Welcome to Ludlow, VT Rotary
Ludlow Rotary Club

Service Above Self

We meet In Person
Tuesdays at 12:15 PM
DJ's Restaurant
146 Main Street (not for mail purposes)
P.O. Box 216
Ludlow, VT 05149
United States of America
Home Page Stories
Ludlow Rotary “Passes the Gavel” and Summarize Past Year’s Accomplishments
 
At its annual picnic meeting at the lake home of Tom Harris, members of the Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC) observed its traditional “passing of the gavel” and reviewed the club’s achievements in the past year.  Out-going President, George Thomson, passed the gavel to Kevin Barnes, the new LRC President and led the Ludlow Rotarians in an analysis of what the club had achieved during the past year.
 
In summarizing the achievements of the past year, Thomson noted, “We have more than doubled the basic goals set forward by Rotary International (RI), earning its Presidential Citation.  I want to thank the board members of LRC along with all the other members of the club for the great effort and dedication to meeting these goals”.
 
He listed some the goals achieved during his tenure which included:
 
·         Working on a global grant from RI for Okemo Valley Technical Rescue
·         Agreeing to be an international partner with a Rotary club in India to setup a kidney dialysis facility in rural India
·         Working hard to support the incoming student exchange program, with Jim Rumrill becoming the chair of the Essex Eastern United States Student Exchange program             next year.  This program, curtailed by Covid for several years, is an important avenue in learning about other nations through their students.  Jim also led the effort to               charter the Interact Club at Green Mountain High School.
·         Awarded $14,000 in scholarships to seven area graduates.  This program has resulted in over $285,000 in scholarships since its creation
·         Raising the funds necessary to support scholarship awards and programs for local and regional groups through the Penny Sale, Duck Race, and Chili Cook-off
·         Distributed books to schools in our district, including personalized books for elementary school youngsters
·         Seeking partnership with area Rotary clubs for LRC’s global grant proposals
·         Continuing to ensure that LRC members still had fun doing all it could to help local, regional, and international groups in need of our assistance
 
Thomson indicated that he will become an Assistant Governor in the District, which covers New Hampshire and Vermont.
 
On accepting the gavel from Thomson, Kevin Barnes said he would continue to support efforts to address our goals.  “I believe we have achieved a great deal and it is my intention to see that we continue to work on these goals and the new ones that will develop.  This club may be small when measured in numbers against large Rotary clubs but it is huge in terms of what it can do and will do.”
 
Information on the LRC and membership may be obtained from any Rotarian or by a call to Kevin Barnes at 802- 802-321-8720.
 
The highlight of the annual “Changing of the Gavel” for the Ludlow Rotary Club was the actual passing of the gavel from the retiring President to the new club President.  This occurred at Lake Rescue home of Rotarian Tom Harris, where the LRC witnessed out-going President George Thomson (Left) handing the gavel to Kevin Barnes (right), the new President for 2025-26.  This is a tradition started at the ‘Little Red School House’ in Wallingford, VT.   Paul Harris, Founder of Rotary International, built “The Old Chapel Building.” In 1928 District 37 bought this historic building. In 1933 it was dedicated as “The Little Red Schoolhouse.” Paul Harris returned to Wallingford for the dedication ceremony.
 
2025 Scholarship Winners Visit Ludlow Rotary
 
Five of the seven winners of the 2025 Scholarships from the Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC) visited the recent meeting of the club to thank it for the awards.
Annually, the LRC offers scholarships to graduating high school seniors who live in its area of coverage which includes Ludlow, Mount Holly, Cavendish and Plymouth. To date, the LRC has granted over $284,000 in scholarship awards.
 
Pictured above are, from left to right, Kevin Barnes, LRC Rotarian; Briana Barton - Windsor High School; Linsey Jane Miles - Green Mountain High School; Lola Saccardo - Compass High School; Andrei Solzhenitsyn - Green Mountain High School; and Evan Kirdzik - Green Mountain High School.
 
Funding for these scholarships is largely obtained from the annual Penny Sale sponsored by the LRC in the Spring.
 
The LRC meets weekly on Tuesday's at 12:15 at DJ's Restaurant. For those who wish to know more about Rotary and what we do join us for a lunch!
Ludlow Rotary Announces 2025 Scholarship Winners
 
In keeping with its long-standing tradition, the Ludlow Rotary Club announced the winners of its 2025 scholarships, totaling $14,000. Tim Faulkner, scholarship committee chairperson, indicated that the Ludlow Rotary’s scholarship program has offered over $284,000 to graduating seniors from the club’s area of service which includes Ludlow, Plymouth, Mt Holly, and Cavendish.
 
Recipients of the scholarships in 2025 are graduating seniors who reside in the Ludlow Rotary Club’s area of coverage which includes Ludlow, Mt. Holly, Cavendish, and Plymouth:
From Green Mountain High School:
Daniel E Kesman Memorial Scholarship $2,500 – Andrei Solzhenitsyn
Robert W. Kirkbride Memorial Scholarship $2,500 – Lucy Palmer
Ralph D. Hogancamp Memorial Vocational Scholarship $2,000 – Linsey Jane Miles
Joseph “Jay” Girouard Scholarship $2,000 – Evan Kirdzik
Traditional Scholarship $1,500 – Autumn Fales
From Windsor High School:
Traditional Scholarship $1,500 – Brianna Barton
From Compass High School:
Marty Nitka Scholarship $2,000 – Lola Saccardo
 
Funding for the scholarship program is derived primarily from proceeds of the Ludlow Rotary Club’s annual Penny Sale in the Spring.
Pictured here are eleven very happy 1st grade students at Ludlow Elementary School as they show, via their smiles, their happiness in receiving specially printed books for them provided by the Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC). According to Lora Miele, their teacher at LES, “The children were thrilled and couldn't wait to bring them home to share with their families!”
 
LRC has been creating similar books, personalized with each student’s name, for many years to the elementary schools in Mount Holly, Ludlow, Cavendish and Plymouth as part of its Literacy Improvement Project. Interestingly, Lora Miele commented that “I still have the ones created for my children more than 20 years ago and still enjoy giving it a read now and again!"
 
In addition to this part of its project, the LRC is also involved, along with Dolly Parton, in the Imagination Library. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth until age 5, no matter their family’s income.
 
The unique Dolly Parton Imagination Library program mails a new, age-appropriate book into the homes of children every month. Dolly’s Imagination Library is designed to inspire the love of reading in children by spending time with family and friends sharing these wonderful books together.
 
An easy way to register your preschool child or children for this program is to visit the children’s section of Ludlow’s Fletcher Memorial Library, where there is a display of Imagination Library books and lots of registration cards. Registration cards can also be obtained from the Ludlow Rotary, PO Box 216, Ludlow, VT 05149. The privacy of the children is strictly honored.
 
The Ludlow Rotary Club meets weekly on Tuesdays at 12:15 at DJ's Restaurant in beautiful downtown Ludlow. Prospective members are welcome to join us for lunch to learn more about our club and howe promote peace, health, education, community projects locally and internationally. Visit us at www.ludlowrotary.com for more info and like us on Facebook!
 
 
Ludlow Area Rotary Club Seeking 2025 Scholarship Applicants
 
In keeping with its annual goal of rewarding qualified high school seniors, The Ludlow Area Rotary Club (LRC) is encouraging eligible seniors to apply for scholarships to help meet their goals for higher education following graduation from high school this year.
 
The LRC has awarded over $290,000 in scholarships in the past to students seeking financial assistance for college and advanced trade programs.
 
Graduating seniors who reside in the LRC area towns of Ludlow, Cavendish, Plymouth, and Mt Holly who plan on pursuing higher education are invited to apply for these scholarships.  Such applications may be obtained through the Guidance Office of the student’s high school.  They need to be submitted by May 1, 2025 to Timothy Faulkner, Chair of the Ludlow Rotary Scholarship Committee, PO Box 216, Ludlow, VT  05149.
 
Recipients are selected on the basis of the following criteria: scholastic achievement, financial need, realistic goals, extracurricular activities, and community service.
 
The scholarships available are:
 
·  Daniel E. Kesman Memorial Scholarship
·  Robert W. Kirkbride Rotary Scholarship
·  Ralph D. Hogancamp Vocational Scholarship
·  Joseph Girouard Scholarship
 
Daniel Kesman and Ralph Hogancamp were legendary members of the Ludlow Rotary, which is celebrating its 98th year of service to the community in 2025. Robert Kirkbride was an active member of the Ludlow Rotary for more than 60 years – an amazing record.  Jay Girouard helped make the annual Rotary Penny Sale a success.
 
Applications for these awards are available through the school Guidance Officer and should be submitted to the LRC by May 1, 2025.  Awards will be presented at the school’s annual award night program.
Club Executives & Directors
President
Secretary
Treasurer
Home Page News
It is the Rotarian's responsibility to report any make-ups to the club secretary, Barbara LeMire.  Make-ups should be reported immediately for recordkeeping purposes.
 
 
Speakers
Rotary Meeting Today
Jul 22, 2025
Rotary Meeting Today
Jul 29, 2025
Club Assembly
Rotary Lunch Meeting
Aug 05, 2025
Rotary Lunch Meeting
Aug 12, 2025
Rotary Lunch Meeting
Aug 26, 2025
Club Assembly