​​Middletown Rotary Club Bulletin - January 2024

Welcome to the latest update from the Middletown Rotary Club! Your questions, comments, and corrections are always valued.  I have added a new "Friends of Rotary" section to this bulletin.  If you are a "Friend," please look for this near the bottom. For detailed information on upcoming meetings, speakers, activities, and events, please visit our club website.

Meeting Schedule Reminder:

We are currently in a three-month trial period, holding meetings on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Wednesday of each month (when applicable). Upcoming dates are: Jan 10, Jan 24, Jan 31, Feb 14, Feb 28, Mar 13 & Mar 27.

Strategic Leadership Planning Session:

On January 24th, Betty Galligan, the assistant governor for District 7950, conducted a "Strategic Leadership Planning" session for our club.  ​​Betty, a longstanding club supporter, highlighted the strengths of the Middletown Rotary Club. Subsequently, Betty guided us to explore additional aspects, including strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Discussions ensued on various ideas raised during the session, with a particular focus on the concern about the continuity of leadership. Under her guidance, we now have a leadership succession plan aimed at strengthening the club in the long term. 

Read more

2024-25 Club Officers:

At the January 31st meeting, we voted on nominations for the 2024-25 club officers. The newly elected board members are as follows:

• Co-Presidents: Angel Gonzalez and Chris Semonelli

• President Elect: Cori Kilzi

• Vice President: Jack Haggis

• Secretary: Cori Kilzi

• Treasurer: Beth Fernandez

• Sergeant at Arms: Pat Burke

Members:

Larry Kraman was officially inducted into the Middletown Rotary Club on January 31st. Learn more about Larry and explore his filmmaking work on our website. We are anticipating additional new members in the coming months, stay tuned on this.

Lois Murray and Deb Bryan have been recognized by the board as honorary members of the Middletown Rotary Club. 

January Service Activities:

Although our Community Coat Drive officially ended on December 6th, we're pleased to share that additional contributions continued to come in. A notable gesture came from member Bob Aldrich, who, in memory of his late son Steven, generously donated a substantial amount of clothing to support those in need. The club donated an additional $180 from the coat drive to Middletown's Healthy Communities Program for family emergency care.

Board News and Club Information:

• Member information updates are ongoing; if you haven't updated your information recently, please contact Janice.

• Anticipated adoption of updated Club by-laws in June.

• Expanding the club’s Friends of Rotary program; details available under "Become a Member" in the “Get Involved” menu area on our website.

• Membership Guidelines have been adopted and soon to be posted on our website.

• Draft version of Speaker Guidelines are under review for potential adoption in the coming months.

• If you are assigned a speaker and need assistance, contact Janice, who maintains a list of interested speakers.

Club Needs for 2024:

• Social Committee Chair and 1 or 2 members: Help plan one or two social events per year.

• Rotary Foundation Chair: Educate the club about the foundation's activities and inspire plans and contributions.

Community Service/Fundraising Plan (Not Finalized):

Check out our plans through June 2024. Some activities/dates may be combined or altered, so stay tuned for updates!

• Feb: Senior Center Gift Certificate Food Drive (Approved)

• March:  Middletown Valley Park Clean-up (Approved)

• March 25th: Senator Jack Reed - Breakfast Talk 

• April 17th: Middletown Senior Center Spaghetti Dinner 

• April: Chamber of Commerce Expo - date TBD)

• April/May: MLK Fundraiser (date TBD- Committee Needed)

• April/May: Bingo Night Fundraiser - date TBD

• April/May/June: Friends of Rotary Get-Together - date TBD

• May 18, 2024: Community Day of Service 

• June: MLK Food Drive - date TBD

Friends of Rotary:

We extend a warm welcome to both new and long-time friends of the Middletown Rotary. As we review our friends program, we invite you to attend our meetings and actively engage in our service and fundraising initiatives. Detailed information about dates and activities is available on our website. If you opt to join us for dinner, the cost, inclusive of tax and tip, is $22.

Kindly contact us in advance of any activity, allowing us to make necessary arrangements for your participation. We eagerly anticipate your presence!

Connect with Us:

Stay updated by visiting our Facebook page: Rotary Club of Middletown, RI.

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in the Middletown Rotary Club!