Club Events
October 2024
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Bristol Rotary Club & Charities Foundation
Help Us Help Others
    
 
Fiscal Year 2024/2025
Dinner for 2
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

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.
 
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.
 
 
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.
 
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.
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
 
Every year Bristol Rotary makes several donations to local and other charities from the funds it raises for that purpose throughout the year - from fundraisers and donors. In the picture below, Joanne Quinn, Executive Director of The Autism Project (TAP), sends a thank you for Bristol Rotary’s donation, which for the second year in a row, was the largest donation received for TAP’s annual “Imagine Walk.”  In addition, donations went out this week to Women’s Resource Center, Rogers Free Library, Community String Project, Linden Place, East Bay Food Pantry, St Elizabeth’s Food Pantry, The Tomorrow Fund, Christian Community Bible Church (supporting a Haitian Orphanage), Bristol Country Chorus (supporting the Joan Roth Scholarship Fund), RI Veterans Home, EB Community Dev. Corp (to go towards their eventual purchase of a van for seniors living in the Franklin Court facilities). Several others will be added in May.
 
Also, every year Bristol Rotary provides financial grants to high school students, who apply for funds to help them move to the next educational level that fits their goals. Lastly, the Club sends funds to the Rotary Foundation for the organization’s international projects: this year, Polio Plus and Disaster Response. By fiscal year end, June 30th, Bristol Rotary will have donated over $100,000.  Almost half that sum was given out as individual donations during the year, as timing factors affected the need. “Thank you to local friends, supporters, and donors who, ‘help us help others.’”
 
Johnathan Birs was a Bristol Rotarian from 1995 to 1997 until he moved out of the area. With his company office now in the Bell Tower Plaza, practically walking distance to DeWolf’s, he has come back to us.  John is President and owner of Capital City Financial Corporation and the sister company Bristol County Consultants. The former company is becoming the premiere Mortgage broker in Rhode Island, while the latter company provides strategic tax planning and preparation of tax returns for both personal and corporate clients, currently numbering over 800.
 
John Birs has been a Mortgage Consultant since 1994. He is a 1983 graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics. John is a member of the Rhode Island Mortgage Bankers Association, served as President of the Board of Directors for the East Providence Chamber of Commerce, is a member of the Blithewold, Garden & Arboretum’s Board of Directors, and a member of its Finance Committee.
 
John has been happily married for over 26 years and has two beautiful daughters.
 
John, we’re delighted to have you back!
 
At the East Bay Food Pantry and Thrift Shop (EBFP), the Food4Kids (F4K) began as a program to supplement meals for families with school-age children when schools are not in session (weekends, vacations, holidays). There was a significant increase in the use of the program following the expiration of COVID-era SNAP benefits in March 2023 (which came after the end of free school meals for all, in Spring 2022). The number of visits has remained high throughout 2023 (650 kids) and higher into 2024 (450 kids, so far through March). They receive shelf-stable items, and they also can pick up milk, eggs, yogurt, cheese, and fresh fruit to help keep their kids nourished and healthy.
 
Inflation over the past couple years, coupled with increases in visits to EBFP and F4K, has resulted in a significant increase in cost to run these programs – currently F4K program costs $2,900 per month. The Food4Kids budget has more than doubled since 2021, making reliable support even more crucial to ensure that this essential program continues. “Bristol Rotary is such a valued partner in our community. We are grateful for your consistent support”, said Emily Mushen, Executive Director of EBFP, speaking at the Rotary Meeting on April 17.
Club Events
 

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Club Officers & Directors
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
Bruce H. Cox
 
Vice-President & Director
Mary Jo Fidalgo-Tavares
(President Bristol Rotary 2024/2025)
 
Secretary & Director
Jacques de Labry
 
Treasurer & Director
Maria Cesario
 
Director
Scott Pickering
 
Director         
Paul LaFleur
 
Director
Michelle Hughes
Board Meeting Reports - Club and BRCF
Committee Reports