Rotary International's motto of "Service Above Self" best conveys the philosophy of unselfish service. On November 2, 2019 Warminster Rotary Foundation and Club will recognize Officer Ryan Bunda with the "Service Above Self" Award. The award is meant to recognize actions of those in the Warminster Community who put the interests of others above their own personal well beings. While all law enforcement and emergency personnel do so everyday, Warminster Rotary Foundation and Club will highlight the actions that took place on 07/10/2019, when a driver of a large truck had a seizure and lost control of his vehicle on a busy township road.
We invite the local and national community to help us honor Officer Bunda and help raise awareness of Rotary's impact on the Warminster Community. All proceeds of the event are used to support local youth in need. In recent years, proceeds have purchased mobility equipment for a child with MS, helped convert a garage into an accessible bedroom for a blind and physically impaired 4 year old, replaced the interior carpets of a home for a youth with allergies triggered by his Chemotherapy treatment and weakened immune system as well as landscaping to make walkways more accessible , helped purchase a wheel chair accessible vehicle for a permanently disabled youth.
THE STORY
On Tuesday, July 10, 2019, at approximately 09:33 hours, Ofc Ryan Bunda was on patrol. While in the area of County Line Road and Newtown Road, the Officers observed a white Ford F-250, traveling west on County Line Rd. The Officer observed the passenger of the vehicle waving his arms trying to get the Officers attention, while the operator of the truck appeared to be in convulsions. Officer Bunda attempted to stop the truck as it traveled at a slow speed and in traffic. Officer Bunda exited his vehicle and ran towards the truck as it traveled at a slow speed. Upon reaching the truck Officer Buna could see the operator in active seizure. Ofc Bunda, opened the driver side door, while the truck headed towards eastbound traffic. Officer Bunda managed to apply the brakes with his left hand bringing the Ford to a complete stop, with the assistance of a passing Huntington Valley Firefighter. Once the truck was stopped Officer Bunda and the firefighter carried the operator to a safe area, where they called for medical assistance and rendered aid. Officer Bunda’s rapid and decisive actions, were both heroic and lifesaving. Great Job Officer Bunda and Thank you for your service.
Each Rotary Year we begin our Fundraising efforts by offering a chance for $20.00 to win Season Tickets to the Philadelphia Eagles. The tickets include 2 seats to all preseason and regular season home games, but do not include the Playoff option.
The Seats are located at Section 108, Row 38, Seats 5 and 6. The chances to win are 1-750 with our expectation that 600 tickets will be sold.
The Drawing will be held on August 6, 2019 at Giuseppe's Pizza in Warminster, PA at 12:45PM. Tickets can be purchased by Cash or Check (made payable to Warminster Rotary Foundation) and obtained from any Warminster Rotarian or by calling Sean Friedland (sfriedland@fandgagency) 267-257-2002 or Nello Ianieri 267-669-7776.
On May 21, 2019 the Warminster Rotary Club and Foundation in partnership with the Giuseppe Giaimo Scholarship Fund present 16 high school students with Scholarships totaling $12,500.00. Students from Archbishop Wood High School, William Tennent High School, and Middle Bucks Institute of Technology were in attendance with family and friends. The celebration of scholarship was hosted by Katie Farrell, CEO Lansdale and Warminster Hospital and current President of Wariminster Rotary Club and Foundation, as she welcomed the guests and introduced our honored guest, Marilyn Goldsworthy with a gift of flowers. Judge Daniel Finello lead the 70+ attendees in an invocation.
Chairperson for the Scholarship lunch and committee, Christopher Roehl, President of Kiddie Academy Warminster along with his committee Nello Ianieri of Nancy's Farm in Warminster, Kevin Crail of Crail's Running Company, and Mike Borkowski, Asst. Treasurer/Branch Manager First Bank NJ reviewed numerous applications and chose recipients based on scholarship, community service, financial need, and overall achievement. Sal Giaimo and Ray Kerber of the Giuseppe Giaimo Scholarship fund were also in attendance.
Archbishop Wood High School Seniors Anthony Altimari, Elizabeth Fasti, Connor Ford and Kathryn Leinenbach were all awarded $500 Scholarships from the Giuseppe Giaimo Scholarship fund. Amanda McKenney was awarded the Warminster Rotary Foundation Scholarship of $2000.
William Tennent High School Seniors Tara Daniel, Issabella DeMarco, Dylan Hunt, Gabrielle Smith were all awarded $500 Scholarships from the Giuseppe Giaimo Scholarship fund. William "Billy" Solly was awarded the Warminster Rotary Foundation Scholarship of $2000.
Middle Bucks Institute of Technology Seniors Kenneth Laureno, Sarah Pagano, Kevin Perez, Shannon Stewart, Brandon Rosenthal were all awarded $500 Scholarships from the Giuseppe Giaimo Scholarship fund. Skylar Pinto was awarded the Warminster Rotary Foundation Scholarship of $2000.
Centennial School District Superintendent Dr. David Baugh, William Tennent Vice Principal Ryan Mulford, and Archbishop Wood Principal Mary Harkins were in attendance to congratulate the achievement of their high school students.
The Warminster Rotary Club has been serving its community for 57 years and we celebrated this milestone at our Charter Night dinner on Saturday, March 2, 2019, at Giuseppe’s Restaurant. It was a fun evening of food and fellowship ! Charter Night is traditionally a night to recognize the accomplishments of the club over the past year and acknowledge those members of the club who have contributed greatly to its success. A number of members and the Executive Board received Certificates of Appreciation for their tireless efforts on behalf of the club. Additionally, four members received Paul Harris Fellowship Awards - Chris Roehl, Janice Vallone, Nello Iaineri, and Sean Friedland. Immediate Past President Sean Friedland received the highest award of the evening – Rotarian of the Year – for his many contributions to the club this year, including referring the most potential new members.
On Friday, February 8, the Warminster Rotary Club held their 6th Annual Bingo fundraising event. This year's event was entitled "Bag and Bling Bingo" as there were not only beautiful designer bags given to winning bingo players but, for some games, winners received lovely jewelry prizes. The event was held at the Ben Wilson Senior Center in Warminster and was sold out. Over 200 participants had fun and fellowship during the event and the Club raised over $8,000 to be used for to fund the Robert Goldsworthy Scholarship Program for seniors at the three local high schools - William Tennent High School, Archbishop Wood High School and Middle Bucks Institute of Technology.
Warminster Rotary Bag and Bling Bingo fundraising event Tops $8000 for Scholarships
On December 18, 2018, President Katie Farrell presented Dylan Krysko and his family a check from the Warminster Rotary Foundation for $9000.00.
The donation included the replacement of the Carpet in the Krysko Household back in October 2018. With new carpet Dylan's immune system has a better chance of battling his Cancer.
We thank each and every person/business/organization who attended and supported our Annual Charity Ball on November 3, 2018.
Each Rotary Year we begin our Fundraising efforts by offering a chance for $20.00 to win Season Tickets to the Philadelphia Eagles. The tickets include 2 seats to all preseason and regular season home games, but do not include the Playoff option.
The Seats are located at Section 108, Row 38, Seats 5 and 6. The chances to win are 1-750 with our expectation that 600 tickets will be sold.
The Drawing will be held on August 7, 2018 at Giuseppe's Pizza in Warminster, PA at 12:45PM. Tickets can be purchased by Cash or Check (made payable to Warminster Rotary Foundation) and obtained from any Warminster Rotarian or by calling Sean Friedland (sfriedland@fandgagency) 267-257-2002 or Nello Ianieri 267-669-7776.
Win Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles Season Tickets
All proceeds will benefit Elizabeth Abel, a Freshman at Wm. Tennent High School. Elizabeth has been a part of the Warminster Rotary family since 2006. She loves singing in the school chorus and is the regularly featured soloist at the annual Rotary Charity Ball where she sings the National Anthem. She is legally blind and has endured many surgeries to help her see and, sadly, Elizabeth has recently lost her mother.
Please join us as we raise funds and fellowship for Elizabeth and her family.
FUNDRAISER: Designer Bag Bingo on February 9, 2018 at 6:30 p.m.
Join Warminster Rotary Club Foundation for a night of fun, food, drink, games and prizes all in the name of charity!
In keeping with the Rotary motto of "Service Above Self”, our Club's primary focus is to make a difference in the local community.
We provide scholarship programs and work with other local service and charitable agencies to enrich the lives of our neighbors. Our many fundraising activities, allow us to make significant contributions to worthy and needy recipients in Warminster.
Mark your calendar and get your tickets NOW. $35 will get you 12 games of Bingo. There will be 3 special prize rounds of Bingo, games of chance, snacks, beverages, and adult beverages available for additional purchase. Remember, every penny of the proceeds will benefit projects within the Warminster community.
Please see the flyer for ticket Will-Call and Grab&Go ticket information.
Service Above Self: Warminster Rotary Club Foundation's Annual Charity Ball for Madilyn
Please join us as we dance the night away for 18 month old Madilyn.
Madilyn was diagnosed at a very young age with low motor coordination which causes developmental delays. She requires weekly assistance services such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and signing therapy. At 2 months of age, Madilyn was diagnosed with Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL) which is a white-matter brain injury that affects infants. This condition involves deterioration of small areas of brain tissue that create small holes in the brain. Madilyn requires harnesses and special needs chairs which allow her to move freely and exercise her legs while she grows and learns to walk.
In spite of her condition, Madilyn maintains a happy, playful and content disposition. Madilyn’s smile has warmed the hearts of her family and friends that surround her.
The Warminster Rotary Club Foundation’s goal this year is to improve the quality of life for Madilyn and her loving family.
Friday, November 3, 2017
Warrington Country Club
1360 Almshouse Road
Warrington, PA 18976
For tickets, please contact Lea Garrard at 215.538.5600 x5886 or Janice Vallone at 215.480.3823.
The Warminster Rotary Club and Foundation is hosting a bowling event fundraiser for Caiden, Liam, and Evan at the Warminster Thunderbird Lanes on Saturday, June 10, 2017. All proceeds will benefit Caiden, Liam and Evan who tragically lost their dad.
Please see the flyer below or contact Rotarian Joe Witiw at witiwrotary@comcast.net for more information.
Please join us at our main Fund Raising Event - Warminster Rotary Club Foundation Charity Ball!
This year we will be sponsoring Aldo Ianieri, a three year old boy who has been suffering from a rare developmental disorder, Septo-Optic Dysplasia. Diagnosed at birth, this disorder has affected his early brain development. Also suffers from underdeveloped optic nerves, abnormal formation along the midline of the brain, and pituitary gland dysfunction. Aldo has endured many month of his young life in the ICU at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia experiencing multiple medical surgeries, procedures and testing. Aldo is also a cancer survivor. At the age of 1, he was diagnosed with Wilms Tumor which required removal of one of his kidneys. Wilms Tumor is a rare pediatric kidney cancer that affects 1 in 10,000 children. Due to Aldo's illness he requires continuous nursing care to administer daily medical therapies.
In spite of his condition, Aldo maintains a happy, playful and content disposition. Also's smile and laughter has warmed the hearts of his family and friends who surround him.
The Warminster Rotary Club Foundation's goal this year is to help improve the quality of life for Aldo and his loving family.
The Charity Ball will be held at "The Fuge" on Friday November 11, 2016.
For Information or Tickets, please call Lea Garrarg at 215-444-9000 x4 or Heather O'Donnell at 215-442-1544
Billy Watkins is 14 years old and is in need of our help. When he was 2 days old, he was diagnosed with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and hypertonia. HIE is a condition that results from a lack of oxygen to the brain. As a result, he has a seizure disorder, developmental delay and chronic respiratory failure. He also has spastic hypertonia which causes him to have uncontrollable muscle spasms, and stiffening or straightening out of muscles. He has a tracheotomy (breathing tube) and is on a ventilator at all times. He also has muscle contractures and scoliosis. He is unable to move on his own and needs a wheelchair to get around.
Billy sees many specialists in Philadelphia and needs to have reliable transportation to and from the city. His parents have a 2000 Oldsmobile Silhouette van that needs a lot of repair. This van was fine for when Billy was smaller, but now he is bigger and they need a van which can hold Billy's wheelchair along with all the equipment (ventilator, suction machine, pulse ox machine and feeding pump). Billy's father is the only one who can lift him in and out of the van. But as Billy grows, this has become more difficult, especially as Billy's father recently had surgery on his leg and can't lift Billy in and out of the van. Life would be so much safer for Billy and his family if his wheelchair could be rolled into the van and tied down.
One of Billy's greatest pleasures in life is going on outings with his family. Billy enjoys watching his little brother, Ben, play sports and participate in Cub Scouts. Billy also likes to visit his extended family and go to the park and to the movies. However, because it is so difficult to transport Billy, he often has to stay home with one of his parents while the other goes out with Ben. Having an accessible van would allow Billy to participate in more activities, be part of the family and have a better quality of life. Some times they can get Billy a ride to the doctors but not family events.
The Warminster Rotary Club and Foundation is hosting a bowling event fundraiser for Billy and his family at the Warminster Thunderbird Lanes on Saturday, May 7, 2016. All proceeds will go towards making the Watkins Family's goal of purchasing a handicap accessible van for Billy a reality.
Please see the flyer below or contact Rotarian Joe Witiw at joewitiw@comcast.net for more information.
The Central Ocean Toms River Rotary Club during a recent meeting.
By Michael Bucca, a member of the Rotary Club of Central Ocean Toms River, New Jersey, USA
You might think that I, a 32-year-old member of a 110-year-old organization, would be preoccupied with trying to modernize my club’s way of doing things. But remarkably, my experience in Rotary is teaching me to spend more energy convincing my generation – which keeps trying to reinvent everything – that there is much to be gained in the lost art of personal connection.
We knew the day would come that we would have to say good bye to our dear Sergeant of Arms, Karl Lewis. Karl has been a dedicated member to the Warminster Rotary Club for many years. He is usually the first person to greet members and guests to the Tuesday luncheons. We are happy that he will take the time to enjoy himself but he will be missed by so many who enjoyed his dry sense of humor and his contagious smile. Karl has served Warminster township as Fire Marshal, and has been apart of several of the operating committees in our community. We can only hope that his legacy of service will inspire our members to remain dedicated to the guiding principals of Rotary International and serve community with a strong, common purpose and direction. Thank you Karl for your example and friendship.
On Friday, February 7th, 2014 Warminster Rotary hosted its 1st Designer Bag Bingo. The event was held at the Ben Wilson Senior Center. There were several prizes awarded as well as 12 Designer Handbags and a Flat Screen Television.
There was no question that this was a successful evening, there were over 200 attendees. Not only did Rotarians volunteer their time for planning and preparation, many local businesses generously donated food, beverages and door prizes.
We are very grateful to everyone who participated in this event and look forward to our next fundraiser.
On December 10, 2013 the Warminster Rotary Club along with Santa participated in the 19tth Annual “Wrapping Presence event at the Majestic Oaks Nursing Home.
The founder and host of the event is Marnie Kies Diettrich who was inspired by her own parent’s to start this venture. Both of Marnie’s parents had been stricken with illnesses that lead them to nursing homes in their later years. Although their bodies may have been failing their spirit was very much alive and they both expressed the desire to have gifts to give their loved ones at Christmas.
Marnie is the type of person who sees possibility in the impossible. Her parent’s desire turned into the realization of “Wrapping Presence”. This year the organization estimates that over 5,000 gifts have been given and over 650 volunteers have participated. There is no cost to the residents of the nursing homes for the gifts they select to give their list of loved ones. This event has reached nursing homes in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Illinois.
Warminster Rotary Club President and District Judge Dan Finello thought the annual search for a township family would be a little bit easier when his fellow rotarians reached out to local organization Athletes Helping Athletes for some suggestions. Then something unexpected happened.
"Athletes Helping Athletes suggested Beth Dailey and her daughter Brigid," said Finello. "When we contacted them, Beth told us she thought another family needed more help than her. That's never happened before."
Based on Beth's suggestion, Warminster Rotary directed their 2013 fundraising efforts toward Blake Emsley and his family, culminating in a $5,000 check presented to the Emsleys in December.
Finello was pleased with the outcome, but he still wanted to recognize the Daileys' selfless act. Beth and Brigid attended Warminster Rotary's weekly lunch on Tuesday at Giuseppe's and received a $2,500 check from the organization.
"We wanted to start the new year off right," said Finello.
Fourth-grader Blake Emsley cannot write legibly with a pen. The condition, called aphasia, is one of the many symptoms of a child diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Because he cannot write does not mean Blake cannot communicate, as he demonstrated with a joke at Warminster Rotary's weekly luncheon at Giuseppe's Pizza & Family Restaurant Tueday afternoon.
"What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?" asked Blake. "Frostbite."
Unfortunately, schools don't grade students on charm. However, thanks to advancements in mobile technology and apps, Blake has been able to keep up with his classmates. The alternative communication method has taken a toll on his family's budget, making them prime candidates for the Warminster Rotary Club's annual charity donation drive.
During the Warminster Township Touch-A-Truck Event and the re-dedication of the Warminster Community Park to commemorate the park's 10th anniversary, the Warminster Rotary Club unveiled a new bronze plaque and a picnic table with shade structure and benches.
Two years ago, the Safety Town project was opened to the public and it now features a shady place for the adults to sit and watch the little ones take a ride through "Little Warminster". Coming soon will be a new "Welcome to Safety Town" sign with recognition of all the sponsors and volunteers who helped to make it possible. Also, additional sponsor opportunities will be available in the form of benches around the perimeter of Safety Town.
A special thanks to Rotarian Nello Ianieri of Nancy's Farm for donating the boulder for the plaque and the labor to have it placed in the park.
Stay tuned as we continue to add improvements to Safety Town!
On Saturday, October 19th, 2013 my family and the Warminster Rotary Team participated in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's(LLS) Light The Night® Walk at Bucks County Community College.
The LLS LIght The Night Walk funds treatments that are saving the lives of patients today. LLS is making cures happen by providing patient support services, advocacy for lifesaving treatments and the most promising cancer research anywhere. And it's all happening now. Not someday, today.
Our fundraising teams led by Captain Chris Roehl raised $606.
Having lost my grandmother who cared for me daily until I went to school at age 18 was very traumatic for me. She had a rare form of blood cancer that was treated with Chemotherapy shortly after her diagnosis in the beginning of the summer of 1985. She suffered a lot before entering remission about 4 months later; however she died before Christmas less than 6 months after being diagnosed. After her diagnosis she isolated from the rest of the family and quite frankly the rest of us didn’t know what to do with our own feelings or what to expect. We had no idea of how to support her or ourselves. One of the things I learned was that LLS has support groups for the patients as well as the families, we certainly could have used something like that during my grandmother’s final days and then thereafter. After her death I had a negative outlook towards blood cancers, thinking that any blood cancer diagnosis was a death sentence.
I just completed Part III and graduated from The Rotary Leadership Institute over a three year period. The mission of the RLI is to strengthen Rotary clubs through quality leadership education. Each part of my RLI day was filled with several informative educational mini sessions on various leadership topics. Every session was unique and motivating because we had a different instructor for each topic. It was also a great forum to meet and share several ideas with other Rotarians throughout several districts in our area. It was enjoyable and important for me to enhance my education and knowledge of an organization that I’m proud to be part of and support all year round. I would highly recommend RLI to every Rotarian looking to strengthen their club and enhance their leadership skills that can also be applied to their everyday life.
Warminster Rotary held their annual Charity Ball on November 9th at Springmill Manor in Ivyland Pa. The proceeds from the benefit will be supporting two local families with children who have special needs.
This year’s event brought together more than 180 supporters for an exciting evening of dinner & dancing with musical entertainment from “Love Junk”
Several items were donated by Rotarians for raffle including flat screen televisions, restaurant gift cards, a designer hand bag, as well as a 6ft. Nutcracker statue.
Warminster Rotary is a nonprofit organization composed of local business professionals who are dedicated to advancing the quality of life for local residents and the Warminster community.
This year’s president, District Judge Dan Finello has championed the cause of “Service above Self” by acknowledging two recipients for this year proceeds.
Recently I attended Part 1 of the Rotary International leadership training at the Rotary Leadership Institute. The class was scheduled early on a Saturday morning so I had to get up even earlier than I usually would for work to get there for the pre-class buffet breakfast. I fought past the urge to sleep in and made my way down the turnpike wondering what was in store for me today. What was I getting myself into now?
Having been in the Rotary nearly 3 years I really didn’t know much about the history of the organization and its inter-workings. My only real experience had been from attending our weekly club meetings and more recently become a member of the board of directors. Early on I told myself just sit back and don’t take on any responsibility. If asked I would help out, but not much was asked of me. I didn’t do much, and didn’t make regular attendance. I didn’t think that I was that important since I had no responsibilities and most people didn’t know me so I figured who would miss me? Little did I know but retaining new members was a huge problem nationwide within Rotary.
An article in the Inquire stated new membership is dropping across the board. New initiatives to expose Rotary to our youth are being established, but I wonder if a solution to increasing membership isn’t such a grand challenge. If we focused more on the newbie Rotarians, getting them involved, keeping them involved in a conscious formalized effort, couldn’t we grow simply by retaining our own members?
Last updated: Sunday, September 22, 2013, 2:02 AM
Posted: Saturday, September 21, 2013, 3:42 PM
CHERRY HILL The president of Rotary International issued a direct challenge to local members over the weekend: Recruit new people or risk extinction.
"I believe in tradition, but sometimes you need change," said Ron Burton, whose group is one of the world's largest humanitarian service organizations. "We've got to take a look at who we are and ask if we want to be relevant or even in existence in the years to come."
Burton spoke at the Rotary Leadership Institute of North America held in Cherry Hill over the weekend. The institute trains and graduates new leaders of the club in two of 34 zones, which cover parts of the Northeastern United States, Bermuda, Russia, Canada, and some French islands.
The convention was buzzing with displays celebrating the success of current Rotary projects, from Sandy relief efforts to international aid for Syrian refugees, but Burton's message Saturday was engagement and membership.
Rotary has a global network of 1.2 million people in more than 200 countries but has undergone a decline in North American membership, Burton said.
"You've got to find those people and invite them in," he told about 300 people at the lunchtime address. "Mentor them and find a reason to keep them, to get them excited and involved.
Blake is an energetic, smart, caring and talented 9 year old from Warminster, PA.
He was made know to our ROTARY Club through ATHLETES HELPING ATHLETES. Blake loves going to yard sales, making movies on his iPad, reading books, telling jokes, and playing video games. He also loves anything related to Disney. Blake suffers from Asperger's Syndrome (Autism) which makes every day a challenge. Throughout the course of each day, he is faced with many obstacles. Sometimes even a shower could take Blake hours to prepare for. Blake needs hours of preparation in each aspect of his day. Even so, some days may still end in a meltdown where has the potential to harm himself and others around him.
In Blake's young life he has been in 4 different schools and hospitalized many times. His schools and parents continue to struggle to find the best placement for him. Blake endures 13 hours of therapies each week which aid him in coping with challenges of every day life. Although Blake continues to thrive, he will need assistance for the rest of his life.
The Warminster Rotary Club's goal this year is to help improve the quality of life for Blake and his loving family.
The 2013 Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) hosted by D7430 and D7450, is being held on
Saturday, October 5 th , 2013.
at the Radisson Hotel, King of Prussia, PA.
For other scheduled RLI sessions offered in the Fall of 2013 and registrations go to www.rlinea.com.
Please register early.(Click Here to Register) The important thing is to REGISTER! You won't be disappointed.
WARMINSTER ROTARIANS REGISTRATION FEE WILL BE COVERED BY THE CLUB!!!
On Wednesday evening of July 31st several Warminster Rotarian's and their friends and family met for a night at the races at Horsham's Speed Raceway! While there was a wide range of experience and expertise (even one ringer who is a racing instructor), it is safe to say everyone had a great time while raising a few bucks for the Warminster Rotary Club.
The night would not have been possible without the generous partnership with Speed Raceway who gave us the special event price of 2 races for $25 (normally $20 per race) and donated 15% of the sales back to the Club! A special thanks is also due to Giuseppe's Pizza and Rotarian Sal Giaimo for donating the pizza and soft drinks!
So our first big fundraiser of the new Rotary year has come to a close and the winner is.... Greg Crompton! The winning ticket was #269 out of 500 with 417 tickets sold. The ticket was sold by Rotarian Nancy Franey to Greg who is the Vice President/Bank Manager for Fulton Bank in Southampton. His responsibilities are overseeing the banking office, sales, service and operations. Due to the terrific support, the Warminster Rotary Foundation profited $6,340.00!
This fundraiser would not be the continued success it is without the support from event coordinator Nello Ianieri who spearheads the effort every year; Arlene Gilbert's step son, Bill who is our Eagles season ticker holder connection; former Rotarian Diane Garton who is our perennial #1 raffle ticket seller (over 50 sold!) and all the Rotarians who made the effort to sell their tickets! This money restocks our Foundation for another year of helping those in need within our community and beyond!
Rotary is bigger then an individual, but an individual with an idea can make anything happen in Rotary. As another Rotary Year comes to a close, I reflect on everything we have accomplished as a club. From wrapping presents to filling food banks, awarding scholarships and funding a science fair, fighting polio and providing shelter...our club certainly made a difference in the local community and beyond. It was a privilege to serve as the Warminster Rotary Club President this past year and have enjoyed the support from the club in all that we do. Whatever one puts into Rotary, they receive so much more in return.
Dan Finello is now back at the helm and I know we are in good hands. The money is already being raised and a beneficiary of our annual charity ball is being narrowed down. I look forward to our next chapter we are writing together. This one as good as the last, with more people being helped and being a part of something bigger then me.
Rotarian Russ Bragg and his wife, Paula, visited Paris in May. While there, Russ met with fellow Rotarian and Secretary of the Rotary Club of Notre Dame, Aline Choupin. The meeting took place at Le Meurice Hotel where Rotary flags were exchanged. Afterwards, Russ and Paula, and their friends, Dr Rona Appel and Eric Huebscher, enjoyed a fine Parisian feast at Restaurant le Meurice.
This award if also known as Club Rotarian of the Year Award and only one individual in the entire district of 1400 Rotarians is recognized with this award. I am proud that our very own Nello Ianieri is that Rotarian and we should all be proud he is a member of the Warminster Rotary Club.
No matter what it is that is needed, Nello is there to make it happen! Nello is an active participant in ALL of the club’s service projects which include beautification projects in parks, scholarship selection committee, food drives and raffles sales. Nello organized the food drive collection efforts and made sure all the food was counted and delivered to Philabundance. Nello also participated in the club’s efforts to support the District Rotaplast committee’s annual online and televised auction, driving all over the area collecting and delivering items. Nello’s contributions also include participation in all fundraisers, including those which find the club’s Polio Eradication Pledge and contributions to TRF’s Annual Fund. While not being the named leader or committee chairperson for a project, Nello is always one of the few who volunteers in a critical role to ensure the project is a success and all club goals are met.
As another Rotary year end draws closer, District 7430 held their annual changeover dinner at Sandy Run Country Club this past Friday night. With 43 clubs in our District, the Warminster Rotary Club stood out as one of the tops with seven awards in recognition of their hard work and dedication to the community and the principals of Rotary.
RI's Presidential Citation 2012-13 - 16 Clubs achieved: The Presidential Citation recognizes Rotary clubs for achieving an array of accomplishments that help them become stronger, deliver more effective service, and enhance public image. By qualifying for the Presidential Citation, clubs contribute to Rotary's organizational goals and multiply the impact of their good work through the collective focus of 34,000 Rotary clubs worldwide.
Five students each from William Tennent, Archbishop Wood and the Middle Bucks Institute of Technology walked away from lunch at Giuseppe's in Warminster Tuesday afternoon with their pockets a little bit heavier.
The 15 graduating seniors had been honored with scholarships awarded by the Warminster Rotary Club and the Giuseppe Giaimo Scholarship Fund. Both organizations team up each year to find students that have overcome personal obstacles to become academic leaders in their schools.
Four of the students from each school received a $500 check from the Giuseppe Giaimo Scholarship Fund, and the Warminster Rotary Club handed a $1,500 award to one deserving senior from each of the schools.
Visitors from the town of Warminster in the county of Wiltshire in the United Kingdom took a guided tour of landmarks around the township.
After his son, Martin, had finished making all the preparations and reservations for their great American road trip, Nick Pitcher decided to do a quick Google of Warminster and made a pleasant discovery.
"I knew there was another Warminster in the United States," said Pitcher, "but I wasn't quite sure where it was. I was so happy to see that it was smack in the middle of our planned route."
A longtime resident and business owner of the original Warminster located in the United Kingdom, Pitcher was excited to see what the American version of his hometown looked like. After a visit to the Warmisnter Rotary Club's meeting at Giuseppe's Tuesday afternoon, the Pitchers got a good look at township landmarks, with rotary President Greg Hucklebridge as their guide.
Nick Pitcher (R) presented Warminster Rotary Club President Greg Hucklebridge with a plaque from the Warminster, UK, town council. Credit James Boyle
From the The Kilt - Rotary District 7430 Newsletter - May 2013
More than 220 Rotarians and friends and almost all of our In-bound and Outbound Youth Exchange students all enjoyed three lovely Spring days in the Poconos starting April 26th celebrating what our district members have done and continue to do to help others. Representing RI President Tanaka was PDG Joe Laureni and Sonia from D7490 in northeastern New Jersey. D7430 Governor Tony Jannetta and First Lady Rachel, with a marvelous support staff, put on a fabulous event.
On Tuesday, March 26th the Warminster Rotary Club hosted their second annual Four-Way Test Speech Competition. Rotarians, contestants and their families all packed into Giuseppe's to hear our three finalists from William Tennent High School speak about a current issue in our society and how they apply Rotary's Four-Way Test for a resolution. Since the preliminary round was held the night before to narrow down five contestants to three, this was the second time the finalists presented their speech's before judges.
Adam Adnane made it two wins in two yearsafter passionately delivering a speech on the problems with partisanship politics. Finishing as a very close first runner-up and only one point behind Adam was Elizabeth John who spoke about the affects of poverty in society. Second runner-up was awarded to Jake Arentzen. All the students who participated can be proud of the effort they put forth in preparing for the speech contest and we can be proud to have them in our community! Our future is indeed in good hands.
From left to right: Jake Arentzen, Elizabeth John and Adam Adnane
The Warminster Rotary Club is now participating in the Giant Super Market Cash for Causes Program! The Warminster Rotary Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, is selling Giant gift cards and will receive 5% of their face value which will be used to support all the programs they run throughout the year. In the past year, Warminster Rotary has contributed over $4500 to food pantries, over $500 to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey and New York, held a 4 Way Test Speech Competition for local high school students, sponsored a science fair to be held at Willow Dale Elementary School and so much more!
Just as an example of the potential this program has for the Warminster Rotary Foundation, if just 25 of our Rotarians sell $1000 worth of gift cards each month, after a year the Foundation will have made $15,000!
The gift cards can be used to buy items in the store or gas at the pumps at any Giant supermarket location. If you are Giant Savings Cardholder, you can use the Cash for Causes giftcards in conjunction with yoru savings card and still earn 10 cents off per gallon of gasoline for every $100 spent in the store, all while helping support the Warminster Rotary!
Strike-Out Hunger is a Regional event involving over 200 Rotary Clubs in seven Districts in PA, NJ, DE and MD. I would like to invite you to participate in the 29th Annual Game on August 22nd, 2013 at 7:05 pm, as our Phillies play the Colorado Rockies. The success the Phillies have had selling season tickets has created a shortage of seats again this year. Because of their commitment to Rotary, they have made a limited amount available. I urge you to get your ticket orders in early! Thanks to Rotary's participation, The Rotary Foundation has benefited by over $825,000 to help eradicate Polio, plus thousands of pounds of food have been contributed to Local Food Banks. Clubs selling tickets for this ballgame can receive Rotary Foundation credits that may be used for Paul Harris Fellow Awards. We ask that everyone attending the game bring cans of non-perishable food and deposit them in the drums at the ball park entrance. Join us for a great evening of fun, friendship and fellowship, and: SUPPORT THE ROTARY FOUNDATION!!
The Warminster Rotary has participated in this event several years in a row and this year we have 100 tickets available for our members, their families and their friends! As in previous years, we will meet before the game for a tailgate party in the parking lot. Please contact Leo Quinn at leo5752@yahoo.com to reserve your tickets today!
The Warminster Rotary Club is donating $1000 to the Willow Dale Elementary School in order to help make their annual science fair a reality. The Science Fair will allow students an opportunity to learn about the scientific method, design an experiment, develop and conduct an experiment, and creatively display their findings.
On February 23, 2013 the members of the Warminster Rotary Club came together in celebration of our Club's charter as well as recognizing our achievements of this past year.
Did you know that also on February 23, 1905, Paul Harris, Gustavus Loehr, Silverster Schiele and Hirem Shorey gathered in Loehr’s office for what would become known as the first Rotary club meeting? That’s right…our Club’s charter date shares the anniversary date of the first Rotary club meeting which was 108 years ago today and we continue to live up to the precedent set all those years ago.
Every one of our Rotarians plays a major role in ensuring that we meet our club goals and we have done an outstanding job again this year. We started off the year with our annual Eagles Season Tickets Raffle and raised over $7000. From there we went right into the fall season with a partnership with Archbishop Wood, collecting food and raising money to be donated through Philabundance back to those in need in our community. As you know, the food drive culminated with our annual Charity Ball where we raised additional funds enabling us to contribute a total of $4000 which we donated to local food banks right here in Warminster. We were also able to donate over $500 through the district’s Sandy Disaster Relief Fund to help those in New York and New Jersey who were dealt the most devastating blows by Hurricane Sandy. We had another successful cigar fundraising event which also was a wonderful social event and we have been able to continue supporting multiple non-profits in our community with donations. We have contributed $2000 to the polio plus fund and another $2,200 to the Annual SHARE Fund which are both administered by The Rotary Foundation and we are not done yet!
Another community organization who was a recipient of the Warminster Rotary's annual Charity Ball is the Ben Wilson Senior Center. Providing Senior Citizens with a large modern activity center where friends may socialize, enjoy activities, trips, and nutritious meals; the Ben Wilson Senior Center is conveniently located just off Street Road (Rt 132) in Warminster between Old York Road (Rt 263) and Easton Road (Rt 611).
Activities provided include aerobics, art class, bingo, bridge club, crafts, library, line dancing, lunch program, pinochle, pool tables, radio club, stamp club, trips, woodcarving, writers' group and yoga. Other programs and services include blood pressure screening, blood drives/American Red Cross, food distribution, 55 Alive driving programs, income tax preparation, legal services, meals-on-wheels, RSVP program, and wheelchair/walker equipment loans.
One of Warminster Rotary's recipients from the proceeds of our annual charity ball was the Warminster Presbyterian Church which is a member of Presbyterian Church USA. The $1,000 went to help feed those in need but the Church provides many programs for their congregation and the local community. Here is a little more about the Warminster Presbyterian Church.
The Deacons provide special recognition and care for all members of the Church and community to let them know that they are always there for them. This includes helping those in the military with phone cards so that they can keep in touch with their family and loved ones, gift cards to college students to give a helping hand while they manage their finances and higher learning, and other care and recognition to those in need.
All the hard work of the past several months has finally paid off with over $4,000 being donated to local organizations to help fight hunger. At our December Assembly Meeting, we presented $1,000 to each to the YWCA Food Bank at Bucks Landing, the Ben Wilson Senior Center, the Warminster Presbyterian Church Food Bank, and the Coordinating Council for Health and Welfare, which operates a food pantry out of the Warminster Heights administrative building. This is in addition to $500 and 700 pounds of food donated to Philabundance. Rotary has the ability to touch so many lives and this is just the latest example. You can read more about the donations in the featured article on the Warminster Patch.
Warminster Rotary Donates $4,000 to Local Food Pantries
Rotary Celebrates Holidays with Majestic Oaks Residents
On Tuesday, December 11, 2012 Warminster Rotary hosted a "Wrapping Presence" party at the Majestic Oaks Facility. There was music and treats for all to enjoy as well as a Sassy Santa to put a smile on the residents faces. Each year the residents are able to choose special gifts for loved ones on their list. All gifts are personally wrapped by our fine Rotary volunteers and each resident receives hand crafted holiday door hangers to hang on their door.
On Monday December 3rd, the Warminster Rotary Club met at the Jamison Grill at the Bucks County Country Club for good food and fellowship, celebrating another holiday season! While we did not have the usual numbers, there was still plenty of cheer to go around as gifts were exchanged (and stolen) making it a fun time had by all. It was nice to be able to relax and have a night to ourselves as we wrap up the first half of a productive rotary year. Thanks to Joe Colella for spearheading the event and ensuring a good time for everyone! If you could not make it, be sure to mark it down for next year.
Months of planning finally came to fruition this past Saturday night when the Warminster Rotary Club hosted their annual Charity Ball. With so many people feeling the pressures of the economy as well as the added issues due to Hurricane Sandy, it was even more critical for the Club to come together with the goal of helping our fellow neighbors. With over two dozen donated prize baskets to raffle off and the music of DJ Peter Venneri over 150 Rotarians and guests partied all night long.
While the final tally is not yet complete, we can say the night was a success with money being raised to help feed those in need. Just this past Wednesday night, the Warminster Club's Board of Directors voted to approve $4,000 to be split amongst the local food pantries in Warminster. Also, a portion of the Charity Ball's contributions will be sent to those affected by Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey and New York. Rotary District 7430 has setup a Sandy Disaster Relief Fund which our club has pledged a minimum of $500 to contribute to. This money will be sent through the six Rotary districts in the most impacted areas of New Jersey and New York. Unlike other disaster relief organizations, Rotary has the ability to get a larger percentage of the donations directly into the hands of those in need since there is very little overhead in the organization.
I am sure everyone is aware of the damage brought by Hurricane Sandy as she made landfall at the Shore. Having grown up in Cape May County, the Jersey Shore holds a special place in my heart and I am sure many of you feel the same way. Our leaders of Rotary District 7430 have setup the "Sandy Disaster Relief Fund which will collect donations to be sent through the Rotary Districts of New Jersey and New York to those who were directly impacted by the storm.
I am proud to say the Warminster Rotary Club is donating a portion of the proceeds from the Annual Charity Ball to the fund having committed a minimum of $500 to the cause. Also, 50% of the District's Rotaplast Annual Auction will also be going into the fund. If you would like to make a donation directly to the NJ and NY Rotary Districts, please follow this link to find out how: http://nynjrotary.org/disaster-relief
This year our board decided to partner with Archbishop Wood High School and Philabundance. While in years past we were able to help a family in need, we wanted to be able to help potentially thousands of families in our community. There are people right here in Warminster who are going to bed hungry every night and the food pantries are having a hard time keeping up with the demand. By partnering with Archbishop Wood, we have a committed partner helping us raise money and collect food at their sporting events as well as in their school. Also, many of our members have volunteered to have a collection box at their place of business in order to add to the food drive. Finally, by working with Philabundance, we are able to ensure the food is being distributed back into our community's local food pantries where it is needed.
Please come and join us at our annual charity ball which will be the culmination of our food drive efforts. The proceeds of the night will go to helping feed those in need as well as helping support our various other charities we partake in throughout the year. The annual charity ball is our premier fundraising event of the year and ensures our ability to continue giving back to Warminster. As in past years, we will have a silent auction, dinner, dancing and cash prizes totaling $5000 all in the name of charity! Without your help, we would not be able to continue our mission.
You may have heard about The Rule of 85. Basically, it states that with Board approval, a Rotarian at least 65 years of age and with an aggregate of their years of service with their age being equal to or greater then 85, they will be excused from attendance. This is a way for Rotary to recognize a members past service to the club and to allow them to continue being considered an active member when they may not be able to attend all the meetings.
It was another early Saturday morning and members of the Rotary clubs from Districts 7430 and 7450 woke up early and drove out to King of Prussia for a training session about The Rotary Foundation (TRF) and Future Vision. Through the last several years, the leadership of our district has been preparing for July 2013 when Future Vision becomes the way of life for TRF. In order for our club to qualify for participating in grants in the upcoming Rotary Year, we needed to have at least one member attend the training session. This year, I was happy to have Russ Bragg, our Club Foundation Chair, join me in preparing for the upcoming changes.
Jack Gorman has been a Rotarian for so long, we are having a hard time finding someone who can tell us when he joined! In 2000 he served as President. Throughout the years the club could always depend on Jack for service and financial support. The club never made a request that he did not fulfill and he always had a full table of guests at our Charity Ball.
This past Saturday a few Warminster Rotarians woke up bright and early for a session at the Rotary Leadership Institute held at the Radisson in King of Prussia. Leo Quinn took the first of three sessions, Claudia Quinn and Chris Roehl were in the second session and I completed the third and final session. The mission of the Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) is to provide an educational opportunity for Rotarians. Courses are to foster Rotary knowledge and leadership skills. The courses include discussion groups, problem solving workshops, group planning exercises and lectures are limited.
It is time to put our first food drive in the books! Warminster Rotary Club in partnership with Archbishop Wood and Philabundance toughed out a rough one tonight.
It was very wet as it poured down rain at Alumni Stadium for a matchup between the defending state champion Archbishop Wood football team and rival North Penn. Despite the weather, fans from both teams showed up and many brought their canned goods to donate to those in need within our community. Due to the timing with the first week of school, many people were not aware of the food drive but the students were able to go in the stands and request modest financial contributions. By the end of the game, we collected 119 canned good items PLUS another $150!
In addition to all the students who braved the weather and helped collect donations, I also want to thank Dan Finello, Mark McKee, Erica McKee, Leo Quinn and Claudia Quinn for their assistance.
Now that we have worked out the kinks, I am sure we are well on our way to a successful food drive culminating with our annual Charity Ball on November 10th at Spring Mill Manor. Check out the events section of our website for more information about upcoming food drive details as well as the Charity Ball!
While the Phillies wore their 90's era jerseys for retro night (and even played as bad as they were in the 90's), the Warminster Rotary Club enjoyed a nice night at the ball park. Even though the Phillies bats did not show up, we had a great showing with 74 tickets sold for the event raising $592 for Strike Out Hunger AND another $592 towards a Paul Harris award! Next year lets shoot for 100+ tickets sold!
Don't forget to check out pictures from the event!
Interesting statistics for our website which recently celebrating it's first birthday:
Visits: 2,201
Unique Visitors: 468
Pageviews: 6,328
Pages / Visit: 2.88
Avg. Visit Duration: 00:03:18
% New Visits: 21.26%
Not only has our website been viewed locally but we have had visits from Canada, the UK, Poland, Australia, Spain, Philippines, Belgium, India and even the United Arab Emirates. Now that is getting the word out!
The D7430 Executive Committee (our District Executive Committee) challenged all of the Rotary Clubs in our district with a humanitarian appeal and the Warminster Rotary Club decided to step up to the plate making two donations to those in need at their August Board Meeting.
Our very own Arlene Gilbert happened to buy a ticket right before the drawing today and wouldn't you know that was the ticket pulled? I am told the tickets were indeed mixed VERY WELL and even witnessed it myself. Arlene will be donating some tickets back to the club for the Charity Ball silent auction. I understand she will also be donating tickets to other charities/group fundraisers so keep an eye out and you may be able to win tickets to an individual Eagles game courtesy of Arlene Gilbert!
The fundraiser did very well for us again this year raising $7,120 in profit for the club. Thanks to all our members who came out to special sale events to sell extra tickets. A special thanks to the event coordinator, Nello Ianieri, who ran around making sure everyone had tickets to sell and collecting the money. I also want to thank Diane Garton who sold 90+ tickets through family and friends. Everyone should take notes from Diane for next year's event!
Earlier this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) removed India from the list of polio-endemic countries, a victory that involved 2.4 million volunteers administering vaccines to nearly 172 million children. Only three endemic countries remain—Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria—and the 24-year global effort to eradicate the disease is now within striking distance of its goal. But the entire campaign could come undone if obstacles to vaccination stall further progress.
One challenge is geopolitical. In each of the three remaining polio-endemic countries, the disease is concentrated in regions with large Muslim populations that are home to militant insurgencies. There have been persistent rumors in these regions that the vaccine is actually intended to sterilize Muslims, leading to widespread vaccination refusals. Last week, during a national polio vaccination drive under way in Pakistan, violent attacks against health workers took one life and injured two others.
With this new Rotary year upon us, I am honored to have been chosen to be the president of our Club. As one walks into Giuseppe's, they may notice the plaque of names of the past-president's and to look at those names one will see many noted people from our town of Warminster. I am truly honored to have been considered for this position and pledge to do my best to lead the Club as others have done before me.
This year it is my goal to provide added flexibility to our Club in order to make being a member easier. We should ask ourselves, "Why am I a Rotarian?". For me, it is not a simple answer. I wanted to join a group of people who make a difference in their community while also building lasting relationships with the members. But Rotary is actually even more then that with a global reach well beyond our local community. Every person who is asked the question will give a varied response but at the core is the idea of service to the community.
So by adding flexibility to the Club, I hope to increase our ability to give more to those in need both in our local community and beyond. With our dedicated board members and our ever increasing membership, I am sure we will find success together in Rotary.
Buddy Mullen and Richard Manfredi stood before DJ Dan Finello and swore to uphold the values of the Warminster Rotary Club today, June 26th. Join me in welcoming Buddy and Rich!
It's hard to believe that 12 months have gone by and my year as President of the Warminster Rotary is about to come to an end. It has been my pleasure to lead this organization for the 2011/2012 year - a very special year, being the 50th anniversary of the organization. Over the course of the year, we have continued the proud tradition of the Warminster Rotary by providing great service to our community in the form of donations to local non-profits, direct assistance to several needy children in the area, and scholarships to high school students in each of our local schools. We have also participated in a number of Rotary International projects which improve the lives of those in need globally, such as the Shelter Box program, which provides temporary housing and food prep materials following major disasters, and Rotoplast, which funds surgical intervention for children with cleft palate deformities in third world countries. All of these initiatives make me proud to be a Rotarian and proud of the efforts my club put forth to truly embody our motto of "SERVICE ABOVE SELF". Thank you to all my fellow Rotarians, and particularly, the Board members of the Warminster Rotary, for your fellowship and service.
If you have been to a meeting lately, you may have noticed some new faces. As is our tradition, on June 12th several new members pledged an oath to uphold the values of the Warminster Rotary Club. We would like to welcome Buddy and Hollie Mullen, Larry Enright and Matt Piotrowski! Stay tuned as we continue to welcome our new members.
Outgoing President, Katie Farrell, held a poolside BBQ event at her home on Sunday, June 10, to celebrate the accomplishments of the Rotary during fiscal year 2012 and to thank the membership for their support during her year. There was lots of sunshine and fellowship, as well as great music by local singer, Cheddar, sponsored by Buddy and Hollie Mullin. It was great fun! Be sure to check out the pictures in our gallery.
Despite the dramatic drop in polio cases in the last year, the threat of continued transmission due to funding and immunization gaps has driven the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) to launch the Global Polio Emergency Action Plan 2012-13.
The plan aims to boost vaccination coverage in the three remaining polio-endemic countries -- Nigeria, Pakistan, and Afghanistan -- to levels needed to stop polio transmission. Health ministers meeting at the World Health Assembly in Geneva adopted a resolution on 25 May that declared “the completion of polio eradication to be a programmatic emergency for global public health.”
Polio eradication activities have resulted in several landmark successes since 2010. India, long regarded as the nation facing the greatest challenges to eradication, was removed from the list of polio-endemic countries by the World Health Organization (WHO) in February. Outbreaks in previously polio-free countries were nearly all stopped.
During that same time span, however, polio outbreaks in China and West Africa due to importation from Pakistan and Nigeria, respectively, have highlighted the continued threat of resurgence. Failure to eradicate the disease could lead within a decade to paralysis of as many as 200,000 children per year worldwide.
On May 8th, our Rotary Club held a special meeting to present scholarships to the exceptional high school students in our area. Check out the article on Warminster Patch!
On Saturday May 12th, five of our club members attended the District Assembly in received training in specific concentrations in order to be better equipped to help run our club next year. Russ Bragg, Erica McKee, Janice Vallone, Leo and Claudia Quinn all volunteered their Saturday morning and I am sure will be a major asset in helping our club be successful in the upcoming year.
At our assembly meeting we were lucky to have a special guest. Many of you may remember Danielle Harrsch who has spoken to our club twice previously about her battle with MS and her plans to walk in the annual Philadelphia MS Walk. In this year's update, she talked about her study abroad trip to Europe and her 4.0 GPA. She also told us about her move to Center City Philadelphia to be closer to school and her new job working at the Lowes Hotel. One thing is for sure, this girl is always on the go and MS is definitely not holding her back!
Check out her MS Walk website and consider making a tax deductible donation in her name.
In another fine example of Rotary at work, we had a presentation by Allan Syphers of the Blue Bell Rotary Club on ShelterBox USA. Of course this presentation would not be complete without an actual ShelterBox on display! ShelterBox is an international disaster relief charity that delivers emergency shelter, warmth and dignity to people affected by disaster worldwide. Did you know in times of disaster, ShelterBox is often the first organization with boots on the ground evaluating the situation?
ShelterBox was founded by Tom Henderson, a Rotarian and former Royal Navy search and rescue diver.
Rotary District 7410 Governor Budd O’Malia, a member of the Rotary Club of Plymouth, recently enjoyed a luncheon visit with the Rotary Club of Warminster, located in Bucks County. Exchanging Rotary flags, from left, are O’Malia and Katie Farrell, president, Rotary Club of Warminster.
Adam Adnane was the winner last night of Warminster Rotary's 4 Way Speech Contest. Adam used the model of the 4 Way Test to passionately deliver a speech on Education. Adam will now move on to the regional competition on April 7, 2011 at Central Bucks High School. There were 3 other contestants from William Tennet High School who received awards, Andrew Knox, 2nd place, Jake Arentzen, 3rd place and honorable mention was given to Loqman Adnane.
All of the families indicated to me how grateful they were for Warminster Rotary's generosity toward their children.
The summer is coming and so is the annual Strike Out Hunger 2012! We are looking to have 100 people associated with Warminster Rotary buy tickets and join us at the game for this year's event. You can now sign up online. Just go to the events section of the website and click on "Phillies Strike Out Hunger 2012". On the left hand side of the page, under Register Online, click on "Accept or Decline" to sign up. Family and friends are more then welcome. As in past year's we are planning on tailgating before and after the game.
As we approach the upcoming speech contest, I would like to introduce our 3rd judge, Elliot Dunne. Elliot is a highschool English teacher at Plumstead Christian School in Bucks County, he teaches 9th through 12th grades as well as the advanced placement classes in English. He is a Literature buff and writer. Elliot has edited books for local authors and intends to proceed into teaching college level English.
The 2nd judge on the panel for the 4 Way Speech Contest is Karen Long R.N. . Karen is from Boston Massachusetts and is an Educator, Trainer and Speaker to both the medical community and consumers about issues in the mental health field. She has authored several published articles in various medical journals and is known as a dynamic key note speaker who is sought after both nationally and internationally. She will be a terrific asset to our panel of judges.
The Warminster Rotary Club has been serving its community for 50 years and we celebrated this milestone at our Charter Night dinner on Saturday, February 25, 2012, at the Spring Mill Country Club. It was a fun evening of food, music and fellowship! Charter Night is traditionally a night to recognize the accomplishments of the club over the past year and acknowledge those members of the club who have contributed greatly to its success.
Many of us are familiar with the voice of WPVI's "It's the Prime Time of My life" theme song but it may surprise you to learn that the voice behind the song is the one and only Peter Venneri, known to Warminster Rotary as " D.J. Pete". Yes, it's true, Pete has been entertaining audiences since he was 7 years old. So exceptional his talents as a young child, he became the winner of the nationally televised show " The Ted Mack Amateur Hour" performing in the Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York at the age of 11.
At this year’s International Assembly, the annual training meeting for incoming district governors, Monty J. Audenart, chair of the RI Membership Development and Retention Committee, spoke about the importance of retention.
“Not one of us in business is in the business of losing customers. We work to keep them, and we must do so in Rotary. Every Rotarian needs friends, an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution, ongoing Rotary education, recognition, and a sense that belonging brings benefits and value.”
It is official! The Warminster Rotary Club will be hosting it's first Four Way Speech contest on March 20, 2012 at our Tuesday night meeting. On January 30, Janice Vallone and Erica McKee met with six young men from William Tennent High School who are interested in competing. We will keep you updated as soon as all of the details are finalized.
While it is every Club President's expectation to work toward a Presidential Citation, it is not as easy as it sounds to actually receive one. Clubs are asked to complete a questionnaire to test their activities in all four Avenues of Service. They are: Club Service, Vocational Service, Community Service and International Service. Each of the four categories offers a possible 50 points and clubs that score at least 25 points in each category qualify for the 2010-2011 Presidential Citation.
Under the leadership of Chris Roehl and the hard work and dedication of our members, the Warminster Rotary Club can count itself as one of the few to receive the Presidential Citation.
A significant step toward a polio-free world, India has gone one year without recording a new case of the wild poliovirus.
"With the support of their Rotary brothers and sisters around the
world, Indian Rotarians have worked diligently month after month, year
after year, to help organize and carry out the National Immunization
Days that reach millions of children with the oral polio vaccine," says
RI President Kalyan Banerjee, of the Rotary Club of Vapi, Gujarat.
As days turn to months and months to years, there is the
inevitable pull of change as time goes by.
A fixture of the Warminster Rotary Club for over the past 45 years has
decided to retire. Bob Goldsworthy has
been a Rotarian since 1966 and has had PERFECT
attendance for all of those years.
You might know him as the guy at the check-in table who sold the 50/50
chances or perhaps from the ticket sales at any of our special events.
Last Night our club voted in favor of hosting "THE FOUR WAY SPEECH CONTEST" for local high school students. We look forward to being inspired by our local youth and his/ her ability to write and deliver a five minute speech addressing an ethical problem using the principals of the 4- Way Test.
More information will be provided as all the details are put in place.
Quote of the day: " There are 2 things more difficult than making a speech, climbing a wall which is leaning toward you and kissing a girl leaning away from you." Winston Churchill
While the final tally is not yet complete, it appears the Rotaplast Auction 2011 was another success. Thanks to all of the Rotarians who made it happen, we have raised over $35,000 which will be used to fund medical missions and give children new smiles!
Herbert J. Taylor was not only recognized as serving as a former Rotary International President in 1938, he is also the author of " The 4-Way Test".
The 4-Way Test was adopted by Rotary in 1943 as a subjective moral yardstick that would assist Rotary clubs in making decisions and promoting high ethical standards in business and professions.
Just as necessity is the mother of all invention, the greatest inspiration is often born of desperation. Herbert was desperate in 1932 despite his personal and business success, he was given the challenge of salvaging a bankrupt company and it's 250 employees. His only choice was to invest his own money into the company and to change the ethical climate. He would devise a self exam that every employee could use to make decisions that would empower them and the company.
The 4-Way Test
1. Is it the Truth?
2. Is it fair to all that is concerned?
3. Will it build goodwill and other friendships?
4. Will it be beneficial to all that is concerned?
This may sound very simple and possibly naive to some but it worked. The conduct of the employees got better, the advertising was honest and the relationships with the vendors became workable. The Aluminum Company survived beyond the life of Herbert Taylor who died in 1978.
The Rotary District 7430 Rotaplast
Auction is supported by the Rotarians of District 7430 and all proceeds
will go to fund Rotaplast Medical Missions that provide free
reconstructive surgery for cleft lips in children.
Last
year we sent a medical/surgical team to Columbia, South America and the
2011 Auction will help us raise the funds to continue these bi-annual
missions. The Columbia team saw 90 patients and performed 110 procedures
on children and young adults with cleft lips and palates. There were
226 families waiting at the hospital in South America and we could only
do surgery on 90 in an 8 day operating schedule.
HISTORY HAS
BEEN MADE !!!!! The
Warminster Rotary had their first EVENING meeting on November 15, 2011, at
Guiseppe's at 6 PM !! The Board voted to hold one evening meeting per month
for the rest of this fiscal year in order to help us bring in new members who
might not be able to make a luncheon meeting. This is an experiment !!! We
need to see an increase in membership or attendance to make this a permanent
change ! So, please, if you have not been able to attend due to the lunch
schedule, mark your calendar for THE THIRD TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH - 6 PM
!!!! By attending this meeting monthly and the monthly Board meeting,
you can fulfill your attendance requirements and be an active member of
Warminster Rotary !!
No amount of glitz from disco balls and
glitter of evening attire could out shine the guest of honor at the
Warminster Rotary Gala on Saturday, November 12, 2011.
The
Warminster Rotary hosted their Annual Rotary 5000 Gala this past Saturday,
November 12, 2011, at the Spring Mill Manor. The Rotary 5000 Gala is a
wonderful event with plenty of food, dancing and fellowship. The event raises
money to help a child in the community who has a special need. This year the
Warminster Rotary will utilize the proceeds to assist a wonderful young man,
Andrew, by purchasing additional equipment to help him in his daily battle with
cerebral palsy. Andrew and his twin brother, Kevin, attended the event
accompanied by their mom, Diane, and younger sister, Morgan. They danced the
night away with Rotarians and friends of Rotary, without whom the good work of
the Warminster Rotary Club could not be accomplished. A special guest,
District Governor, Bill Jahn, attended as well, and presented the Warminster
Rotary Club with a certificate recognizing their 50 years of "Service Above
Self", which will be officially celebrated in February 2012.
Jack Hanna, director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo in Ohio, USA, is best known as the star of the syndicated television series Jack Hanna's Into the Wild.
But he has also been recognized for his work rehabilitating victims of
the genocide in Rwanda. Hanna, a participant in Rotary's "This Close" polio awareness campaign, spoke to RI News about his family's experience with polio, and the importance of Rotary's efforts to eradicate the disease.
RI News: Your brother contracted polio when you were a child. What impact did that have on you?
Hanna: My brother and his friend both contracted polio at
about the same time in the '50s. He was eight at the time, and I was
only five; I didn’t really understand the disease and its complications.
Back then, people didn’t really know what caused it. We all had
to be careful where we went. We had to be very cautious that nobody else
would get it. It's a terrible disease, and a lot of people who
contracted it back then didn't survive. The polio went to my brother's
legs, and he was forced to wear braces. After therapy, he was able to
work through it.
In an effort to be more flexible to attract new members, we will be changing the meeting time for our Assembly Meetings to be 6:00 PM effective in November. Assembly Meetings will still be held on the third Tuesdays at Giuseppe's in our usual room. This new time will allow our members who could not join us previously due to the timing of our lunch meetings to come out and participate in the evenings.
Our other regular meetings will still be held at noon at Giuseppe's and our board meetings will still be on the second Wednedays at 7:00 pm. Don't forget, everyone is invited and encouraged to attend the board meetings. Come out and have a say in the direction our club takes in everything we do!
On September 10, 2011, the
Warminster Township Parks and Recreation Department, working with the
Warminster Rotary Club officially opened Safety Town at Warminster
Community Park.
The grand opening was the kick
off celebration to the Township's 300th Anniversary! Shortly after
the ribbon was cut, big and little kids piled into the Safety Town to
experience it for the first time. And from the many smiles that were
seen exiting, it looks like Safety Town is a HIT!
Thank you to all the volunteers, sponsors,
and staff that put in many long days to make this possible. The Parks
and Recreation Department would also like to thank the Warminster
Rotary for spearheading this project and helping make this dream
possible for all the children in the Warminster area.
As promised the Warminster Rotary Club held the annual Eagles Ticket Raffle on September 13th at 1:15 and the winner is Debbie Powers of Carroll Engineering Corporation!
This annual fundraiser has become a huge success and one of our main money makers. It would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of our members. Arlene's Gilbert's stepson has been our ticket connection for the last four years and due to his generosity we made a profit of $7,820! Also, Nello Ianieri played a crucial role in keeping all the tickets and sales organized. Thank you again to all who bought/sold tickets this year!
Today we had another productive build with a vast majority of signs being put up and a lot of the trim as well. Despite our efforts to make this our FINAL build, we will need one more to really finish things up. Some time was also spent cutting out the add-ons for the facades which were drawn by a local artist and will be painted. Stay tuned for the REAL FINAL BUILD DATE! We will be putting up the rest of the trim and the artwork... In the meantime, check out the new photos in the photo gallery!
50 Warminster Rotary Club members, family and friends attended Phillies Stike Out Hunger on Wednesday night to watch the Phillies pound on the Arizona Diamondbacks. We were part of the thousands of fans who participated in this years event involving over 200 Rotary Clubs in seven Districts in PA, NJ, DE and MD.
In 1905, a Chicago based attorney by the name of Paul P. Harris called a small
group of his friends together to discuss an idea. He wanted to start a club
that would promote fellowship and communication amongst the business community.
Establishing a friendly spirit among business people and giving them the
opportunity to compare experiences and ideas was foremost in his vision.
As the group continued to meet, ever expanding their numbers, they rotated their
meetings among the members' places of business. This was the catalyst for
naming their young group, the Rotary Club of Chicago. Soon after the
"Rotary Wheel" was adopted as their official emblem. The club grew to
30 members by the end of that first year and the message of "Rotary"
began to spread.
This past Thursday we had another Safety Town build. Even though the group was small, they were mighty! Most of the trim framing was completed with only a few left to finish and most of the artistic add-ons that Maria and Katie (our local artists) created were installed. The miniature street signs (stop, yield, ect...) arrived and they look great. The Public Works Department completed the cross walks and installed all of the brackets for the sign posts so we will be finishing that up next week and installing the "rules" sign. The handicapped access gate lever was installed so we are good to go as far as ADA regulations are concerned. There are a few more business signs to make and some minor sign repairs to finish. Also, we will have additional add-ons for after September 10th.
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Each Rotary Year we begin our Fundraising efforts by offering a chance for $20.00 to win Season Tickets to the Philadelphia Eagles. The tickets include 2 seats to all preseason and regular season home games, but do not include the Playoff option.
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We knew the day would come that we would have to say good bye to our dear Sergeant of Arms, Karl Lewis. Karl has been a dedicated member to the Warminster Rotary Club for many years. He is usually the first person to greet members and guests to the Tuesday luncheons. We are happy that he will take the time to enjoy himself but he will be missed by so many who enjoyed his dry sense of humor and his contagious smile. Karl has served Warminster township as Fire Marshal, and has been apart of several of the operating committees in our community. We can only hope that his legacy of service will inspire our members to remain dedicated to the guiding principals of Rotary International and serve community with a strong, common purpose and direction. Thank you Karl for your example and friendship.
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