930 Official Visits and more

In less than a week, we will be holding our first 2015-16 "Rotary Day" by cheering on the Red Sox as they take on the KC Royals! If you haven’t purchased your ticket, you still have time! Please let me know.

On August 3rd, we met up at Danversport Yacht Club for a great meeting with President Dan Doherty and the home Club of DGE Sheryl Meehan the great Danvers Rotary Club! President Dan is excited to lead his Club this year and continuing the great work that Danvers Rotary does for the community! Fun and Fellowship is strong in Danvers and their commitment to public service to the community exemplifies “Service Above Self”!

August 6, Medford Rotary welcomed us to a fantastic meeting led by President Anne Powers! There was a lot of discussion on their upcoming "Casino Night", Medford Rotary’s main annual fundraiser. I am looking forward to going and hope you will join me? Discussion also included the importance of providing community support and revisiting ideas and methods used so successfully in the past and how they may be valuable again for Medford and to promote the Object of Rotary!

The following morning (bright and early!) we visited Greater Salem, NH Rotary Club at the beautiful Atkinson Country Club!  President Chris Dillon, a great young leader, led a great meeting with a full house!  I am looking forward to attending their September 11 annual memorial!  I am proud to say that District 7930 encompasses Southern New Hampshire and we need to showcase this more!  Stay tuned for future events up this way and I know that you will get a very warm welcome as we did!

After a great breakfast, we had lunch with the Methuen Rotary Club. Plus the best baklava I have ever eaten!  Great discussion led by President Frank Brucato and positive interaction between the members. Methuen Rotary has tremendous plans for the city!  Personally, I am excited as my Olivia lives in Methuen (couldn’t see her this day as she was at camp) and she and her classmates and friends will experience the benefits of having a strong and active Rotary in their city!

On August 11, rain was pouring today!  However, that did not stop the great Gloucester Rotary Club from shining on!  President Carole Sharoff, a good friend and fantastic leader led a great meeting.  I am always grateful for what this Club does for its community! A Club that is very strong and active and it shows in their city.  It was Gloucester Rotary who started the Polar Plunge in our district.  And they continue to help with logistics and fundraising and we couldn’t do it without them!  Each year it grows and raises a ton of money to help in the eradication of Polio.  #endpolio 

The following day, I felt like I was in my home Club! We visited the newly formed Belle Isle Rotary Club!  Hard work and determination, by so many people from East Boston/Revere and Winthrop collaborated to form Belle Isle!  President Stephen Miliotis is a natural leader. I enjoyed sitting together family style enjoying one of the best meals in Rotary and had a chance to speak to the members and discuss making positive impact in their three communities. This collaboration will be the “Beacon” in Suffolk County!

As Rotarians we give up a lot of personal time to provide service to others. Often times, this takes away from us spending time with family and friends. However, I was lucky enough to meet at the Haverhill Rotary Club on the 13th. I had a chance to visit with my Taylor and her baby, my beautiful granddaughter, Gemma as they live less than a mile from the Haverhill Country Club. President Michel Van Ravestyn led that meeting with news about their biggest fundraiser - Rubber Duck Regatta! It's a signature annual fundraiser that enables the Rotary Club of Haverhill to help over 40 organizations including the Boys and Girls Club, Council on Aging, the Haverhill Historical Society, Public Library, the Salvation Army and the YMCA. If you want to participate, please visit Haverhillrotary.org. This Club is the second oldest Rotary Club in our district!

That was the last two weeks. This doesn’t include the many Club board meetings, district meetings and events these past two weeks! Not just for me, but for all Rotarians. It is that commitment that I speak about that we have stepped up to help make a difference in our communities for the nameless and faceless people’s lives we will touch along the way.  We do it because we care.  

I want to thank each of you for your personal sacrifice and your willingness to make the difference and to “Be a Gift to the World”!

 

D