On Thursday, July 12th, Superintendent of Reading Public Schools and Rotarian Dr. John Doherty was awarded the Dr. Christos Daoulas award at the M.A.S.S. (Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents) Summer Executive Institute in Falmouth.  This award was named after the late Dr. Christos Daoulas, former longtime Superintendent of Schools in Dracut and for years called the "Dean" of Massachusetts Superintendents for his decades of service.  The award is presented to a superintendent who has provided outstanding leadership and services to the superintendency, including the use of written and spoken word, where Superintendent Daoulas excelled.  John is the 22nd Superintendent to receive the award in the 25 years that it has been in existence. For receiving this award, John will address the Superintendents at the M.A.S.S. Winter Conference which will be held in January.

 

Congratulations at being recognized for this special acknowledgment by your peers, John!

Here is the text of my speech at our Club Installation Dinner on June 19.

 

 

 

Tim O'Sullivan and Kelsey Tuminelli were this week's meeting's speakers.  Their HeartBeat Foundation is putting on the Jams for Jake musical festival in Reading at Symonds Field on August 4.  Their foundation concentrates on bring awareness to the opioid crisis.  They hope to help keep open communication with those struggling with addiction and to destigmitize the condition so that those struggling will get the help they need.  Jams for Jake is a benefit festival held in honor of a friend and classmate.  

 

Those seeking to volunteer or for more info can contact BeatHeart Foundation here.

 

I had so much fun at the Rotary International Convention in Toronto.  I highly recommend attending one if you never have.  Here, I'm pictured with Bob Gravino of Ipswich Rotary and Jerome from Nkwazi Rotary in Zambia.  Nkwazi Rotary is the local Rotary Club partner for the Global Grant Healthy Kids/Brighter Future.  It was enlightening to meet several members from Zambia.  

 

There were Rotarians from all over the world.  In addition to fellow Rotarians from our District, I had the opportunity to meet Rotarians from Canada, South Africa, Austrailia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Brazil, various US States and others I can't remember.  It was inspiring to hear about so much going on in the name of Rotary all over the world.

 

Speakers at the general sessions included Justin Trudeau, Laura Bush, directors/presidents of the WHO, UNICEF, many RI VIPs.

 

Toronto is a beautiful city and was very accommodating.

 

Next year's convention is in Hamburg, Germany.  Who wants to go?

 

The RMHS Interact Club ran their Dunk Tank at Friends and Family Day on Saturday.  They did a great job and raised funds for their projects.  TJ Kelley and Pat Freeman deserve hazard pay for being the only two dunkees.  They were great sports.  Also, staffing their booth were Kathryn, Jess and Ava.

 

Interact is the high school age Rotary club.  Reading Rotary sponsors Interact Clubs at both RMHS and Austin Prep.  RMHS's club is in its 8th year.  Austin Prep is starting their 2nd year. 

 

We had a great day at the Lion's Friends and Family Day (a/k/a Town Day) this past Saturday.  Our cotton candy was a big hit.  There was a steady line for it all day long.  Thanks to all the Rotarians who came out and family members, too.  Special kudos to Owen Collins and Maxwell and Harrison Clarke who made and distributed cotton candy.  Cotton candy making is a sticky business and they were great sports and great help.  Rotarians who came to enjoy the day and help out were:  Gregg, Mike B., Mike C., Dick, Dave T., Kathi, Brian T., Don W., Lisa and Tim.  We also distributed Rotary tote bags and literature about the Club.

 

The weather was perfect.  It was a super community event, a great opportunity to come together for our Reading community.  Great job to our friends at the Lions Club!

 

The RMHS Robotics Team presented to us at our Monday Luncheon Meeting this week.  We have been a supporter of this team (the Robockets) since its inception 5 years ago.  Their organization is impressive, with several areas of specialization, Business and Technical Presidents and Leads in the following areas:  Media, Mechanical, Strategy, Programming, Awards, Design, Project and Electrical.  They hosted a regional competition at the RMHS Fieldhouse for the past several years.  They have won several high awards in the FIRST Robotics.  Pictured here are Business President Tanya and Strategy Lead Brett.  Tanya and Brett, along with Thomas and Jack, gave a powerful presentation about their team, although they were slightly upstaged by the maneuvering  of the robot.  A great presentation.

 

Gregg Johnson will be honored by District 7930 as our Club Rotarian of the Year at the District Installation Dinner on June 14 at 6 at the Danversport Yacht Club.  This is well deserved as Gregg always takes on so much whether it be with the Fall Street Faire or the Snack Shack or any of our many other service projects.  Kudos, Gregg!

 

Please let Brian Snell know if you can make the event to support Gregg and me as incoming President.

 

To all Rotarians, family members, friends and community members everywhere who have given the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our Country, we thank you this Memorial Day weekend.  We were proud to participate with other Rotarians across the District to serve at the New England Center and Home for Veterans this past week.

 

Take this Memorial Day to Remember and thank a Veteran.

 

On May 12, Troop 702 held a Court of Honor to confer the rank of Eagle Scout on Dustin Rosh and Harrison Fiscus.  As part of the ceremony, Rotary presented both Eagles with a Certificate of Congratulations.  

 

Rotary District 7930 District Governor Dave Gardner has launched an initiative to partner more closely with Scouting.  Reading Rotary has also sought to work with Scouts and has contributed to several Eagle Scout Community Service Projects, including Harrison's. Rotary and Scouting are natural partners as both are committed to service and high ethical conduct. 

 

Reading Rotary will contribute $200 to a qualifying Eagle Scout Project or a Girl Scout Gold Award Project.

 

Harrison's Eagle Project was a boardwalk in the Town Forest.  Dustin's Eagle Project was a beautification of the landscaping at Church of the Good Shepherd and installation of a Peace Pole.

 

Both young men are graduating high school this spring.  Dustin will attend Wake Forest.  Harrison will attend University of California at Berkeley.  Congratulations and thank you for your service to the community, Dustin and Harrison.

 

Picture above are Scoutmaster John Meyers, Dustin Rosh, Harrison Fiscus and Rotarian Tim Kelley.

 

Reading will be well represented at RYLA again this year.  The District RYLA weekend starts today at a new camp, Camp Glen Brook in Marlborough, NH. 

 

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is Rotary International’s leadership training program for young people.  Rotary District 7930 has a long-running annual program for high school students. Sophomores and juniors are invited to attend a weekend long event, where they learn leadership and life skills including goal setting, cultural understanding, problem solving, communication, public speaking, networking, community building, low and high ropes challenges, team building and more!

 

Our club is sponsoring four juniors and sophomores.  Students are from RMHS and Austin Prep.  We also have four (or five?) youths who will be staffing the weekend.

 

Pictured here are Reading RYLA participants waiting to board a bus to camp.  (They are taking a charter bus to NH, not the Logan Express, fyi.)

 

Bob Gravino, an Ipswich Rotarian, was our Speaker this past Monday.  Bob presented information about an exciting Global Grant project in Zambia, Africa.  The project, Healthy Kids/Brighter Future., is in Lusaka, Zambia.  In this project, Rotary has worked to develop an innovative model of school based healthcare, which improves the health and learning of school children by dramatically improving their access to healthcare.  Selected teachers are trained as health workers and work to connect schools to the national health system.  Ipswich Rotary is taking the lead to raise commitments of $60,000 from Rotary Clubs, which will yield, when matched in the Rotary grant matching funds to yield $200,000 in funds for the project.  

 

In three years of Health Kids/Brighter Future health centers have reported a dramatic increase in visits to health care workers which has caused a 44% reduction in disease incidence, 48% increase in de-worming and vitamin A coverage and 22% improvement in student knowledge of health.

 

To become a full partner in this project, our Club or any other will need to donate $1,050.00 (which covers the $1,000.00 contribution and processing fee to the Foundation).

 

Thannks to Bob for coming and sharing such an inspirational project.  Mike Bonsey is interested in visiting this project in the future.  Any other takers?

 

 

On April 27, a group of Rotarians delivered trees to every Reading Public Schools 5th Grade Student.  This year's tree, specially chosen by our resident botanist, KC Latham, was a Lilac tree.  Rotarians visit each of the five elementary schools, tell them about Arbor Day, the importance of trees to our ecology and a little about Rotary.

 

  

 

Team Reading Rotary picks up the saplings at the DPW garage.

 

The students were excited to receive and plant their trees.  Below, Kyle, a Joshua Eaton School 5th Grader, prepares to dig the hole for his tree.

 

 

Today, the RMHS Interact Club took time from their April Vacation to prepare and serve lunch at Rosie's Place in Boston's South End.  Rosie's Place is a women's shelter which provides a safe and nurturing environment to help poor and homeless women maintain their dignity, seek opportunity and find security.  Rosie's Place provides meals and shelter and helps 12,000 women a year with wide ranging support including housing, and education services.  Rosie's Place was founded in 1974 as the first women's shelter in the United States.

 

Rosie's Place has a volunteer program for community organization who donate the cost of the meal and also prepare, serve and clean up.  This also offers the opportunity for our members to interact with the clients of Rosie's.  This day they served 160 meals.  Reading Rotary sponsored Interact's trip today. 

 

Also, helping with the meal were chaperones, Superintendent John Doherty and recently appointed Assistant Superintendent Christine Kelley.

 

Thanks to all the Interact Club members for their service today!

 

 

 

On April 7, Reading Rotarian and Eagle Scout John Halsey presented certificates of congratulations to Troop 702's new Eagle Scouts, Ben House and Bryan Doucette at their Eagle Court of Honor.  John has been working with District Governor David Gardner to strengthen the partnership between Rotary and Scouting.  John is also on a Council Member for the Spirit of Adventure Council, which includes Reading.  John has been busy attending Eagle Courts of Honor in Reading as Troop 702 (sponsored by Old South Church) and Troop 728 (sponsored by St. Agnes) have been producing a lot of Scouts reaching the Eagle rank.  In his remarks during the Court of Honor, John said that Reading is known in the Spirit of Adventure Council as the Eagle's Nest because the town has produced more Eagle Scouts over the past 12 years than any other municipality in the Council, including Boston and much larger cities and towns.

 

Reading Rotary will contribute to Boy Scouts working on their Eagle Service Project and Girl Scouts working on their Gold Award Project.  We donated $200 to Bryan's Eagle Project, improvements to the Pinevale Conservation Area trail.

 

Ben's Eagle Project was the creation of over 70 care packages that were sent to veterans overseas.

 

The Eagle Scout Service Project requires the Scout to conceive of and oversee a community service project involving many volunteers.  The beneficiary of the project must be a charitable or municipal entity.  The Scout must obtain approval from his Troop and Council, raise all the funds needed, then oversee the project to completion, following all required safety and other requirements.  

 

Rotary partners with Scouting because we both share the same mission of service to the community.

 

Congratulations, Ben and Bryan, on your impressive achievements.

 

Senator Jason Lewis was our speaker today.  Jason discussed a range of local issues including economic development, infrastructure, Massachusetts economy and employment and other topics of current concern at the State House.  Jason fielded questions from members and wanted to stress that he is available to be contacted about any issues.  Thanks, Senator Lewis, for the information for reaching out to us.

  

 

Eagle Scout Bryan Doucette updated us on his Eagle Scout Community Service Project which we supported with a donation.  Bryan completed his project of revitalizing the trail and signage at the Pinevale Conservation Area.  This area runs from Washington Park through the woods behind Minot and Main Streets.  Bryan has completed his Eagle Scout requirements and invited us to his Court of Honor to be held on April 7.  

 

Congratulations on this achievement, Bryan!

On Sunday, March 4, Reading Rotarian John Halsey presented three Boy Scouts from Troop 728 in Reading with Certificates in honor of their achieving the rank of Eagle Scout.  Troop 728 held an Eagle Court of Honor for Michael Flynn, Nick Nastri and Andrew Yatsuhashi at St. Agnes Parish Center.  Eagle Scout is the highest rank in Boy Scouts of America and requires the Scout to to earn at least 21 Merit Badges, pass through all lower ranks and complete a public service project.  District Governor David Gardner has made Rotary's association with Scouting to be a priority as both organizations have similar community service focuses.  John Halsey, an Eagle Scout himself, is part of District 7930 initiative to work with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. 

 

Congratulations to Michael, Nick and Andrew for this excellent achievement.

 

At our Monday meeting, Gary Simmerman was our speaker.  Gary is from Citizen Soldier for Life and runs a program assisting National Guard Service Members to find employment.  Gary is based out of Camp Curtis Guild here in Reading.  CSFL provides career readiness services to Guard members in their initial enlistment in the form of financial literacy and education, career readiness standards and employment skills training.  Its goal is to help Guard members find good civilian careers while serving. 

 

At the District Mid-Year Leadership Meeting on Jan. 11, our Club's work in obtaining a grant for a new stage to be used at the Reading Fall Street Faire (& by the schools and community) was featured in a presentation of District Designated Fund Grants.

 

Congrats to us!

 

 

A hearty congratulations to Brian Snell who's daughter Kate was married this past weekend.  Best Rotary wishes to Brian and Linda Snell and the new Stephen and Kate Philips.

 

Pictured here is Brian walking Kate down the aisle.

 

One Dec. 20, at our monthly Evening Social Meeting, we inducted three new Rotarians to our club.  Bob MacDonald (sponsor John Douglass and Mike Collins), John Bogosian (sponsor Lisa Gibbs) and Fred Reilly (sponsor Brian Tobin) were each installed into membership by Steve Chuha.  The induction took place at Bunratty Tavern with around 40 members and guests there.  Members, please make it a point to introduce yourself and welcome them aboard.

 

 

 

Picture here are President Brian Snell, Bob MacDonald, John Douglass, John Bogosian, Lisa Gibbs, Fred Reilly and Brian Tobin.

Remember our December Evening Social Meeting will be held on December 20 from 5:30-7:30 at Bunratty Tavern.  

 

Please RSVP to President Brian if you are coming (& bringing guests).

There will be business and induction of 3 new members.  See you there!

 

Congratulations, Dr. Don Green on receiving your Paul Harris Fellow Recognition.  Pictured here, President Brian presenting Don with his PHF.

 

Thanks to all who made the Annual Joint Reading-Stoneham Thanksgiving Luncheon come together.  President Brian did fantastic job pulling everything together and presiding over the luncheon.  It's great to see representatives from both communities at this annual event.  

 

 

Reading 375 is holding a Trivia Night fundraiser on November 17 at 7 at RCTV.  Tables of 6 are available for $150.  Tim would like to get a Rotary table together.  If you are interested, please let Tim know.  If we have enough takers we could field a second table, subject to availability.

We will be running the Snack Shack on Thanksgiving morning for the RMHS/Stoneham Football Game.  Please make sure to see Gregg Johnson to sign up for a shift.  

 

That morning our RMHS Interact Club will be hosting a Pancake Breakfast at the High School Cafeteria.  Helpers are also needed before that.  You can let John Doherty or Tim Kelley know if you would like to help Interact before the Snack Shack.

Keep our schedule of meetings and events at the tip of your fingers.  You can sync the Club Calendar on ReadingMaRotary.org with Outlook, Google Calendar or Apple Calendar on your personal device.  Go to this page, click subscribe and follow the instructions. 

If anyone has any outstanding money, expenses or any invoices related to the Reading Fall Street Faire, please get that to Tim Kelley.  

 

There will be a RFSF wrap up meeting on October 10, 2017 to review what went right and what could be improved for next year.  Please attend if you have input.

 

On September 15, Samantha's Harvest held its annual Golf Tournament.  At the dinner following, it awarded Rotarian Brian Tobin with the Samantha's Buddy Award.  Lisa Gibbs, founder of Samantha's Harvest and Rotarian, detailed how selflessly Brian has served that organization by volunteering at its events, including the Golf Tournament.  This year, Brian scooped slush for golfers on the golf course.  Brian has been a pillar helping with Samantha's Harvest's events over the years.  

 

Samantha's Harvest is an organization dedicated to Down's Syndrome awareness, advocacy and support.

 

Brian has also seen all over Reading volunteering as a youth sports coach, including lacrosse, hockey, basketball and baseball.  Brian has organized his high school athletes to shovel driveways for seniors in Reading and lead them in volunteering to clean up the Schoolhouse Condos in the aftermath of the fire.  Congratulations, Brian and Samantha's Harvest.

District 7930 held its Installation of new Leadership on June 29 at the Danversport Yacht Club.  Governor Dave Gardner and Reading Rotary President Brian assume their new roles on July 1. Hundreds of Rotarians were on hand to celebrate the end of DG Sheryl's year and the turn over to DG Dave.  

 

 

  

 

Reading congratulates and thanks President Brian for stepping up into leadership for 2017-18.  We're looking forward to a fun and exciting year of Service.

 

 

 

 

Rotary had a great spot at Friends and Family Day at Birch Meadow on Saturday, June 17.  Rotarians and Interact students made cotton candy all day.  We gave away cotton candy and distributed our new brochures.  (Donations were accepted.)  Thanks to John, Brian, Greg, Gregg, David, Mark, Dick, Tim, Caroline & Jolanda who helped out at the Rotary booth.  It was a great event, well attended.

 

 

The Interact Club was on there  in full force with a long line to their Dunk Tank.  Many Interactors volunteered to be dunked.  And yes it was cold!  Thanks also to the Interact crew who broke broke down, cleaned up and put away in storage the Interact and Rotary booths and equipment.   The Interact Dunk Booth is always a very popular stop.  Great job, Interact!

 

 

 

14 students from the RMHS Interact Club traveled to Philadelphia this past weekend to serve meals at the Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission, a soup kitchen serving homeless.  Interact served over 175 meals on Saturday evening.  The Interact also made fleece blankets for donation to Sunday Breakfast for distribution to their clients.  They also did some sightseeing of Philly, including visiting the Liberty Bell.  They toured the Philadelphia Museum of Art after first running the stairs made famous by Rocky.  Note that chaperone Dr. John Doherty won the race up the steps.  Reading Rotary presented a donation of $500 to Sunday Breakfast.  Interact Club Co-President Allie Foley, who coordinated the planning of the trip, said:  "We were excited to take this fieldtrip and see Philadelphia.  Giving service to people who are so needy made us feel good but also opens our eyes to how important it is to work to reduce homelessness and hunger."