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Celebrate the Passing of the Gavel
As we honor the incoming
District Governor Stephanie Philips
and the 2025–2026 Club Presidents and Assistant Governors

Stephanie’s year will focus on addressing food insecurity and promoting literacy, while helping clubs boost engagement, expand their reach, and broaden their impact — all with a Rotary experience filled with "belonging, purpose, and a lot of fun."

We will also celebrate District Governor Robert Friend's dedicated service and recognize his lasting legacy through Opus for Peace, a powerful initiative that embodies Rotary’s commitment to peacebuilding and understanding.

Enjoy a delicious meal, music, fellowship, fun, and inspiration as we begin a new Rotary year.

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2025 Stratford Rotary Club Induction NEW DATE
July 15, 2025 5:30 - 8:30 PM at Perry House

Join us in celebrating the Stratford Club's achievements during Harold Watson Rotary Year 2024-25 and welcoming the induction of our newest President, Dominic Mantuano, along with the Officers and Board of Directors for 2025-2026. Additionally, we will present the Paul Harris Service Award and the Rotary Service Above Self Award.

Main Street Festival 2025

The Annual Main Street Festival, sponsored by Milford Bank and Hosted by The Stratford Rotary Club, was held today Saturday June 7th. The weather forecast was cloudy with a chance of showers. There were a few small light showers. The heavier rains came just as the festival was coming to a close. A total of 230 vendors signed up this year, a record number. There were food, craft and informational vendors. There was something for the kids in the way of inflatable’s and a bounce house and the Roaming Railroad. Other entertainment was a magician and animal balloons for the kids There was something for everyone. Music was provided all day by Rotarian Dominic Mantuano. An estimated crown of 8000 people attended this year’s event.
Stratford Rotary would like to thank all of this year’s sponsors for their support.
We’re all looking forward to next year’s Festival.

Scholarship Luncheon 2025

Today the Stratford Rotary Club celebrated our yearly scholarship awards to deserving Seniors from Bunnell and Stratford High Schools. Parents and siblings of the awardees were also present. The luncheon was held at the Riverview Bistro on Ferry Blvd. After a short business meeting and lunch the awards were given. The following Scholarships were presented to:

Joey Darbilli - Bunnell HS - Vermilya Memorial Academic

Amy Williams -Bunnell HS -Trade School Award

Siobhan Nunn - Bunnell HS - Bruce Carr Memorial Activism Award

Katie Marquez-Paz - Stratford HS -Vermilya Memorial Academic

Aldo Sosa Sanchez - Stratford HS - Trade School Award

Zoe Bernard - Stratford HS - Bruce Carr Memorial Activism Award

Congratulations to all the students.

Norm Parsell's Luncheon 2025

The Norman K. Parsell Award ceremony was held today at the Milford Yacht Club, hosted by the Milford Rotary Club. This year, Sharon Palumberi from Stratford Rotary received the award. Congratulations to Sharon!

Stratford Planning Director, Susmitha Attota,

Stratford Planning Director, Susmitha Attota, was Harold Watson's guest speaker at todays meeting. where she updated members about the initiatives to increase Greenway Main Street Complete Streets Phase One usage, as well as introducing Complete Streets Phase Two (From Barnum Ave to Paradise Green) and the NEXT section in the design stage: Phase Three (On Ferry Blvd.)

4 Way Test Essay Contest

Stratford Rotary and students from Stratford and Bunnell H.S. participated in the Rotary 4-Way Test Essay Contest. Students were to complete an essay related to how the 4-Way Test has affected their lives. A group of Rotarians judged the essays and Zawadi O'Brien was deemed the winner. She will go on the compete with other finalists at the District level.

Zawadi was honored at the April Town Council Meeting. Councilman Alvin O'neal and Mayor Hoydick honored this young woman by having her lead the Invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. Congratulations Zawadi.

Donation from Stratford Community Fund

This week Keri Sheridan was sworn in as our newest Rotarian. Congratulations Keri and welcome to the club.

Bill O'Brien, Director of the Stratford Community Fund, and a long-time Stratford Rotarian, presents Stratford Rotary Foundation with a $44K+ donation so that Stratford Rotary may continue the mutual tradition of good, community-based work done by the Community Fund over the decades. The Community Fund was originally started by Stratford Rotary many years ago.

DeMarko Avant

This weeks speaker was 15 year old DeMarko Avant, who is a sophomore at Bunnell High School in Stratford, and dual enrolled in CT State Community College with over 24 college credits earned.

In August 2024, he published his first book titled “The Teenage Boss: How to save, budget, and invest as a teen”.

He is the Vice President and Founder of Youth Money Management, a nonprofit 501 c3 that services the State of Connecticut. Just recently, YMM launched a new activity workbook for project based and collaborative learning to accompany the book.

Youth Money Management aims to empower young people in financial literacy, teaching them how to save, budget and invest in their future with the hope to avoid adult debt accumulation.

His remarkable work is already embedded in schools, juvenile detention centers and community-based youth organizations. For more information regarding programming,