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.
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.
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.
In addition to his Club involvement, Tim has served District 7930 as an Assistant Governor, member of the Public Image Committee, Editor of the weekly eBulletin and as Governor’s Aide in 2024-25 for DG Tom Hankard. Tim is currently serving as a Zone 32 Assistant Public Image Coordinator (ARPIC) and has been a Facilitator at NEPELS (Northeast President Elect Learning Seminar). Tim is particularly passionate about promoting Rotary’s Public Image.
Tim is an attorney with a general, civil law practice, offering comprehensive legal services to individuals, businesses, and organizations. He earned his JD from Boston University School of Law after completing his undergraduate studies at the College of the Holy Cross. With over three decades of experience, Tim has built a reputation for delivering practical, client-focused legal solutions with a commitment to integrity, professionalism and personal attention.
Tim and wife Chris celebrated 35 years of marriage in 2024 and have three adult children, Betsy, Mary Kate and TJ. Tim and Chris are joyfully anticipating the arrival of their first grandchild, expected in April 2025. Rotary roots run in his family. His children have been involved in the Interact and RYLA programs. His Rotary sponsor was his mother-in-law, Laurie Cavagnaro, who was also a Past President of Reading Rotary. Chris is a Paul Harris Fellow. Tim’s family members are regular volunteers and participants at Rotary events.
Outside of Rotary and professional activities, Tim loves to cook for a big crowd, spend time with family especially at Hampton Beach and root for the Red Sox. He is a long serving member of the Reading Housing Authority, has served on Town Meeting, Austin Prep Alumni Association and coached youth baseball for many years.
Tim is humbled and excited to be selected to serve as District 7930 Governor for 2027-2028 and is especially looking forward to making new connections and friendships along the way.
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.
Pictured above are Rotarians John Douglass and Sasha DiPietro checking in donors at the Reading DPW garage and below pictured are Rotarian Margaret O'Sullivan and daughter Siobhan checking in the donated gifts and meals.
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.
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.
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.
Pictured above are Rotarians John Douglass and Sasha DiPietro checking in donors at the Reading DPW garage and below pictured are Rotarian Margaret O'Sullivan and daughter Siobhan checking in the donated gifts and meals.