Home Page | Rotary Club of Bristol

Rotary Winter Gala
Bristol Yacht Club

Dec. 14, 2024
6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Bingo Fundraiser
Saint Elizabeth Parish Hall

Feb. 27, 2025
6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fado Night
The Bristol Sports Club

Sep. 20, 2025
6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Bristol Rotary Gets Its Charter - 1929

Overview of Bristol Rotary

Click here to make a tax deductible donation to Bristol Rotary's Charities Foundation

(a 501(c)(3) Public Charity)

Winter Gala Auction Bid Sheet

Donation Process Steps

Donation Committee Process

Donation Requests

New Member Proposal/Application

Some of Bristol Rotary's Charities

Clippings from Bristol Phoenix & others

New Member Proposal

Dorcas International

Bristol Rotary Constitution & By-Laws

Bristol Rotary Scholarship Application

New Member Proposal Instructions & Form [PDF]

Ts&Cs for District & Global Grants

Comparison of District & Global Grants

District Grant Requirements

District Grant Policy

District Grant Application

Grant Management Slides 7590

RYLA Student Application

Paul Harris Form

Fiscal Year 2024/2025

Click here to find out more about our Winter Gala event.

Welcome to Bristol Rotary!

Rotary is a global community of more than 1.2 million men and women dedicated to building a better world. Founded in 1929, the Rotary Club of Bristol is a fellowship and service organization of over 50 men and women dedicated to the Rotary motto of Service Above Self. Our club has made many large and small contributions to the welfare of this community and to communities throughout the world. Through the Rotary community, you can exchange ideas and build lifelong friendships with like-minded people. If you have a sincere interest in making a positive contribution to your community, we’re interested in meeting you. Email our President or Secretary to learn how you can become a Bristol Rotarian.

We meet the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month at 12:15 P.M. at
The DeWolf Tavern Restaurant

259 Thames Street
Bristol, RI 02809

District Site

Bulletins

Venue Map

“Dinner for 2 - Anywhere in the World,” a Bristol Rotary fundraiser for Bristol Food Banks, raises $29,500

All proceeds from the fundraiser went directly to support our local food pantries - East Bay Food Pantry and Thrift Shop and Friends of St Elizabeth Food Pantry. These food pantries have served individuals and families in need in our community, offering groceries at no cost to community members who require assistance. As Rotary provided funds during Covid, the need continued, as many school lunch programs continue to be affected by budget cuts and more needs arose.

Seeing the continuing and growing need of these outstanding Food Banks, Bristol Rotary created a Sweepstakes, that with the purchase of a $25 ticket, the winner would get a dinner for two anywhere in the world, including flight tickets and lodging at the hotel of their choice. The total value of the prize would be $10,000. Over 1,000 people participated, and on November 17, the winner was selected from a drum containing the names of all the participants.

The winner was Linda Medeiros from Portsmouth, RI who is currently planning her trip which we will share with you when a decision is made. However, the sweepstakes raised $19,500, to which Bristol Rotary donated another $10,000 for a total of $29,500. As seen in the picture below, $14,750 each was presented by Mary Jo Tavares, President of Bristol Rotary (center), to Amy Castro, President of the Friends of St. Elizabeth Food Pantry (left) and Emily Mushen, Executive Director of the East Bay Food Pantry and Thrift Shop (right).

All parties were thrilled with the results and thanks goes to all members of the community and of Bristol Rotary who made this possible.

“Help us Help Others”

Rotary Club of Bristol Announces Winner of “Dinner for 2 – Anywhere in the World” Fundraiser

**Bristol, RI** – November 18, 2024 – The Rotary Club of Bristol, Rhode Island, is thrilled to announce the incredible success of its “Dinner for 2 – Anywhere in the World” fundraiser! The fundraiser, launched in August, offered for $25 a ticket, dinner for 2 anywhere in the world for an upper limit of $10,000. The much-anticipated winner was drawn Sunday, November 17th during a celebratory event at the historic Linden Place in downtown Bristol.

In the presence of community members, representatives from the East Bay Food Pantry, Friends of Saint Elizabeth’s, and Rotarians, the atmosphere was electric as Rotary President Mary Jo Tavares expressed heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of this campaign. Tickets raised $19,500, to which Bristol Rotary matched with $10,000 for a total of $29,500. Proceeds from this fundraiser will directly support the East Bay Food Pantry and Friends of Saint Elizabeth’s, helping to fight food insecurity and provide vital assistance to those in need. Each pantry will be getting $14,750.

“This fundraiser could not have been possible without the dedication and teamwork of so many people,” said Tavares. “From those who purchased tickets to the incredible volunteers who helped spread the word, this was truly a community effort. Together, we’ve made a

difference.”

The winner of the “Dinner for 2 – Anywhere in the World” is **Linda Medeiros from Portsmouth, Rhode Island, who purchased her lucky ticket from Bristol’s own Ryan Fonseca. Congratulations, Linda—get ready for the trip and dining experience of a lifetime!

Bristol Rotary Club was founded in 1929 and is a member of Rotary International which has over 34,000 clubs worldwide with over 1,200,000 members. Each club serves a community like Bristol and generally is made up of many of the businesses and professionals of the town. Bristol Rotary has been donating to the charitable needs of this community every year to over 20 local organizations serving the community. The Club raised funds from many donors and through fundraisers. Last year, the Club distributed over $100,00 to local charities in need, which is why are motto is “Help Us Help others.

Ian McClellan joins Bristol Rotary

Ian McLellan owns Hill House Graphics, in Bristol, RI. After running a commercial printing company for a decade, Ian started and has been running Hill House Graphics to Help Small Businesses and Organizations make a Big Impression with design and production of Commercial Signs, Vehicle Wraps and Graphics for more than 15 years. Ian is supported in all things by his partner, Tina and they have raised two adult children who are currently both in college full time. One at URI majoring in Pharmacy, and one at Rhode Island College with a double major in Business and History. This past January, Tina a career nurse, donated a kidney to Ian and truly gave him the gift of life after he suffered from kidney failure in 2017 and had been on hemodialysis from then until the successful transplant surgery. With this new lease on life Ian knows that future possibilities are boundless. Ian believes that you get out of life in direct proportion to what you give. He brings that philosophy with him to Bristol Rotary. Welcome aboard Ian!

Picture below: Ian - on the left, his sponsor Doug Gablinske – center, and President Mary Jo Tavares - right.

The Autism Project

On September 18, our Speaker was Joanne Quinn, the Executive Director of The Autism Project, who’s primary function is to provide information, education and support to parents, education professionals, and now the workforce on how to successfully engage with individuals with an autism spectrum disorder. Bristol Rotary has been a consistent supporter of The Autism Project as they work to improve the lives of autistic people. Autism now affects 1 in 35 births in this country, with no known cause, and whose impact is accelerating world-wide.

Chuck MacDonough joins Bristol Rotary

On September 18, Charles "Chuck" MacDonough was sworn in as the newest member of our Rotary club. Chuck works at George Mason University - RPRC in Research and Development. He is an active member of the Bristol Fourth of July Committee for over 15 years and served as their past Chair and Vice Chair. He also serves on the Capital Project Commission and is a regular moderator at the polls. He will be an excellent addition to our club and brings many talents, skills and is a "tech guy", whose experience that will enhance our club's efforts. He resides in Bristol. Maria Cesario is his sponsor.

Below: Chuck is on the left; Maria is next to Chuck; and President Mary Jo Tavares is in the foreground.

Bristol Rotary donates a Computer Lab to Franklin Court Independent Living

To assist the residents of Franklin Court Independent living to have access to today’s technology, Bristol Rotary donated funds to purchase two computers and a printer. The residents will be able to contact their family and friends; access their banks, medical portals, social security sites; and explore and enjoy many other things that are now available on-line.

In the picture below, Mary Jo Tavares, President of Bristol Rotary (standing), is attending the opening of the new Computer Lab with resident Genevieve Drummond at Franklin Court Independent Living.

Two new members join Bristol Rotary Club, Vicki Boyle and Jennifer Little

In the picture below, President Mary Jo Tavares is swearing in our two new members. From left to right: Vicki Boyle, Jennifer Little (professional name), and Maria Cesario (Jenn’s Sponsor) and Mary Almeida (Vicki’s sponsor).

Something more about Vicki and Jenn:

Virginia "Vicki" Boyle was the Chair of the Arts and Applied Arts Departments at Mt. Hope High School. She retired after a 40-year teaching career that included New Bedford High School. She was recently appointed Program Director for the Community String Project in Bristol, where she also directs the Adult Guitar Ensembles. Vicki Resides in Bristol.

Jennifer "Jenn Little" Graney Sebolt is a marketing social media professional. She is the owner and digital creator of Jenn Little Media. She is a member of the East Bay Chamber and the Bristol Fourth of July Committee. She resides in Bristol.

Welcome to Bristol Rotary. We are sure they will both make major contributions to our Club’s success.

A Thanks for Bristol Rotary's Support

Bristol Rotary's New President & Board for Fiscal Year 2024/2025

After a year when Bristol Rotary broke new records in donations to local charities and in increasing our membership by 25%, Paul LaFleur steps down and Mary Jo Tavares steps in as the new President for Fiscal Year 2024/2025. Paul volunteered to be President for the past 2 fiscal years, as we were coming out of the difficult Covid slump, and lead the successful return of Bristol Rotary.

In the collage below, at the top, Mary Jo has been inducted as President by Betty Galligan the Assistant District Governor of District# 7950. In the middle picture, the new Board for fiscal Year 2024/2025 is sworn in. Left to right is: Mary Almeida, Cesar DaPonte, Maria Cesario, Cid Rodrigues, Marty Roussel, Sandra Andrade, Mary Jo Tavares (new President), Bruce Cox (future President), Paul LaFleur (past President), and Ken Watkinson.

In the pictures at the bottom, two members receive the prestigious Paul Harris Fellow Award which is awarded in Rotary to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Club. They were awarded by Paul LaFleur to Maria Cesario on the lower left and Marty Roussel on the lower right. Maria for excellent financial management of the funds in the Charities Foundation, and Marty for his consistent outstanding leadership and contributions to Bristol Rotary over the past 41 years.

DECA Team Thanks Bristol Rotary

Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) is a high school and college program for students interested in business, as emerging careers in: marketing, finance, hospitality and management. This year Mt. Hope HS had 41 students compete in the State of RI Competition. Of those, 9 placed first or second in their event which qualified them for the International Career Development Conference (ICDC), which this year was held in Aneheim, CA.

With donations from Bristol Rotary to help them get to California, those 9 competed alongside 23,000 students from all over the world. 6 reached “competency” in their respective events. Competency is a high level of performance in a given event category. The 5 students shown below all reached a level of competency in their chosen events. They came to last week’s Bristol Rotary Meeting, not only thank Rotary for their support, but also to talk about their experience. They were poised, confident and articulate, and demonstrated why they are winners.

Picture below, left to right: Michael Almeida Co-Advisor, Arden Wilkes, Bridget Williams, Sydney Dichiappari, Ella Quesnelle, Olivia Labonte

Rotary Winter Gala
Bristol Yacht Club

Dec. 14, 2024
6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Bingo Fundraiser
Saint Elizabeth Parish Hall

Feb. 27, 2025
6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fado Night
The Bristol Sports Club

Sep. 20, 2025
6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.