"Every great dream begins with a dreamer." – Harriet Tubman
Dear Rotary Friends,
Greetings and a warm welcome! Cheers to a new year! We are alive, capable, and driven by the invigorating spirit of service.
What are your goals for this year? What vision do you have for yourself and for our club? How do you define success, and how can our Rotary fellowship support you in achieving it? Let’s aim high and be audacious in our ambitions—Rotary provides a powerful platform to bring those aspirations to life!
Reflecting on the past year, I am incredibly proud of our service activities, each inspired by a dream. Thank you to everyone who led our volunteer and fundraising initiatives, and to all who generously gave their time and financial support. Your dedication has made a significant impact, and I encourage you to read Jenn’s inspiring recaps from December below.
One unforgettable December highlight for me was captured in a beautiful video by Grace Wu Simco. It shows a young child in a homeless shelter on December 25th, embracing our Paul Salvatore with all his might. The pure joy and warmth of that hug were priceless—a moment that epitomizes the power of kindness and the profound impact of our efforts. They matter. Such moments remind me of the true meaning of our mission.
I’m thrilled to kick off the new year with a joyous announcement for our very own Kira Altomari, President of our Next Gen team. Kira is newly engaged to Nick Giordano, an EMT with the Central Bucks EMS, as of last Saturday! The happy couple will embark on a celebratory cruise this Saturday, and I couldn’t be more delighted for them.
This week, I extend special thanks to Rob Brown for leading our Student Award Program and running the special ceremony. (Picture below.) Additionally, I appreciate Steve Sabel, our President-Elect, for leading the lunch meeting detailed below, and masterful Ginny Kownurko, our Treasurer, for keeping track of all our payments, donations and countless other matters. Thank you also to LaurelCollins for raising her hand to lead our new Book Club! It's efforts like these that keep our club thriving.
Looking Ahead- Mark Your Calendars for These "Club Firsts":
Thursday, January 30, 5-7 PM: Join us for a special Camaraderie for a Cause event to benefit Main St. and support those battling breast cancer in our community. We'll honor the Mr. Bucks Countycontestants, including our own Rich Fekete and Bill Wise, at Ardana. Please register below so the owner can prepare complimentary hors d'oeuvres for attendees.
Saturday, February 8, 2-6 PM: Our first Camaraderie and Culture trip takes us to the Barnes Foundation for a special "behind the scenes" docent tour. Bus transportation will be available. More details to come!
Sunday, March 2, 2025, 2-3:30 PM: Join our first book club meeting! We’re reading New Beginnings, Annabelle’s Story by Charlotte Parker Caminos. The author, a fellow Rotarian, will then be our guest speaker at the March 19th lunch meeting on the topic: “Everyone Has a Book in Them.”
Friday, April 11, 2025:Hope on the Vine, our largest fundraiser of the year, plays a crucial role in supporting our community, raising funds that enabled over 46 impactful donations last year. We’re partnering with another community organization, growing this critical event, for the first time ever this year. Please consider how you can support the preparations for this important event and let us know your ideas.
Next Meeting:
Wednesday, January 15 | 12:15 PM | American Legion: Carol Ferguson will present an update on Rotary’s efforts to end Polio and a special Community Youth Summit at Bucks County Community College that’s in the works, slated for April 30th. The meal will be another healthy Mediterranean fare (Italian this time) buffet, courtesy of Joe Garvey—please RSVP below!
Thank you once again for making the Rotary Club of Newtown such an exceptional community. Please join me in recognizing our corporate sponsors listed at the bottom of this email; their generous support is integral to nearly everything we accomplish.
As we step into the new year, may we DREAM BIG and commit to serving even more.
With gratitude and anticipation for the incredible year ahead,
Warm regards,
Debra Porter
President and proud member of the Newtown Rotary Club, District 7430
Lunch Meetings will be held the first three Wednesdays of each month from 12:15-1:30PM at the American Legion building. A Lunch Buffet catered by Joe Garvey will be served at a cost of $16 per person.
Camaraderie for a Cause events will be held the fourth Thursday of each month from 5:00-7:00PM. Locations and causes will vary but the donation of $10 remains the same
Our January / February schedule is as follows:
1/30: Camaraderie for a Cause @ Ardana - Main Street
2/5: Weekly Lunch Meeting - "State of the Banking Industry"
2/12: Weekly Lunch Meeting - "Planning for Tomorrow"
2/27: Camaraderie for a Cause @ TBD - "Peace Pole Project"
We appreciate the feedback that helped inform this change and look forward to getting into a rhythm! Thank you.
Weekly Lunch Meeting - 1/15
Please join us for lunch at the American Legion Building at 12:15pm on Wednesday, January 15th as we hear from D7430 Polio Plus Coordinator, Carol Ferguson, on Rotary's efforts to Eradicate Polio. Carol is a Polio survivor and can speak on a personal level as well. Our lunch will be Healthy Fare with an Italian twist!
Please meet at the Washington Crossing Veterans Cemetery on Monday, January 20th from 8:00 - 10:00am to collect the wreaths that were laid at the headstones of our Veterans as part of the Wreaths Across America initiative. Your help would be greatly appreciated, please sign up below.
Please join us as we hear Classification Speeches from Alex Szlanic and Evan Connolly! Our lunch will be Healthy Fare with a Spanish twist. Please join us at the American Legion Building at 12:15pm to learn more about some of our newest members!
Please join us on Thursday, January 30th from 5:00-7:00pm at Ardana Food & Drink for a special Camaraderie for a Cause which benefits "Main Street" featuring ALL of the 2024 Mr. Bucks County participants. Gina Maria Santoro, owner of Giovanni's fashions, will provide pink ties for the contestants and invite them to bring their friends and family. Our event will feature Signature Cocktails and Ardana will provide finger foods. Regular food is available for purchase. It should be such an amazing event, we look forward to seeing you there!
The Newtown Rotary Club helped residents of the Homeless Shelter in Levittown celebrate the holiday spirit by serving meals and joy to those in need on Christmas Day. At this special holiday party, Rotarians helped dish out warm, festive meals while sharing smiles and meaningful connections with shelter residents. Beyond the food, it was an opportunity to spread kindness, brighten someone’s day, and bring a sense of community to the holiday season.
Together with Joe Garvey of Joey G's, this group of wonderful volunteers created a celebration that nourished both the body and the soul—because everyone deserves a little holiday cheer. We are extraordinarily grateful for Paul Salvatore's passion for this initiative each and every year. Thanks to all of our volunteers, you are very much appreciated.
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
Community & Volunteer Opportunities
In this section, you will find opportunities to volunteer outside of our own Rotary events.
In doing so, we expand our "Rotary Reach" into our community! Please sign up or even just attend these events if you can.
Order Rotary Apparel
Click Here to add to your "Rotary Wardrobe" and show your Rotary pride!
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