Tag Archives: Fairfield Rotary

Dwight ‘Doc’ Gooden speaks at Fairfield Rotary’s 11th Celebrity Luncheon

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Dwight ‘Doc’ Gooden spoke at the Fairfield Rotary Club Celebrity Luncheon today in front of a crowd of over several hundred people. It was an open engagaing Q&A talk with no punches held where ‘Doc’ discussed his baseball career and his battles with rehab.

 

Gooden is a four-time MLB All-Star, and three-time World Series champion. He won the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award in 1984, as he led the league in strikeouts, and won then the NL Cy Young Award and a Triple Crown in 1985. While a member of the Yankees, Gooden threw a no-hitter in 1996 the day before his father passed away.

Gooden retired in 2001 after he was cut by the Yankees in spring training, ending his career with a record of 194–112.  After retiring, Gooden was repeatedly arrested for drug and alcohol-related offenses. He served seven months in prison in 2006 for violating his probation by using cocaine.

On August 1, 2010, ‘Doc’ was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame along with Darryl Strawberry, Frank Cashen, and Davey Johnson.  In  2011 he was part of the of the reality show, Celebrity Rehab. with Dr. Drew. Gooden told the crowd that he has been clean and sober since 2011.

Chris Johnson to become District Governor 2016-17

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DGND Chris Johnson

DGND Chris Johnson

I am happy to report that the District 7980 Nominating Committee has nominated Christopher “Chris” Johnson of the Fairfield Rotary Club to be District Governor in 2016-17.

The nomination challenge period expired at 11:59pm on 3-2-2014 and not a single objection was made; thus confirming this nomination.

DG PinChristopher “Chris” Johnson joined the LoDo Club in Denver, Colorado in 2003, and has been a member of the Fairfield Club since 2007 where he served as (2010-2011) President.  He has been Assistant Governor, Area 4 for District 7980 (2011-2014) where he also serves as World Peace Scholars chair.  Working together with Fairfield Rotary and Stonetown Zanzibar clubs, he oversaw a water project in Zanzibar, Tanzania, and has been involved with VTT and Global Grant projects in South Africa and India.  As the child of a Foreign Service officer and having lived in 5 countries before graduating high school, Johnson began working in field of International Education 1990, and has worked in study abroad, international student services and international admissions.  He has been a member of the NAFSA: Association of International Educators Trainer Corps and held regional leadership roles within the organization.  He has held leadership positions in the field of International Education at private, regional and urban public institutions and currently serves as the Chief International Officer for Fairfield University where he oversees a team that sends more than 600 students abroad to 30 countries and recruits nearly 200 international students from 45 countries to study at Fairfield.

DG Training ProgressionChris will join the Governor Track Team immediately with the title of District Governor Nominee Designee (DGND) as he begins his DG training. The Governor Track Team consists of Mukund Nori (DGE), Gerry Tom (DGN) and now Chris Johnson (DGND).

Feel free to congratulate Chris by sending him a message via email

Fairfield Rotary: 5% of Whole Foods sales today go to Bridgeport Rescue Mission

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Whole Foods, BRM Staff and Rotarians
Try to visit Whole Foods in Fairfield today if possible
Dennis Wong came by to support the effort
Whole Foods, BRM Staff and Rotarians

The Fairfield Rotary Club has arranged for 5% of the sales made today (01-15-2014) at their Fairfield Whole Foods store on Grasmere Ave in Fairfield Connecticut to go to one of their favorite charities; The Bridgeport Rescue Mission (BRM).

Many local residents, as well as the Fairfield Rotary Club, the Bridgeport Rotary Club and the Trumbull Rotary Club  actively support the Bridgeport Rescue Mission. The local involvement of the area Rotary Clubs and many the passionate comments in support of the Rescue Mission inspired Whole Foods to select the non-profit as this year’s first Five Percent Day recipient.

Five Percent Days are part of Whole Foods Market’s commitment to support environmental and educational causes in their community.  Four times per year, each store identifies local organizations that align with Whole Foods Market’s commitment, and that make a real community impact.   Often, these days raise $2,500 or more for participating organizations.

Bridgeport Rescue Mission

Bridgeport Rescue Mission

BRM’s food outreach program includes mobile kitchens that visit impoverished neighborhoods in Bridgeport and South Norwalk; pantry box deliveries to families struggling to make ends meet and a Thanksgiving drive that donates thousands of food boxes and coats to families in low-income areas.

“At this time of the year with many extra people coming in from the cold for hot meals and having to buy more fuel oil to keep our facilities warm in frigid temperatures, a program like Whole Foods Five Percent Day is a tremendous help to Bridgeport Rescue Mission and the people in our care,” said BRM’s Executive Director Terry Wilcox (Bridgeport Rotarian).

Please come out and support a cause that many of our fellow Rotarians care deeply about today.

The 26th Annual Norman K. Parsells Award Luncheon

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The Fairfield Rotary Club hosted the 26th Annual Norman K. Parsells Award Luncheon today at the Gaelic-American Club.

The Norman K. Parsells Award,  is presented annually to honor the memory and spirit of Norm Parsells.  He was a dedicated Rotarian who served his community and Rotary, demonstrating Rotary’s ideal of “Service Above Self”. The recipients of the Award are being recognized as Rotarians who personifies the same spirit and dedication to their community and Rotary that Norm represented during his lifetime.

Because of their outstanding service to their Rotary Clubs, their communities and to Rotary International, the 2013 recipients of the Norman King Parsells Award are:

Norm was an attorney, a majority leader in the House of Representative and a very active member of his community.

Areas four and five of District 7980 honor the memory and spirit of Norm Parsells, a dedicated Rotarian who served his community well. Norm’s dedicated service to the community demonstrated Rotary’s ideal of “service above self”.

There 10 Rotary Clubs in Areas four and five are: Milford, Devon, Stratford, Bridgeport, Black Rock, Fairfield, Orange, Derby-Shelton, Monroe and Trumbull.

Although Fairfield was his “home” club, he visited and worked with other clubs where many lasting friendships have been made. It is, then, quite fitting that each club in these areas join to honor him by issuing the Norman King Parsells Award.

Read more about Norm Parsells and the previous recipients:  Norm Parsells Luncheon Program

Congratulations to these outstanding Rotarians!!

Here are many photos from today’s luncheon

Black Rock Rotary and Fairfield Rotary Spin to Feed the Hungry

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The Black Rock and The Fairfield Rotary Clubs teamed up last night at ZenRide for event called ‘Spin to Win 2013’ that was designed to benefit The Connecticut Basket Brigade.

The Connecticut Basket Brigade (see flyer) is part of the larger organization known as The Basket Brigade which was founded by self-help author and success coach Tony Robbins, The Basket Brigade is built on a simple notion: one small act of generosity on the part of one caring person can transform the lives of hundreds. It takes only one light to dispel the darkness and even just one basket or a few, to bring hope. A Basket Brigade takes place when one individual prepares one basket to personally deliver to a needy family or individual.

Dozens of participants cycled for 45 minutes and provided a minimum donation of $30 each as a simple donation of $30 can feed one whole family.

Couldn’t make it and want to donate $30? Then contact Fairfield Rotarian Oscar Recalde at baskets@orecalde.com