Welcome to the Rotary Club of Westerly
Celebrating Sixty-Seven Years  June 28, 1958-2025
 

SERVICE ABOVE SELF

We meet In Person
Mondays at 5:30 p.m.
The Frank Olean Center
93 Airport Road
Westerly, RI 02891
United States of America
Phone:
(401) 315-5868
Email:
ra.russo@cox.net
Please call ahead if visiting. Dinners are ordered by Saturday and delivered just before meeting. Contact Derin at 401.787.5575 or Alan at 401.623.1577.
District Site
Venue Map
Home Page Stories
Mar & April Students of the Month
March Student of the Month is Dylan Tallardy, above with President Alan.  Assistant Principal Cronin introduced this fine young man as a "renaissance man", a leader, a young man who has made the high school a better place.  He served as Class President all four years of his high school career, participated in Theater, Chorus, Symphonic Band, Marching Band, Cross Country, Indoor Track, Lacrosse, Student Council.  Dylan made All State Musician, first in State.  His volunteerism included coordinating blood drive and is an active RI Blood Center donor, assisted incoming Freshmen at Freshman First Night, mentored peers or younger students, assisted with various tasks at Chorus of Westerly and is a singer with that group.  Dylan has earned several awards and is a member of the National Honor Society, latest honor was that he was accepted into a week long vocal academy at Yale University - he was one of 24 accepted from 138 applicants across the country.  Dylan plans to attend University of Rhode Island to major in Theatre.
April Student of the Month is Kailyn Fister, above with President Alan.  Assistant Principal Cronin introduced Kailyn as a young lady who "puts herself out there with a work ethic that is a model for others".  Kailyn is a member of the National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society, has achieved High Honors with Distinction.  Her activities included World Language Club, Varsity Athletes Against Substance Abuse, WHS Dance Team, assisted with incoming freshmen tours, assisted nurses and patients at Westerly Hospital and mentored Dunns Corners Elementary School students, supervised camp activities at St Andrew's Lutheran Church.  Kailyn plans to attend Endicott College with a major in Nursing.
We are always and forever grateful for Nigrelli's Jewelry who provide the beautiful blue and gold plaques to celebrate our students.
 
 
Megan Toscano, Ocean Community YMCA
Megan Toscano, Director of Annual Giving at our Ocean Community YMCA, visited us on 21 April to update our members on the activities going on at the Y.  The Y is made up of the Westerly/Pawcatuck Branch, Arcadia Branch, Camp Wauchaug and Mystic Naik Family Branch and emcompass over 4,000 people.  The branches are all independently run with member dues covering most operation expenses.  It is the Y's policy to "make membership available to all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or financial circumstances without discrimination.  Branches and their programs embrace inclusion, reflecting the composition of the communities they serve."
The doors are always open - "with a commitment to nurturing the potential of kids, promoting healthy living and fostering a sense of social responsibility, the Y ensures that everyone has access to the essentials needed to learn, grow and thrive."
 
For more information, please go to www.oceancommunityymca.org or contact Megan at mtoscano@oceancommunityymca.org.
Lawrence P Hunter, RI Advisory Commission on Historic Cemeteries
President-Elect Suzanne presented the Children's Library Book to Commissioner Larry.  He presented a series of slides from many of Rhode Island's historic cemeteries.  He said, "Rhode Island is one of few states that has a Commission, a unique system for cemeteries with a central database." At their website, click on "database" and insert the last and first names of your deceased person, and you will find not only where they are located but also a picture of the tombstone and possibly an obituary.  There are 3200 known cemeteries throughout RI's 39 cities and towns.  Farm families had their own family plot and most were on their private property.  Field stones were used because they were readily available and carvers not so much.  Over time many of these private family plot have been lost, stones overturned, woodland growth covering up the family plots. 
The Commission sees their task to identify and protect all cemeteries.  "It is our hope to formulate and develop plans and programs to restore, rehabilitate and maintain historical cemeteries and locate sources of funds such as grant and individual or corporate sponsors."
"Volunteers needed to find cemeteries and get GPS readings - some responsibilities include taking pictures of gravestones, document cemeteries, research deeds, clean cemeteries, and adopt a cemetery." The Commission trains volunteers to properly clean and repair damaged gravestones.  For more information, go to https://rihistoriccemeteries.org or call Larry at 860.485.6776
Prospective New Member
Alesia (Lee) Sadosky has attended the last couple of meetings and desires to transfer her membership from Chariho Club to Westerly.  She has recently retired and is devoting much of her time to volunteering.  She is also a URI Master Gardener and AARP/IRS tax preparer.
If anyone has a comment or objection to Lee's membership, please contact President Alan.  Fireside chat was held 1 May at Past President Derin's home.  Induction will take place when Lee returns from her Sierra service project.
Other Notes
Meetings will be in person but spaced appropriately
12 May:    Charisse Duroure - Rebirth of Neighbor Day
17 May:    District "Day of Service" at The Olean Center working inside and outside
19 May:    Ethan Bachand - Boy Scouts
26 May:    Memorial Day Parade - NO meeting
28 May:    Rotary Club of Cranston Tentative Meeting at Grey Sail
2 Jun:       Board meeting, 4:30
7 Jun:       Charitable/Scholarship Dinner -auction items needed!!!!
10 Jun:     WHS Baccalaureate 6pm
19 Jun:     Juneteenth Celebration in Wilcox Park, 11am - 1pm
21 Jun:     Chorus of Westerly Summer Pops in Wilcox Park
22 Jun:     Joe Nigrelli's 100th Birthday Celebration
28 Jun:     Antique Car Club Event at Gen Stanton Inn, 9 to 2
7 Jul:        Board meeting 4:30, followed by dinner meeting 5:30
28 Jul:      Rick & Elin Lawrence - Guatemala Water Project update
 
Steve, John and Bob leading us in The Rotary Welcome Song written by Rotarian Ed Smalley
 
Food Collection Program
Remember those in need and bring canned goods either to meeting or to Avie's Ski/Sport by month's end.   These items will be distributed to The Jonnycake Center of Westerly and the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center.
 
Club Home -   We are meeting at The Frank Olean Center next to Rotary Park, Monday, 5:30pm.  Gina & Angie will send the sandwich/salad menu on or about Wednesday for the next Monday meeting; respond to them at gbrancato@navigantcu.org and aswain@navigantcu.org by Sunday Noon.  If you don't receive a reply within 24 hours, please contact them again.  Please respond whether ordering or not as it will help us to know how many will be attending meeting.
 
Covid Aid Goes On....
18 Mar 2025 marked five years that our Club "had been making food and health item deliveries to area residents who are elderly, infirm, or without transportation.  Although the pace has slowed a bit, the need is still great."  Rona reports that 347 deliveries, as of 30 April, have been made since the program began in 2020. 
 
Wishing Well at McQuade's Marketplace
Latest trip to empty the wishing well on 4/7/25 garnered a total of $995.64, bringing total registered since 2009 $15,100.59.
 
 
Creative Opportunity
Take responsibility for website and newsletter.  Excellent tutorials in Clubrunner. Contact Rose at ra.russo@cox.net or 401.315.5868
 
New Projects
Also in process is the Brick Walk at Rotary Park.  We have partnered with an organization called Bricks R Us.  The committee met 15 January to outline a plan - a brick walk pathway from parking lot to entrance of Children's Garden - about 900 bricks.  Website to purchase:  bricksrus.com/donorsite/rotaryclubofwesterly and brochures and flyers are available from Club members and at member stores.  We hope to have enough sold bricks to complete installation in October.  The flyer is also available on our website - see "Download files".
Reforest the Tropics Program at WMS
Friday, 11 April, Greg Powell, the Executive Director of Reforest the Tropics, brought the program to Westerly Middle School.  The 5th Grade Class was in attendance in the auditorium and they had studied a bit about climate change.  Hands up around the room as Greg and Victor in Costa Rica asked for questions, which included everything from "what was his favorite tree" to "how did he protect himself from wildlife living in the Westerly Middle School Forest".  Victor Martinez is our Forester in Costa Rica and Friday he spoke to the students from the N. E. Biolabs Forest.  He said, "three goals of RTT are efficient carbon capture, income for farmers, and biodiversity with habitat wildlife creation."
Reforest the Tropics at WHS
  
First picture above is Greg Powell greeting Victor our Forester in the WMS Forest in Costa Rica via Zoom.  The second shows a bit of the classroom again with Greg and Teacher Sara Steverman.  Greg is the Executive Director of Reforest the Tropics, succeeding Dr. Herster Barres who founded this organization to effect climate change through the planting of mixed species of trees.  He began the presentation with Victor by showing what once was grazing land for cattle and what it has become since creating a forest that now includes many animal species.  In 2024 about 175 tons of CO2 was stored in the WMS forest.  Special thanks go out to our Dr. Dan Alvino as we learned on Friday that he has donated funds in 2021 to begin a WHS forest.  Most of Friday's class was Spanish spoken and the expression of the day from Victor is Pura Vida (it means Pure Life) but has come to be used like saying "hello", "how are you".  Rotarians attending this event were Janet and Rose.
Bob Elmer Celebrity Bartender
Be There!!!!!!
 
Bob recently visited his brother, Pete, who is President of the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Rotary Club, two towns on the North Shore that borders Lake Michigan north of Chicago.  They were in the process of a preparing a Polio Exhibit at Lake Forest High School which included an Iron Lung exhibit.  Bob is a survivor of polio and lived for a time in an iron lung; thus he agreed to participate in a video that Pete's Club was producing. Below is a picture of the Iron Lung at the exhibit.
Mark your calendar to visit ATY Bar & Bonbons on 13 Water St in Mystic on 17 April and DONATE to END POLIO NOW!!!! 
Bob earned a bit over $500 for Polio Plus!!!  We are so proud!!!!! 
 
 
 
Alison Croke of Wood River Health
President Alan with Alison Croke, President & CEO of Wood River Health a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has provided "compassionate care since 1976 to residents of Washington County RI" as well as Pawcatuck and North Stonington CT.  "They are a full service medical dental and behavioral health care facility offering patient-centered care." 
Earlier this month US Representative Seth Magaziner visited Wood River Health where "he was told that deep cuts proposed to Medicaid by House Republicans would lead to layoffs, reductions in services for patients and more.  The proposed Medicaid cuts in the federal budget would be financially devastating to health centers and many other providers in Rhode Island.  The roughly 82,000 Rhode Islanders eligible for Medicaid through the Expansion provision of the ACA rely on this coverage to give them access to primary medical and dental care, as well as treatment for behavioral health conditions," Alison said.  "This access to preventive care improves health outcomes and prevents spending on more expensive treatment options like emergency department visits and hospital stays.  Under House Republicans' proposed budget plans, more than 300,000 Rhode Islanders on Medicaid could lose access to care, according to Magaziner's office."
Medicaid is jointly financed by Federal and State governments currently and came into being about 1965 to help in the following areas:  Temporary Assistance to Need Families, Children in Substitute Care, Children with special needs, Adults with disabilities.  If the proposed cuts happen, their health care will be at risk.
 
Lois Lawrence, President of ACGOW
President Alan presents children's book from Westerly Library to Lois Lawrence, President of Artists Cooperative Gallery of Westerly.
"Founded by artists Bruce Goodsell, Sandi Gold and Ginger Mitchell in 1992, this artist-owned and operated gallery has grown significantly through the years and currently has more than 50 artist members....ACGOW is committed to supporting and nurturing the visual arts in the greater Westerly/Pawcatuck area through increasing awareness and appreciation for the visual arts, building an arts community through mutual support, cooperation and education and by providing artists with an opportunity to develop exhibit and sell their work."  The gallery is funded through member dues and public contributions.  For more information, go to https://westerlyarts.com.
Peace & Justice
      Peace & Justice Committee of Rotary Club of Westerly     
Our Vision:  We seek to create, locally and globally, a culture of peace in which the inherent worth and dignity of every living being is honored and respected and conflicts are resolved nonviolently.
                                                                                                                             
Our Mission:  To create activities, programs and projects focused on creating a culture of peace as well as working with other community groups and organizations engaged in similar endeavors.
Link to Frank Thacker's Daily Peacemaker:  www.DailyPeacemaker.com - Episode 51 Unity Consciousness
 
Peace Pole dedication 22Oct2018
 
Rotary's Four Roles in Promoting Peace (from www.rotary.org/ourcauses....
Practitioners:  Our work fighting disease, providing clean water and sanitation, improving the health of mothers and children, supporting education, and growing local economies directly builds the optimal conditions for peaceful societies.
Educators:  Our Rotary Peace Centers (seven of them) have trained more than 1,700 peace fellows to become effective catalysts for peace through careers in government, education, and international organizations.
Mediators:  Our members have negotiated humanitarian ceasefires in areas of conflict to allow polio vaccinators to reach children who are at risk.
Advocates:  Our members have an integral role as respected, impartial participants during peace processes and in post-conflict reconstruction.  We focus on creating communities and convening groups that are connected, inclusive and resilient.
 
Rotary Action Group for Peace Memo
"Rotary's history reminds us that peace is not passive - it is built, nurtured, and sustained through intentional action.  Today, as members of the Rotary Action Group for Peace, we continue this mission by:  empowering communities with sustainable peace projects, equipping future leaders through Rotary Peace Fellowships, strengthening Peacebuilder Clubs to amplify local and global impact and using our vocations to create solutions for conflict and inequality."
 
"Peace is not something you wish for; It's something you make, Something you do, Something you are and Something you give away."
Rotary Foundation
Posted on Feb 04, 2025
Your generous contributions to The Rotary Foundation are essential to securing and growing Rotary programs throughout the world. Consider making your Every Rotarian, Every Year contribution of $25, $100 or more as early as possible. If you send your contribution directly to Rotary Foundation, please let Rose know.    For the 13th consecutive year, the Rotary Foundation has received the highest rating - FOUR STARS - from Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of charities in the U.S. - ranked #4 in the top ten best charities list. 
 
The Polio Plus Society of District 7950
Pledge to help Rotary make history by continuing to contribute $100 or more each year until the World Health Organization certifies that polio has been fully eradicated because Until the world is polio-free, every child is at risk.  Society members will received a PolioPlus Society membership pin and certificate.  Your contribution qualifies for Paul Harris Recognition and Major Donor Credit.  To make your tax-deductible donation go to my.rotary.org/donate and click on "Polio Fund".  Payment should be made payable to Rotary Foundation and give to Rose for proper handling.      
 
As of 17 March, 15 members have contributed to either "EREY" and/or "Polio Plus"                                                                                                                              
Read more...
Westerly's Lockbox Program
Posted on Aug 30, 2023
   
The lockbox above was installed on John Street -  it's location must be easy to find and close to the front door for quick access by First Responders.  Happily I was working in my garden last week when two officers stopped by to check on my lockbox.  All was well there.  They told me that they have "rescued" a few lockboxes that were no longer needed so they could be reused at another residence.  How very efficient!!!
 
If you know of someone who is "at risk" and can benefit from having a lockbox installed at their home, please contact the Westerly Police Department or Officer Mills at the non-emergency Phone Number 401.596.2022.  Our lockboxes are provided to residents, as needed, free of charge.  Also, if other groups wish to donate lockboxes to the Westerly Police Department, please purchase them from McQuade's Ace Hardware.  We are being awarded special pricing and have delivered 63 lockboxes to Officer Mills for distribution as of this month.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Rotary strives to create and maintain an experience for members and participants that reflects our fundamental values, empowers people to contribute at their fullest potential, and celebrates people as they are.  Our core values - service, fellowship, diversity, integrity and leadership - align with our commitment to foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment for all.
Greetings

Alan Brinton

member photo
 
 
Club Executives & Directors
President
Alan Brinton
President Elect
Suzanne Lane
Vice President
Jeffrey Wendth
Secretary
Kathryn Taylor
Treasurer
Rosemarie Russo
Immediate Past President
Derin Temel
Rotary Foundation
Bob Elmer
Membership Chair
Derin Temel
Public Image
Rona Mann
Other
Bob Lane
Site Pages
Photo Albums
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays:
  • Alan Brinton
    May 20
  • John Hall
    May 24
  • Jeffrey Wendth
    May 27
Anniversaries:
  • John Hall
    Brigid Rooney-Hall
    May 1
  • Derin Temel
    Elaine Temel
    May 3
  • Cal Lord
    Lori Lord
    May 29
Join Date:
  • Kathryn Taylor
    May 1, 1989
    36 years
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Mailing Address:  Rotary Club of Westerly, PO Box 407, Westerly RI 02891