“Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent.” - Carl Sandburg
Dear Rotary Friends,
Good morning!
Our time together over the last two weeks has been packed. Thanks for showing up and making it count.
We launched with a successful food drive, rolled up our sleeves to plant learning gardens for elementary students, and then turned inward with a session on end-of-life planning—receiving practical, clear, and deeply appreciated information from our panelists. (The resource guide will arrive separately.) After that, we heard from the Bucks County Opportunity Council, whose work last year reached over 57,000 people in our community—impact we’re proud to support. And even when the rain rolled in, Arbor Day carried on: Rotarians braved the fog and drizzle to distribute plants and keep the spirit of service alive. Thanks to everyone who made it all happen.
Jenn’s loaded this issue with fantastic photos and highlights from these activities—keep scrolling to see all the fun recaps and ways to join the coming events!!!
This weekend:
Fellow members will be volunteering and attending the Newtown Theatre Wine Walk fundraiser tomorrow from 12–4 PM.
At 7 PM, Rotarian Rev. Rodney Brailsford is bringing jazz to town! Catch the Eric Mintel Quartet—tickets are $20: Get Tickets » https://newtownumc.com/events/an-evening-of-jazz-with-the-eric-mintel-quartet/
Next week:
Don't miss our special lunch honoring five standout Students of the Month, led by Rob Brown. Details and sign-up info are below.
Please Save the Date for ourPeace Pole installation and Dedication Ceremony. It will occur on Sunday, October 5, 2025 from 4–5 PM. Area choirs and community leaders will join us for a very special ceremony. More information will follow.
Thank You toour Corporate Sponsors! Your support powers our work and deepens our impact. We’re grateful to have you alongside us- and our club wouldn’t be the same without you.
And finally, some joyful member news—Jenn and Fred Ceslak are excited to celebrate the upcoming wedding of their daughter, Devon! Here’s to love, laughter, and happily ever after—cheers to Jenn, Fred, and the future newlyweds!
And from the Eubanks family: Stephanie and Matt’s daughter Ava recently competed in the All-Star Cheerleading World Championship, earning both a gold and a bronze medal with her two teams. Congratulations, Ava—we’re so proud of you!
See you all next week! Can't wait. Thanks for all you do to serve our community.
With gratitude,
Debra Porter
President and proud member, Rotary Club of Newtown, District 7430
Weekly Lunch Meeting - May 21st
Please join us at the American Legion at 12:15pm as we celebrate our Students of the Month! This program celebrates outstanding Council Rock high school students for their achievements, leadership, and embodiment of Rotary’s ideal of "Service Above Self." This initiative supports students in their journey toward higher education while recognizing their exceptional contributions to their schools and communities. Rob Brown will serve as the MC for this exciting meeting!
Please volunteer to help us decorate our Memorial Day Rotary Float in true patriotic style! Participating in the Memorial Parade is a big deal for Newtown Rotary given our dedication to our veterans and their families. Under Matt McCullough's leadership, we will meet at the American Legion on Sunday, May 25th from 12-3 to decorate our float. Thank you in advance for lending us your time and talent!
Please join us as we represent the Newtown Rotary Club in the annual Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 26th. The plan is to meet at Newtown Commons (642 Newtown-Yardley Road) at 8:30am and then the parade will commence. This is an important event for our Club given our alliance and support of the American Legion and our Veterans. Show your support by marching in the parade!!!
Please join us for a Camaraderie for a Cause on Thursday, May 29th from 5:30-7:00pm at Piccolo Trattoria. We will be hosting a Trivia Night with prizes so please join us for the fun! The focus of our fundraising efforts will be to fund the installation of our Peace Pole in the community.
Bring $10 and a bunch of your friends and be prepared to have a great time and make a difference!
The Newtown Rotary Club is ready to swing into action for a great cause during our annual Golf Outing at Trenton Country Club on Monday, June 2! Every swing and sponsorship supports Pickering Manor and the success of this event relies on the many volunteers needed to run a successful event! Please consider signing up for one or several shifts by clicking the link below. Thank you!
Please volunteer to represent Rotary at "Newtown Welcome Day" on Sunday June 8th, from 11am to 4pm.
This is a great opportunity to raise awareness for our Newtown Rotary Club by volunteering at our table. It promises to be a day of fun, food, and fantastic entertainment while supporting local businesses as well. Please consider signing up below for a shift or two!
Steve recently visited the Rotary Club of City of Liverpool while on a family vacation in England! He had the opportunity to exchange Rotary banners with President, Gayle Allen. It just so happened that their District Governor, Beth Murray was at this meeting and posted a lovely LinkedIn message about Steve's visit. We highly encourage you all do to the same when you travel, if you have the opportunity! We have plenty of banners so just ask any Board Member for one and off you go! Experiences like Steve's makes us realize how broad Rotary's reach is and how lucky we are to be part of such a great organization! Thanks for sharing, Steve.
Rotarians Making a Difference!!!
Spring Food Drive - 5/3
On Saturday, May 3rd, the Newtown Rotary Club held its Annual Spring Food Drive to benefit the Wrightstown Food Pantry. Once again, shoppers responded in a big way, filling shopping carts with donations, from boxes of Cheerios to cans of soups and canned vegetables. Many also reached into their pockets and wallets, donating hundreds of dollars in cash to the pantry and in one case, a generous person handed us a check for $1000! When all was said and done, we collected $1571 in cash & 14 carts of non-perishable grocery items had been collected. All of the donations will be matched, dollar-for-dollar up to $5,000, through the Gene and Marlene Epstein Foundation - thank you! Special thanks to Shari Donahue and Paul Salvatore for their dedication and commitment to this very worthy cause. And many thanks to the wonderful Rotarians who donated their gift of time on a hot Saturday afternoon. Once again, the Newtown Rotary Club demonstrates our "service above self" mantra and we are proud to do so!
Rotarians Helping Nature!!!
Quarry Hill ES Courtyard Cleanup - 5/4
The Newtown Rotary Club sponsored a "Courtyard Cleanup" event on Sunday, May 4th at the Quarry Hill Elementary School. This was a group effort of hard working volunteers including many students who got to experience the value of hard work and some interesting discoveries (a large toad!). You can see from the before & after photos that they did such a great job - the courtyard looks fantastic! Thanks to everyone who came out on a cloudy day and worked at a very fast pace to beat the rain. Job well done!
Rotarians Having Lunch & Learning!!!
Lunch Meetings 5/7 & 5/14
On Wednesday, May 7th, the Newtown Rotary Club was pleased to be joined by an illustrious panel consisting of Corky Swartz, Ryan Krocker, Colleen Campbell, Maria Stampone and Maureen Salvucci as they spoke about: "Service Beyond Self: Compassionate Planning for Tomorrow". This group offered compassionate guidance on end-of-life planning in the spirit of Rotary’s mission of service above self by extending our care beyond our own lives. Debra also shared a wonderful story about her father's preparedness and what it meant to her and her family.
On Wednesday, May 14th, we then welcomed Erin Lukoss – CEO/Executive Director of the Bucks County Opportunity Council. Erin shared many amazing examples of how BCOC offers personalized support through skilled coaches and case managers who address unique challenges and build meaningful relationships with individuals and families. Erin shared so many wonderful examples of how BCOC continues to create pathways to economic independence and brighter futures for those in need. Charlie, a proud board member, introduced Erin to the membership.
Rotarians Impacting the Community!!!
Arbor Day - 5/15
The Newtown Rotary Club was pleased to participate in Newtown Borough's annual "Arbor Day" event which will took place on Thursday May 15th at Brian Gregg Park.
Newtown’s Arbor Day event is attended by first and fifth graders from Goodnoe Elementary and was open to the public. Our Club donated seedlings to support Arbor Day's purpose of preserving trees and supported with a few volunteers. As you can see, everyone had a great time at this family-friendly event that included music by ECO Man, environmental educational stations, animals and reptiles, the Worm Guy, nature crafts, free apples, the Barn Nature Center, and yoga. Thank you to Paul Salvatore who organized Rotary's participation and Stephanie Eubanks who also helped out that day!
This section provides our members an opportunity to volunteer in activities outside of Club activities to expand our reach and impact!
Chandler Hall Ice Cream & Serenade Party!
Please join Shari Donahue as Zebra Striped Whale proudly hosts an ice cream party at Chandler Hall on Sunday, June 8th from 2:00-3:00pm. Shari will be joined by Shikha Prashar who will share her lovely voice with the residents while they enjoy their ice cream. Everyone is welcome!!!
Our Newtown Rotary Club!!!
Who wouldn't want to join a Club full of this fun loving group!!??
Photo by Rotarian Brandon Valeri-Bruchini, Mediaology
Order Rotary Apparel
Click Here to add to your "Rotary Wardrobe" and show your Rotary pride!
. 
.png)
