Stories

Rotary Club of Key West Awards Edward B. Knight Its First Hall of Fame Award

 

The Rotary Club of Key West has chosen Edward B. Knight as its first Jefferson B. Browne Hall of Fame recipient.

The Rotary Club of Key West is celebrating 100 years of service to Key West. Jefferson B. Browne, after whom the award is named, was the first Key West Rotary president. Browne later became Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court.

Hall of Fame recipient Edward B. Knight served as Rotary president in 1964-1965. He arrived in Key West as a naval aviator during WWII and later joined the Rotary International Fellowship of Flying Rotarians. He and his wife Joan opened one of the first Volkswagon dealerships in the U.S., in Key West. In 1957, he opened Knight Realty and now the company is Berkshire Hathaway Knight & Gardner Realty, a leading commercial and residential real estate company. Edward serves on the executive board of the South Florida Council Boy Scouts of America and has donated to the Boy Scout camp in the Keys, known as the Camp Sawyer Edward B. Knight Scout Reservation. He instituted a $4000 annual Rotary Scholarship Program with Florida Keys Community College -- the Edward B. Knight Rotary Club of Key West FKCC Vocational Scholarship. Edward follows the 4-Way Test in his business, and employees have kept the 4-Way Test card: “Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build good will and better friendship? Is it beneficial to all concerned?”

Other past and present community members who have been honored as “Rotary Legends” this centennial year were Jefferson B. Browne, Dr. Robert Carraway, Gerald “Moe” Mosher, Greg O'Berry, John G. Parks, Jr., Paul J. Sher, Edward Toppino, Robert Walker and Alton Weekley.

The Rotary Club of Key West works in the community to provide scholarships to Key West High School students, raises funds for its Children's Dental Program for those who cannot afford dental care, is responsible for the spectacular Key West 4^th of July fireworks celebration, raises funds for the Hospital Albert Schweitzer in Haiti, contributes to Polio Plus for the eradication of polio, and more.

The Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel donated $10,000 as an Event Sponsor of the Rotary Club of Key West's Centennial Gala, to be held April 1. At the Gala, Rotary will present the Jefferson B. Browne Hall of Fame Awards. All proceeds from the Gala will benefit Rotary's annual projects: five college and vocational scholarships, Children's Dental Fund and Hospital Albert Schweitzer in Haiti. For more information or to attend the Rotary Centennial Gala, email President Rachel Oropeza at Baticoda@aol.com.

Photo caption: (front row, l-r) Rotary President Rachel Oropeza, Alan Beaubien from the Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel, Jessica Cranney and Cathy Crane. (Back row) Rotary Secretary Albert Gonzalez and President-Elect David Van Loon.

 

Check us out on Facebook

 

We had a terrific time with DG Joe Roth and (First Lady) Diana and AG Jim Smith.  I think we were all inspired by his Rotary PASSION!!!

"LETS LIGHT UP ROTARY"

 

President Elizabeth MacLaughlin

 

The Rotary Club of Key West was founded in 1916. It is one of the oldest and most dynamic service organizations in our community.

We are a diverse group of men and women who are here to serve the needs of this unique island paradise. 

This is our 99th year and our theme for this year is Light Up Rotary!

2013 President of the Rotary Club of Key West

Frank Herrada

Past President Brian Barroso (right) passes the gavel to newly elected President Frank Harrada (left).

 

Rachel Oropeza

Congratulations to Rachel Oropeza for her commitment to excellence.  Her dedication to the Rotary Club of Key West and the Key West Community are second to none.  Thank you for all you do Rachel.  Rachel was presented this award by Past President Brian Barroso.

Thank you to all the students and staff that participated in the

HOB Food Drive 2012 “Just bring it”

Lower Keys Medical Center celebrated its impact on the Monroe County community recently, as 85 elected officials and community leaders gathered at the Rotary Club of Key West’s meeting for the unveiling of the hospital’s Community Benefit Report, highlighting Lower Keys Medical Center’s accomplishments in 2011. The report was presented by Meylan Lowe-Watler, COO and John Emery, Assistant Administrator. Read More...

 

Today student athletes were recognized at the rotary luncheon. It was very nice and the students were very appreciative! A huge thank you goes out to the rotary for letting us recognize student – athletes each month!

The weather was miserable, the sea was rough, the men were seasick and the snow and sleet pummeled their vessel as they bravely crossed the Delaware River. On the morning of Dec. 25, 1776, Gen. George Washington ordered his army to cross the Delaware to New Jersey to stop the British from advancing. This famous crossing was one of the defining moments in our War of Independence from England.

Brian Barroso's year as president started out with a "bang" and lots of rain, in spite of everything the fireworks were fantastic and everyone had a great time.  What a fabulous beginning for a great year!

The Rotary Club of Key West & Sunset Rotary announce their annual Reverse Raffle benefitting Hospital Albert Schweitzer in Haiti Winners! 

$500.00 winners-- Kevin McChesney, Noelle Rivas, Alton & Beverly Weekley, Andy Strabbe & Donna Eisentraut.

 

Grand prize winners of the $8,000.00 pot -- split 5 ways -- Albert Gonzalez, Donnie Elimona, Tammy Germaine, Jim Wilson and Laura Washington.

Get a Bang for Your Bucks
Key West's Annual 4th of July Fireworks Display
Please Give Generously

On behalf of the Rotary Club of Key West, President Mike Petro presented a check for $1,000 to the Key West High School Academic Challenge Team

This fundraiser is all about men wearing a pair of pink Converse for one week.  This is to show the women in our lives that we are aware and care about breast cancer.  It's time that us men let our mothers, sisters and daughters know that we are in their corner and will fight this terrible sickness together.  If embarrassing ourselves for one week wearing a pair of pink shoes will help the fight, then it's the very least we can do to show the women we care about that we support and love them!!!

 

 

Please join us for a night of great music on July 30th, 7 pm at Higgs Beach.  Performing will be Yellowman, The Sagittarius Band, The Spam Allstars and DJ Lance-O.  This event is benefitting the Rotary's College Scholorship fund.

L-R     John Padgett, Board Member of the Monroe County Education Foundation, Florida Keys Educational Foundation and Florida Board of Education, Rick Scott,  Governor of the State of Florida, Rotary Club of Key West Scholarship Winner Sonal Soni, and her Take Stock in Children Mentor, Mary Jackson, an RN from Lower Keys Medical Center.-R     John Padgett, Board Member of the Monroe County Education Foundation, Florida Keys Educational Foundation and Florida Board of Educati

On June 2, 2011 the entire fourth grade class from Sigsbee Charter School attended our lunch meeting.  The youngsters embarked on a year-long series of community service projects modeled after the Rotary Four Way Test.  They were pinned as Junior Rotarians during our lunch meeting where we heard a wonderful essay from student Candace Matthews.  Click  Rotary District Newsletter to see her beautiful essay.

This is FUN FUN FUN!  And it's for a great community cause! 

Please help us raise funds for the 4th of July fireworks.   Please click on:  DOWNLOAD FIREWORKS SPONSOR FORM  to contribute.

 Every little bit helps!

The Rotary Club of Key West Dental program was awarded $3446 from the Monroe County Sheriff Shared Asset Fund. This is the third year this grant was awarded and this is the highest amount we have ever been awarded.

Special thanks to Treasurer-Elect Elizabeth MacLaughlin who wrote the grant and to Board Member and Fundraising Chair Albert Gonzalez and  Past President Robert Walker who have spearheaded this program for many years.  This year our club has raised a combined $14,000 for this program as a result of this grant, our Golf Tournament and  the Cruise Raffle we did a few months ago.  Special thanks to Rotarians Denise Hull, Rachel Oropeza and Janie Baucom who helped make that raffle a success! 

This program provides needed dental care for children who have dental needs and dental pain that affects their ability to learn.  Great job Rotarians! 

The Rotary Club of Key West along with Sunset Rotary have kicked off their annual Reverse Raffle to raise money for Hopital Albert Schweitzer (HAS) in Deschapelles, Haiti. Key West's local Rotary clubs have long been proud sponsors of HAS. Beginning with our own Dr. Carroway when he first visited HAS in the 1970's. HAS services a population of over 300,000 in the Artibonite Valley, 40 miles north of Port-au-Prince in Haiti. To learn more about HAS, please visit their website at: www.hashaiti.org

Rotary will sell 300 tickets at $100.00 each to raise money to send to HAS for much needed medical supplies. Since the earthquake on January 10, 2010, HAS has seen an influx of medical cases and amputees as displaced people flee the nation's capital of Port-au-Prince.

There are several opportunities to win -- for tickets 1, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250, winners will received $500.00 along with the last ticket being pulled winning $8,000.00. The remainder of the money collected, $19,000.00 will be sent to the Grant Foundation in Pittsburgh, PA for HAS. The drawing will be held on May 5, 2011 at the KW Golf Club at 6:00pm. All ticket holders are invited to attend. You do not need to be present to win.

To purchase your ticket for the Reverse Raffle please contact Rotarian, Rachel Oropeza at: 305-923-4318.

The Rotary Club of Key West came together as one to make a thought a huge success. I am really humbled by the participation of all club members, with out the support of the club this event would not have gone off and became such a success. The committee members included  co chairs Ron Leonard, and Jim Fitton, President Rudy Molinet,  and Rotarians Karen Thurman, Albert Gonzalez, Bob Chinnis, Max Labrada ,Casandra Toppino, Melanie Elder, Pat Labrada, Edward Toppino, Elizabeth MacLaughlin, Tony Yaniz, Steve Torrence, Janice Long, Alan Solomon, Gary Tomasulo, Mindy McKenzie and so many others.

Mr. Walker was the winner of the raffle ticket for a cruise.  All raffle proceeds benefit the Youth Dental Program!

The mother of Marques Butler visited the Rotary and spoke about the Marques Butler Softball Tournament.

The two-day event began at 9 a.m. at the DeWitt Roberts Field at Wickers Field complex and the Pepe Hernandez Softball Field at Bayview Park.

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Key West, proceeds benefit the Marques Butler Memorial Scholarship Fund at Key West High School.

Congrats to Areil and St. Piere who were selected as the Rotary Club of Key West students of the month of January.

The Rotary Club of Key West is extremely pleased to announce its first ever Conch Fest- A Celebration Of Conch Heritage. This event will be held on Saturday, March 5, 2011 and is expected to draw thousands of locals and visitors to Bayview Park. There will be vendors selling arts and crafts, a nautical flea market and other treasures. ConchFest will raise money for college scholarships to be awarded to local children as provided by the Key West Rotary Club Foundation, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization.

The Rotary Club of Key West donated $500 to Nutcracker Key West. This donation is for needy children to obtain tickets to the show so they may have a brighter holiday. Pictured are Rudy Molinet, President of the Rotary Club of Key West, Joyce Stahl, producer of the Nutcracker Key West and several of the children involved in the production at a recent Rotary meeting.

We are pleased to announce that our Rotary Club provided 75 Thanksgiving meals to needy families today for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Dave Van Loon and other club members delivered the meals to different schools and agencies that in turn distributed them to families. Dave reported that there were some tears of happiness from families who thought they were not going to be able to provide a Thanksgiving meal to their children and they were so thankful for our assistance.  These are the groups that we worked with this year:

HOB School
Glynn Archer School
Gerald Adams School
Poinciana Elementary School
St. Mary's
Samuels House
Wesley House

Thank you all for your generosity in making this happen!  Many of you donated money or turkeys towards this endeavor. The community also responded in a very generous outpouring of support.

Rotary President Rudy Molinet, King Christopher Elwell and Queen Anne O'Shea are shown appreciation for their generous and hard work to raise funds for AIDS Help.

The Rotary Club of KW welcomes the 2010 KWHS Homecoming Court to recent luncheon -- L to R: Pat Labrada, Ariel Sanchez, Tempist Burgohy,  Ta'Kori Jackson, Allison Steedly, Guinevere Winslow and President Elect Mike Petro.

The Rotary Club of KW congratulates the KWHS offensive and defensive player of the week. L to R: Johnny Louis, Coach Jerry Hughes, Clinton McCoy and President Elect Mike Petro.

The Rotary Club of Key West sponsored Mrs. Pauline Brann’s fourth grade classroom at the Sigsbee Charter School.  Two dozen Rotarians worked hard cleaning, painting, doing carpentry and renovating the classroom over the summer.  The students presented Rotary Club of Key West President Rudy Molinet with a beautiful thank you banner and each student wrote a personal thank you note to the club.

Pictured from L to R  Back Row: Teacher Pauline Brann, Rotarians Rudy Molinet,  Sandy Higgs, Ron Leonard and Jim Olive. 

Front Row:  Fourth grade students at Sigsbee Charter School.

Please join us as a sponsor or golfer for the 8th Annual Rotary Club of Key West Golf Tournament on Sunday, November 7, 2010. All funds raised support our Dental program for needy children.  For more information or to become a sponsor, please contact Albert Gonzalez 305-849-1115 or agonzalez@eaglebrands.com

You can also download the sponsorship form: KW Rotary Golf Tournament 2010

The Rotary Club of Key West held a bowling social meeting on Saturday, October 2, 2010.  Over 65 Rotarians and friends showed up for a great evening of fellowship and fun.  The highlight of the evening was watching Rotarian Maggie Gutierrez bowl a 204. 

 

President Rudy Molinet is pictured with KWHS graduating seniors Gregory Barroso, recipient of the Greg O’Berry Scholarship and Sonal Soni, recipient of the Paul J. Sher Scholarship  during a recent Rotary lunch meeting where they were honored.  The Rotary Club of Key West awarded $32,000 in scholarships this year at Key West High School including their annual donation to Take Stock in Children.

Rotary President Rudy Molinet congratulation the KWHS Offensive and Defensive Player of the week of Sept 27, 2010:

Rotary Club President Rudy Molinet congratulates the Conchs Offensive & Defensive Players of the week for October 7, 2010

The new Rotary year began on July 1, 2010 with a member and partner/spouse appreciation social at the Tavern and Town in Key West.

Over 80 members and their guests enjoyed fellowship, fun and cocktails as new Rotary President Rudy Molinet thanked them for their hard work in the past year.

Please join us as we embrace our new Rotary Theme: Building Communities, Bridging Continents!

Join us for our 3rd Annual Bottlecap Happy Hour Fundraiser for our July 4th Fireworks on Friday, June 25th from 5:30pm to 9:00pm at the Bottlecap Lounge on Simonton Street.

Please donate items for our silent auction by contacting Rachel Oropeza 305-923-4318. Thanks to Carlo Vitale and Carolyn Sullivan for their continued generosity.

This event counts as a make up meeting so have fun while helping our club support the Fireworks at White Street Pier.

Fireworks donations are coming in but we are still raising funds so we can produce a great fireworks show for our community. Thanks to all of you who are working so hard to make this happen!

Please give as much as you can. Pictured is one of our donors, Keys Federal Credit Union, with a $500 check presented by CFO and Sunrise Rotarian Scott Duszynski to Rudy Molinet, President of The Rotary Club of Key West.

Since 1976, The Rotary Club of Key West has sponsored this celebration of our nation's freedom. We recieve NO CITY FUNDS so all your donations are really appreciated!

Please click on the donation form on the right side of this home page under "Downloads" to download the donation form and make your donation today!

Or You Can Call Karen Thurman at 305-304-4912 to Donate. Thanks for your support!

Rotarians perform service above self at the Sigsbee Charter School.

On Saturday, January 30, 2010, the members of the Key West High School Interact Club teamed up with members of the Rotary Club of Key West to make a positive impact on the environment by cleaning up area beaches.

Thanks to each of you who worked on The Rotary Club of Key West Fireworks this year. The event was a huge success. The addition of patriotic music and huge speakers (courtesy of Linda Russin of Island 107 and Chad Salinero) made the show extra special. Karen Thurman and her pyrotechnics have done it again!!

The Rotary Club of Key West has sponsored Rotarian of the Year Rachel Oropeza on a humanitarian mission to Haiti. Rachel is there now and reports that the conditions in Haiti are catastrophic.

For Rachel's Updates From Haiti, click Rachel's Chronicles From Haiti

Check presentation for 1st $10,000 to Hopital Albert Schweitzer for medical supplies.

Pictured with the visitors from Peru are Rotary Club of Key West President Bascom Grooms IV, far left, and Rotarian Elizabeth MacLaughlin, far right.

Rachel Opropeza was recognized by Outgoing President Ron Leonard as Rotarian of the Year for her outstanding efforts in participating in Rotary International's Polio Immunization Campaign.

The Rotary Club of Key West recieved the Governors Citation for having the Best Club Website in our district. Thanks to Maggie Gutierrez, Rudy Molinet,Janice Long and Sandy Higgs

Pictured: (l-r)Melanie Stefanowicz with President Ron Leonard and Elizabeth MacLaughlin, Vocational Services

Rachel and the other members of Rotary International are seen here at the Taj Mahal.

The Rotary Club of Key West and the Sunrise Rotary in the Conch Republic teamed up to paint the front of the San Carlos Institute on Duval Street and to clean up the parking lot. 

Since 1976 the Rotary Club of Key West has spearheaded fund raising efforts for Key West's annual Fourth of July fireworks display.

Seen with Rachel in her Indian garb are Rotary President Ron Leonard, Rachel Oropeza and Club Secretary Rudy Molinet.

Rotary presents a check for $35,000 to various Key West kids' clubs.

Lions Club President Sylvia Gonzales attends Rotary meeting to say "Thank you."

Dr. Marcy Ullom, current RI District 6990 Governor paid a visit to the clubs here today, spelling out her priorities for this Rotary year. 

Sandy Higgs, our beloved and hard working Rotarian, was named as "Rotarian of the Year" for the Rotary Club of Key West by President Janice Long for her creativity, enthusiasm, and hard work in the service of our club and community.

The Rotary Club of Key West inducted 21 new members in Rotary Year 2007-2008 to become the #1 Club in membership growth for District 6990.

Rotary District 6990 encompasses Southeast Florida, the Florida Keys and Grand Bahama Island.

Our new club website will provide an easy-to-use and effective communication tool for all our club activities and functions.