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Bristol Rotary Club & Charities Foundation
Help Us Help Others
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Annual Gala – A Night at the Vineyard
"Help Us Help Others"


You are cordially invited to Bristol Rotary Club's biggest fundraiser of the year on September 12, 2026 at the Bristol Yacht Club, 101 Poppasquash Rd, Bristol, RI – from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
 
 
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
 
 

 
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Bristol Rotary Fundraiser in 2025 - Dinner for 2 - Anywhere in the World
 
 
The Return of the Winners
Last fall, for the second year in a row, we ran the “Dinner for 2 - Anywhere in the World” fundraiser. For the price of $25 a ticket, at a drawing in November, the winner could win a trip for 2 sponsored and funded by Bristol Rotary for the cost of $10,000. The proceeds of the fundraiser went to two local charities: $10,000 went to the Women’s Resource Center, and $10,000 to the School-Based Family Services of HEZ.
 
The winners of the drawing and the trip were Susan and James Thompson of North Dartmouth. They just returned this week and reported to Wendy Silva from Atlanivacations, who organized the trip: “ They told me that their trip to Ireland truly exceeded their expectations and that we did an amazing job putting everything together for them. They couldn't stop talking about how beautiful the country was, how welcoming everyone was, and how seamless the entire experience was.”
Below - The Thompsons playing golf at the Adare Castle.
 
And now, in the Thompson’s words:
“We started our European trip by spending three fabulous nights in Galway. We stayed at The House Hotel which was centrally located to the festivities of the Latin Quarter and Eyre Square where we enjoyed Irish pubs with a good Guiness, of course, as well as the Irish culture. The citizens of Ireland were so welcoming and great fun. We then went on to Limerick, Ireland, to the spectacular Adare Manor castle. Our room overlooked the absolutely beautiful grounds and golf course where the 2027 Ryder Cup will be held. We experienced eighteen rounds of golf with our own individual caddy-a round of golf we will never forget! Our trip ended with our Michelin dinner for two at the Oak Room Restaurant at Adare Manor which included five-star dining at its finest. We were so fortunate to experience Ireland and had a fantastic trip!”
 
I think the Club should do another Dinner for 2 soon since it seems to produce 3 winners every time: two charities benefit and a couple gets to go to a fabulous location. We especially thank Wendy Silva from Atlantivacations for organizing these terrific vacations.
Stephen Lake Joins Bristol Rotary
Steve, Vice Chair of Coggeshall Farms and co-owner of the Coffee Depot in Warren, is inducted into Bristol Rotary by Johnathan Birs, President of Bristol Rotary (below).
Steve was born and raised in Virginia; graduated from Emory & Henry College, Emory VA. After leaving the Army in 1992 as a captain, he moved to Guatemala, worked in Guatemala and traveled throughout Mexico and Central America. Steve moved to RI in late 1999, got his real estate license in early 2000, and joined Harper, Ramos and Sheridan in Bristol.  In the fall of 2002, he became part owner of The Coffee Depot in Warren. That same year he met his wife Lauren at The Coffee Depot and married in 2003. 
 
In 2005, Steve joined the board at Coggeshall Farm Museum (CFM) in Bristol.  Steve lives in Bristol with his wife Lauren and their dogs Mango and Pepper.
 
Welcome Aboard, Steve!
 

 
Bristol Rotary's Annual Student Scholarships & Financial Aid 
Every year Bristol Rotary is proud to help our high school students moving on to their next stage of education and to increase our Scholarship Funding and student support at Roger Williams University, that we initiated 41 years ago.
 
See the photos below showing the Award winners, this school year 2025/2026, from Barrington High School, Roger Williams University and Mt Hope High School.
 
Upper Left Photo – Barrington High School (BHS):
 
Left to right – Jaime Poirier -  Barrington Middle School Counselor and mother of the award winner. Garrett Poirier (center), the award winner, and Johnathan Birs, President of Bristol Rotary Club starting July 1, 2026.
 
Garrett was the leader of the Barrington Robotics Team and took his team to the championships in DC, and will be going to Worchester Polytechnic Institute in the fall.
 
Upper Right Photo - Roger Williams University (RWU):
 
Left to Right – Jason Regan, Bristol Rotarian and Director of Advancement at RWU. Center, Kylie Case Award winner of the Bristol Rotary Scholarship Fund. Kylie will earn her Bachelors in Architecture next year. On the right is Amy Sullivan Berkely, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at RWU and the recipient of our donation to augment the Bristol Rotary’s Scholarship Fund.  
 
Lower Center Photo – Mt. Hope High School:
 
Left to right – Cesar Daponte, member of the Board of Bristol Rotary. Then award winner Benjamin Martell, who will attend Bryant University in the Fall, and next to him, Isabella Brando, who will attend the University of Kentucky also in the Fall. On the right, is Mary Jo Tavares, recent past president of Bristol Rotary.
 
In addition to helping the students in these institutions annually, Bristol Rotary also provides funding for the School-Based Family Services Program at Kickemuit Middle School and Mt. Hope High School. This excellent program, through local offices at the schools, provides aid to students in need, whether it’s a meal they not have gotten at home, clothing, emotional support, and much more, so that regardless of their family’s situation or even homelessness, they can graduate high school and be able to move ahead with their lives with dignity.
Help Us Help Others
 
 
Bristol Rotary Completes a Record Fiscal Year in Charitable Donations and in Increased Membership
 
Bristol Rotary Club is approaching its 98th year serving the charitable needs of Bristol and surrounding communities. As it completes this fiscal year (2026/2027), Bristol Rotary is grateful to its donors and the supporters of its fundraisers for helping them serve the community for so long. This year it will have donated almost $120,000 to approximately 30 local charities and some international ones tied to this community.  In addition, since the pandemic, Bristol Rotary has doubled in membership to almost 70 local professionals who believe in its guiding principle, “Service Above Self.”
 
Donations to charities are made throughout the year; however, in the late Fall, Bristol Rotary has its biggest fundraiser, usually called the Rotary “Gala.” At the Gala, donors and guests participate in a variety of auctions and events whose proceeds will be totally distributed in May (May-Giving) to over 20 local charities and projects. Requests for donations are usually sent to Bristol Rotary before the end of April. Next year, Bristol Rotary will be expanding to serve the needs of the Bristol, Warren and Barrington communities.
 
The following are samples of charities receiving donations during Bristol Rotary’s May-Giving this year:
Women’s Resource Center, The Autism Center, Benjamin Church Senior Center, School-based Family Services, Bristol HEZ, East Bay Recovery Center, Friends of St. Elizabeth Food Pantry, Parents as Teachers, Bristol County Chorus, Orphanage in Haiti, Polio Plus, Linden Place, King Phillip Little League, Mosaico-Sense of Pride, Multitude Ministries, Scouting in America, Tomorrow Fun, Bristol Theater Company, Barrington HS Robotics, Shelter homes in the Azores, DECA at Mt Hope HS, financial support to students in local high schools: Mt. Hope & Barrington and Roger Williams U, East Bay Food Pantry ….  and many more!
 Our service motto is “Help Us Help Others” – those were some of the “Others!”
Please donate to help us help these and many more. With your donations Bristol Rotary can continue to support those in need for another 98 years.
          Use the QR code or the URL beneath it to donate.
                
                                https://bristolrotaryclub.com/page/help-us-help-others
 
Edward P. Stuart Jr. Becomes a Member of Bristol Rotary
Picture Above: Center is new member Ed Stuart, on the left is Doug Gablinske, Ed’s sponsor, and on the right is Bruce Cox, President of Bristol Rotary.
 
Ed, having served previously on the Bristol Zoning Board and the Town Council, is currently serving on the Board of Directors of the East Bay Community Development Corporation (EBCDC). He is  Vice President of our Lady of Mount Carmel School Alumni Scholarship Board and Recording Secretary of the Cup Defenders. He is also a member of the Elks and the Knights of Columbus.
 
Bristol Rotary is honored to have Ed join us, and with his talents and experience, he'll be a big contributor to helping Bristol Rotary have another great year serving the community.

Bristol Rotary Bingo Fundraiser – April 22, 2026
The annual Bingo fundraiser was held at St. Elizabeth Parish Hall and was well attended by 158 people and was made successful by the Club volunteers.
 
 
The purpose of the Bingo fundraiser was to raise funds for educational grants to local graduating high school students wishing to attend college, trade or vocational schools. A part will also go to a fund we have had for 40 years at Roger Williams University (RWU) for any Bristol student wishing to attend or currently at RWU and needs financial support.
 
In addition to a large group of volunteers, the bingo games were run (see below) by Bruce Cox, President of Bristol Rotary, and Barbara Palumbo.
 
 
Many thanks, especially, to all the volunteers from the Bristol Rotary Club, who came to set-up and take-down and helped make the Bingo evening a success.
 
 
Front Row: Bruce Cox, Cid Rodrigues, Marie Knapman, Angela Cabral, Nancy Coelho, Mary Watkinson, Sandra Andrade, Mary Jo Tavares, Barbara Palumbo, John Birs.  Back row: Lynette Lacerda, Mary Almeida, Will Silva. Mary Moreira, Michelle Meyers, Maria Cesario, Christina Vieira.  Several more not shown - you know who you are!
 
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Bristol Rotary Helps Mt. Hope DECA team 
The Mt. Hope High School DECA club is experiencing exponential growth and once again finds itself in the enviable position of having thirty (30) students qualify for international competition, the most in program’s history! Those 30 students have earned an invitation to compete this April at the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Atlanta, Georgia with over 20,000 U.S. and international students. This is an incredible achievement and the students have worked very hard to attain their goals.
 
For the third year in a row, Rotary Club of Bristol’s has provided a financial contribution to help students attend ICDC. In previous years, it was held in Florida and California. Moreover, we appreciate their genuine support and interest in DECA and our student's Business education.
 
Michael Almeida, Co-Advisor of the DECA Program, added, “We are very grateful to the Rotary Club of Bristol’s generous financial contributions to help our DECA students, once again.”
 
First Row: Layla Mizener, Alaina Contente, Charlotte Piper, Elle Rodrigues, Stella Redman, Angela Pirri, Mekayla Neves, Olivia Flynn
Middle Row: Adriana Botelho, Jack Dinnerstein, from Bristol Rotary: Lynette Lacerda, Doug Gablinske, Bruce Cox, President; Catherine Frawley, Michaela Desilets, Sara Nencka, Thea Jackson, Haley McCormick, Owen Securo, Mitchell Kitchen
Back Row: Andrew Downing, Biagio Silva, Anderson Charest, Preston Brodd, Wesley Gould, Mason Kacapis, Carson Jerome, Rhys Davies, Noah Sweeney
Not Pictured: Maureen Gauthier and Mike Almeida, DECA Co-Advisors
We Welcome 5 New Members to Bristol Rotary
We are proud to introduce the 5 new members that have joined Bristol Rotary in the last two weeks. At our first evening meeting, on March 26 at Portside Tavern, we welcomed 4 new members and one additional member on April 1 at our Lunch Meeting at DeWolf Tavern, see below:
 
Michael Cirillo: A Bristol resident and Producer/Manager at John Andrade Insurance Agency. He previously participated in the Big Brother program of Rhode Island and is eager to involve his daughters in community service. He is sponsored by Cesar DaPonte.
 
Jeff Day: A Bristol resident and owner of Better Days Technology, which provides technology services, managed service solutions, camera's and alarms, and networks/wiring. He is active in numerous town organizations and maintains strong connections to local businesses. He is sponsored by Cesar DaPonte.
 
William Silvia: A Bristol resident and General Contractor at EBS Construction. He is a member of the Bristol Fourth of July Committee.   He is sponsored by Doug Gablinske.
 
Julie Kearney Veader: A Bristol resident and Administrative Captain (third in command) at the Bristol Police Department.  She is sponsored by Doug Gablinske.
 
Christopher Morey is a VP, Senior Loan Officer at Rockland Trust.  He has over 39 years of experience in the banking industry. During his tenure, he volunteered for many charitable organizations.  Christopher resides in Bristol.  Doug Gablinske is his sponsor.
 
Bristol Rotary Contributes to sending Barrington HS’ Robotics team to DC
 
The Barrington High School Robotics Club has been selected to represent the State of Rhode Island at the FIRST Tech Challenge United States Governor's Cup in Washington, DC this February. This is a rare honor and a tremendous achievement for the students, their mentors, and our community.
 
The U.S. Governor's Cup is a prestigious national robotics competition that brings together top-performing teams from across the country to showcase innovation, engineering excellence, teamwork, and problem-solving at the highest level. Participation in this event places Barrington High School among the elite robotics programs nationwide and provides the students with an unforgettable educational experience - from competing on a national stage to connecting with industry leaders, STEM professionals, and peers who share their passion for technology and discovery.
 
To make this opportunity possible, Robotics Club is seeking the support of our community. We are working to raise funds to offset the significant costs of transportation to Washington, DC and accommodations for the team during February vacation. All contributions will directly support these students and ensure that financial barriers do not stand in the way of this once-in-a-lifetime experience. The total cost is estimated to be $25,000.
 
Bristol Rotary has started the ball rolling with a donation of 10% of the total needed and encourages other supporters of this fine program to chip in also. To donate or ask questions contact:  Jaime Poirier, School Counselor, 401-524-0469, poirierj@barringtonschools.org.
Left to right: Back row – Cesar DaPonte - Bristol Rotary, Jimmy Hassell, Emma Silva, Charlotte Poirier, Garrett Poirier, Leo Rossi, Matt Silva (Coach) and John Birs – Bristol Rotary. Front Row: Aiden Tilton, Mikel Retana, Ranan Amitosh.
Bristol Rotary brings lunch to Bristol’s First Responders
 
"The Bristol Police Department would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Bristol Rotary Club for their generosity in donating lunch to our officers today. Your continued support and kindness mean a great deal to our department and serve as a reminder of the strong partnership we share with our community."  Bristol Police
 
Below, left to right: Mary Jo Tavares, past president of Bristol Rotary, Chief Kevin Lynch, Sgt. Kyle Batista, Officer Russell Wood, the rest are Rotarians: Jenn Little, Cid Rodrigues, Lynette Lacerda, Cesar Daponte, and seated Johnathan Birs, President-Elect Bristol Rotary.
 
3 Outstanding New Members Join the Rotary Club of Bristol, RI
 
At Bristol Rotary’s Meeting on January 7, 2026, we were proud to welcome three new members who have exemplified our motto of “Service Above Self, by having dedicated themselves to helping the community in their current positions, even before joining Rotary. They are: Donna Wilson, Erin La Ninfa and Emily Marshall.
 
 Donna Wilson is shown in the picture below on the far left next to her sponsor Lynette Lacerda. Donna is the Executive Director of the Benjamin Church Senior Center, a 501c3 in Bristol, RI. She is a dedicated advocate for seniors in the East Bay, having developed programs such as Coffee with a Cop, Foster a Senior, Senior Garden Boxes, Free sponsored lunches for seniors, and many other activities and programs for the community. She resides in Bristol with her husband Dave and their two children.
 
Third from the left is Erin La Ninfa next to her sponsor Mary Almeida. Erin is the Executive Director of the Community String Project, a Bristol-based non-profit providing accessible and affordable string instrument education. She possesses a strong background in non-profit operations, communications, and fundraising. She is a Bristol Resident.
 
To the far right is former President of Bristol Rotary, Mary Jo Tavares, inducting them into Bristol Rotary.
 
 
Emily Marshall is shown below (center) with her Sponsor Jason Regan on the right and Mary Jo Tavares on the left.  Emily serves as the Chief of Information and Public Relations at the RI Executive Office of Housing. A Roger Williams University graduate and former Rotaract President, she is active in the Bristol 4th of July Committee and the Bristol Prevention Coalition. She has extensive experience in public relations, media engagement and community outreach.
 
Welcome all to Bristol Rotary, we are fortunate to have you join us - Help Us Help Others!
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Result of Bristol Rotary’s Dinner for 2 Fundraiser – Winners and Winners
 
Last August, Bristol Rotary kicked off a fundraiser called “Dinner for 2 – anywhere in the world.” For $25 a ticket, the winner of the drawing in November would receive a $10,000 award to travel anywhere in the world (with the help of AtlantiVacations Travel Agency). It was the second successful year of this fundraiser, whose proceeds were to be divided between two local charities.  The charities this year were the Women’s Resource Center (WRC) and Bristol HEZ’ School-based Family Services.  WRC cares for and supports survivors of domestic violence, and much more. Bristol HEZ’ School-based Family Services has offices in both the Kickemuit Middle School and Mt. Hope High School to help students and families with basic needs such as lunches, clothing, health products, food insecurities at home, and psychological issues.
 
The drawing was held November 17, and the trip was won by James and Susan Thompson of South Dartmouth, MA, who have chosen as their trip, three cities in Ireland and a castle for dinner: Dublin, Galway, and Adare (the castle)!
 
As a result of the drawing, Bristol Rotary’s Charities Foundation awarded donations of $10,000 each, to the Women’s Resource Center and HEZ’ School-based Family Services. The awards were presented at the Bristol Rotary meeting on December 17, 2025.
 
See below:
Left to right, Sydney Ormerod and Becky Hill from WRC; Bruce Cox, president of Bristol Rotary; Sandra Andrade, Rotarian and seller of the winning ticket to the Thompsons - with their picture; and Melissa Goldstein and Jessica Williams from HEZ’ School-based Family Services.
All Winners!
Bristol Sports Club announces Bristol Rotary Organization of the Year
 
Earlier in November, at a reception for Steve Contente as the well-deserved Man of the Year for 2025, Elisio Castro, President, announced that next year, breaking with tradition of choosing a man or a woman as person of the year, it has chosen an organization – the Rotary Club of Bristol, Rhode Island. “This is an organization that has been tirelessly helping our community and local people in need for almost 99 years. In addition, it has reached out to support orphanages, shelters and schools for children in such international communities as the Azores and Haiti. “ 
 
Bristol Rotary’s theme has been ‘Help Us Help Others.”  Through its Charities Foundation (a 501c3), Bristol Rotary has organized fundraisers, accepted donations and used all its funds from the Foundation to support local charities and programs generally for people in need in our community.  Specifically, it has donated thousands of dollars to such organizations as: The Autism Project, Women’s Resource Center, the two Food pantries in Bristol - The East Bay Food Pantry and St. Elizabeth’s Food Pantry.  Every year in May, the Club donates to over 30 local charities or charitable programs.  It’s current “Dinner for 2, Anywhere in the World” fundraiser will donate all proceeds to the Women’s Resource Center and the School-based Family Services, which funds offices, in both middle school and high school, that support students in need of food, clothing and a number of other services. To participate in “Dinner for 2, visit “Bristolrotaryclub.com/dinnerfor2.”  To help with the current food crisis, Bristol Rotary has set up a website to donate through the Foundation to both local food pantries (and it is tax deductible); go to “bristolrotaryclub.com/foodpantries.”
 
Bristol Rotary wishes to express its heartfelt appreciation to the Bristol Sports Club for the honor of being selected to be “Organization of the Year.” Some Rotary members are shown below at the announcement.
Front Row: Jacques de Labry, Steve Contente, Mary Jo Tavares, Cid Rodrigues, Mary Moreira. Back Row: Warren Rensehausen, Doug Gablinske, Police Chief Kevin Lynch, Maria Cesario, Angela Cabral, Mary Almeida
Two new members Join the Rotary Club of Bristol
 
At the November 19 lunch meeting, Bristol Rotary was proud to induct two new members into the Club. In the picture below, second from the left, is Nancy Coelho who is the Branch Manager of the Centerville Bank in Warren. Nancy was raised and lives in Bristol.
 
To the right of Nancy is Deborah Metaxas, who is certainly not new to Bristol Rotary, but we are delighted to have her back. Deb was President of Bristol Rotary in 2013. She had been a member of Rotary from 1999 to 2015 and was awarded a Paul Harris Fellow award in 2014.
 
Welcome back Deb and welcome aboard Nancy!
 
From Left to right: Gina Helm, Nancy, Coelho, Deborah Metaxas, Jacques de Labry and Bruce Cox, President of Bristol Rotary.
Bristol Rotary is selected as Non-Profit of the Year for District 69 at Rhode Island Hope Awards at the Capitol
 
The Rhode Island HOPE Awards celebration, was held at the capitol on Thursday, November 13. November is Nonprofit Appreciation Month. The Alliance for Nonprofit Impact at United Way of Rhode Island hosted the First Annual Rhode Island HOPE Awards, where they honored one nonprofit and one volunteer from each General Assembly district, nominated by members of the General Assembly.
 
Community-based organizations across Rhode Island provide essential services like food, housing and medical care.  They care for children and seniors and equip youth and adults to pursue their career dreams.  Volunteers fight fires, tutor students, distribute toiletries, clean parks, serve on Boards, and help with budgets and fundraisers.  Nonprofits make our lives richer, and volunteers make Rhode Island stronger.  Too often their work goes unrecognized and underappreciated.
 
For the First Annual Hope awards, the Rotary Club of Bristol was proud to have been selected as the top non-profit of District 69 (Bristol & Portsmouth) which is served by State Representative Susan Donovan. In addition, the top charitable volunteer of the district selected, was Mary Jo Fidalgo Tavares, past president of Bristol Rotary and leader of many impactful fundraisers supporting the local community.
 
Congratulations to Bristol Rotary and Mary Jo!
 
In picture below, Mary Jo Tavares, Past President  and Bruce H. Cox, President of Bristol Rotary
 
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Club Officers & Directors
President
Johnathon Birs
Treasurer
Cidalia Rodrigues
Secretary
Angela Cabral
Director
Elizabeth Habecker
Director
MaryJo Fidalgo-Tavares
Immediate Past President
Bruce Cox
Vice President - BRCF President
Jacques de Labry
Director & BRCF Treasurer
Maria Cesario
Director
Mary Almeida
Director
Cesar DaPonte
Director
Doug Gablinske
Director
Mary Moreira
BRCF (501(c)(3)) Officers and Directors
President & Chairman
Jacques O. de Labry
 
Vice-President & Director
Bruce H. Cox
 
Treasurer & Director
Maria Cesario
 
Director
Mary Jo Fidalgo Tavares
 
Director
John Pilitsis
 
Director         
Paul LaFleur
 
Director
Johnathan D. Birs
(President Bristol Rotary Club 2026/2027)
Board Meeting Reports - Club and BRCF
Committee Reports
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