, the marshmallow man, and the Rotary crew.
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Climate Cafe: How to Talk About Climate Change Talking about climate change with others can be challenging, including starting the conversation and responding to other people’s beliefs and feelings about the climate. In this session, we will explore ways to personally connect with others to create a safe space for climate conversations, including ways to talk about our own feelings related to the climate (e.g., anxiety, grief) and listening to people with doubtful or dismissive beliefs. |
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Three District Conference - April 22  Meet Rotary Change Maker Evan Burrell at our 3-District Conference April 11 Updated Conference Info: Our 3 District Conference is coming up fast on Saturday, April 22nd, at the Burlington Marriott and we are so excited to share this amazing program with you! This is going to be an event that no Rotarian is going to want to miss. The full-day conference package includes coffee & snacks, business meeting, award luncheon, afternoon breakout sessions, house of friendship, cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres, and dinner with keynote speaker Evan Burrell and is $199 per person. NEW: Based on recent feedback and many requests received, we are now also offering two HALF-DAY packages!!! Lunch-only option w/ half-day conference - $99 Access to the conference for the first half of the day, including coffee & snacks, business meeting, lunch, breakout sessions, house of friendship. Dinner-only option w/ half-day conference - $109 Access to the conference for the second half of the day, including breakout sessions, house of friendship, cocktail hour, and dinner with keynote speaker Evan Burrell. We were also able to extend the ad deadline by a few days, so if you would like to be a sponsor or simply put an ad into the program book – you can still do that until Friday, April 14. Here are the details: For the program details and more information, please click the Read More link below... Click "Read More" to learn more of what's planned |
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Presidents-Elect & AGs: Register for Northeast PETS Our in-person Northeast PETS is scheduled for March 10-11, 2023 at the Marriott Hotel in Newton, Massachusetts. Attendees will hear exciting keynote speakers including incoming Rotary International President Gordon McInally, and to network with nearly 500 Presidents-elect from seven Rotary districts. Even if you’ve served as President in the past, attendance at PETS will provide strategies to keep your Club and our organization relevant in today’s world. Register for NEPETS today.
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Leominster and Fitchburg Clubs raise $15k for HS Bands Rotarians from the Rotary Clubs of Leominster and Fitchburg worked with city and school officials, and volunteers to host their annual Breakfast for the Bands (BFB) on November 20th, 2022 at Leominster High School. This event, hosted by both clubs, is in its 26th year of providing support to both band boosters and they have hit a record of $15,000 raised for 2022! Since its debut in 1995, these two clubs have raised and donated over $125,000 to both school music programs thanks to the generosity and support of local businesses and donors. |
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Ashley Garcia to run '23 Boston Marathon for Newton Rotary Foundation Ashley Garcia will run the 127th Boston Marathon on April 17th, representing the Newton Rotary Foundation. She aims to raise $7,500 to fund the academic, technical and RYLA scholarships awarded to Newton High School students each spring. Ashley spoke to the club on February 7th, receiving her race jersey from President Andy Willinger and President-Elect Liz Tavares.Right: Ashley Garcia with Newton Rotary President Andy Willinger and President-Elect Liz Tavares
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RC of World Disability Advocacy: Reading & Blind Students in Malawi In Malawi, the blind students in the villages don’t have the opportunity to read books unless someone reads to them.Because of that, The Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy, District 7910, has collaborated with the Perkins School for the Blind and The Carol Center for the Blind to send 70 blind books to Malawi. Once the books make it to Malawi, the Rotary Club of Bwalla-Lilongue and the Parents of Disabled Children Association of Malawi will distribute the book. Distribution costs about $600 because of transportation and lodging needs. We're calling onRotary Clubs of District 7910 to help raise funds to get the books into the hands of the children. Contact Club President Kenneth Masson, RC of World Disability Advocacy to get involved. |
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Rotary 7910's Ukraine Support Katya Portnaya, president-elect of the Weston-Wayland Rotary Club, was born in St. Petersburg and emigrated to the U.S. at 11. Her husband is from Ukraine. Last February, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion into Ukraine, the pair stared at the TV in dread. “I realized you can’t just sit around and cry. It’s always better to do something,” Portnaya says.Soon she and Roy Balfour, Rotary Foundation Chair, got together to brainstorm with four other members of District 7910 leadership, including Past District Governor Diana Nestorova. Immediately, they reached out to Rotary International and applied for a $25,000 Disaster Response Grant. It was a landmark action as the district became the first in the world to be allowed |
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Concord Rotary: Sleep in Heavenly Peace Build Day On Saturday January 28th the Rotary Club of Concord joined with the Rotary Clubs of Bedford and Merrimack Valley to help the Sleep in Heavenly Peace non-profit organization build beds.We had over 25 people helping in two shifts. 43 headboards for 23 ½ beds were built. These beds are built for children who would otherwise be sleeping on the floor. Right: Chris Alphen teaching Concord Rotarians how to build the beds.
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Meals of Hope Jack Day, Director of Meals of Hope in MA (member of Chelmsford Rotary) was joined by members of Chelmsford and Worcester Rotary and WPI to pack over 10,000 meals at WPI last December before the holidays. Meals of Hope in MA seeks to combat hunger in our local communities, including Worcester and Lowell. The meals packaged are rice-based and fortified by dried vegetable, protein and vitamins. For more info, contact Jack Day (jack@mealsofhope.org) |
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Tying Fleece Blankets for Hope When people are asked to describe what they picture when they hear homeless person, it’s not uncommon for responses to include descriptors such as male, dirty, disheveled, addict/drunk. But that is just one snapshot of many. There are also homeless women, children, teenagers, and families.(Reina Rago (right), Vice President of the Westborough Rotary Club, presents Donna Maria Cameron of Abby's House, (left) fleece blankets for the residents at this women's and children's shelter.) |
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Delivers >100 Thanksgiving Pies Over 100 fresh baked pies were distributed on Wednesday to make a happier Thanksgiving for many in Newton who are having a tough time this year, and to our first responders who are always on duty during the holidays.Newton Police Headquarters, and every Newton fire station were recipients of a stack of pies in appreciation for the outstanding service they provide our community. Caption: Newton Rotarians Paul Sullivan, Marie Presti, and Paul Loiselle |
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Food and Toys at Christmas The Lowell Rotary helped to distribute food and toys at the Lowell Dwelling House of Hope before Christmas. Levenia Furusa-Mavingire, a member of the Club, is the director of the organization.The House of Hope distributes food weekly to hundreds of needy residents of Lowell. Members of Lowell Rotary are often there to help doing everything from unloading and packaging food to directing traffic. Caption: Rotarians John Finegan, Levenia Furusa-Mavingire and Patty Witts |
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Bedford's 34th Holiday Breakfast Fundraiser
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Acton's third graders look up new words thanks to local Rotarians
Acton's third-grade students are learning the definitions of new words thanks to local Rotarians. The Rotary Club of Acton-Boxborough has donated a total of more than 370 personalized dictionaries to the town's six elementary schools. Shown above, left to right, are Nancy Auger and Gina Lemieux, third-grade teachers at Luther Conant School, posing with two of the donated dictionaries. |
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Brookfields Rotarian Leads Sneaker Drive Jake Rosen, a member of the Rotary Club of the Brookfields and a student of Tantasqua Regional High School played an important role in organizing and running a sneaker and shoe drive at the school. For this drive, New and used sneakers and shoes are collected to either be regifted or recycled for construction projects. To this end, the drive aims to mitigate environmental pollution by diverting shoes and sneakers from our waste stream. A pair of sneakers, if brought to a landfill, will take up to 43 years to decompose. This year, thanks to the wonderful donations brought in by all the students, teachers, and school office employees, two car trunks worth of sneakers and shoes totaling 72 pairs will go to people in need or into construction projects and not end up in a landfill or be discarded. |
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Help Habitat For Humanity Build in Concord Join Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell as we build a new home in Concord Massachusetts at 365 Commonwealth Avenue. The groundbreaking will take place on November 30th at the site. Clubs are welcome to sign up as well as individual Rotarians. Any skill level is welcome! For more information contact Suzanne Frechette, President, MVR and Director of Development at Habitat. You can also sign up online at Habitat's website: www.lowellhabitat.org. |
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Rotary DEI Fall Summit Recordings AvailableOver 100 Rotarians, guests, and DEI professionals gathered for our Virtual DEI Summit on October 22. Eight breakout sessions followed opening remarks by Dr. Todd "Bowtie" Jenkins. Watch our opening and closing sessions in the video posted here. All of the videos from the Summit have been posted, and are available at this YouTube link. Save the Date: We're already planning our next Summit for Spring 2023. Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 25. More details will follow shortly. |
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Foundation Dinner • Celebrate Service!
Polio Plus Update • Dr. Carl Good
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Saying Goodbye to Ron Bott Ron Bott, of Concord, passed away on October 21, 2022. A Rotarian who truly exemplified our motto of Service Above Self, Ron first joined the Rotary Club of Concord in 1997 and eventually became its president. He later helped to charter the Rotary Club of Nashoba Valley and became its first president. Ron went on to serve in a number of Club and District positions, including District Membership Chair. The work that Rotary did was important to Ron, but even more important to him were the bonds that he formed with his Rotary comrades—they were truly an extension of his family. A celebration of Ron’s life was held on Sunday, November 20th at Concord's Colonial Inn. Donations in his honor can be made to the American Cancer Society. |
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2022 Brookline Dog DayIn 2021, Brookline Rotary coordinated the first town-wide celebration of dogs. It was just at the time we were all craving community and fun after months of isolation and uncertainty. The day, despite being postponed a week due to weather, was nothing but laughs and smiles and a perfect antidote to some tough times. We are again reprising this event on Sunday, October 16, 2022, at Downes Field.  |
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Saving Lives with Disaster Response Grants! Learn best practices to create and submit your lifesaving disaster response grant at a workshop on Wednesday, September 14th at 10am EST. There will be presentations by RI Grant Managers, experienced grants writers nd it will include an expert panel of Rotarians. Register at https://bit.ly/DisasterResponseGrants |
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Acton-Boxborough Checks Out New Acton Memorial Library Director
Maria Palacio has made great inroads in outreach and programs and services for new Americans and those without a traditional library background. Maria, who recently became the new director of Acton Memorial Library, was the inspirational keynote speaker during our Club Meeting on August 17.
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Greetings from District Governor Dr. Victor Tom
Let me tell you about issues that we are addressing in our district. When I say we, we have a great DG chain, with DGE Elliott Wittenberg and DGN Joyce Graff following me. We’re in constant communication addressing district issues on a weekly basis. We’re putting together a 3-year strategic plan with the help of Joyce Fukami. But I also want to remind you that we are not dictating to the clubs what to do, but we view the District as providing help to the clubs, making available tools, templates, information, and opportunities that clubs can use to help them fulfill their goals. We are having monthly Zoom meetings on specific topics and I have open office hours (two Fridays a month) where you can just drop in and tell us your ideas, problems or whatever is on your mind. We are listening. My objectives for my Rotary year follow Jennifer Jones’ theme Imagine and action plan. She would like us to imagine how to: 1) increase our impact through service projects and Rotary storytelling; 2) expand our reach by partnering up with organizations and other clubs; 3) enhance member engagement through better engagement of all of our members leaving no one behind; and 4) increase our ability to adapt to new opportunities and new member ideas. Over the course of the year, we’ll work with the clubs to find ways we can help our clubs make progress in one or more of these areas. I know that the pandemic has curtailed many in-person events that we loved to attend in pre-pandemic times. We long for the fellowship and interactions that Zoom cannot fully replicate. So check our district calendar for these events, such as New Member social, Foundation dinner, Holiday Party, District Conference and Rotary Youth Leadership Awards. And speaking of the Foundation, I am laying down a challenge to District 7910 to raise $5,000 for Polio Plus, and if we meet that challenge I will do the Polar Plunge in the icy cold Atlantic Ocean. Thus far, I have visited about 12 clubs. By the end of August, I will have visited half of the clubs (25) in our District. I’m pleased to report that our clubs have exhibited passion and have plans for an exciting year. In future newsletters, I will add additional detail and news from the District so that all Rotarians can see what our District is accomplishing. |
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About '22-'23 DG Victor Tom
District Governor Victor Tom is a past president and a member of the Rotary Club of Bedford. He joined the Bedford Club in 2006, becoming a third-generatio Victor also has a keen interest in mentoring our youth. He has been an instructor at our district's annual RYLA events, and has established and advises the Rotaract Club of MIT. For six years, he also served as chair of District 7910's Bandey-Hefler Fellowship for a Rotary exchange between our District and two Districts southwest of London. Professi In non-defense work, Victor helped win the America’s Cup in 1992 and developed the first practical pitch-tracking system for Major League Baseball. The system revolutionized the way umpires call balls and strikes. You may contact Victor at vtom0@yahoo.com |
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Acton-Boxborough Supports Health of Seniors and Adults with Medical/Cognitive Challenges
Cooperative Elder Services takes a comprehensive approach to supporting the health of seniors and adults with medical and/or cognitive challenges. (CES is also one of the four beneficiaries of our Club's 2022 Bid for Brighter Futures fundraiser.)
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Worcester Dedicates Peace Pole
The Rotary Club of Worcester has dedicated a Peace Pole, with the joyous event taking place on July 21 near the footbridge at Worcester's Elm Park. To watch the dedication ceremony, recorded by WCCA-TV, click here. |
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Worcester Sets Peace Pole Dedication Ceremony
The Rotary Club of Worcester invites you to its Peace Pole Dedication Ceremony. The joyous event is set for July 21 at 5:00 p.m. (rain or shine) near the footbridge at Worcester's Elm Park (see photo below). |
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Using Sign Language for Success
Ken Masson, 2021-2022 president of the Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy, has moderated an online panel discussion on using sign language for success. |
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Remembering Bud Flannery: A True, Fun Blue-and-Gold Rotarian
Bud Flannery, a founding member 60 years ago of the Rotary Club of Acton-Boxborough, passed away on Friday, May 20 at the age of 91. His wife of 65 years, Joan (Cooke) Flannery, passed away in 2018. We wish Bud's family condolences for their loss. To read his obituary, which includes details on visiting hours, funeral mass, and burial services, click here. (Bud and Joan are shown posing in 2015 outside their Acton home, in a photo by Molly Loughman of WickedLocal.com.) |
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Remembering Bud Flannery: A True Blue and Gold Rotarian |
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Acton-Boxborough Shown Vision of World Where Everyone Has a Decent Place to Live
Rotarian Carolyn Read shares a vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live. She is the executive director of Habitat for Humanity - North Central Massachusetts, and immediate past president of the Rotary Club of Nashoba Valley. |
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U.S.-made, Battlefield-quality Tourniquets Needed for War-Torn Ukraine
Do you know of medical-device manufacturers based in the United States who may want to either donate or sell at a deep discount at least $25,000 worth of battlefield-quality tourniquets for emergency-response efforts in war-torn Ukraine? These devices are used for stopping the flow of blood through a vein or artery - typically by compressing a limb with a cord or tight bandage.
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Service Above Self In Ukraine Join us on Monday, May 16 at 9 AM as our speaker, Rotarian & Past President Mark Gitelman from the Rotary Club of Kyiv updates our Club on the situation in Ukraine Zoom Meeting ID: 872 3871 4163 Passcode: RWDA2022
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Brookline Rotary Sponsors Virtual Auction Browse Now • Bidding Opens May 1 at 12:01 AM! Don't Miss Your Chance to Bid on These Amazing Items!
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Acton-Boxborough Learns About Fighting Climate Change
Want to know more about fighting climate change? Ask Elliott Ri
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Acton-Boxborough's 'Funniest Fundraiser Around' - Buy Your Tickets Now
Looking for a wonderful way to celebrate spring? Searching for the perfect Mothers’ Day surprise? Gather some family and friends for the Rotary Club of Acton-Boxborough's 20022 'Bid for Brighter Futures: The Funniest Fundraiser Around.' Friday, May 13 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Boxboro Regency Hotel and Conference Center.
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'World Disability Matters' Podcast: Advocacy by and for People with Disabilities
(Shown is the logo of the "World Disability Matters" podcast, with the podcast's name in white against a blue, violet, and gold circle against a light blue background.) What are the goals of advocacy by and for people with disabilities? What makes an effective advocate? Is change possible? Why be an advocate? |
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Taking Acton's Economic Development Up the Next Level
Julie Pierce Onos, the Town of Acton’s new Economic Development Director in the Town Manager’s Office, addressed our Club Meeting on April 6. Her task is to maintain Acton as business-friendly, with economic-development initiatives designed to create and stimulate an environment in which businesses succeed.
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Framingham Loses Two Long-Term MembersThe Our Club also l |
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Acton-Boxborough Rises Up for Rise Against Hunger
Hunger doesn’t have to exist — let’s end it together. Rise Against Hunger is growing a worldwide movement to end hunger through community empowerment, life nourishment, and emergency response.
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Concord PopsROTARY CELEBRATES 90 YEARS WITH LIVE MUSIC AT SPRING POPS Join the Rotary Club of Concord in celebration of its 90 years of service at Spring Pops with the Concord Band and jazz vocalist Cindy Scott on Friday, April 8 at 8 p.m. at 51 Walden in Concord. This fundraiser in support of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell’s newly renovated two-family house in Concord will help provide a home for deserving families. Doors open early, at 7 p.m., for guests to enjoy refreshments and bid on auction items. Due to Covid concerns, there will be auditorium style seating. Admission is $30 per person. Reservations may be made at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/crp/event/845387/www.rotaryclubofconcord.org, Hope to see you there. |
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Register Now for District Conference 2022 |
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Rotary Responds to Ukraine Crisis
As one of the world’s largest humanitarian organizations, Rotary International has made peace the cornerstone of our global mission. We are deeply concerned about the Ukraine crisis and need your help. |
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District 7910 Sponsors Diversity Equity & Inclusion Summit Join us on March 26 at 9:00am for District 7910's first Diversity Equity & Inclusion Summit. Rotary International’s theme for this year is “Serve to Change Lives.” Network and share ideas with other DEI stakeholders. Learn about available resources, actions you can take, and programs you can plan to change lives in your community. Attendance is free, but space is limited. Register now to secure your seat at this important event.CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THIS FREE VIRTUAL EVENT Zoom links will be sent out to all registrants the day prior to the event Who Should Attend
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Disabilities Advisory Group: The Importance of People with Disabilities in Rotary
Rotarian Mark Wafer, of Canada, a relentless disability advocate, was the keynote speaker during the February 7 monthly meeting of District 7910's Disabilities Advisory Group. (Shown at left is a photo of Mark Wafer.) |
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Acton-Boxborough: Help Our In-Need Babies and Seniors
Please help us address the Acton Food Pantry's never-ending need for both baby diapers and women's underpants. |
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Remembrance: Bob Johnson, Dedicated and Devoted Worcester Rotarian
Robert “Bob” Johnson, a dedicated member of the Rotary Club of Worcester and a true Rotarian who devoted 46 years of his life to his club and the Worcester community, passed away on January 16, 2022. Bob's fellow Worcester Rotarians always appreciated his presence and wonderful outlook on life. He is someone our club misses terribly. |
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Acton-Boxborough: Delivers 237 Pairs of Crew Socks for Military Personnel
Ann Sorvari, our immediate past president, and Johan Sorvari, her husband and fellow club member, have delivered 237 pairs of crew socks to Operation American Soldier.
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Acton-Boxborough: Celebrating, Conversing with IPDG/Fellow Club Member Diana Nestorova
Diana Nestorova, immediate past district governor, met with her home club, Acton-Boxborough, on January 19. Fellow club members celebrated and conversed with her about the key issues she and her 2021-2022 team addressed during her term of office. |
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Acton-Boxborough: Wide-Ranging, Informative Talk with DG Cliff Rober
Cliff Rober, our 2021-2022 district governor, met with us on January 5, 2022. We had a wide-ranging, informative talk with him about various District and Club issues.
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Acton-Boxborough: Happy New Year - and End Polio Now! The Rotary Club of Acton-Boxborough wishes you all the best in the year ahead - and beyond! Click here, to watch our "Happy New Year" greeting, and our "End Polio Now" shout-out. To view photos of our 2021 Club's Holiday Party, click here. |
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It’s Brookfield Rotary’s Season of Giving In December, just in time for the Holidays, Brookfields Rotary Co-President Lynn Duffy O’Shea presented holiday donation checks to the local Food Pantries in North Brookfield and Spencer. Here we see Kathy Sullivan accept a check for the Mary, Queen of the Rosary Pantry in Spencer, MA. Separately, Cecelia Daniels accepted a check on behalf of the North Brookfield First Congregational Church Pantry.The Club also collected more than 125 coats and recycled footwear as part of its community service efforts this holiday season.
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Acton-Boxborough Provides Comfort, Joy, Gifts, and Carols to Nursing Home Residents
Several of our present and past Club members provided lots of comfort, joy, and gifts - plus more or less on-key carols - on December 15 to residents of the Life Care Center of Acton.
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World Disability Advocacy: Being Committed to A Cause Has Many Meanings
Commitment is an important in the world. It means many things to many people. Much of it depends on who you are and what you are. To advocates, commitment means dedication to the cause. To Rotarians it is a dedication to the cause - but also to the principles of Rotary. For Rotary advocates, sometimes we must identify ourselves as one or the other. (Shown is a photo of the hand of a volunteer holding the hand of a person in need of help.) |
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World Disability Advocacy: Awareness Betters Human Rights for People with Disabilities
More than one billion people worldwide - around 15 percent of the world population - are living with a disability. As Rotarians, we continue to push for diversity, equity, and inclusion in all that we do. But do your DEI efforts include people with disabilities? Do you understand their challenges? Are you part making the change that ensures there is DEI in our society? |
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World Disability Advocacy: Kindly Increasing Accessibility and Inclusion Awareness
Kindness is a part of the essence of The Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy as well as Rotary in general. The motto of Rotary is "service above self," and it is in that spirit that the seed of kindness is planted. For those associated with disability advocacy, kindness can be, for example, helping a person who is struggling with a wheelchair; and, visiting someone who maybe feel isolated because of a disability. Oftentimes for the advocates, though, it is speaking up for accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities. Kindness can also be about bringing awareness to people about disabilities issues, including ableism. |
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"Trek Sturbridge" Halloween 5K Race & Fun Walk
DON'T FORGET TO WEAR YOUR HALLOWEEN COSTUMES!! |
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Acton-Boxborough Learns about Acton's Sustainability Efforts
Andrea Becerra, sustainability director for the Town of Acton, was the guest speaker during our bi-monthly Club Meeting on October 20, 2021 at the Boxboro Regency. To watch her 21-minute presentation, click here.
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World Disability Advocacy: Coordinators - Not Managers - of Human-Rights Projects
As we move forward with our Club, it is important to remember that when we were chartered last June by Rotary International, we said that our Club will be a coordinator of human-rights projects rather than a manager of those projects. Most Rotary clubs take on and manage projects that meet one or more of Rotary's Seven Areas of Focus. They are involved in managing the project by providing people with power and/or funding. (Shown: Poster of raised hands of people of various skin colors, with this quote from Nelson Mandela: "To Deny People Their Human Rights Is To Challenge Their Very Humanity.") |
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Past RI President Ian Riseley Visits Climate Café
Past Rotary Internation President Ian Riseley joined us from Australia via Zoom during the D7910 Environmental Action Group's Climate Cafe on September 29. Ian spoke of Rotary's long history of supporting environmentally-related projects, and how the adoption of our new Area of Focus will further enhance our efforts through the availability of grant funding and other resources. Click here to view the video of Environmental Action Group co-chair Sue Peghiny's captivating conversation with Past President Riseley. |
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Acton-Boxborough Serves Lunch to Local Senior Citizens
A good time, stuffed-chicken meal, and chocolate-beyond-belief cake were had by all who attended Rotary Club of Acton-Boxborough Annual Senior Citizens Lunch on September 19, at the Boxboro Regency Hotel & Conference Center. |
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World Disability Advocacy: Developing Great Plan for Great Project
Many of our Club’s subcommittees, comprised of Rotarians worldwide, are closing inn ideas for possible projects. Here are the key elements of developing a great plan for a great project. |
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World Disability Advocacy - Volunteering Has Many Benefits Beyond Money
Rotary is a volunteer organization, which means that most of the people who work on projects are doing it for the cause, not monetary benefits. The Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy is no different. |
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Acton-Boxborough Aprons Up to Serve Up a Senior Citizens Lunch
Rotary Club of Acton-Boxborough members will apron up on Sunday, September 19 to serve up a Senior Citizens Lunch. This fun, delectable repast will be held from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. at the Boxboro Regency Hotel and Conference Center. |
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World Disability Advocacy: Advocates of The World
While there are more than 34,000 Rotary clubs in the world, only a few are caused-based. The Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy is one of them. |
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Acton-Boxborough Golf Tournament Nets $5,700
By raising a net of $5,700, the Rotary Club of Acton-Boxborough scored a hole-in-one with its 29th Annual Presidents Golf Tournament. on August 18 at Acton's Quail Ridge Country Club.
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World Disability Advocacy: Helping Hard-of-Hearing People Worldwide
Members of our district's Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy and Rotary Disabilities Advisory Group have helped to promote a Hearing Access to Healthcare Zoom session, to include people in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Zambia, and Nepal. |
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World Disability Advocacy: Serving Human Rights of People with Disabilities
As our Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy has grown to more than 200 Rotarians and non-Rotarians, this past week has been yet another active one. Lots of really good things are happening worldwide. |
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World Disability Advocacy: Seeking Web-App Developers
The World Disability Advisers group of our World Disability Advocacy club is now up to 194 members of which there are 78 Rotarians and 116 non-Rotarians. We have 50 group members from the United States, including several in District 7910. |
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World Disability Advocacy: Kindly Introduce Yourself
Welcome new members to the newly chartered Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy. And thanks for your keen interest in serving the disability fraternity. |
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Rotary@ Work: Sales & Marketing Session, July 12
Rotary@Work's next Business Networking Series is set for this Monday, July 12 from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. via Zoom. This session is on sales and marketing. |
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Register & Sponsor Now: Acton-Boxborough's 29th Annual Presidents Golf Tournament, on August 18
The Rotary Club of Acton-Boxborough invites you to join us on Wednesday, August 18, 2021 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, at Acton's Quail Ridge Country Club, for our 29th Annual Presidents Golf Tournament. Because this is one of our largest fundraisers of the year, we welcome and appreciate all players and all sponsors.
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World Disability Advocacy Club and Disabilities Advisors Group
The Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy is the most diverse club in District 7910 - and one of the most diverse in the world. The 20 charter members represent eight countries - and 18 of the members are new Rotarians. The e-club is comparably also young, with an average age around 32.
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Environmental Action Group's First-Ever Climate Cafe, July 22 - And Lots More!
Our Environmental Action Group's next meeting was supposed to be on July 6. Because EAG is holding its first-ever Climate Cafe on July 22, the July 6 meeting will not be held. |
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Remembrance: Bob Erickson, Long-Time Leader of Acton-Boxborough, District
Robert "Bob Erickson, a longtime member of the Rotary Club of Acton-Boxborough - as well as long-time leader of his club and our district - passed away at the age 93 on June 23 in Windham, NH. He exemplified the Rotary motto: Service Above Self. He lived every day by Rotary's Four-Way Test, and was a Paul Harris Fellow.
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Register Now: Rotary@Work's Questions Session, on June 28
Got questions about our district's Rotary@Work Initiative? Ask them this Monday, June 28 from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m, with socializing starting at 7:45 a.m. To attend this free online event, you will need to RSVP before 12:00 midnight on Sunday, June 27. |
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Leominster Club, City DPW Team Up to Stencil Storm Drains
(This June 12 story in the Sentinel & Enterprise was written by Cherly A. Cuddahy, editor for community news, who also took the accompanying photos.) The United Nations World Oceans Day, celebrated this [June 8], was set remind us of the major role the oceans have in our everyday life, with the purpose of the day to inform the community of the impact of human actions on the ocean and develop a worldwide movement to protect the environment. In observance of World Oceans Day, the [Rotary Club of Leominster], in partnership with the Leominster Department of Public Works, was busy stenciling storm drains in the city on [June 10] with “Don’t Dump, Drains to River,” to stress the importance of having only clean rainwater flowing into the storm drain system. The group stenciled over 200 drains throughout the city. |
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Get Ready to Do Back Flips over Our '21-'22 Year-in-Review Flipbook
I want to thank you for all the support and encouragement that you have given me this Rotary year. Being your district governor is an honor and a privilege that I will hold in my heart, forever!
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Charles River's Flagpole Honors Neill Osgood's 33 Years of Selfless Service
The Rotary Club of Charles River held a flagpole-dedication ceremony on June 10 at John J. Lane Park in Natick, at to honor the late Neill Osgood, who had been a club member and treasurer for 33 years, for his volunteer service as a Rotarian. He passed away in November 2019.
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RI Charters Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy
The newly chartered Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy is the most diverse club in District 7910 - and maybe even the world. The 20 charter members represent eight countries - and 18 of the members are new Rotarians. It is also a comparably young club, with the average age being around 32. |
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District '20-'21 Unsung Hero: Barbara Robichaud, Athol-Orange
Barbara Robichaud has been a member of the Rotary Club of Athol-Orange for more than 30 years. She is a past president, a past secretary, a past board member-at-large, and currently sergeant arms. She has always been the “go-to” Rotarian who volunteers for all fundraising and project committees. |
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Needham Seeks Help to Prevent Starvation in Uganda
Sylvia Kiggundu, of the Rotary Club of Needham was born in Uganda, northwest of the capital city of Kampala. She still has family there. Many people there are day workers, toiling during the daytime to buy food for that evening. |
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Hot Off the Press! June's District Newsletter
The cover story of June's District Newsletter is Celebrating Our Wild West DisCon '21, held online on Friday, May 21 and Saturday, May 22. Scores of Rotarians attended each of the daily sessions, moderated by District Governor Diana Nestorova.
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Dis Con '21 Videos and HighlightsFRIDAY, MAY 27 1. Opening Ceremony: In this segment: “Opening Remarks,” by Emcee and District Governor District Diana Nestorova; “Words of Wisdom,” by President Lynn Duffy-O’Shea, of the Rotary Club of the Brookfields; and “Toast to World Peace and Understanding,” by President Rob Bussey, of the Rotary Club of Southborough. 2. Hat Contest: This segment is hosted by Steve Levitsky and Sharon Spaulding, of the Rotary Club of Concord. 3. Top Clubs with Net Membership Growth: This segment is hosted by Ron Bott, of the Rotary Club of Nashoba Valley, who chairs the district's Membership Committee. 4. RI ‘Service Above Self Award’ to Bud Flannery: This segment is hosted by District Governor District Diana Nestorova, who presents the award – Rotary International’s highest - to Bud Flannery, of the Rotary Club of Acton-Boxborough, who founded that club in 1962. 5. Assistant Governor Awards and Recognitions: In this segment, those AG awards and recognitions are presented by: District Governor District Diana Nestorova; Assistant Governor Sue Peghiny, of the Rotary Club of Newton; and the district's Public Image chair, Laura Spear, of the Rotary Club of Nashoba Valley. 6. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Citations: In this segment, the DEI citations are presented by Bill Paulson, of the Rotary Club of Needham, who chairs the district's Social Equity Task Force. 7. Closing Remarks: In this closing segment, District Governor Diana Nestorova previews the Saturday, May 22 session of DisCon ’21.
INDIVIDUAL SEGMENTS 1. Opening Ceremony: In this segment: “Opening Remarks,” by Emcee and District Governor District Diana Nestorova; “Words of Wisdom,” by President Lynn Duffy-O’Shea, of the Rotary Club of the Brookfields; and “Toast to World Peace and Understanding,” by President Rob Bussey, of the Rotary Club of Southborough. https://youtu.be/Fcc_xKCWiDI 2. Hat Contest: This segment is hosted by Steve Levitsky and Sharon Spaulding, of the Rotary Club of Concord. https://youtu.be/YlZ_vMauXVc 3. Top Clubs with Net Membership Growth: This segment is hosted by Ron Bott, of the Rotary Club of Nashoba Valley, who chairs the district's Membership Committee. https://youtu.be/YlZ_vMauXVc 4. RI ‘Service Above Self Award’ to Bud Flannery: This segment is hosted by District Governor District Diana Nestorova, who presents the award – Rotary International’s highest - to Bud Flannery, of the Rotary Club of Acton-Boxborough, who founded that club in 1962. https://youtu.be/gIdIW91Gk0A 5. Assistant Governor Awards and Recognitions: In this segment, those AG awards and recognitions are presented by: District Governor District Diana Nestorova; Assistant Governor Sue Peghiny, of the Rotary Club of Newton; and the district's Public Image chair, Laura Spear, of the Rotary Club of Nashoba Valley. https://youtu.be/wt_7DvqMUng 6. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Citations: In this segment, the DEI citations are presented by Bill Paulson, of the Rotary Club of Needham, who chairs the district's Social Equity Task Force. https://youtu.be/DYrcRO83qyk 7. Closing Remarks: In this closing segment, District Governor Diana Nestorova previews the Saturday, May 22 session of DisCon ’21. https://youtu.be/yPEJuEgjuQc
SATURDAY, MAY 28:
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RDAG Members Engaged Actively in Serving People with Disabilities
Four members of the Rotary Disabilities Advisers Group, one of District 7910's newest cause-related committees, are actively engaged in service of people with disabilities. |
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Awards and Recognitions
Congratulations to all the Clubs and Individuals for their Awards and Recognitions! District Conference 2021. From Saturday, May 22nd: |
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Find Out What's Cookin' in Our District 7910 Wild West Cookbook
Take a look at our entire District 7910 Wild West Cookbook,' and print some or all of the pages by downloading it here. To view and download one or more of the 26 recipes - shown below, in alphabetical order - click on each link. |
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Polio -- Plus - Needs Your Help! #endpolio
Many thanks to everyone who pitched in and used our collective ingenuity to make this a great year in spite of all its challenges! Let me ask you one more favor before the end of this month -- please be sure to send a donation to Polio Plus. |
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Dis Con '21 Wildwest Cookbook |
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Remembrance: Sandra Joyce, First Woman to be Member of Hudson Club
Sandra Joyce was the first woman honored to join the Rotary Club of Hudson, and served as president in 1987, for one term. Recently, she passed away peacefully.
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Northborough Seeks Funding for Haitian Educational-Support Campaign
As Rotarians, we are often invited to support projects that are taking place in areas far from our homes. Many times, we do not know the participants, but we are also drawn to their cause. One of our members, who has volunteered in Haiti, brought to the attention of the Rotary Club of Northborough the need for educational support materials for an ongoing project in Haiti. |
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Needham's Diversity Book Fair Benefits Elementary Schools
In May, our district's Social Equity Task Force and the Rotary Club of Needham held an online Diversity Book Fair. This was a coordinated effort with seven elementary schools in Needham, to help ensure that local children could see themselves in a more diverse set books that they read in their classrooms at school. |
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Watch ESRAG's '21 Rotary Pre-Convention Webinar, on June 11
Here’s your guide to the Environmental Sustainability Rotarian Action Group's 2021 Rotary Pre-Convention webinar, to be broadcast this Friday, June 11 at 8:30 a.m. (ET). Relish a feast of 30-minute talks throughout the day by leading experts on environmental challenges and solutions.
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District '20-'21 Unsung Hero: Robert MosherRobert Mosher never seeks the spotlight and always delivers quality results collaboratively.
This year, he has:
Past President Mark Messina offered this additional, personal perspective: “Rob does soldier along quietly. Nothing flashy, just persistent and thorough thoughtfulness that helps keep the project moving forward while including and making available opportunities to anyone who may be interested in joining. I think it is special that he keeps the Bristol Lodge project his dad started with the club alive, and thriving. We haven’t missed a month ever, I think. It is always good to remind new members that his dad and mom were very active with our Rotary Club, and Rob honors their memory through this service.” |
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District '20-'21 Unsung Hero: Barbara RobichaudBarbara has been a member of the Athol-Orange Rotary Club for over 30 years. She is a Past-President, Past Secretary, Board Member-At-Large and currently Sergeant-At-Arms. She has always been the “go-to” Rotarian that volunteers for all fundraising and project committees. This year, she has been the “rock” behind the very stressed President during the unprecedented conditions created by Covid-19. While, many Rotarians have work and home commitments or health issues that precluded them from volunteering this year, Barbara stepped up for our grant project and our online fundraiser.
Our grant was for a Habitat for Humanity home build in Athol. We donated the windows and made a commitment to help. Barbara not only came to two build days; she was the liaison to coordinate the work dates. She loved the project so much, that she joined the Local Project Committee, which helped coordinate other aspects of the project including choosing the family. One of our fundraisers was on online auction. She called every Rotarian reminding them to donate. She picked up items when needed. She spent days organizing and writing the scripts for all the items. The auction was a combined event with the local YMCA. That should net $3,000.
Barbara joined most weekly meeting via Zoom and reminded in words and deeds the meaning of Rotary. |
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District '20-'21 Unsung Hero: John GrewJohn has been a faithful member of this club since 1988. Throughout that time, he has been a model Rotarian behind the scenes – a Silent Supporter, always ready to help when the Club needed him. As a young man, he learned several languages and had the opportunity to travel and live abroad. He is always ready to share his broad knowledge and experience, and is devoted to the idea of cross-cultural understanding through student exchange. He has been an enthusiastic supporter of educational efforts, especially in Latin America, and a strong supporter of cultural exchange programs. His love of languages and learning is always evident. He quietly stands behind the programs he loves, such as the Clean Water project in Nicaragua, and has made considerable contributions to strengthening the club even when the group may not yet have identified a weakness. This year he was particularly helpful to us in moving our fundraising efforts to the internet. We are grateful for his friendship and his steadfast support, and are happy to nominate John Grew Jr. as our club’s Unsung Hero. |
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Rotary Public Image Update for June
Here is the last Rotary Public Image Update for this Rotary year. Congratulations to all of you all for your leadership and perseverance during a challenging year. You did it!
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Sustainability Expert Nils Tore Skogland to Present at ESRAG Biodiversity Meeting, on June 9
Sustainability expert Nils Tore Skogland will present during the Environmental Sustainability Rotarian Action Group's Biodiversity Meeting this Wednesday, June 9 at 9:00 a.m. (ET) via Zoom. Skogland will focus on Carbon Markets and Sequestration: True Strategic Sustainable Development. |
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District '20-'21 Unsung Hero: Karen Fusco, Fitchburg
Karen Fusco, of the Rotary Club of Fitchburg, has performed all the duties of being secretary of her club - and so much more. Since March 2020, she has set up and hosted all of the Zoom sessions used for the club's regular weekly meetings. When the club's bulletin editor took a leave of absence to care for a family member, Karen took over those responsibilities, too.
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Unsung Hero Awards
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District '20-'21 Unsung Hero: Ken Masson, Merrimack Valley
Ken Masson, of the Rotary Club of Merrimack Valley, has embraced the call for diversity, equity and inclusion in multiple ways this Rotary year. He personally has sponsored two new members to his club, broadening its demographic mix and improving its female representation while lowering club members' median age. |
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Brookline Club, Mothers Out Front Present 'Moving Beyond Plastics,' Tonight
Did you know that, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency, only 8.7 percent of all plastic produced was recycled in 2018? Did you know that, as the EPA reports, the amount of plastic produced annually has gone up more than 500 percent since 1980 - and in excess of 1,200 percent since 1970? Are you interested in learning more on how plastic contributes to the climate crisis and the solid-waste crisis? Join the Rotary Club of Brookline and Brookline Mothers Out Front for a live, informative presentation, Moving Beyond Plastics, by Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics and a former EPA regional administrator for the Obama administration. This free, online event is tonight from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. via Zoom. |
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Register Now: Rotary@Work's Coaching and Advising Track, 'We're Opening. Are You Ready?,' on June 8
The first session of the Coaching and Advising Track of our district's Rotary@Work Initiative is set for this Tuesday, June 8 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Please join fellow Rotarians and business coaches Thomas Bruckbauer and Ken Erdelt along with fellow Rotarians Roy Balfour and John Marchiony. To attend this free online event, you'll need to RSVP before 12:00 midnight on Sunday, June 6. |
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District '20-'21 Unsung Hero: Anne Hentz, Acton-Boxborough
Anne Hentz, of the Rotary Club of Acton Boxborough, is a person who does far more than might be expected. She doesn’t care who gets the credit - and finds a way to get the job done. |
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District '20-'21 Unsung Hero: Ray Pfau, Nashoba Valley
Ray Pfau, of the Rotary Club of Nashoba Valley, has participated in numerous local community-service projects during the past year, including writing weekly letters to the senior residents in Bolton, making face shields, delivering masks, and stuffing a town police cruiser with donated food. He also helped to start up and promote an aging-in-place program for the Town of Bolton as well as bring his club into the program for support.
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Watch: RI's 'Building a Welcoming Community for People with Disabilities'
Thanks to those of you who attended Rotary International's May 27 webinar, Building a Welcoming Community for People with Disabilities. We hope you enjoyed our event. The webinar video is available in English, with closed captions. |
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Register Now: District Business Meeting and Memorial Service, this Wednesday
The annual Business Meeting of the Rotary clubs of District 7910 will take place this Wednesday, June 2 at starting at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. We expect that this important annual meeting will run between 60 and 90 minutes. Prior to the meeting, your club needed to have enrolled the requisite delegates. Immediately following the meeting, the annual Memorial Service will be held. |
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Multi-Club Food Packaging Exceeds Goal to Benefit Rise Against Hunger
A multi-Rotary-club food-packaging event, to benefit Rise Against Hunger, exceeded its goal to package at least 20,000 meals in two hours. The group actually packaged 23,500 meals over several hours due to generous fundraising and lots of overtime work from volunteers.
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Environmental Action Group: Rotary Happenings Globally
Rotary environmental happenings are occurring around the world. During the May 1 meeting of our district's Environmental Action Group, Co-chair Elliot Rittenberg talked about several of them in Rotary, and outside District 7910. They include the following: |
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Register Now: RI's 'Building a Welcoming Community for People with Disabilities' Webinar, This Thursday
Join Rotary International this Thursday, May 27 at 12:00 noon (ET) for the fifth webinar in RI's Accountability and Inclusion series, Building a Welcoming Community for People with Disabilities. In conversation with disability-rights advocates, we will learn to challenge assumptions we may have about people with disabilities, adopt practical solutions for making experiences more accessible for everyone, and recognize that exclusion happens when we solve problems using our own biases. Interpretation will be available in French, Mandarin, Portuguese and Spanish. Everyone who registers will receive access to the webinar's video. If you can't attend this webinar, you could still register for it, which would give you access to the recording. Register now - and submit your questions to RI's experts - by |
Please help the Rotary Club of Northborough grow our work for the community by supporting our big fall fundraiser - happening now! Take a chance on a hole in one during the sky-high Golf Ball Drop. Your golf ball may be the lucky one that reaches the target, and wins a prize of $500!
Proceeds of the Rotary Club of Concord's first outdoor Music Festival at Rideout Park in W. Concord will benefit the Concord Children’s Center tuition assistance program and Rotary service projects. The program headliner was the Bruce Marshall Band. They were joined on stage by locally acclaimed folk musician Terry Kitchen, Shon Gordon of kids’ musical group Rockabye Beats, The Joy of Music student chamber music ensemble, and guitarist Seth Connolly. 
Do you want $ funding for your club's 2023-24 project?
Enjoy an evening of Rotary friendship, fellowship, fun and baseball! 
Turn Networking Conversations into Sales Appointments, with Andy Winig (Rotarian aka "The Elevator Pitch Coach"). Monday, May 22 @ 8am. 
WHAT A COINCIDENCE! SO LET’S CELEBRATE TOGETHER! in Brookline at Olmsted Park at the Allerton Overlook near Leverett Pond from 11am-3pm
What’s Next? A Better Way to Deliver Critical Treatments for Cancer, etc., directly into our human-body cells. 
Please join us on Saturday, April 1 as 
The Rotary Club of Bedford’s 34th annual holiday breakfast fundraiser was a SUCCESS! Our Winter Community Breakfast brought together over 300 community members- families, students, volunteers, local business owners, and even Santa and Mrs. Claus! 
Come celebrate the accomplishments of our District with The Rotary Foundation as we showcase our efforts for Ukraine Relief, Polio Plus, and a sampling of local and international humanitarian projects. In addition, we will honor clubs that have earned Foundation recognition for their donations in the 2021-2022 Rotary year. Our program features
I am honored to be your District Governor for 2022-23. It has always been a dream of mine to become a 3rd generation Rotarian. The District Installation event was a rousing success, with close to 100 Rotarians and family enjoying a wonderful evening of fellowship in The Barn at Gibbet Hill. The energy in the room was electric and was a fitting launch of our Rotary year. 
The Rotary Club of Sturbridge is delighted to bring to our community this inaugural combination of timed races and other activities:
