Welcome to the Rotary Club of Westerly
Celebrating Sixty-Four Years  June 28, 1958-2022

 

SERVICE ABOVE SELF

We meet In Person
Mondays at 5:30 PM
The Frank Olean Center
93 Airport Road
Westerly, RI 02891
United States of America
Phone:
(401) 315-5868
Please call ahead if visiting. Dinners are ordered on Saturday and delivered just before meeting. Contact Steve Cofone at 401.595.4588 or Ted Avedesian at 401.742.2515
Home Page Stories
Above is new Artistic Director Nicole DiMattei and President Dina Ferri of Renaissance City Theatre dba The Granite Theatre.  The new season is about to begin with a production of Boeing Boeing under the direction of Nicole who comes to the Granite from New York City.  Nicole is "best known as the co-creator, director and Producer of the hit Off Broadway series of musical comedies, The Imbible.  The flagship show, A Spirited History of Drinking, was named a one of the 100 longest running Off Broadway shows in history."  This season's productions include The Lion King Jr, The Girl on the Train, Guys & Dolls, The Boy Next Door, Nunsense, The Elephant Man and Miracle on 34th Street.  Dina recommends getting a full subscription early to be eligible for various benefits.  She said that program sponsorships are also welcomed early to get full benefit of season advertisement in programs.
Go to the website at www.granitetheatre.org or call 401.596.2341 to make your purchase.
We had the pleasure to meet former CT State Senator Cathy Cooke, who presently is the Executive Director of Work Vessels for Veterans.  Begun 15 years ago, WVfV is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, whose mission is "to equip America's returning veterans with the tools they need to start a business or pursue career education," and it started with the a fishing boat given to a returning vet.
Cathy presented a short video which showed some of the Vets who have benefited - from an ATV to a van.  They match new Veteran entrepreneurs with experienced mentors for support and match corporate or individual equipment donations to provide the tools needed for their trade.  This is an all-volunteer organization with over under 1% - has offered a "Hand up to thousands of returning military veterans in all 50 states."   Over 2900 injured veterans have been assisted and more than $3.9 Million dollars in equipment awarded, over $2.5 million dollars in corporate "in-kind" donations.  Entrepreneurship provides the ability to work around service-connected disability with time-off when needed for medical or therapy care as needed.  To learn more about Work Vessels for Vets, Inc. go to www.WVFV.org, facebook.com/workvesselsforvets, or write to them at PO Box 215  West Mystic CT 06388.
This event, while honoring Doug and Jean for their years of Summer Pops Service, will be designated for the 2023 Summer Pops concert in Wilcox Park.   If you cannot attend but want to share in honoring these two very special people, donate $42 for their 42 years or service.  At the Chorus Hall from 4:00 to 6:00pm.
Announcing a very special event - our Charitable/Scholarship Dinner is back!!!!!  It will take place on 29 April 2023 at The Cooked Goose.  Registration is $100 per person - includes passed hor d'oeuvres, wine and beer tasting, gourmet dinner.  We will have live and silent auctions and raffle - something for everyone.  A sampling follows...
 
 
Handcrafted Plant Stand by Dr. Douglas Rayner - this will be a live auction item
 
Handmade in the USA - fine copper wire hand-crocheted into this elegantly scalloped "platinum" flower necklace. The adjustable hook clasp can be centered in front or back.  More to come soon....
 
Get your reservation in to Ted (401.742.2515), Steve (401.595.4588), Rose (ra.russo@cox.net) or send your check made payable to Rotary Club of Westerly Foundation at PO Box 407, Westerly RI 02891.  You can also submit registration via your credit card -
    Reservation for RCoWF Charitable/Scholarship Dinner  29 April 2023
 
Name ___________________________________________ # Attending ______
 
Guest Names _____________________________________________________
 
Credit Card No:_________________________  Mth/Yr Expires ____________ 
 
Security Code  ______ Zip Code __________    $ _________
Monday evening of 6 February Rose and Steve participated in the Kick Off Zoom meeting for the 20 May 2023 Rotary Day of Service "Get Behind the Wheel".  This special event includes 450 Clubs from eight Districts of Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Bermuda.  During the Zoom meeting, we heard from Clubs that have been combining their efforts over the past couple of years with the purpose of not only providing a Service but becoming more visible in the community - combining ACTION of an activity with membership and community volunteers joining together for the common good  - whether it is a food drive, blood drive, clean up project, baby shower drive, clothing drive, personal hygiene drive....  They have created a special banner - pictured above - which can be used over and over (the date is a stick on), tee shirts and a press release kit to assist with public image ideas.  All photos, for example, should show people in ACTION, not just posing.
 
We will be working at Rotary Park on 4/22.  We will do some clean up of the area - mulching in the children's garden, plantings around the Peace Pole, Rotary Park sign etc.
Remember the following in your prayers and perhaps with a card or two:  Karen Hanson and Walter Kimball
 
Meetings will be in person but spaced appropriately
Upcoming ------
27 Mar:  Ginger Lallo, COO of Girl Scouts of So New England
02 Apr:  Chorus of Westerly Special Event -Honoring Doug & Jean, 4-6pm at Chorus Hall
03 Apr:  Board Meeting @4:30, Open Meeting @ 530
20 Apr:  A Night at the United to benefit The Olean Center, 6-9:45pm (Reception and Movie)
24 Apr:  March & April Students of the Month and Ron Sposato, Jr, new WHS Football Coach
29 Apr:  Charitable/Scholarship Auction Dinner, Register for dinner $100 per person - seating must be reserved!
01 May:  Field trip to The United - food and tour 6:00-7:30pm
06 May:  Westerly Armory Appreciation Night - Honorees are Amanda Nall, Alexis Ann, William Siano and Shawn Lacey
12 May:  Dante Society -Honoring Joseph Nigrelli, 6pm at Haversham House, $60 per person
14 May:  Mother's Day
15 May:  Janine Weisman, Editor-in-Chief of new Rhode Island Current
20 May:  Rotary Day of Service - clean up at Rotary Park - tentative change to 4/22
 
Steve, John and Bob leading us in The Rotary Welcome Song written by Rotarian Ed Smalley
 
Remember those in need and bring canned goods either to meeting or to Avie's Ski/Sport by month's end or bring to meeting.   These items will be distributed to The Jonnycake Center of Westerly, the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center and RI Center Assisting those in Need.
 
Club Home -   Beginning 11 July22 we will be meeting at The Frank Olean Center next to Rotary Park.  Rose will send the sandwich/salad menu on or about Wednesday for the next Monday meeting; respond to Rose at ra.russo@cox.net by Saturday Noon.  If you don't receive a reply from Rose within 24 hours, please contact her again.
 
Rotary Items for Sale - $5.00 each  -  Golf bags, Cooler bags, Polo Shirts, Light Rain Pullovers - Several sizes available - contact  Ted or stop in at Avie's Ski/Sports.
 
Covid Aid Goes On....
18 Mar 2023 marked three years that our Club "had been making food and health item deliveries to area residents who are elderly, infirm, or without transportation.  Although the pace as slowed a bit, the need is still great."  Rona reports that 283 deliveries have been made since the program began in 2020. 
 
Charitable/Scholarship Auction Dinner
This event will be held 29 April 2023 at 6:00, The Cooked Goose, Registration is required, $100 per person.  We are looking for Gift Cards, Gift Certificates, all kinds of items.  Doug Rayner has been hard at work making his special hand made wood products.  Bring your auction item to Avie's or Casa Russo - items must be received by 10 April - ONLY 36 DAYS AWAY!!!
 
Rotary Day of Service:  We will be cleaning up at Rotary Park - signage, playgrounds, children's garden, add some plantings around the Peace Pole - bring friends and/or family.  Tentative date is 4/22 at 9:30 - more to come. 
   
The lockbox above was installed on John Street -  it's location will be easy to find and close to the front door for quick access if needed.  
 
If you know of someone who is "at risk" and can benefit from having a lockbox installed at their home, please contact the Westerly Police Department or Officer Mills at the non-emergency Phone Number 401.596.2022.  Our lockboxes are provided to residents, as needed, free of charge.  Also, if other groups wish to donate lockboxes to the Westerly Police Department, please purchase them from McQuade's Ace Hardware.  We are being awarded special pricing and have delivered 63 lockboxes to Officer Mills for distribution as of this month.
Your generous contributions to The Rotary Foundation are essential to securing and growing Rotary programs throughout the world. Consider making your Every Rotarian, Every Year contribution of $25 or more as early as possible.  Contributed as of 31Oct, $1,528.00 for EREY and $824 for Polio through Club - 56% of membership have contributed.   If you send your contribution directly to Rotary Foundation, please let Rose know. 
 
For the 13th consecutive year, the Rotary Foundation has received the highest rating - FOUR STARS - from Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of charities in the U.S. - ranked #4 in the top ten best charities list.   
 
Rotary responds to 2023 Earthquake in Turkey and Syria  -  The Rotary Foundation Trustees decided that all donations made, from now until 31 March, to the Turkey/Syria Disaster Response Fund will be used to aid earthquake relief projects.  In addition, the Trustees made available more than $125,000 to Rotary districts affected by the earthquake through Disaster Response Grants.
At our meeting of Monday, 4 April 2022, the Rotary Club of Westerly voted to establish a Peace and Justice Committee.
 
Our Vision:  We seek to create, locally and globally, a culture of peace in which the inherent worth and dignity of every living being is honored and respected and conflicts are resolved nonviolently.
 
Our Mission:  To create activities, programs and projects focused on creating a culture of peace as well as working with other community groups and organizations engaged in similar endeavors.
The link to the latest episode from the Daily Peacemaker.com is https://youtu.be/XQeaxQIe5Lc
 
International Cities of Peace is a nonprofit, non-political, tax-exempt organization with special consultative status with the United Nation's NGO Council.  This organization is conducting a fundraising campaign to construct a technological system to meet the varied needs of our diverse cities - needing more capacity in web-based automation technology, establishing and ultimately engaging in their network in this urgent need to transform their communities.  Frank Thacker has requested that the Club partner to contribute to this campaign.  The Board has approved a $500 grant which will be matched by Frank.
 
Rotary Positive Peace Academy "introduces the concept of Positive Peace, which describes the attitudes, structures, and institutions that underpin and sustain peaceful societies.  The IEP (Institute for Economics and Peace) has developed a conceptual framework, known as the Pillars of Peace, that outlines a system of eight factors that work together to build positive peace."
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Club Executives & Directors
President
President Elect
Treasurer
Secretary
Rotary Foundation
Public Relations
Other
Vice President
Immediate Past President
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Spouse/Partner Birthdays:
  • Elaine Temel
    March 1
Anniversaries:
  • Danny Alvino
    Florence Alvino
    March 26
Join Date:
  • Bob Lane
    March 18, 2019
    4 years
  • Suzanne Lane
    March 18, 2019
    4 years
Website Sponsors

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Speakers
Ron Sposato
Apr 24, 2023
WHS Football/Baseball Coach
Janine Weisman, Editor-in-Chief
May 15, 2023
Rhode Island Current
March 2023
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Mailing Address:  Rotary Club of Westerly, PO Box 407, Westerly RI 02891