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Rotary Club of Natick’s Hero, Vincent Tingley6 Years in Rotary
Paul Harris Fellow
Testimonial of Club President, Joseph Gagliardi/Service Impact
Vincent (Vinny) Tingley took the leadership role in the Club’s efforts to prevent new opioid addictions in the community in the fall. Within a few short weeks he organized the club’s activity, coordinated it with the Natick Opioid Task Force, completed a district grant application which was approved in a week, and then implemented the training sessions for parents. It was part of a town wide initiative to raise awareness and education especially for parents about Opioid abuse. One of the goals is to make this less of a stigma as it effects all ages and races and economic back rounds.
He has continued to interface with the Natick Opioid Task Force and has offered his assistance to other clubs that want to replicate this project in their communities.
Vinny has been a Rotarian for 6 years and has been involved in helping the Hope for the Children orphanage in Haiti for at least 5 years. In addition he is active in his church’s service activities. He has taken over the Club’s Make a Difference program for kids, the Club Open Door program once a month where anyone is welcome to a free meal paid for, cooked and served by Rotarians at a church where Vinny is involved every week, and he manages the club scholarship program which covers 10 college freshmen each year.
Vinny is the Immediate Past President and the current Club Foundation Chair of Natick Rotary Club. Vinny runs the Open Door every week for his church and his work supporting an orphanage in Haiti is commendable. But it is his tireless and dedicated effort in the Opioid Addiction Prevention area that earned him this Service Hero nomination. The impact is greatest in the Disease Prevention and Treatment Area of Focus. His work in the support of the Haiti Orphanage covers Basic Education and Literacy.