Recent Hunterdon Democrat News Articles About Rotary Activities
Clinton Sunrise Rotary Honored at District Conference in Mystic Connecticut
The Clinton Sunrise Rotary Club was honored at the Rotary District Conference in Mystic, Connecticut on May 4th. The Club and its members were recognized with four awards, including the distinguished “Rotarian of the Year” Award.
Rotary District 7510 is comprised of a group of 43 local clubs with more than 1,200 members associated with Rotary International in Central New Jersey. The purpose is to help individual clubs advance the Object of Rotary. The Clinton Sunrise Rotary Club, which began in 1989, is celebrating its 19th Year in the Clinton community.
The Clinton Sunrise Rotary Club received the important Presidential Citation Award for accomplishing numerous community service goals. Club President, Robert Fodera said “that it was a tremendous honor for our Club”. He said “as Rotarians, we have the faith to believe that we can make a difference and we have the courage to do so. That courage is the difference between dreaming great dreams and putting them into action.”
The Club was able to raise and donate over $15,000 to the American Cancer Society, the Wellness Community, the Open Cupboard Food Pantry and local Fire, EMS and Police departments. The Club also organized projects such as providing flu shots to the community, Kid I.D., a blood drive and collected food for the High Bridge Food Pantry. Club members participated in a highway clean-up in the Town of Clinton, distributed holiday gifts to families in need during the Christmas holidays, donated a wheelchair to a boy who was paralyzed after a motorcycle accident and volunteered time at the Hunterdon Youth Facility. The Club recently co-sponsored a local fishing derby for kids and donated household products for the District Battered Woman’s Shelter Project. The Club also awards Scholarships to high school students for college and youth to attend the YMCA summer camp.
Brian Fischer, a charter member of the Club, received the Matty Mathewson Award for “Rotarian of the Year”. In 1982, District 7510 established this award to recognize and honor those Rotarians in the district who have, over a period of time, best exemplified Rotary’s motto of "Service Above Self" and earning this award is the highest honor that can be bestowed on a Rotarian by the District. Brian has been actively involved in the community for over twenty years. For the past three years, Brian has traveled to Ecuador as part of Rotary’s Homes of Hope project, which assists in the building of a village for economically challenged families. Brian also chairs the Club’s Sprintin Clinton 5K Race held in July and handles many other Club fundraisers. Fischer said “I am deeply honored and humbled by this Award. In the end it's about doing good community service that makes a difference, not an award you get for that service. The Award is a result of the collaborative efforts of my Club and I am thrilled to be joining such an eminent list of Rotarians who have received this Award.”
The Club also received Third Place for the District Public Relations Award. Jaime Marcolini is the Public Relations chair for the club. The highly publicized Great Hunterdon Rubber Ducky Race was highlighted on the application for the award. “It is very important that members of the community are aware that Rotary is out there helping the community. Hopefully the press will attract people to join their local Rotary Club” says Jaime.
The Club also received an Honorable Mention for the District’s Care and Share Award for its work with the EarlyAct Program at Clinton Public Elementary School. The Care and Share Award is issued for a specific project that shares the objectives of Rotary with members of the community. EarlyAct is a school-wide service club for elementary students from ages 5 to 13. Megan Jones is the chair of the program that began three years ago to teach the children about Rotary. Several members including Peter Sandrian, Deb Shenberger and LuAnn Aversa attend monthly meetings throughout the school year. The EarlyAct Club holds weekly meetings, participates in local community projects, disperses funds raised throughout the year to worthy causes and teaches the children the importance of volunteerism and leadership in the community.
“Our Club’s goal is to have projects which have a direct beneficial impact on the people in the surrounding Clinton Community” said Fodera. Lynn Arnold, the Club’s incoming president said that the Club plans to launch many new projects, which will have a strong and visible presence in the Clinton Community, as well as build on the Club’s main fund raisers. The Club’s motto is “Service above Self.”
Clinton Sunrise Rotary meets every Thursday morning at 7:30 AM at the Holiday Inn Select. For more information about the Rotary go to www.clintonsunriserotary.org.