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Please sign up to read in our Reading Rotary Readers literacy project. We read to kindergarten classes and bring a literacy bag with two reading books for each student.If you have questions, contact Tim Kelley.
Donate to Reading Rotary via PayPal. Reading Rotary Charitable Trust is a 501(c) tax exempt organization. Tax Id 47-7416401. You may designate the purpose of your donation.
Interested in being a sponsor?
Download the website sponsorship guide
Download the website sponsorship guide
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Lunch Meeting
Bertucci'sApr 07, 2025
12:15 PM – 1:30 PM
President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Immediate Past President
Membership
Public Image
Rotary Foundation
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
RFSF Co-Chair
RFSF Co-Chair
Speakers
Friends & Family Day
Literacy Project
Rotarians have fun serving the community. Join us!
Meeting Schedule (subject to adjustment due to holidays).
1st Monday Lunch: Bertucci's, 12:15 pm.
3rd Monday Dinner: Austin Prep, 6 pm. 3rd Monday Board Meeting, 5 pm
Please sign up to read in our Reading Rotary Readers literacy project. We read to kindergarten classes and bring a literacy bag with two reading books for each student.
High school seniors are invited to apply for Reading Rotary's Service Above Self Scholarship. Download application here.QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE SERVICE ABOVE SELF SCHOLARSHIP
Service Above Self Scholarships from Reading Rotary will be awarded to selected outstanding high school seniors who demonstrated the following:
• Leadership and volunteerism that personify Rotary’s motto of Service Above Self, whether in the school or other areas of the community.
• Consistent effort and commitment toward improving the quality of life for others.
• An awareness of and action toward raising awareness or addressing humanitarian needs in the immediate community or elsewhere in the world.
• A commitment to dedicating him- or herself to these ideals even into college and professional life.
• Interest in Interact and Rotary throughout high school.
Each scholarship will be for an amount up to $1,000 award to the selected candidate (the final number of candidates and scholarship amounts will be determined by the Club). We hope that this scholarship will foster a lifelong association between Rotary International and the recipient!
This month’s dinner meeting on February 24 at Austin Prep was wonderful. Our featured speaker was our Global Grant Scholar Annalena Bacher. Annalena told us about her studies at Tuft’s Fletcher School of diplomacy. Annalena hails from Switzerland 
and entertained us with her impression of the US as a visitor. Annalena has visited us several times and has worked the Snack Shack. And of course, she brought Swiss chocolate! 
We were also visited by Eagle Scout candidate Caleb McGonagle. 
Caleb told us all about his project at the Sawtelle Hospice. The club donated $250 to Caleb's Eagle Project.
Caleb told us all about his project at the Sawtelle Hospice. The club donated $250 to Caleb's Eagle Project.Thanks to all who attended. We had a good crowd and hope to see as many members as possible at our upcoming meetings.
Lisa Gibbs and Samantha's Harvest are holding Sips for Samantha's Harvest Sat., March 1 from 1 to 4 pm at Bunratty Tavern. $20 cash at the door. 21 and over.There will be lots of wonderful beer, wine and spirits to taste. Contact Lisa with any questions.
Reading North Reading Chamber is holding its Golf Tournament May 19 from 8 am to 3 pm at Hillview Country Club to benefit the food pantries in Reading and North Reading. For more information follow this link or contact Rob Miner, Chamber Director.
We have exciting news with regard to our Club Succession Planning. The following members have enthusiastically agreed to take on leadership roles in the upcoming Rotary years.2025-26 Phil Stewart and Amy Walsh, Co-Presidents; President Elect Lisa Simmons
2026-27 Amy Walsh and Lisa Simmons, Co-Presidents; President Elect John Feudo
2027-28 John Feudo, President; President Elect (this could be you)
If anyone is interested in assisting with Club leadership, please reach out to President Phil. In addition, we are always looking for people willing to serve on the board and as chairs of our committees. So please don't be shy to step forward.
Two of the more persistent issues facing Rotary clubs in North America (as well as other volunteer organizations) are (1) declining membership and (2) leadership succession planning. We are very fortunate to have a solid leadership plan to give out club stability over the next few years.
If anyone has any questions, objections or the like, please contact President Phil.
Thank you!
As part of the District Competitive Polar Plunge this year, we are going to "Get Movin to End Polio" at the Burbank YMCA in Reading.
Event Date: Tuesday, Feb. 11
Time: 6:45 to 8 pm
Who can attend: EVERYONE! Please bring your friends, spouses, families, neighbors and Interact.
Events: Novice Zumba, Spin Bikes, Treadmills, Ellipticals, Basketball, Swimming.
We have created a Raise for Rotary fundraiser page for our challenge. Please use and send the link below for people donate on your behalf. All donations will automatically be sent to The Rotary Foundation and credited to the Club. Donation Link.
Register here to let us know you'll be there. Contact President Phil with any questions.
Please (1) Come on Feb. 11; and (2) Donate and/or spread the word for donations.
If you can't make it to the Burbank Y then, do your own "Plunge" activity another time and place. We look forward to a fun evening to support one of our core Rotary initiatives.
Annalena Bacher will be our meeting speaker on February 24. Annalena is the Global Grant Scholar that Reading Rotary is hosting. Annalena hails from Rotary District 1980 in Switzerland and is studying at the Fletcher School of Tufts University. Annalena will attend our meeting and talk about the Global Grant Scholar program.Annalena has attended our meetings previously and even helped out at the Snack Shack.
Please mark your calendar and make every effort to attend this meeting.
We are excited to announce Tim has been elected to be the DGND for District 7930 and will serve as our District Governor 2027-28! Tim will be the first DG from Reading Rotary.
Congratulations Tim!
Tim Kelley has been an active member of Reading Rotary since 1994. He has served as Club President three times, multiple years as Secretary, Board Member and served on many fundraising and service project committees including Reading Rotary Auction, Reading Fall Street Faire, Snack Shack, Rotary Readers Literacy Project and the Circus Committee. Tim was raised in Reading and practices law here. He believes Rotary provides uplifting and exciting opportunities to contribute to the local community and beyond.
Each year Reading Rotary partners with ReadingCares and the Town of Reading to run the Adopt-a-Family project at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Christmas distribution day was December 19. These community partners coordinate this long-standing community giving program. Receiving families are matched anonymously with donor families and/or groups to provide meal and gifts at Christmas and meals at Thanksgiving. Donors drop off in the first shift, then recipient families pick up their food and gifts during a later shift.This year there was increased demand and 100 families in need and donor families/groups were matched to provide Christmas gifts and holiday meals to these families anonymously. Reading Rotary’s efforts were coordinated by Rotarian Sasha DiPietro. Special thanks to Betsy Schneider of ReadingCares and Kerry Valle of Reading’s Elder and Human Services Department for their work in organizing this program.
This is a truly inspirational and humbling event to see the community come together to help others. The generosity of the donors is overwhelming as evidenced by the many smiling faces as well as some tears of thanks. Reading Rotary is proud of and grateful for its partners ReadingCares and the Town of Reading in this community giving event. A huge thank you to all the donor families and groups. Their generosity makes this all possible.