April Calendar
Stories
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Club Meeting |
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Rotarian Paul Sears, 86 Springfield Rotarian Paul Sears, 86, passed away peacefully Tuesday March 5th in the arms of his loving wife of over 60 years. Born on January 13, 1938 in Springfield, MA to Patrick James and Mary (Murphy) Sears, he was the youngest of five children. He grew up in the Forest Park section of town, went to Holy Name Grammar School and graduated from Cathedral High School in 1955 and Providence College in 1959. He also received a Master's degree from Yale University. Paul married Josephine Ryan in August 1963. They began their married life volunteering in the missions in the mountains of New Mexico with the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity. They remained there for two years before moving back home to Springfield with their first child. He became the first manager of the Micah Corporation, a non-profit that encouraged home ownership before he founded Sears Real Estate in 1971 and ran the business for many years with his partners, Joe Albano and Ellie Dashevsky. Fifty-three years later, three sons, a daughter, and a son-in-law continue his legacy. Paul served on the Springfield City Council from 1968 through 1976; he was President of the Council for three years. He held various leadership positions in the Rotary Club, the Forest Park Civic Association, Concerned Citizens of Springfield, the Everett Barney Trust, the Rental Housing Association of Greater Springfield, and the REALTOR® Association of Pioneer Valley. He was a William Pynchon Award winner in October 2017. He was a lifelong parishioner of Holy Name parish and an active member of the Cursillo Movement of Western Mass. He also was involved in Pro-Life causes and helped found the local chapter of Birthright, a group that aimed to help unwed mothers. He devoted many hours to help raise funds for St. Michael's Academy. Paul leaves his beloved wife, Josephine, as well as their six children: Josephine Rodriguez (Dan), of Springfield; Patrick Sears (Carolyn), of Springfield; Paul Sears (Kristin), of Carlsbad, CA; Kevin Sears (Molly), of Springfield; Brian Sears (Tanya), of Springfield; and Katie Tivnan (Peter), of Springfield. |
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March Calendar |
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February 29th Club Meeting |
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January Events |
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Make Rotary Part of Your Business Plan
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Passing of Michael CooleyMichael Cooley
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Service Above Self Luncheon December 14th
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Upcoming Club Meetings and Events |
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2023 ROTARY GRANTS
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Incoming Club Leadership BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2023-2024President: Marie Angelides President Elect: Oscar Mena De Leon Past President: Samalid Hogan 2nd Vice President: Michael Kelley Treasurer: Carla Alves Assistant Treasurer: Bernie Spirito Secretary: Karen Blanchard Assistant Secretary: Rick Lee Director: Jack Toner Sergeant-at-Arms: Michael Cooley Assistant District Governor: Maurice Powe Committee Chairs: Service Committee Chair: Ahsas Malik Rotary Foundation Chair: Carla Alves Membership Committee Chair: Samalid Hogan |
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Club MeetingThe Next Springfield Rotary Club Meeting is the Changing of the Guard Ceremony onTHURSDAY, July 13, 2023 Time & Location: 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
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Proceeds from Service Above Self LuncheonSPECIAL CHECK PRESENTATION ON APRIL 14thJohn Doleva and Frank Colaccino visited our Rotary Club meeting on April 14th to present the Club with a $7,500 check with the proceeds from the 2022 Service Above Self Luncheon in December.  |
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Club Meetings in MarchMark your Calendar!RSVP for our meetings at: https://springfieldmarotary.org/events/calendar All meetings are scheduled from 12:00pm - 1:00pm March 10thNEW MEMBER INDUCTION: HEATHER HASENJAGER The Student Prince Cafe and Fort Restaurant Springfield, MA March 17thSt. Patrick's Day Celebration Guest Speaker: Mike Dobbs, The Reminder Irish House Restaurant, located at the Irish Cultural Center West Springfield, MA March 24thNEW MEMBER INDUCTIONS: FR INVESTMENT GROUP: Flavia Cote and Flavia McCaughey The Student Prince Cafe and Fort Restaurant Springfield, MA March 31stGuest Speaker: Jason Tsitso, One Way Brewing The Student Prince Cafe and Fort Restaurant Springfield, MA |
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April Calendar RaffleAPRIL CALENDAR RAFFLE Proceeds from the Raffle will help us fund the 2023 Community Grants to local non-profits.RAFFLE WINNERS:
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Rotary Night at the Springfield Thunderbirds! JOIN US FOR ROTARY NIGHT AT THE THUNDERBIRDSThis is a FUN and Family-friendly event. THIS IS DURING SCHOOL VACATION WEEK. It is an excellent activity for families looking for something fun to do with kids, grandkids, etc. $5 for every Ticket sold through this link, will be donated to the Springfield Rotary Service Fund, which supports community grants to local non-profits and other community projects. When: Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 6:30pm Where: MassMutual Center - Main Street, Springfield MA $5 of every Ticket will be donated to the Springfield Rotary Service Fund.  |
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Rotary Club of Springfield in the News! |
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Welcome to New Members |
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No meetings until Dec. 9thThis is a friendly reminder that we do not have a meeting until December 9th.
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Holiday Party |
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New Members |
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Paul Harris Dinner 2022Thank you to all Rotarians for your continued dedication and support of our Club and your generosity. This year's Paul Harris Dinner was a great success. Congratulations to all the Paul Harris Award Winners and the five non-profit organizations that received grants. Click here to view photo gallery |
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Why join RotaryWhy Join Rotary?We would love to have you visit our club and learn more about Rotary and what we do in our community and around the world. Rotary is where neighbors, friends, and problem-solvers share ideas, join leaders, and take action to create lasting change. *** Nos encantaría que visitaras nuestro club y obtuvieras más información sobre Rotary y lo que hacemos en nuestra comunidad y en todo el mundo. Rotary es el lugar donde vecinos, amigos y solucionadores de problemas comparten ideas, se unen a líderes y toman medidas para crear un cambio duradero. Please note that you must attend at least 2 club meetings before applying to become a member and a current member must be your sponsor. Here is the link to the Individual Application Form: https://form.jotform. Here is a link to the Business/Corporate Application Form: https://form.jotform. |
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Rotary Foundation BrunchPlease join the District for the annual Foundation Recognition Brunch! Please click here to register.Our Club will be recognized at this event and will receive a citation. It would be great to have many of you there! |
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Deepest SympathyEd Sunter's brother, David Sunter, passed away in August. Here is a link to the obituary. Please make sure to let Ed know we care and have him and his family in our thoughts and prayers.  |
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2022 Service Above Self LuncheonCLICK HERE to Download the Order Form for Tickets and Sponsorships CLICK HERE to Download the Promotional Deck with Description of Sponsorship Levels *** Bring your order forms to the next Club Meeting OR email it to Oscar Mena De Leon ***   |
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Coffee and NetworkingJOIN US NEXT WEEK ON TUESDAY MORNING |
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Prayers and Thoughts Please join us in sending thoughts and prayers to Mike Tarby and his family. Mike's mother, Frances V. Tarby passed away on August 15th. Here is a link to the obituary. **** Please join us in sending thoughts and prayers to Ellen Freyman and her family. Ellen's mother, Ruth (Asroff) Weiss passed away. Here is a link to the obituary. |
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Habitat for Humanity Service Project 8-27 Join us on August 27th for a Service Project in collaboration with the Greater Springfield Habitat for HumanityRotarians, please bring your working gloves and dirty boots :o)! We will be rolling up our sleeves and helping to build a home for a family in Holyoke, Massachusetts. *** NO CONSTRUCTION EXPERIENCE REQUIRED *** Just a willingness to learn and help. Must be 18 and older to participate. Please bring a lunch with you and wear appropriate clothing. No open-toe shoes please (leave the sandals for the beach 🏝 ). Meet us at 117 Jackson Street, Holyoke, Massachusetts. Volunteer check-in starts at 8:30am. Stay for the entire day until 2:30pm or just for a couple of hours.
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Paul Harris DinnerWe are celebrating tonight! RSVP online and pay at the door or purchase your ticket online.We are looking for donations for our TEACUP RAFFLE. Please email Samalid Hogan with a brief description of the Raffle Basket or Item you are donating.
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Strategic Plan is in ProgressThank you to all the Rotarians who participated in our first Strategic Planning Session on Friday, July 24, 2022. This was just the first of several sessions we will have to complete our 3-year Strategic Plan. The next session will be Friday, August 19th, during our Club meeting. Please be sure to mark your calendar.   |
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Club MeetingOur Next Club Meeting is on November 18, 2022In person is better but you can join us on Zoom  Time & Location: 12:00pm- 1pm at The Student Prince & the Fort located at 8 Fort St, Springfield, MA* *Validated Parking is available at 23 Hampden Street, Springfield, MA. Sarah Tsitso was born and raised in western Massachusetts, living in Ludlow, Palmer and Springfield before making her home in Longmeadow. She attended Simmons University in Boston, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English. She received her master’s degree from Bay Path University, where she studied nonprofit management. She is currently enrolled in Bay Path’s MFA program, pursuing a second master’s degree in creative nonfiction writing. During the course of her nonprofit career, Sarah has worked in leadership roles for a number of local nonprofits, including Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity, the East of the River 5 Town Chamber of Commerce, two Springfield-based Boys & Girls Clubs, and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. She also spent eight years as editor of several weekly newspapers for Turley Publications. She has spent the past five years serving as executive director of The Zoo in Forest Park & Education Center. Sarah was named to BusinessWest’s inaugural Forty Under 40 Class in 2007, and was part of the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield’s Board of Directors when it was named a “Difference Maker” by that publication. She won two awards from the New England Press Association for excellence in journalism, attended the Springfield Leadership Institute and received the YPS Excellence in Leadership Award. In 2015, she was selected as Woman of the Year by the Springfield Women’s Commission. Currently, Sarah lives in Longmeadow with her husband, Jason, their three-year-old Boston Terrier, Tessie, and a very rambunctious one-and-a-half –year old Black Lab named Benny. Their daughter, Vivian, is a first-year student at Emmanuel College in Boston, where she majors in criminology and pre-law. |
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2022 Annual Changing of the GuardThank you all who attended our Annual Changing of the Guard this year!Below are photos from the event.   .  |
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Service Projects 2022April 9th Service Project with the Greater Springfield Habitat For HumanityJune 25th Service Project with the Greater Springfield Habitat For Humanity   |
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June 2022 Meetings and Events  |
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2022 Installation DinnerDistrict 7890 Installation 2022Congrats to all incoming Rotary Club Leaders!Special recognition to Samalid Hogan, incoming Rotary President, and Maurice Powe, incoming Assistant Governor.Enjoy photos from the event below.Date: Saturday, June 18th, 2022 Time: 6:00-9:00pm Location: Torrington Country Club, Goshen CT     |
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June 2022 Service ProjectJune 25, 2022 Service Project with the Greater Springfield Habitat for HumanityOn Saturday, June 25th, the Springfield Rotary Club Members will volunteer to help complete another home for a local family in Holyoke. This service project is made possible thanks to the Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity. The home address is 117 Jackson Street in Holyoke, MA. Parking will be available on Chestnut Street and the entrance to the site is off of a side street, so you will have to walk around the gated site. Also, please bring a water bottle to stay hydrated, a non-refrigerable lunch, and snacks to get you through the day. Dress appropriately for a working site: closed-toe shoes are required (no sandals, crocs, or flip flops). It is also highly recommended to bring a baseball cap and sunscreen to protect yourself from the elements as we will be working outside. CLICK HERE to download and print a Volunteer Agreement & Release form. |
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A Time for Response and Community Support: GRANTS FOR NON-PROFITS The Rotary Club of Springfield, Massachusetts, will make grants available to Springfield-based non-profit organizations that benefit the Greater Springfield Community. The 2022-2023 grant cycle will award recipients up to a $2,000 grant. Non-profits with a 501c3 status are eligible to apply using the below application. Organizations may use the grant for any capital improvement project related to one of the causes of Rotary International. Please visit for more information: https://www.rotary.org/en/our-causes DEADLINE EXTENDED: TUESDAY, AUGUST 30th, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. Grant applications after August 30, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. will be disqualified. For application questions, you may email Marie Angelides at marie.angelides@gmail.com. >>>> CLICK HERE TO APPLY <<<< |
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CONGRATULATIONSJoin us in congratulating Keri Davidson and her family on the birth of Cole!"We welcomed another boy- Cole Norman on Easter morning (April 17th). He was 6 weeks early and spent a little time in [the hospital] but is healthy and home with us now. Below is a picture of Charlie with his new best friend." ~ Keri  |
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March 18th Meeting |
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March 18th Guest Speaker Our next meeting on March 18th will be hosted by Willie Ross School for the Deaf and our guest speaker will be Bert Carter, President &EO of Willie Ross School for the Deaf and former Rotary Club of Springfield past president. Use this link to RSVP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhC6irWhA1FogbpNWo7vXm0Ox8-3tNCPqUdE1iR6zKQFIUuw/viewform The cost is $15 and includes a buffet lunch Hope to see you there!
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March 4th Speaker
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Join the Rotary Today |
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Survey ResultsThe Results Are In! Thank you to all who participated in our recent surveys! The new location for our Rotary meetings will Nathan Bills Bar & Restaurant located at 110 Island Pond Road, Springfield, MA. We will officially announce the date of the first meeting at this new location soon. All members will have the option of ordering lunch from the menu at their cost. There is ample free parking in front of the restaurant.
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Rotary SurveyTHANK YOU ALL FOR COMPLETING OUR ROTARY SURVEY. Thank you all for your feedback and comments. We have shared them all with the Board of Directors and will keep them in mind. The results are in and the majority of members have voted for changing our meeting location but keeping the meetings at the same time on Fridays at 12noon.  |
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Rotary Club January MeetingsOur next meeting will be Friday, January 7th at 12:00pm. The guest speaker will be Ira Helfand. Ira Helfand, MD is a member of the International Steering Group of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapon, ICAN, the recipient of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, and Immediate Past President of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, the founding partner of ICAN and itself the recipient of the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize. He is also co-Founder and Past President of Physicians for Social Responsibility, IPPNW’s US affiliate. He represented ICAN at the Oslo and Nayarit Conferences on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear War, and in September of 2015 he addressed a special session of the United Nations General Assembly. In May of 2016 he chaired the session on the humanitarian consequences of nuclear war at the United Nations Open Ended Working Group meeting in Geneva that led to the successful negotiation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in the summer of 2017, and on September 20 of 2017 he represented IPPNW at the signing ceremony for the Treaty. He has published studies on the medical consequences of nuclear war in the world’s leading medical journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, the British Medical Journal, the Lancet and the World Medical Journal, and has lectured widely in the United States, and in India, China, Japan, Korea, Russia, South Africa, Israel, Pakistan, Mexico, Brazil, Columbia, and throughout Europe on the health effects of nuclear weapons. He represented PSR and IPPNW at the Nobel ceremonies in Oslo in December 2009, honoring President Obama, and presented their report, Nuclear Famine: One Billion People at Risk, at the Nobel Peace Laureates Summit in Chicago in April of 2012. A second edition was released in December of 2013. Dr. Helfand was educated at Harvard College and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He is a former chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine and President of the Medical Staff at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, and practiced as an internist and urgent care physician at Family Care Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts until his retirement this past February. He is the recipient of the 1997-1998 Will L. Judy Award, the 2003 O’Dwyer Award, the 2003 John Phillips Award, the 2016 Verdoorn Prize, the 2017 Distinguished Peace Leadership Award, and the 2017 Edward Barsky Award of the American Public Health Association. He lives with his wife, Deborah Smith, a medical oncologist, in Leeds, Massachusetts. Please join us virtually Join Zoom Meeting https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81249386755?pwd=WnBwOU5oZjVuNTlOdkkxWUhlTGVDZz09__;!!CUhgQOZqV7M!0wj3DJD7Qy2STAOXdxJa7BG-Y9g8aXyrEDitb1jPmhqBBEM-aJnCoEOMdi77apoTykodsg$ Meeting ID: 812 4938 6755 Passcode: 527918 Phone: 1-929-205-6099 |
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Rotary Foundation Sustaining MemberWHAT IS A ROTARY FOUNDATION SUSTAINING MEMBER? A Rotary Foundation Sustaining Member is an individual who personally contributes $100 or more each Rotary year to the Annual Fund. These contributions also count toward Paul Harris Fellow, Multiple Paul Harris Fellow, Paul Harris Society, EREY, Major Donor, and club recognition. Use the Club Foundation Banner Report to see your club’s Rotary Foundation Sustaining Members. This report also shows TRF Giving, Every Rotarian Every Year, Paul Harris Society Eligible and Rotary Direct members. For $10 a month, you too can be a Rotary Foundation Sustaining Member and help provide life-changing opportunities for those in need on a yearly basis! We’re Rotary There’s No Limit To What We Can Do https://vimeo.com/175857712 Thank you all for your continued support of The Rotary Foundation! |
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Holiday Toy DeliveryBelow is a photo from the Rotary toy drop off to The Gray House, Inc, Springfield.  |
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COVID-19 & THE HOLIDAYSHow to stay safe during the Holiday Season! Holiday Tips from the CDC  Safer Ways to Celebrate HolidaysHoliday traditions are important for families and children. There are several ways to enjoy holiday traditions and protect your health. Because many generations tend to gather to celebrate holidays, the best way to minimize COVID-19 risk and keep your family and friends safer is to get vaccinated if you’re eligible. How to Protect Yourself Important Ways to Slow the Spread of COVID-19
Here are safer ways to celebrate the holidays: Generally:
If you are considering traveling for a holiday or event, visit CDC’s Travel page to help you decide what is best for you and your family. CDC still recommends delaying travel until you are fully vaccinated.
Special considerations:
By working together, we can enjoy safer holidays, travel, and protect our own health as well as the health of our family and friends. |
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2021 Service Above Self LuncheonThe11th Annual Basketball Hall of Fame Rotary Club of Springfield Service Above Self Award Luncheon was a sold out event on November 18thA wonderful article was printed in The Republican- please click on the link below to read  |
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HOLIDAY PARTY |
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Thanksgiving 2021 FundraisersTHANK YOU for GIVING!Thank you to all Rotarians, family members, and friends who donated food and money for this year's Thanksgiving fundraisers for the Gray House and Christina's House in Springfield. Thanks to your generosity, over $350 were donated to the Gray House in addition to food donations, and $900 were donated to the families at Christina's House in Springfield. Each family will receive a $45 Visa Gift card to purchase Thanksgiving dinner! In the photo below, Maurice Powe, Rotary President, is personally delivering one of the checks and food items to the Gray House.  In the photo below, Maurice Powe, Rotary President, and Samalid Hogan, Rotary VP, personally deliver the gift cards to Christina's House.  |
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Giving this ThanksgivingGIVING this Thanksgiving!  YOU can HELP families, women, and children at Christina's House and the Gray HouseAny donation will help! A $50 donation for example, will help purchase a full Thanksgiving dinner for a family of 4 at Christina's House. You can make your donation online via PayPal OR bring a check to our next Rotary meeting. Our VP, Samalid Hogan, has volunteer to purchase Stop & Shop Grocery Gift cards and personally deliver them to Christina's House. About Christina's House: Many women and their children in the Springfield area go without housing on a daily basis. They have no place to call home and no place to feel safe. The lives of these mothers and their little ones are forever changed by their circumstances; their nutrition suffers putting them at risk for health concerns and their psychological health is often damaged. The voices of these families called out to us for help. We are also doing a FOOD DRIVE for the Gray House and collecting Thanksgiving food items such as: Frozen turkeys, Gravy, Cranberry sauce, Stuffing or rice, Pink, red, or black beans, Cake mix & frosting, Pie crust & pie filling, and Grocery gift cards. Our Rotary President, Maurice Powe, has volunteered to bring your donations to the Gray House after the Rotary meetings. *** BRING YOUR FOOD DONATIONS TO A ROTARY MEETING *** About the Gray House: The Gray House helps its neighbors meet their immediate needs and addresses the root causes of poverty by operating a food assistance program, adult education programs and after school and summer youth programming. Over 7,000 unique individuals are helped by these programs each year. |
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Upcoming Meetings |
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October 2021 Meetings |
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Upcoming Club Meetings in July and August |
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Rotary Donates More Masks to Frontline WorkersOn Thursday, January 28, 2021, The Rotary Club of Springfield distributed 6,000 disposable personal protective masks to the City of Springfield. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno joined with Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris and John D. Perez, President of The Rotary Club of Springfield at the front steps of City Hall for the PPE distribution. Rotarians Paul Lambert, Maurice Powe and Stephen Jablonski also represented our Club at the presentation.  In total, 20,000 masks were donated to organizations serving Springfield’s residents, including The Gray House, Shriner’s Hospital, Open Pantry Community Services, MLK Community Center, The New North Citizens Council, Square One, and the Gandara Mental Services of Springfield. John D. Perez, President, The Rotary Club of Springfield MA said “I am proud that our club has the ability to distribute 20,000 disposable masks among our City's Municipal institutions and non-profit organizations assisting our residents. We are proud to serve our residents by procuring and providing these masks to the City of Springfield as well as hospitals, animal shelters, food pantries, homeless shelters, and many others with these donations. This is the second donation of 20,000 disposable masks we procured and provided to our City's municipal government and non-profit organizations. Views news coverage by clicking on the links below:   The Rotary motto is "Service Above Self" and reflects our desire to contribute and work together through the challenging times that we are living through today.” The Springfield Rotary Club is currently meeting virtually biweekly on Fridays from 1230-130 p.m. and is a proud member of Rotary International. Anyone who is interested in attending a virtual meeting or would like more information on the Rotary Club of Springfield, please contact John D. Perez, President at rotaryclubofspringfield@outlook.com or visit their Web site at http://www.springfieldmarotary.org
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In MemoriumJearl Kelley, 69, father of our Club Member Michael Kelley, passed away at Baystate Medical Center on January 15, 2021. He was a lifelong resident of Springfield and employed for 43 years as a truck driver, 30 of them as a long-distance driver. Michael tells us his Dad died of complications of COVID-19 and that his death was very sudden. He had been ill a few days, was admitted to the hospital, and died shortly thereafter. Mr. Kelley was a lung cancer survivor. He leaves his children, Annette Kelley of West Springfield, MA, and Michael J. Kelley and his wife Candida of Ludlow, MA; his brother William Kelley of Springfield and his grandchildren Michael B. Kelley and Alexander J. Kelley; and his ex-wife Jannette Kelley of Springfield. Condolences may be sent to Michael and his wife Candida, and sons Michael Jr and Alexander at their home at 58 Duke St, Ludlow, MA 01056.
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Slate of Officers 2021-20222021/2022 Slate of Officers and Directors President - Maurice Powe Vice-President - Samalid Hogan Past President - John Perez Secretary - Vacant Assistant Secretary - Vacant Treasurer - Vacant Assistant Treasurer - Bernard Spirito Foundation Chair - Jack Toner Membership Chair - Sue Mastroianni Directors Michael Kelly Paul Lambert |
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FRIEND OF THE HOMELESSMark your Calendar for the First Thursday's of the Month!  If you can help out, please email Mike Rzepka at mrzepka@dowd.com or by text at 413-531-4104. Thank you! |
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