"You never know when you’ll witness something historic—so show up with heart every single time.”— Merrill Reese
Dear Rotary Friends,
Good morning!
What a remarkable stretch of camaraderie and service! In just two weeks, we’ve delivered a $25,000 check to Pickering Manor, gathered in support of Newtown EMS to celebrate their new ambulance bikes and trailer, and heard unforgettable stories of resilience from polio survivors alongside expert insights from CHOP and BCHIP during a life-changing Rotary Student Health Summit. We reviewed essays from the next generation of leaders, inducted three new members, and welcomed four more with inspiring classification speeches that reminded us of the diverse paths that unite us and the shared purpose that carries us forward. We also met to allocate donations to organizations and causes throughout our community—an effort that reflects our shared commitment to doing good works close to home. From cleaning up roads on a holiday weekend to tailgating at Chandler Hall with Merrill Reese, a football Hall of Famer, we’ve shown up, served well, and made countless memories together.
Thank you to all the volunteers and attendees that made these events and all the impact possible! Scroll down for the full stories and photos behind these incredible moments.
To our corporate and in-kind sponsors: your partnership makes our work possible—helping us serve more people, dream bigger, and deliver deeper impact. Thank you for believing in what we do and for fueling our impact. We're grateful.
This weekend – Sign up below to join us for the food drive and garden planting! Next week – Don’t miss our special lunch panel led by Corky Swartz as we explore how to prepare for our end of life in meaningful ways.
Thank YOU for all you do. You’re making a real difference—and our club wouldn’t be the same without you.
Wishing you a weekend of peace, purpose, and connection with those you cherish.
With gratitude,
Debra Porter
President and proud member, Rotary Club of Newtown, District 7430
Spring Food Drive - May 3rd
Please join us for our Spring Food Drive to benefit Wrightstown Food Pantry on Saturday, May 3rd! The event will take place at McCaffrey's from 9:00am-3:00pm and then a team will immediately transport the food to the pantry from 3:00pm-4:00pm. This is a cherished Service Project for our Club under Shari Donahue's leadership so please sign up and volunteer!. It's a lot of fun and makes such a huge difference in our community!
We’re excited to invite the Rotary Club to participate in our Quarry Hill ES Courtyard Clean-Up Project on Sunday, May 4th from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, with a rain date scheduled for Sunday, May 18th. The project will take place at our school courtyard and Volunteers should park in the side lot of Quarry Hill Elementary or on the grass. Please enter through the front entrance of the building, where you will be guided to the courtyard. Please bring your own gardening tools, gloves, and any supplies you’d like to use or donate. We’ll be doing general clean-up, weeding, planting, and sprucing up the space to make it more inviting for students and staff.
Please join us at the American Legion at 12:15pm to hear Rotarians Corky Swartz, Ryan Krocker, Andrew Neville, Colleen Campbell, Maria Stampone, and Maureen Salvucci speak about: "Service Beyond Self: Compassionate Planning for Tomorrow". This meeting will provide 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.
Please join us at the American Legion at 12:15pm to hear from Erin Lukoss – CEO/Executive Director of the Bucks County Opportunity Council. With a belief in the potential of every individual to overcome poverty, BCOC offers personalized support through skilled coaches and case managers to create pathways to economic independence and brighter futures for those in need.
Please join us for Newtown's annual "Arbor Day" event which will take place on Thursday May 15th from 9:00am - 12:00pm at Brian Gregg Park. Newtown Rotary donates plants for the students of Goodnoe Elementary school to plant. It's a wonderful family friendly event and we hope to see you there!
Our next book is Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, which has 4.5 stars (out of 5) from Goodreads. Shari Donahue will host this book club on Sunday, June 1st from 4:00-6:00pm. Her address will be communicated as we get closer in! Should be a great time! Please contact Laurel Collins at Laurel8690@yahoo.com or 908-507-1985 with any questions.
Another fine example of the Newtown Rotary Club helping our community be a better place! This amazing crew got up early Saturday morning to clean route 332 in front of the Newtown Middle School. They spent a couple of hours picking up trash and beautifying the strip of road that we are responsible for! Thank you to Jerry and Cathy Agasar for organizing this great event and thank you to all of these fine volunteers who showed up to make a difference!
Rotarians With a Celebrity!!!
Merrill Reese Lunch Meeting - 4/23
On Wednesday, April 23rd, the Newtown Rotary Club held a very special lunch meeting featuring Merrill Reese, the iconic "Voice of the Philadelphia Eagles,"! We were so delighted to host him in a packed house at Chandler Hall (we had so many people, we needed a bigger space!). It was such a treat to have him all to ourselves and hear stories about our World Champion Philadelphia Eagles from the past year and his perspective on the upcoming season!!! In support of the football theme, Joe Garvey put together an amazing "Tailgate Party" lunch menu which was great fun and added to the spirit of celebration. Special thanks to Tony Pestis who made these wonderful arrangements for us and of course, thank you to Merrill! He is an incredibly special person, and we are grateful he spent time with our Club.
Rotarians Raising Funds!!!
Camaraderie for a Cause - 4/24
The Newtown Rotary Club held a Camaraderie for a Cause Event on Thursday, April 24th at Blue Point Grill from 5:00-7:00pm. The focus of our fundraising was to help the Newtown EMS team create a new division to provide more mobile and agile movement of EMT's and Paramedics during large public events. We had an amazing turnout and were able to make a meaningful donation to purchase 3 Fuji Police Bikes and a trailer which you can see from the pictures below. The plan is to have the team in full operation by June 1st. Special thanks to the Blue Point Grill for being such amazing hosts with fantastic food and service!
Rotarians Welcoming New Members!!!
Membership Dinner - 4/30
On Wednesday, April 30th, the Newtown Rotary Club held a special dinner focused on our New Members. We had a wonderful evening as our very own Rotarian, District Judge Mick Petrucci swore in three new members: Tom Minutella, Paula Bruskiewitz and Val Davis! We also heard from recently inducted members, Scott Fegley, Dan Peterson, Ryan Krocker and Peter Manetas as they delivered their Classification Speeches. These speeches help us learn more about them from a personal and professional perspective which is such a treat. Nights like this remind us how lucky we are to be surrounded by such amazing people who have chosen to join our club with a shared vision of Service Above Self. We wholeheartedly welcome our new members and thank those who gave speeches for sharing themselves with us. What an amazing group!! Congratulations!
Paula Bruskiewitz
Paula w/Sponsor, Mark Craig
Tom Minutella
Tom w/Sponsor, Kira Altomari
Val Davis
Val w/Sponsor, Kyle Davis
Scott Fegley
Dan Peterson
Ryan Krocker
Peter Manetas
Look at all of these wonderful new members all in one place!
Rotarians Making Contributions!!!
Pickering Manor Lunch - 4/30
On Wednesday, April 30th, the Newtown Rotary Club presented a check for $25,000 to Pickering Manor as a result of the very successful 2024 Golf Outing. Co-Chairs Paul Salvatore and Tony Pestis along with Honorary Chair Chuck Charlton were very proud to present this check to the leadership team at Pickering Manor during a celebratory lunch meeting. The funds that our Club generated will be used to purchase multiple Hoyer Lifts which safely transport residents who have limited mobility. This is another fantastic example of the Newtown Rotary Club making a positive impact in our community for the residents of Pickering manor and their families. Special thanks to all of the Rotarians who made the 2024 Golf Outing such a success and let's get ready 2025!
Pictured from left to right: Maureen Kuhar, David Woodhouse, John Duggan, Paul Salvatore, Charlie Quattrone, Kyle Davis, Barry Fleck, Debra Porter and Kevin Brooks.
Rotarians Making A Difference!
Eye Surgeries in Africa
A group of Rotarian eye surgeons from Mysore/Bangalore, India came up with a proposal to conduct eye surgeries in Africa, more specifically in the extremely barren and dry regions of Ghana and Nigeria for about 50 to 100 children drawn from extremely poor families, such as the ones in the photo below. This Project was led by Rotarian Dr. Ravishankar, Pediatric Ophthalmologist, Usha Kiran Eye hospital, Mysore, India, and the mission was completed in Mid-March 2025. The project cost was about $20,000 and was funded by Rotary Clubs around the world. Newtown Rotary Club donated $1,000 for this cause to provide vision for the underprivileged children and getting a smile back on their faces:" Thanks to SA Vaneswaran for keeping us updated on how our grants are put to good use to make the world a better place.
Service Beyond Self: Compassionate Planning for Tomorrow
Join us for an insightful panel discussion featuring experienced professionals and dedicated Rotarians who will share compassionate guidance on end-of-life planning. This session will provide practical tools to help you build a thoughtful legacy that reflects your values, eases logistical and emotional burdens, and offers peace of mind to your loved ones. This workshop embodies Rotary’s mission of Service Above Self by encouraging preparation. Attendees will have the opportunity to draft letters to loved ones, engage with experts, and take home valuable planning resources.
Moderator:
Corky Swartz – Funeral Director, Swartz Givinish Funeral Home
Panelists:
Colleen Campbell - BCHIP (Advanced Care Planning)
Ryan Krocker - Rothkoff Law Group (Elder Care Law)
The HOV Committee is looking for our support to drum up interest and activity for the online Fire Company auction items. To refresh, there are several "Fire Company Experiences" being offered on our HOV website. To date, we haven't reached the level of participation we had hoped for with these opportunities that support both the Newtown Fire Company and Rotary Club. The online auction deadline has been extended to May 15th to give us more time to generate interest and secure bids on the remaining fire company experiences.
Our target audience would likely be parents and grandparents who might be interested in these experiences for kids, particularly sharing in mommy Facebook groups, local community pages, and similar sites where families are active. Please consider posting the auction link on your socials or just spread the word amongst your family and friends. Word of mouth can be a powerful tool!
Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.
The Newtown Rotary Club is proud to give back to our community, country and world to help make a difference in people's lives as we put "Service Above Self".
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
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