"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past and present are certain to miss the future," President John F. Kennedy, our nation's 35th President
It was a memorable evening on June 17th, 2026 as The Rotary Club of Newtown had its annual Changeover/Installation Dinner at the American Legion. We reminisced about the Rotary year and thanks to Stephanie and Jennifer those in attendance saw a video of photos of our 2025-2026 year. There was also recognition of members with the awards committee consisting of Paul Salvatore, Jerry Agasar and Rick Rogers. To the surprise of 12 Rotarians in attendance, they were given Paul Harris Fellow Certificates and Pins. A special thank you to fellow member Hal Long for donating the Paul Harris Fellow points to make this a reality for those recipients. Our current President elect Shikha Prashar, soon to be President on July 1st, 2026 was installed by Mick Petrucci. Shikha gave the members and guests a heartwarming speech and we all look forward to working with her to raise the bar in the 2026-2027 Rotary year.
On Tuesday of this week, Ginny Kownurko, Nathan Breece and myself attended a meeting of the newest club in our district, River Towns Rotary Club based in New Hope. It is a Rotary tradition that when a new club is formed in the district, each club would give the new club "something" such as an extra Rotary bell, banner or in our case a donation. We did the same back in July with our neighboring club, Yardley Rotary Club. Yesterday, our June Camaraderie for a Cause was held at Blue Point Grille. We spotlighted Amy's Kisses as our non profit for the month. As always, a shout out to Joanne and Dan Peterson who chair the C4C events.
The club breaks for the July 4th week and our next lunch meeting is Wednesday July 8th, 2026 at the American Legion where we welcome our new President Shikha and hear of her visions and goals for the club. Please make sure to register prior to provide an accurate count for Joe Garvey and his staff. The lunch fee is $16.00.
This is my final newsletter as President of our club. The year has gone by very quickly. Thank you to our members. It is you that make our club the envy of the district. Now I ask all of you to get behind Shikha to support her and the goals she strives for our club. Service above self.
Steve Sabel
President, Rotary Club of Newtown, District 7430
Book Club - 6/28
Please join our Book Club as our June pick is "Annabelle's Journey" which is a follow up to Charlotte Camino's first book "New Beginnings: Annabelle's Story" which the Club has already enjoyed. This book follows Annabelle and Alfredo Caruso and their immigrant community in New York City as they face the growing threat of World War I, uncertain whether America will enter the conflict and force husbands and fathers into military service. As war reshapes their lives, the novel explores the sacrifices, losses, resilience, and changing roles of women and families struggling to survive during a turbulent period in American history.. Charlotte, a fellow Rotarian, will join the meeting which will be held on Sunday, June 28th from 3:00-5:00pm at Shari Donahue's home. Please register for this event to get additional details.
Please join the Newtown Rotary Club for our Lunch Meeting on Wednesday, July 8th from 12:15-1:30pm at the American Legion. During this meeting, we will hear our new President, Shikha Prashar, share her vision for our Club during her term! This will be an engaging and important meeting so please bring $16 for lunch and let's get ready for a new year! Bring $16 to enjoy a fabulous Joe Garvey Buffet and get ready for a great meeting!
Please join us for our Lunch Meeting on Wednesday, July 15th from 12:15-1:30pm at the American Legion. Our feature speaker will be Mike Maguire , Executive Director of the Johnsville Centrifuge Space Museum in Warminster, PA. Mike is a passionate aerospace history advocate who is leading efforts to preserve the legacy of the Naval Air Development Center and its pivotal role in astronaut training and early U.S. space exploration. Please bring $16 for a catered lunch by Joe Garvey.
The Newtown Rotary Club is proud to announce Shikha Prashar as our new President effective July 1st. Shikha joined the Newtown Rotary Club in 2024 because she believes that giving back to the community is her calling and the higher purpose that gives her life meaning. Rotary’s mantra of “Service Above Self” aligns perfectly with Shikha’s values and she will now serve as our newly installed President to take her impact to a higher level!
As a Financial Advisor with over two decades of experience in the financial services industry, Shikha empowers individuals, families, and business owners to live richer, more intentional lives, both financially and personally. She is also a member of the Bucks County Free Library’s board, serves on the Board of the Family Service Association of Bucks County, and has served as Chair of the Women in Business Committee at the Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce, where she championed the growth and empowerment of women professionals.
In her personal life Shikha is a trained classical singer and a Jazz/Blues musician, who loves to take on “Music for Charity” performances partnering with organizations to help with fund raising and events. She is a mother of two teenage boys and they love spending time together as a family enjoying good food, great music, cycling, playing poker, and chess.
Shikha earned her master’s degree in business administration from Northeastern University in Boston. She looks forward to supporting Rotary’s mission to bring together business and community leaders to provide humanitarian service, promote integrity, and advance goodwill, peace, and understanding around the world.
Congratulations, Shikha - let a great new year begin!
Rotarians At Welcome Day!!!
The Newtown Rotary Club was proud to be part of the 2026 Newtown Welcome Day, the beloved "Street Fair with Flair" that brought our community together for a day of fun, connection, and celebration! It was wonderful to meet so many neighbors and share the story of Rotary's impact in our community. We had fun speaking with everyone who stopped by our table to help them learn more about our club, our service projects, and how we're making a difference in Newtown and beyond. Events like Welcome Day remind us what makes our community so special. Thank you to all of our wonderful volunteers who offered their gift of time and tolerance for high heat that day! 💙💛
Rotarian's Leadership Changeover!!!
Thanking & Welcoming Presidents
The Newtown Rotary Club celebrated a memorable Leadership Changeover Dinner last night, honoring outgoing President Steve Sabel for his dedication, leadership, and service throughout the past year. We are excited to welcome Shikha Prashar as our new President and look forward to her vision and leadership as we continue serving our community. During this special evening, we had a chance to recognize several members for their outstanding contributions over the past year as follows:
Rotarian of the Year: Debra Porter
Unsung Hero: Mick Petrucci
Community Service Award: Rich Fekete
Lifetime Achievement Award: Chuck Charlton
In addition, Steve Sabel presented the Paul Harris Award to his outgoing board and key members. This most prestigious award honors individuals who make significant contributions to Rotary's mission of service. Individuals honored are: Kira Altomari, Marc Blatstein, Nathan Breece, Jennifer Ceslak, Mark Craig, Kyle Davis, Shari Donahue, Stephanie Eubanks, Rich Fekete, Ginny Kownurko, Tom Minutella, Mick Petrucci, Debra Porter, Shikha Prashar, Charlie Quattrone and Paul Salvatore. Thank you to all our members and guests who joined us to recognize this special transition and the impact Rotary makes together. We are so excited about the coming year! For many more pictures, check out our Facebook post and be sure to like and share!
Rotarian of the Year!
Unsung Hero!
Community Service Award
Lifetime Achievement!
Rotarians Raising Local Funds!!!
Camaraderie for a Cause for Amy's Kisses
The Newtown Rotary Club Camaraderie for a Cause event took place on Thursday, June 25th from 5:30-7:00pm at the Blue Point Grill. We focused our fundraising efforts toward "Amy's Kisses". The mission of Amy's Kisses is to educate students about healthy relationships to help prevent domestic violence tragedies in the future. In addition, Amy's Kisses empowers students through educational scholarships and resources. We were thankful to be joined by Jill Perez Gobora, Executive Director of Amy's Kisses Foundation and her daughter Emma. Jill showcased her book "A Bowl Full Of Hearts" which is a story about healthy relationships. Congratulations, Jill, and it was our honor to support Amy's Kisses.
Newtown Rotary Supporting a Local Club
River Towns Rotary Club, New Hope, PA
The Newtown Rotary Club was happy to support the formation of a brand new club in New Hope, PA - the River Towns Rotary Club. Newtown Rotary Club President, Steve Sabel, and Board Members Nathan Breece and Ginny Kownurko (not pictured) presented a check for $250 to help them get started. We wish Co-Presidents Amanda Benolken and Harry Boertzel all the best as you build membership for your Rotary Club!
The Lower Bucks Action Committee meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month at Maryann's Homestyle Cooking at 1263 Woodbourne Road, Levittown PA 19057. All are welcome to attend so please contact Chris Potter with any questions at insurancepotter@msn.com! Here is the Zoom link if you would like to attend virtually. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81730525600?pwd=0EqCUZirMaaOl7A3SG0BQWJ6Fn14jb.1
Bedtime Stories at the Homeless Shelter
If you are interested in reading bedtime stories to children living in the Levittown Homeless Shelter one night a month, please contact Chris Potter at insurancepotter@msn.com. He will put a schedule together based on availability. Thank you!
Community Involvement Opportunities!
This section provides Rotarians the opportunity to volunteer and / or attend community events outside of Rotary in the spirit of "Service Above Self"!
During our July 8th Lunch Meeting, we will hear our new President, Shikha Prashar, share her vision for our Club during her term! This will be an engaging and important meeting so let's get ready for a new year!
Hello, Rotarians! Rotary Merch is available once again so grab your gear now using the link below. There are so many great things to choose from on the site. Merch will be available now through Wednesday, May 20th with delivery two weeks after that. Thank you in advance for repping Rotary out there as you proudly wear your gear!
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