North Kingstown Rotary

Dear

Neighbors

like to take the opportunity to invite

those who would like to know more

about Rotary or would be interested

in learning more about how to join

our service organization. We meet at

12:15 every Tuesday at Gregg's in North

Kingstown. Please check us out!

Martha Machnik

President 2007-2008

It was in 1967 that interest in a spin-off from the

fairly new (1963) East Greenwich Rotary Club began

to emerge. Dick Quirk, then manager of People's

Bank in North Kingstown, led a steering committee

to determine feasibility and interest for a new club

such as East Greenwich. It took a while, but by the

year 1970 the die was cast.

Dick met with NK businessman Burney Bellows

and quickly convinced him of the many merits

of Rotary. Before long, Burney was hooked, and

the process of gathering a fledging Club began in

earnest. Burney was named first President of the

Club and soon assembled a team including VP Brian

Brennan, Secretary Bob Fuller and Treasurer Rev.

Charles Hawley. Dick Quirk, Ron Hickman, Larry

Maguire and Dr. Ed Johnson rounded out the first

board of directors and by the summer of 1970 an

initial membership roster of 25 was assembled. The

years passed quickly as new North Kingstowners

accepted the Rotary Pledge. Meetings were first

held at Quidnessett Country Club and in 1976 the

meetings were moved to The Quonset "O" Club,

where they are presently held.

Our Rotary Club is part of a worldwide organization

known as Rotary International. It was founded

in 1905 by Paul Harris, a Chicago lawyer. Rotary

International is made up of 30,000 clubs and over

1.2 million members in 162 countries and this does

not fully tell our story. One can actually best understand

Rotary by our three word motto, "Service

Above Self." In short we are a service organization

dedicated to helping other people lead better lives

and assist community services and charities at

home and abroad.

To accomplish this we raise funds through our

Art Festival parking, our Christmas Card sales, and

now this Telephone Directory. The funds we raise

enables us to provide the DARE program for our

5

school seniors. Our list of contributions is long.

Some of them are Bayside Family Health YMCA,

North Kingstown Food Pantry, Special Olympics,

Spirit Day, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, North Kingstown

Middle and High School Student of the Month,

The Interact Club, The Salvation Army, Literacy

Volunteers of South County, Lafayette Band, and

The Visiting Nurse Association. In addition we give

to international projects such as Clean Water, The

Heifer Project, and Polio Plus.

When the need came in the 2003 for help for the

Station Fire victims, North Kingstown Rotary rose

to the occasion. The club designated their May

Breakfast monies to go to the Station Fire Victims.

$1,000 was collected for the fire victims and their

families. North Kingstown Rotary Club is here to

help when the need arises.

Without the support of North Kingstown residents

and Area businesses, these donations are not

possible. Now in our 37th year, the Rotary Club of

North Kingstown thanks you all! Let us keep our

fine relationship viable far into the future.