Category Archives: Membership

Rotary Membership is Climbing

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RI President Ron Burton - Engage Rotarians and Change Lives

RI President Ron Burton Engage Rotarians, Change Lives

Rotary International President Ron Burton has made turning the decline of Worldwide membership a top priority for this year by cleverly emphasizing the need for Rotarian Engagement and it seems to be working as after dropping to a low of under 1.18M members at the end of last year, RI has climbed up over the 1.2M mark once again.

Our 62 Rotary Club Presidents in D7980 have also been working hard to engage their existing Rotarians while adding quality new members to their Clubs and their efforts seem to be paying off as well.

Our March Membership report from Rotary International shows that our membership is growing both in our District (+ 36) and Worldwide (+28,977) since July 1st through March 31, 2014.

Membership report from RI through 3/31/14

Membership report from RI through 3/31/14

Just this past week several of our Clubs added new members.

Quality membership of ample size is the key to having Vibrant Rotary Clubs that allow us to support local community needs and do the projects that we care about around the world.

Rotary Leaders everywhere may have finally been jolted into action by the wake call of dipping below 1.2M members for the first time in over 20 years. Let’s keep it moving in a positive direction. Well Done.

Newtown Rotary Club Celebrates their 75th Anniversary

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The Newtown Rotary Club celebrated their 75th Anniversary on Monday March 24th at the Rock Ridge Country Club with about 100 Rotarians, family members and friends in attendance.

The Bridgeport Rotary Club sponsored the Newtown Club 75 years ago and they had a sizable showing at the event including everyone’s favorite PDG Abe Gordon who presented RI’s certificate of recognition to Club President Tom McKirdy.

PDG Jeff Cadorette came in from Philadelphia and gave an interesting and engaging talk on Rotary, membership,  the importance of understanding what we are all about.

 

All in all a very nice event that honored the rich history of the Newtown Rotary Club.

In Memory of 3 Dedicated Rotarians lost this past week

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Jim, Hugh and Jianny are enduring examples of Service Above Self

These Rotarians are enduring examples of Service Above Self

We are saddened by the news that three of our District 7980 Rotary Clubs (The Stoningtons, Derby-Shelton and Newtown) lost long-time dedicated Rotarians this past week.

Rotary was an integral part in the lives of each of these gentlemen as they truly embodied “Service above Self”, each of them was awarded a Paul Harris Fellow from their Clubs for their outstanding contributions.  In reading about Les, Howie and Paul it is easy to feel that you have known them your entire life, even if you didn’t experience the pleasure of meeting them in person.

Please take a moment out to reflect on the robust, generous lives that each of these three Rotarians have led. 

Les Duncklee - President-elect The Stoningtons Rotary

Les Duncklee – President-elect The Stoningtons Rotary

President-elect Lester “Les” H. Duncklee of the Stoningtons Rotary Club passed away suddenly on March 21, 2014. Les was born in New London, on April 23, 1941 and lived in Colchester.

Les just attended NE PETS at the beginning of the month and was looking forward to becoming Club President. He joined Rotary in 1990 and is a Paul Harris Fellow.

Calling hours will be from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 27, at the Mystic Funeral Home, Route 1, 51 Williams Ave., Mystic. Donations may be made to the Foundation of the Rotary Club of Stonington, 32 Water St., Stonington, CT 06378.

Les’s full Obituary can be read by clicking here

Howard Russell - Derby-Shelton Rotarian since 1954

Howard Russell – Derby-Shelton Rotarian since 1954

We lost Howard ‘Howie’ Russell, age 86, of the Derby-Shelton Rotary Club on March 15, 2014.

Howie joined Rotary in 1954 and is a Paul Harris Fellow.

His family requests that memorial contributions may be made to Rotary Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 224, Shelton CT 06484.

Howie’s full full Obituary can be read by by clicking here 

 

 

Paul Lux - Past President Newtown Rotary

Paul Lux – Past President Newtown Rotary

Paul Stephen Lux, 64, of The Newtown Rotary Club, passed away Tuesday evening, March 18, 2014, He was born January 18, 1950.

Paul was past president of the Newtown Rotary Club in 2005-06, a member of the Newtown Rotary Foundation Board of Directors and he was a Paul Harris Recipient.

A memorial service will take place April 26.

Additional information on Paul can be read by clicking here

 

D7980 Rotary Clubs add 11 new members in 2 weeks

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March is shaping up to be a busy membership induction month in our District as at least 6 Clubs have inducted (11) new members in the past 2 weeks.

The Membership Induction Trail

The Membership Induction Trail

Trumbull Rotary inducted (2) new members, Newtown Rotary inducted (2) last Monday, Bridgeport Rotary inducted (4) last Tuesday, Old Saybrook Rotary  inducted (1) on Wednesday while both New London Rotary and Madison Rotary inducted (1) each on Thursday.

We just received our February Membership Report from Rotary International which shows us up 28 members year to date (since July 1, 2013). Add to it these 11 and that puts us up +37 since July 1, 2013.

Branford Rotary awards (2) Paul Harris+1 and inducts a new member

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It was a busy morning at the Branford Rotary Club today as they awarded Rich Shanahan & Tricia Bohan Paul Harris +1 recognitions for their generous support of The Rotary Foundation and inducted Joe Criscuola as the newest member of their Club.

The Branford Rotary Club generously supports the Rotary Foundation as the strive to be an EREY (Every Rotarian Every Year) Club. They proudly display their honored Paul Harris Recipients on (2) banners during their meeting. The Club recently was a District Managed Grant for their support of the Playground in Stony Creek.

Congratulations to Rich, Tricia and Joe on being honored and welcomed.

Derby-Shelton Rotary inducts 3 new members (9 for the year)

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The Derby-Shelton Rotary Club has made membership one of their top priorities this year as they inducted their 9th new member of the 2013-14 year this past Thursday.

The Club welcomed 3 new members.  Dave Jones, Fred Serra and George Howe bookended by DG Rick Bassett and President Bill Miller.

Bill Miller presented a check to Shaye Roscoe and the Boys & Girls Club to support the Teen Center at the Club for the next three months.

Jay Carlucci from the Dew Drop Inn stopped by to get his award for the best wings at last year’s wildly successful Hoptoberfest. His wings were the best, and he was incredibly supportive in making the whole thing work.