DISTRICT & CLUB ROUNDS
Rotary Means Business Holds First Event in Our District
On December 7, our district's new business-networking fellowship, Rotary Means Business, was launched. More than 30 Rotarians and guests met.
Clockwise, starting at top, are: an unidentified guest; Ron Facenda of Newton Rotary; Gerry Gross of Westborough Rotary; Tony Gallo of Milford Rotary; Peggy Thorsen of Marlborough Rotary; Nancy Gilroy of Bedford Rotary; Cheryl Rosen of Hudson Rotary; and District Governor-Nominee Steve Sager of Westborough Rotary.
Clockwise, starting at top: Carol Toomey of Nashoba Valley Rotary; Larry Perrault, a guest; Ron Fraser of Worcester Rotary; Vinny Tingley of Natick Rotary; Paul Gauvin of Fitchburg Rotary; and Eric Lazzari of Natick Rotary.
Video of Governor Baker's Address to District Rotarians Now Available
The Rotary Club of Billerica has provided a video of Governor Charlie Baker's address to District 7910 Rotarians on September 27 in Bedford. To watch the two-hour-47-minute video, click here.
The Rotary Clubs of Bedford, Billerica, Lowell, Newton and Shrewsbury sponsored the event, which was a unique opportunity for Rotarians and friends to discuss partnering on humanitarian projects affecting our local communities. To view event photos, click here.
Meet Tatsuya Hayase, Our Rotary Scholar
Thank You, Newton Rotary and Indira Desai
Meet Tatsuya Hayase (second from left), a Rotary Scholar from District 2760 (Aichi Prefecture in Japan) who is visiting our district. He is spending the year at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University in Waltham studying Peace and Conflict Prevention and Resolution.
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Left to right: Newton Rotarian Chris Chu; Rotary Scholar Tatsuya Hayase, his wife, Marie Hayase, and their son, Yuto Hayase; Host Counselor Indira Desai, immediate past president of Newton Rotary; Newton Rotary President Paul Sullivan and his wife, Monica Sullivan; District Scholarship Chair Tory DeFazio, a Wellesley Rotarian; and Newton Rotarians Tony Bibbo and Tom Keery.
Athol-Orange's Al Bowers Makes Foundation Presentation
The Rotary Club of Athol-Orange held its annual Christmas Party at the home of Member Bill Howland. Club Foundatioin Chair Al Bowers, immediate past District Charitable Fund chair, attended and made a wonderful presentation on The Rotary Foundation. A surprise Paul Harris recognition was bestowed on club Secretary Carol Courville by Assistant Governor Karen Fusco.
Posing during the Athol-Orange Christmas Party with club Foundation Chair Al Bowers, seated, are, left to right, Assistant Governor Karen Fusco, club Secretary Carol Courville, club Member Ted Ledgard, club President-Elect Tanya Quinn, and club Member Barbara Robichaud.
Bay Path Interactors Perform at Their School's Santa Claus Pancake Breakfast
The Bay Path Educational Foundation, which supports Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School in Charlton, held its annual Santa Claus Pancake Breakfast on December 10 at the school. Members of the Interact Club of Bay Path (shown) participated, playing characters from Disney's 2013 hit movie "Frozen," inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Snow Queen." The Bay Path club is co-sponsored by the Rotary Club of Auburn and the Rotary Club of Southbridge.
Shown: Bay Path Interact President Veronica Martinez (middle),Treasurer Kayleigh Blanchard (second from right) and Member Matthew Pecore (second from left) are shown posing with Auburn Rotarian and Bay Path Teacher Jen Reil (far left) and Bay Path Teacher Rick Carrero (far right), both of whom advise the Bay Path club.
Photos: Steve Jones-D'Agostino, Auburn Rotary
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Chelmsford Donates $1,000 to The Wish Project
The Rotary Club of Chelmsford made a $1,000 donation to The Wish Project at a recent meeting. The project's mission is to "help end homelessness by providing otherwise-expensive home and baby items for free so that families moving out of shelters succeed the first time."
Left to right: David Fitzgerald, executive director of The Wish Project, Chelmsford Past President Dawn Ferrari; Chelmsford Treasurer Tony Kalil; and Chelmsford President Paul Cohen.
Fitchburg Throws Holiday Party for Its Past Presidents
Left to right, bottom: David Moquin, Gerry Martel, and Bernie.
Left to right, middle: Karen Fusco, Bill Lakso, and Paul Gauvin.
Left to right, top: Gill, and Linda Largey
Maynard Marches in Christmas Parade
Left to right: Maynard President Matthew Farrow, and Maynard Secretary Ann Heinonen.
Littleton Tree-Lighting Kicks Off Holiday Season
Hundreds of people gathered on December 4 at Littleton Common to kick off the holiday season with the town's tree-lighting ceremony. The event was co-sponsored by the Rotary Club of Littleton and the Littleton Electric Light Department.
Photo: Alexander Silva, Wicked Local
Montachusett Area Installs Mattie Merchant as Newest Member
Mattie Merchant (right), director of recreational programs for The Arc of Opportunity in Fitchburg, has been installed as the newest member of the Rotary Club of Montachusett Area. The Arc is a corporate member of the club and Mattie will be the lead member for the Arc. She was installed by Immediate Past District Governor Jim Fusco (left), who is a past president and present member of the Montachusett Area club. Also shown, is Montachusett Area President Jennifer Peck (middle).
Wachusett Area Rotary, Chamber Hear State Secretary Jay Ash Offer Local Economic Outlook
Jay Ash, secretary of the state Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, shared his outlook on economic development in Central Massachusetts on December 2 at a breakfast co-hosted in West Boylston co-hosted by the Rotary Club of Wachusett Area and the Wachusett Area Chamber of Commerce.
Left to right: Secretary Jay Ash, Chamber President Iain McKinlay, State Senator Anne Gobi, State Representative Kim Ferguson, and Rotary President Gary Hough.
To learn more about Wachusett Area Rotary, click here.
District Holiday Party A Great Success
Past District Governor Klaus Hachfeld (right) of Sturbridge Rotary and Sergeant Kevin Williams (left) of the Brookfield State Police Barracks pose with some of the many donated Teddy bears.
District Governors Pat and Skip Doyle hosted the annual District Holiday Party on Sunday, December 4 at the Publick House in Sturbridge. Ninety-five attendees enjoyed the festivities. with entertainment provided by the Tantasqua Regional High School"Choraleers." Attendees brought Teddy bears. which were presented to Sergeant Kevin Williams of the Brookfield State Police Barracks. The grand finale was the "coronation" of Pam Anastasi of the Rotary Club of Billerica as district governor-nominee-designate. She will serve as district governor for Rotary year 2019-2020. Thank you to Past District Governor Klaus Hachfeld and his wife, Glenys Hachfeld, both of whom are members of the Rotary Club of Sturbridge for planning this event, and to MC Steve Jones-D'Agostino of the Rotary Club of Auburn, and our ace district photographers, Immediate Past District Governor Jim Fusco of the Rotary Club of Montachusett Area and Cheryl Rosen of the Rotary Club of Hudson.
Tantasqua Regional High School "Choraleers," led by Derek Ternullo (second from left), performed several holiday-season songs in acapella style during the Holiday Party. They were introduced by Past District Governor Klaus Hachfeld (far right) of Sturbridge Rotary
Bay Path High Wins District’s First Interact Video Contest
The newly formed Interact Club at Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School in Charlton has won the District Interact Committee’s first Interact Club Video Contest - and with it, the $250 prize. The winning video, for the November contest, was inspired by Bay Path High’s participation in the sixth annual Worcester County Coat Drive, conducted by the Worcester County Sheriff's Office. (see “Auburn Supports Bay Path High’s Participation in Worcester County Coat Drive,” below).
The Interact Committee is also pleased to announce that all Interact clubs are again invited to submit a video for a December competition.
Bay Path’s Interact Club is sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Auburn and Southbridge. To learn more about Auburn Rotary, click here. Tolearn more about Southbridge Rotary, click here.
Franklin Rotaract Club Installed at Dean College
The new Rotaract Club of Dean College was installed on November 17. Shown, are the 18 of the 19 charter members of the Rotaract club posing with Rotary Club of Franklin President Terry Katsaros(left, behind podium) and District Governor-Nominee Steve Sager(right, behind podium).
Shown, is Frank Cusano (right), immediate past president of Franklin Rotary, accepting the Rotary International citation for membership retention on behalf of his club from District Governor-Nominee Steve Sager (left)
Tewksbury Recognizes High School Seniors
Tewksbury Memorial High School seniors Alexandra Bourassa(left) and Kathleen Garcia (right) were honored by the Rotary Club of Tewksbury at a luncheon on November 17 at the Tewksbury Country Club.
To learn more about Tewksbury Rotary, click here.
Westborough Funds, Celebrates Festival of Lights
As part of the Rotary Club of Westborough’s ongoing service commitment to the community, the club has provided funding for the Festival of Lights each year during the holidays, decorating the trees located on Main, Milk and South streets in downtown Westborough. The Festival of Lights celebrates the beginning of the holiday season, as residents gather for a holiday parade, to watch as the lights are turned on for the first time, and children young and old meet Santa to request their holiday wishes. This year’s Festival included visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, portrayed by the club’s own Jim Tepper and Maureen Ambrosino, respectively.
Left to right: President Gerry Gross, and Santa.
To learn more about Westborough Rotary, click here.
Milford Distributes '16 Tab to 13,000 Homes - Record sales, 94 photos, 334 smiling faces