"The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team."
Phil Jackson-13 time NBA champion (2 as a player and 11 as a coach with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers)
Why is our club the envy of our Rotary District? It starts with you as a member and your commitment to service above self. There is a reason why our club is the largest club in terms of members in our district.
We remember in less than a week the 24th anniversary of September 11th. Do you remember where you were on that Tuesday in September 2001? As Barack Obama said, "Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness, is a way to honor those we lost, a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11"
September 3rd (just a few nights ago) was a special night for our club as we gave one of the highest Rotary honors to Jim McCaffrey of McCaffrey Markets, a Paul Harris Fellow. Our District Governor Mary Cook came to visit and we were honored to have her in attendance and her club visit in her Rotary year. How about Emily Schmacher, a rising 10th grader at Neshaminy High School with a wonderful rendition of our National Anthem. A shout out to Wendy Robson for inviting her to sing at our club. We welcomed Alan Schultz of Pedals for Progress who spoke about the wonderful projects they are involved with including sending bicycles and sewing machines to 3rd world countries. Don't forget Jerry Agasar and his committee will be holding the annual Pedals for Progress event on Saturday October 18th, 2025 across the street from Old St Andrews Church on Sycamore Street. They will be breaking down bicycles a week from today at Alan Fidler's Barn.
September 10th we welcome Grace Deon Esq who will speak on employment law. There will be a few new member introductions.
September 17th we welcome Past District Governor Gail Linenberg, currently the President of the Doylestown Rotary Club who will speak about the Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve. Our third meeting of the month we have our committee reports facilitated by former President Mick Petrucci.
September 25th we salute the Newtown Library Company, one of the oldest libraries in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for our monthly Camaraderie for a Cause. The host venue is Isaac Newton. Our C4C goes from 5:30-7pm and we ask for a minimum donation of $10. Lets all come out, network, enjoy the food and hospitality and salute a very historical library. By the way on Market Day which is scheduled for Saturday October 4th, 2025 our club will have a presence at the event.
We have heard you and we are providing options...
First Wednesday of each month is a Dinner meeting which goes from 6:00-7:45pm.
Second and Third Wednesday of each month is a lunch meeting which goes from 12:30-1:30pm.
The dinner and lunch meetings are held at the American Legion. Come early for registration, networking and great food by Joe Garvey.
Our 4th meeting of the month is the C4C at various Newtown venues. It runs from 5:30-7pm.
Oh and our Lower Bucks Action Committee meets the first and third Tuesday mornings of the month from 7:30-8:30am at the Garden of Eatin on Woodbourne Road in Levittown.
Save the date for Sunday October 5th, 2025 and the commemoration of our Peace Pole at Linton Memorial Park in Newtown Borough. We start the festivities at 4pm. Major shout outs to our Past President Debra Porter and her committee consisting of Shikha Prashar and Wendy Robson. Thank you to Paul Salvatore for his help with getting the Newtown Borough Council approval and thumbs up.
As you can see our club is like the energizer bunny. We don't stop in terms of our projects and initiatives in the Newtown community. Service above self. Our club adheres to the Rotary motto daily.
9/25: Camaraderie for a Cause @ Isaac Newton's - "Newtown Library"
9/27: Potential Car Show @ BCCC - "Rotary Table"
10/1: Monthly Dinner Meeting @ American Legion - "NextGen Update"
10/4: Market Day @ Newtown Library - "Rotary Table"
10/5: Peace Pole Installation @ Peaceable Kingdom
10/8: Lunch Meeting @ American Legion - "BCCC"
Please see below for the new schedule!
Book Club - 9/7
Please join us for our next Book Club where we will read "The View From Lake Como" from the beloved New York Times bestselling author Adriana Trigiani, a “dazzling” storyteller and a “comedy writer with a heart of gold”. This is a novel about one woman’s quest to build her own life before it’s too late. The group will meet on Sunday, September 7th from 4:00-6:00pm at Shikha Prashar's home. Please join us for some fellowship and fun, even if you don't have a chance to read the book! The more, the merrier.
Please join us for our Wednesday Lunch Meeting at the American Legion at 12:15pm and enjoy a lunch buffet for $16. During this meeting, we will welcome Grace Deon, Esq who is the President and CEO of Eastburn and Gray. Grace's concentration is in employment law but she also litigates commercial matters (including but not limited to breach of contract, negligence and fraud) and personal injury based claims. She will share fascinating insights and practical advice so look forward to seeing you there! In addition, we will do New Member Inductions which is always exciting!
Please join us at Allen Fidler's barn on Friday, 9/12 from 10am-1pm to break down the 75 bikes we have collected so far for Pedals for Progress! The team will gather to remove the pedals and loosen the handlebars so we can ship the bikes efficiently. It's "dirty work" but it's a very fun atmosphere and you'll feel great when it's done! Jerry Agasar will bring coffee and snacks and Alan Schultz from Pedals for Progress will join us as well. The address for Allen's barn is: 599 Newtown-Yardley Road and the barn is at the back of the property at the end of a very long driveway. See you there!!! PS: Wouldn't hurt to bring gloves and some water to drink too.
Please join us for our Lunch Meeting on Wednesday, 9/17 at 12:15pm at the American Legion where we'll welcomoe Gail Linenberg, from the Bowmans Wildflower Preserve. Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve is a 134-acre preserve located in New Hope, Pennsylvania. It is dedicated to increasing the knowledge and use of native plants by serving as an educational resource and destination. The preserve features over 800 plant species native to the Delaware Valley and offers 2.5 miles of trails that wind through forests, meadows, and along streams and ponds. A buffet lunch will be provided by Joe Garvey for $16 so see you there!
Thanks to the 33 members who participated in our member survey to understand the Club's interest in having social events together outside of our regular Events and Service Projects. Below is a recap of the feedback and the Board's plan of action moving forward:
Overall Interest in Social Events
The survey results indicate a generally positive interest in Rotary social events. A combined 88% of respondents reported being either extremely, very, or somewhat interested in participating in events outside of regular meetings and service projects. Only a small minority expressed low or no interest.
Preferred Event Types
When asked about specific event types, dinners or happy hours and outdoor activities (like hikes, picnics, or beach days) were the most popular choices, each garnering 58% of responses. Group outings to concerts, theater, or sporting events, and family-friendly events were also highly rated, appealing to 39% and 35% of members respectively. Game or trivia nights (39%) and cultural events (22%) drew moderate interest. Importantly, only 6% of respondents said they had no interest in social events at all.
Preferred Frequency of Events
The survey suggests a preference for regular, but not overly frequent, gatherings. About 34% of respondents would like to see events once a month, while 44% preferred every 2–3 months. Another 19% favored a few times a year, and only a handful supported events only on special occasions.
Timing and Scheduling Preferences
Scheduling emerged as an important factor in attendance. The most convenient times identified were weekday evenings (67%) and Friday nights (27%), followed by Saturday afternoons and evenings (33% and 27% respectively). Sunday afternoons (36%) also received some support, while Sunday evenings were far less favored.
Barriers to Participation
The most significant barrier cited was scheduling conflicts, with 82% of respondents identifying it as a challenge. Other obstacles included event location/travel (36%), lack of appeal in the type of event (52%), and a small subset who prefer Rotary to remain focused on service (9%). Cost was a relatively minor concern, cited by only 18%.
Board Recommendation
Based on these findings, the Board will implement a quarterly to bi-monthly social calendar, with a mix of dinners/happy hours, outdoor activities, and occasional group outings or family-friendly events. Events will be scheduled primarily for weekday evenings and we will rotate event locations for accessibility, keep costs modest, and ensure varied programming to appeal to different interests. Importantly, social events should complement, rather than compete with, Rotary’s service mission.
Pedals for Progress 2025
Let's Start the Momentum Early!
NextGen Doing Great Work!
Camaraderie for a Cause - 8/28
What an amazing night at the Temperance House for our Newtown Rotary Club NextGen team on Thursday, August 28th as they held a special fundraiser to raise money and collect items to benefit the Bucks County Agency on Aging. The group was pleased to welcome Kristin Chapin who runs the entire Bucks County Agency on Aging and she and Kira Altomari spoke about the agency and answered questions. The group raised $530 and collected many bags and boxes of donations including toiletries, incontinence supplies, socks, etc. The funds raised during this event will go toward purchasing additional clothing and toiletries while also replenishing emergency shelves. Thank you to everyone who joined this wonderful event and special thanks to our NextGen team for organizing it! Pictured below are: Joe Adelman, Jared Roeder, Kira Altomari, Kristin Chapin, Nathan Breece, Tom Minutella and Robert Charlton.
Rotarians Welcoming our DG!
Dinner Meeting - 9/3
What an amazing night of celebration for the Newtown Rotary Club on Wednesday, 9/3 at our monthly dinner meeting! The evening began with a lovely rendition of the Star Spangled Banner sung by Emily Schumacher, a 10th grade student at Neshaminy High School. She was amazing! We then welcomed Alan Schultz to kick off our annual Pedals for Progress event where our Club collects bicycles and sewing machines for underserved countries. That event will take place on Saturday, 10/18 - stay tuned for details! We also honored Jim McCaffrey with a Paul Harris award in thanks for his support of our Club. Jim is a pillar in our community and he embodies Rotary's "Service Above Self" mantra through his roles across many community Boards and his ownership of McCaffrey's grocery chain. The grand finale of our evening was a visit from our new District Governor, Mary Cook! It was the first time Mary visited our club and she shared her vision and expectations for the club and challenged us to step out of our comfort zones to make a difference. We are up for the challenge! Our Club is such an amazing group of people doing amazing things! Thank you all for being such an important part of it.
Where in the World is Ginny?
In our continuing segment that tracks Ginny all over the world, please find a photo of her representing the Newtown Rotary Club in Lake Louise, Alberta Canada just as she was about to board the Rocky Mountaineer train to continue her wonderful adventure through the Canadian Rockies! Where will Ginny go next? Only time will tell! Be sure to join us for our next edition of "Where in the World is Ginny?"!!!
Congratulations to Shari Donahue!
We are beyond thrilled to share that fellow Rotarian and business woman extraordinaire, Shari Donahue, has just published another book entitled “Zebra Striped Whale’s Ice Cream Party”! This book is in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Zebra Striped Whale which is an ice cream shop that Shari and her husband Tom have been running all this time. Their shop is a staple in our community and brings happiness with every visit. Be sure to stop by, have some ice cream, buy the book and be delighted! Congratulations, Shari! We are so proud of you...and amazed!
Please join us for our Lunch Meeting on Wednesday, 9/17 at 12:15pm at the American Legion where we'll welcomoe Gail Linenberg, from the Bowman's Wildflower Preserve. Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve is a 134-acre preserve located in New Hope, Pennsylvania. It is dedicated to increasing the knowledge and use of native plants by serving as an educational resource and destination. The preserve features over 800 plant species native to the Delaware Valley and offers 2.5 miles of trails that wind through forests, meadows, and along streams and ponds.
ALL members of the club are welcome - particularly if you can't make a scheduled lunch or dinner meeting and a breakfast meeting or meeting on Zoom works better. Any member who has interest in service projects in Bristol, Bensalem, Middletown, or Falls Townships would also want to check us out. For more information, please contact Kim Praria kdboice@hotmail.com
Mark your calendars! Pickering Manor's "Sips n’ Suds" returns on Thursday, November 13, 2026 — an evening of good cheer, great community, and meaningful celebration. This year, Pickering Manor will be honoring the Newtown Rotary Clubwith the "Sidney T. Yates Award" for our dedication to making a difference in our community and surrounding communities! We simply must have a strong presence at this event to enjoy this well deserved recognition and become inspired to raise our game! Mark your calendars, ticket information forthcoming.
Community Volunteer Opportunities
This section provides our members an opportunity to volunteer in activities outside of Club activities to expand our reach and impact
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!
. 
