Bristol Rotary, Inc., Post Office Box 469, Bristol, RI 02809

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
 
 

 
Stories
In 1985, Bristol Rotary established a Bristol Rotary Scholarship Fund at Roger Williams University (RWU). Its objective is to provide financial assistance to any student from Bristol attending the University, and also, to be made available to any high school student who is a resident of Bristol needing financial aid to attend RWU. As we come to the end of this academic year at RWU, we are proud to mark the 40th year anniversary of the existence of this scholarship fund.
 
The University makes distributions from the Fund in accordance to a spending policy adopted by its Board of Trustees. The award rate provides for the university to allocate approximately 80% of the annual interest for the grantees and reinvest 20% for future growth.
 
Below, Amy Berkeley, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at RWU, hosts representatives of Bristol Rotary highlighting not only the 40-year Anniversary, but also for a donation of $10,000 this year to the fund.
 
Bristol Rotary also provides financial support annually to Bristol high school level students to assist them to move to their next level of education. In addition, as a result of fundraisers and individual donations, Bristol Rotary’s Charities Foundation, a public charity & 501(c)(3 ), has donated this fiscal year to over 30 charities and schools in the community.
 
In the picture below, left to right, in front of the statue of Roger Williams: Jason Regan – RWU Leadership Advancement Officer, Amy Berkeley - VP Institutional Advancement,  Mary Jo Tavares - President of Bristol Rotary, Maria Cesario – Treasurer of Bristol Rotary’s Charites Foundation (BRCF) and also an Alumna of RWU, and Jacques de Labry – President of BRCF.
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As has been traditional for the past 96 years, Bristol Rotary passes the responsibility for running the Club to another member, an experienced Rotarian, to assume the responsibility to lead the Club for the next fiscal year. The Rotary motto of “Service above Self’ is exemplified by the new presidents taking time from their “day job,” to lead (in Bristol Rotary’s case) 60 people to the contribute their time and funds to supporting the community.
At the lunch meeting on June 18, Mary Jo Fidalgo Tavares finished her year as president (July 2024 to June 2025), with a record year of giving, over $108,000 to over 30 local and international charities.  Bruce Cox, the in-coming president, has been 36 years with Rotary, and was one of the founders of the Charities Foundation which is Bristol Rotary’s tax-deductible public charity (501c3), and its president for the past 11 years. He comes to the president’s role with a wealth of experience in charitable giving and raising funds for the Foundation with the entreaty of “Help us help Others.” 
 
At the meeting on June 18th, not only was the torch passed from Mary Jo to Bruce (see above) but also several awards were given, and the Board members and Club Officers were sworn in. In the second row of pictures, Ken and Mary Watkinson each received a Paul Harris Fellow Award which is named after Rotary’s Founder. The Paul Harris Award in Rotary is given for outstanding contributions to the charitable mission of Bristol Rotary.  In the case of Ken and Mary, they have tirelessly worked to collect and make food, clothing and hygiene bags available for the homeless, and for school programs that assist needy students. In addition, with Rotary’s assistance they have raised funds, donated medical equipment, clothing, blankets and other life supporting goods to church groups that are helping orphanages and schools in Haiti and Ukraine. Recently, they solicited an ambulance to be sent to Ukraine to help with their medical needs.
 
Next to them, is Jessica Williams also receiving a Paul Harris Award. Although not a member of Rotary, she has been the lead School-based Community Health Worker in Bristol’s Health Equity Zone. She supervises two community Health Rooms at Kickamuit and Mt. Hope High School that have been set aside for her services. These services are available to students or adults who have financial needs, psychological problems or home issues. They are also provided lunches, clothing, food for those with food insecurities at home, health products, and much more. The number of students served in the last year was over 3,000.  With Budget cuts this year, Bristol Rotary will continue to help this desperately needed activity.
 
Maria Cesario, Treasurer of the Charities Foundation was awarded "Rotarian of the Year" for her outstanding financial management of all fundraisers, donations, board updates and May Giving. She’s the engine behind our charitable activities.
 
And finally, the Board Directors and Officers for 2025/2026 being sworn in below by Paul LaFleur, the Assistant District Governor, are: Mary Almeida, Mary Moreira, Doug Gablinske, Johnathan Birs, Ken Watkinson, Paul LaFleur, Cid Rodrigues (Treasurer of the Club), Angela Cabral (Secretary), Mary Jo Tavares (Past President), Bruce Cox (President), Maria Cesario (Treasurer of the Charities Foundation), and Jacques de Labry (Vice President and President of the Charities Foundation). Not Shown is Cesar DaPonte.
Since its establishment in 1929, the Bristol Rotary Club's mission has been to support the charitable needs of the local community. In 2014, in order to increase its ability to provide financial support to serve the many local charitable projects, the Club created the Bristol Rotary’s Charities Foundation which was given a “public charity (501(c)(3)” designation from the IRS. That approval allowed the Club to give tax deductions for any donations and fundraisers which subsequently increased funds available and its scope of giving. Every year the amount of donations made grew. 2025 became a record year when the Rotary Club of Bristol was able to donate over $107,000 to more than 30 local charities and to some international projects of those local charities.
 
Some highlights of Rotary’s special fiscal year (7/2024 to 6/2025) are: The Bristol Rotary became the top donor to The Autism Project’s annual Imagine Walk fundraiser for families affected by autism spectrum disorders by donating $15,000 to the Walk. In the summer and Fall, Rotary ran a “Dinner for 2 Anywhere in the World” trip contest that raised $28,000. Its proceeds were designated to support organizations combating food insecurities, and was evenly split between East Bay Food Pantry & Thrift Shop and Friends of St. Elizabeth’s Food Pantry. Upon return, the winner of the trip was quoted as saying, “The trip was wonderful! It was a trip I will never forget!”   
 
 In the Spring, funds were raised to provide over $16,000 in financial support for students graduating from high school and for the Bristol Rotary Scholarship Fund at Roger Williams University. Coincidently, 2025 is the 40th year anniversary of the Fund at Roger Williams.
 
During the recent 250th Anniversary of the Battle of Bristol in 1775, Bristol Rotary was pleased to fund 3,000 tickets for all students in the Bristol Warren Regional School District to tour the tall ship in the historical reenactment, docked at the Herreshoff Museum.
 
In addition, some samples of other organizations among the 30 receiving donations are: The Women’s Resource Center, the DECA Team at Mount Hope High School, Multitude Ministries for the homeless, Friends of Bristol Animal Shelter, Parents as Teachers (Looking Upwards), Food Gift cards at Thanksgiving and Christmas for Benjamin Church Senior Center and Franklin Court Independent Living, HEZ Student Needs Projects at Kickemuit and Mt. Hope schools, Bristol/Warren Village supporting seniors with home care, and, through local charities, orphanages in the Azores and Haiti, and many more.
 
Over the years and through major impacts to our community, such as Covid, Bristol Rotary has evolved from a hands-on field organization, running an occasional food drive, to one that provides financial donations to organizations that have the special or unique expertise to help the people they support. Rotary’s membership is comprised of business leaders and local professionals who donate their personal time and sometimes their money to the Club’s charitable objectives.  Internally, the membership’s motto is “Service Above Self” or, contribute to the community of yourself in addition to what your job contributes. Bristol Rotary volunteer members are self-motivated, unpaid and have supported the community in Bristol now for 96 years. The motto for Bristol Rotary’s charitable objectives is “Help us Help Others.” As the previous information has attempted to show, tax deductible donations to its Foundation and fundraisers have helped Bristol Rotary to highlight and provide financial support to the needs of many more local charities and projects.
 
To Help us Help Others, please visit the Bristol Rotary website at “bristolrotaryclub.com.” An application to request a charitable donation from Bristol Rotary can also be found on the website.
Last weekend, Bristol was attacked by the British in the 250-year anniversary and reenactment of the Battle of Bristol. Even though the Tall Ship was American and not British, they flew the British colors as one of the reenactors. Then it docked at the Herreshoff Museum dock as a historical relic to be toured by the public. Bristol Rotary sponsored the tour of the Tall Ship free of charge for all students in the Bristol Warren Regional School District.  Over 3,000 tickets were distributed in the schools at all levels. The weekend was a success thanks to the Bristol Historical and Preservation Society and the tour of the Tall Ship was well attended.
 
Below, Officer Rachel stands guard by the entrance to the dock, and when asked nicely, was kind enough to move her Police cruiser from blocking our banner.  Thank you, Bristol Police Department as well. Here’s to another 250 years!
At our May 7 Lunch meeting, two outstanding individuals became the newest members of Bristol Rotary: Lynette-Marie Lacerda (below, far left) and Jason Regan (far right), Center: is President, Mary Jo Tavares & Sponsor, Jacques de Labry.
 
Lynette-Marie is a real estate agent for Revolv Real Estate in Somerset, and prior to that, she had an impressive career. She is fluent in Spanish, and resides in Bristol. 
 
Jason Regan is a young higher education professional working in development for his alma mater, Roger Williams University, with a primary focus on community engagement, alumni fundraising, and professional pipeline cultivation. 
 
We are looking forward to having their backgrounds and motivation add new skills to the support for our many charitable activities.  Welcome aboard, Jason and Lynette-Marie
 
“Help us Help Others”
On Sunday, April 27, The Imagine Walk – for Autism was held at Goddard Memorial Park where several thousand participants filled the park. The Autism Project conducts the annual fundraiser to help families with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The rate of children diagnosed with ASD has increased alarmingly (per the CDC) from 1 in 68 in 2015 to 1 in 36 today. For parents of a child on the spectrum, it is a life time commitment of caring and support that extends even beyond the parent’s life time.  The Autism Project has been a local leader in helping families with ASD deal with a host of difficult and often unique challenges of children on the spectrum.
 
Bristol Rotary has been a supporter of The Autism Project (TAP) since 2015, when they teamed up with TAP to raise over $70,000 to create an East Bay Support Center. The Center was established to help what was estimated to be over 2000 families affected by ASD in the East Bay - out of an estimated 10,000 families in Rhode Island. With the arrival of Covid, the money for the Support Center was used to develop online lectures, interactive family sessions and subject specific videos that have been used to provide assistance, not only to the East Bay, but also nationwide and internationally.
 
For the second year in a row, Bristol Rotary has been proud to be the top donor to the Imagine Walk fundraiser.  Please donate at theautismproject.org or to bristolrotary.com (Help us Help others).
 
Below, L-R: Maria Cesario, Treasurer of Bristol Rotary’s Charities Foundation (BRCF), Joanne Quinn, Executive Director of The Autism Project (TAP), Jonathan Roderick, Board Chair TAP, and Bruce Cox, President of BRCF.
When a hard charging organization like Bristol Rotary has just one banner left, originally sewn by Betsy Ross, it’s time for action! That action came from our new Rotarian, Ian McLellan, President and Owner of Hill House Graphics, LLC. In the picture below, Ian (right) and his colleague Danny Liew are displaying some of the banners he has donated to Bristol Rotary.
 
The banners are made of indestructible materials that vary from tent cloth to vinyl to a hardwood structure that can stand on its own. Only a few are shown.
We thank Ian for creating these banners for any occasion, most of which will be fundraisers or recognition events even yet this fiscal year.
 
Thanks again, Ian!
What makes this event so special is that Paul was a past President of the Bristol Rotary Club in 2000/2001, and has decided to rejoin the Club while having previously spent 20 years as a Rotarian. And, the ties are deeper. Bruce Cox, our President-elect for the next fiscal year, was his sponsor when Paul first joined Rotary in 1992.
Paul is currently retired, but prior to his retirement, he was President and Owner of Diversified Capital Corp in Barrington for 20 years. Prior, from 1978 to 1981, he was Chief Operating Officer of UVEX Winter Optical in Smithfield, RI.
Paul was born in Toronto, Canada and has been in Rhode Island for 47 years. He is married and has 3 children.  Welcome back, Paul!
In the picture, Paul Prindiville (center) is being inducted into Bristol Rotary on April 2 by Mary Jo Tavares, President of the Club (right), while his sponsor, Doug Gablinske is on the left
In the promotional ad for the Autism Imagine Walk of 2025, Bristol Rotary is the top donor for the second year in a row (see below). This fundraiser is The Autism Project’s (TAP) largest fundraiser event of the year, and all of the funds raised go directly to activities to support families dealing with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).  Bristol Rotary has been a donor to this worthy organization since 2015 when we raised over $70,000 to create an East Bay Support Center, to help over 2,000 families with ASD in the East Bay. Since then, Bristol Rotary has been a consistent supporter of this very necessary organization. The sponsors page below reflects that Bristol Rotary is currently the top donor with a contribution $15,000 to sponsor the Imagine Walk at Goddard Memorial Park on April 27.   This page, part of TAP’s promotion for the fundraiser, will go out every day until April 27, and we will also be part of all the other advertising as well as a formal thank you at the Park at the beginning of the Walk.
Last year, Bristol Rotary donated to a project at the School of Architecture at Roger Williams University to design and build a new gatehouse for the Bristol beach. In the March 7th 2024 issue of the Bristol Phoenix, Paul LaFleur, then president, was pictured with the team, awarding them a grant from Bristol Rotary. This was an exceptional team, as shown below, having won a national award, the Freedom by Design Award from the American Institute of Architectural Students. The project won the award over all schools in the Ivy League and schools across the country. As expressed by the project manager, Domonic Cavello, "...this is a point of pride for the town of Bristol in that they invested in something that is getting national praise."
 
 
 
Pictured above L - R: Evan Rodrigues, Matthew MacDougall, Adriana Botelho, Isabella Brando, Lauren Pattie, Madeleine St. Pierre, Gavin Reed, Preston Brodd, Jacob Betres, John Thompson, Anderson Charest, Logan Dubois, Lola Silva, Benjamin Peters, Co-Advisor Michael Almeida (not pictured, Co-Advisor Maureen Gauthier). Center with yellow badges Mary Jo Tavares and Cid Rodrigues, President and Treasurer of Bristol Rotary.
 
The Mt. Hope High School DECA club once again finds itself in the enviable position of having thirteen (13) students qualify for international competition! To update you, this year we had a record setting 61 students compete at the RI DECA Career Development Conference, that is up from 41 last year and 26 the year before. We are extremely happy to say the DECA organization is growing by leaps and bounds!  Of those that competed, 19 placed in the top three of their events, with 13 students earning an invitation to compete this April at the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Orlando, Florida with over 20,000 U.S. and international students. Of the 13 students who qualified, all will be representing Mt. Hope and RI DECA by competing in either a written paper / presentation event, or an individual / team role-play as well as take a national exam. This is an incredible achievement and the students have worked very hard to attain their goals.
Bristol Rotary donated $4,000 to assist with the students’ expenses in getting to the competition. DECA stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America.
In picture above, Michelle (center) is being inducted by President Mary Jo Tavares (right) and her sponsor is Sandra Andrade (left).
 
We were very pleased to have Michelle Myers join the Bristol Rotary Club on February 19, 2025. Michelle has a doctorate in Organizational Leadership, an MBA, and a BA in US History.  She has spent the last 26 years working in education, primarily higher education.  Currently, she is a tenured professor at Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) and has taught management, organizational behavior, leadership and other business classes for the college since 2008.  Michelle started her career in higher education in the traditional “bricks and mortar” classroom but has taught her classes completely online since 2013 which allows her the flexibility to work from anywhere.  She hopes to retire in the next 3-5 years and will have more time for herself, her family, and the community. 
 
From August to November, Bristol Rotary ran a sweepstakes to raise money for food pantries in Bristol. These food pantries are suffering from an increase demand because of the increase in food prices and budget cuts in some school lunch programs. Emily Mushen, Executive Director of the East Bay Food Pantry (EBFP), reported a 30% increase in visits for food in 2024 over 2023. As a repeat donor to two pantries in Bristol, the EBFP and Friends of St Elizabeth’s Food Pantry, Bristol Rotary created a sweepstakes fundraiser to address this surge in demand, “Dinner for 2 – Anywhere in the world.”
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(s) 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. Linda and her husband Eddy are seen in the picture below. The preliminary itinerary they have chosen, are visits to three Italian cities: Venice, Naples and Florence. They also plan to include their daughter, Kayla, on what is turning out to be a family vacation in Italy.
 
In total, the sweepstakes raised approximately $20,000, to which Bristol Rotary donated another $10,000, for a total of almost $30,000. At a recent Bristol Rotary Meeting, Mary Jo Tavares, President of Bristol Rotary, presented checks for approximately $15,000 each to Amy Castro, President of the Friends of St. Elizabeth Food Pantry and Emily Mushen, Executive Director of the East Bay Food Pantry and Thrift Shop.
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”
 
**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 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.

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.

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.
 
Club Events
 

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Club Officers & Directors
President
Treasurer
Secretary
Immediate Past President
Vice President - BRCF President
Director & BRCF Treasurer
Director
Director
Director
Director
BRCF (501(c)(3)) Officers and Directors
President & Chairman
Jacques O. de Labry
 
Vice-President & Director
Bruce H. Cox
(President Bristol Rotary Club 2025/2026)
 
Treasurer & Director
Maria Cesario
 
Director
Mary Jo Fidalgo Tovares
 
Director
John Pilitsis
 
Director         
Paul LaFleur
 
Director
Michelle Hughes
Board Meeting Reports - Club and BRCF
Committee Reports