"Consider the life-changing influence you can have by simply being kind and loving to the people around you.” - Tim Smith
Dear Friends,
Greetings and Happy Friday! I hope you’ve had a wonderful week.
Congratulations to you, members of the Newtown Rotary Club! This week, we reviewed our club’s remarkable membership growth with Herb Klotz, Zone 32 Action Plan Champion, Regional Plan Coordinator, and Past District Governor of District 7430. Over the past five years, our club has grown by over 50%, placing us in the top 3% of North American clubs. This success is a testament to YOU—your strong community engagement, consistent leadership, and active partnerships have made this possible.
The graph below illustrates our club's membership history over the last 20 years. While the first 15 years reflect a typical North American trend of slow, steady decline, the past five years tell a different story. We’ve reversed the trend, becoming one of the top 3% of clubs in North America for membership growth. At a time when Rotary International is experiencing a 3% annual decline, our club stands as a model for others. Thank you to Mark Craig for chairing our membership committee this year! Additional information can be found below.
In other exciting news, I’m thrilled to share that our fellow Newtown Rotarian, Rodney Brailsford, and his wife Lauren, welcomed a baby boy, John Morris Brailsford, born on August 7th. Congratulations, Rodney and Lauren!
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us for our Rotary Stuff the Bus: Camaraderie for a Cause event at the Club House last night. Your contributions of backpacks and school supplies will make a real difference for children in need within our community. It was a true pleasure to reconnect with our friend Marissa Christie and her team and to meet many new guests. A special thank you to Bev Dimler for running the successful 50/50 raffle, and to our amazing sponsors for attending in person. (Featured below.) 29 registered guests and several more attended the event.
Here's an update on our NextGen State Street Fundraiser: As of this morning, 27 spots have been filled, including food trucks and our resident Rotarian DJ, Andrew Neville, Esq., of Neville Law. However, 18 spots are still available. Please reach out to Kira Altomari at kabowler512@gmail.com for more information. You can also use the link below to register your business or share it with anyone who might be interested in this family-centric event:To register and find more details, please visit the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfrUjgghqtDqv9dzTFWwMyurZgoYCGEvpLEo6lZxnPm9_DjHg/viewform.
This is a great opportunity to connect with the community! Please support our NextGen team as they raise funds for Alpha Bravo K9.
Last Saturday, it was an honor to attend the celebration of life for our neighbor, Bette Jo Smith. Tim Smith, Bette Jo’s husband and our fellow Rotarian, was surrounded by family and many friends as they celebrated her extraordinary life. Bette Jo dedicated herself to helping others, living by strong values that she passionately "stirred up" in those around her. Her commitment to compassion and service reminded me of the values we cherish in our Rotary Club. Tim’s quote, featured above from Bette’s service program, truly embodies the principles we strive to live by as Rotarians.
Looking ahead, please remember that we will NOT hold a Monday breakfast meeting on Labor Day next week. Enjoy your Labor Day excursions and the long weekend! That said, we'd love to see you at a special 9/11 Memorial Service that has been organized for our community. The event will occur next Friday, September 6. Details can be found below.
And don’t forget to register for the Vibrant Club Summit—our club will cover the registration cost for members (just bring your paid receipt to a meeting). The registration link is below, and we’ll arrange carpools for the 40-minute drive to the college campus from Newtown. Let’s show up in force!
As you gear up for the holiday weekend, don’t forget to rock your Rotary gear TODAY! Snap a fun photo of yourself in Rotary clothing—whether you’re relaxing or on the move—and send it to newtown.rotary.pa@gmail.com for our new “Rotary Friday” feature. We can’t wait to showcase your creativity on social media!
And now…
Please Meet Another of Your Board Members!
As promised, in this and the coming issues, I’m sharing personal stories and insights from our dedicated board members. Each of them brings unique experiences, talents, and passions to our club. Their contributions help drive our mission and make a positive impact in our community. We hope these profiles give you a deeper understanding of the individuals who guide our club’s efforts and inspire you to engage with our initiatives.
Meet Charlie Quattrone, our Grant Committee Chair and Board Member, An Inspiring Journey to the Newtown Rotary Club –
Personal Journey and Role:
My wife and I were born and raised in Philadelphia but are children are Bucks County kids. We have been married for 48 years and have 2 children and 1 grandson. I have been involved with non-profits and charitable organizations for most of my adult life.
I have a Bachelor’s degree in business from LaSalle and a Master’s from Drexel University.
My career has been mainly involved in investment management with Merrill Lynch and BlackRock. I have been involved with Rotary since I met a member of the Newtown Club at the gym.
Rotary’s “service above Self” is the guiding motivation behind my membership. Currently, I am the Chair of the Grant Committee, a member of the Finance and Allocations Committees and Member of the Board.
Impact and Achievements:
It is very rewarding to see all the good the Rotary does not only in the local Community but also Globally. From Pedals for Progress to Arbor Day to providing equipment for local Fire and Police departments to buying supplies for a South African preschool and so much more Rotary’s impact is both visible and significant.
Challenges and Future Goals:
Rotary will continue to use its time, talent and resources to meet local and international needs. The challenge is to direct limited resources in the most effective way.
The other challenge is that recurring crises around the world also demand that we take a more global view. It is hard to be more specific about this as the nature and the timing of these crises are unpredictable, eg. floods in Brazil, earthquakes in Turkey, etc.
The important thing is to be aware and respond as appropriate. To that end we have included a crisis line item in our budget for just such eventualities.
Community Engagement and Reflections:
The most fulfilling part of being a Rotarian being able to serve others and see the real impact that that service is having.
Hobbies and Personal Interests:
My non profit service on several local Boards and Committees is very fulfilling and enjoyable and has a direct impact on my Rotary work as I can apply what I learn from different organizations to Rotary and vice versa.
I also enjoy studying history, economics and current affairs reading mystery books for pleasure.
Wildcard:
My readings in history, current affairs and economics provides me with a broad perspective on the way the world works and what can and should be attempted and ideas on how those things can be accomplished.
Thank you all for your continued support. We appreciate you and all our corporate sponsors displayed below, and we look forward to seeing you at our upcoming meetings and events!
Warm regards,
Debra Porter
President and proud member of the Newtown Rotary Club, District 7430
Please join us on Friday, September 6th from 6:00pm - 7:30pm at Pickering Field to honor and remember those who perished in the attack on our country on September 11, 2001. We will be raising funds for Shamrock Reins, which provides Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies for Veterans, Active Duty & Reserve Service Members, First Responders, their Families, and the Families of Fallen Heroes. They provide a calm, peaceful, safe, nonthreatening, non-confrontational place for our Service Men and Women to heal. We look forward to seeing you there!
Please be on the lookout for an email from Jennifer Ceslak inviting you to participate in a "Member Survey" fueled by Survey Monkey. We are looking for your valuable feedback in a number of areas as we look to build on the strengths and address opportunities in our Club. Your voice matters! Thank you in advance for your participation.
Mark your calendars for our Wednesday, September 18th meeting and wear your Rotary attire! We want a HUGE crowd for a Group Photo taken by a drone in honor of our District Governor, Katie Farrell's visit. The photo will be taken at the Newtown Borough Firehouse at 12:15 with Lunch to follow!
Join our District for an electrifying day of collaboration, innovation, and inspiration at this year's Vibrant Club Summit on Saturday, September 14th from 8:00am - 3:00pm at the Advanced Technology Center @ Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell, PA!
The Vibrant Club Summit is a dynamic platform where like-minded individuals come together to showcase the power of collaborative leadership. By uniting membership, enhancing public image, and channeling service through the foundation, we aim to actualize Rotary's Action Plan and make a lasting impact on the world.
Click below to register and Newtown Rotary Club will fund your registration - a $55 value!
Support our NextGen group's "State Street Fundraiser" on Sunday, September 22nd from 11am - 3pm on State Street between Penn and Center! This is a family friendly event to benefit Alpha Bravo Canine which trains service dogs to support U.S. military veterans suffering from combat-related disabilities.
Our Fellowship Committee is pleased to announce Newtown Rotary's first BOOK CLUB on September 22nd at Shari Donahue's house (22 Pheasant Run, New Hope, PA 18938).
Our Book Club will run from 7:00-8:30PM and the book is Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. Please sign up and we look forward to seeing you there!
Please join us for our Dinner Meeting at Relic to hear our special guest, Alan Schulz, the Executive Director - Pedals for Progress speak about this wonderful program!
Thank you to our Proud Sponsors! We are grateful for your support!
Committee Updates!!!
Membership Committee
Per Debra's note, Mark Craig and the Membership Committee are doing a fantastic job engaging new members for both our parent Club and NextGen! Stay tuned for a section where we announce our new members!
Technology Committee
Kyle Davis, our Technology Committee Chair, is looking for new members to join his committee! If you have a knack for technology, your time and talents will be much appreciated. Please contact Kyle at kdavis05@gmail.com.
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.
1. "Cars & Coffee" sponsored by Inspire - 9/15
Enjoy cars, coffee and conversation from 9:00-12:00 at 3 Friends Lane.
Please contact Jim Miller for details!
2. "Car Show for Autism" sponsored by Potential - 9/28
Potential is in need of volunteers to help with our Car Show for Autism.
The event will take place at Bucks County Community College from 1:00-5:00pm.
. 
.png)
