Our mission is to bridge the gap in access to alternative therapies, often excluded from traditional health insurance, by offering holistic, drug-free, and non-invasive solutions for those seeking enhanced well-being. At the heart of our efforts is Neurofeedback—an FDA-approved, evidence-based brain training method proven to help regulate learning, behavior, and stress-related symptoms. Through dedicated communication, education, mentorship, and advocacy, we strive to raise awareness about its profound benefits. Our vision is to make this transformative therapy accessible and affordable by providing financial support, empowering children, veterans, first responders, and adults facing high-stress environments to take control of their mental health and recovery journey. In order to provide financial support to those can benefit from Neurofeedback treatment, but may not otherwise be able to afford it, Michelle formed The Benefit of Balance, Inc. as a non profit corporation organized under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code - Tax ID #: 87-4712697 

   Brad Ford Scholarship  - Soleil Bennett

   Forrest "Ned" Brown Scholarship - Kylie Desmond 

   Owen Justin Scholarship -  Jocelyn Daigle

   Boomerang Scholarship - Julia Parsons

   Donald E. Lawliss Scholarship  - Kalan Noseworthy

The Rotary committee that selected the scholarship recipients were:

   Donna Collins

   Bill Cushing

   Althea Volper

 Michelle Miakos

Current Owner and CEO of an Amesbury, MA marketing agency. Responsible for the overall direction and performance of the agency, including strategic planning, client acquisition and management, team leadership, financial oversight, business development, industry development, market strategy development, operational management, and brand representation.

Michelle is passionate about helping others. She continues to serve on boards is a member and sponsor of many organizations that focus on helping the community, families and children around the world. Some of these organizations are Anna Jacques Hospital Board of Trustee Quality Committee-Member, Anna Jacques Hospital Aid Association-VP & Board Member, The Firehouse Center for the Arts, Executive Committee Board Member, The Wish Project, the Firehouse Center for the Arts, Haiti Global Youth Partnership-Board Member, Member of the BNI Newburyport, NEBA, North Shore She’s Local organization, Amesbury Chamber of Commerce, and The Rotary of Amesbury. A Sponsor for Reach for Uganda, Opportunity Works, the Amesbury Educational Foundation Inc.

“Be the change you want to see in the world” ~ Gandhi

 Justin Lussier

 Samantha Hayes

 

 

 

 

 

Elaine Bussey

I am thrilled to join the Amesbury Rotary Club. I believe that Rotary is a wonderful way to not only serve my community, but to be part of a larger network of amazing individuals working towards the goal to improve the lives of others both locally and nationally.

I started my career as a Registered Nurse working in hospitals, long term care facilities, community services, and then began working as a visiting nurse where I found my passion. I worked for over ten years at the former Home Health Care of Greater Newburyport. In that role I managed training programs for home health aides and coordinated the home health aide services for the agency. I raised my 2 daughters in Newburyport and I very much enjoyed being part of the Greater Newburyport Community.

I went on to receive a Master’s Degree in Health Care Administration from New England College in Henniker, NH. My husband and I moved to New Hampshire to pursue our love of the outdoors, for hiking, kayaking, swimming, biking, and gardening. We have both completed hiking all of the NH 4000-foot mountains and received our patches from the NH 4000 Foot Mountain Club.

While in New Hampshire I began working as Director of Connecticut Valley Home Care in Newport ,NH. It was while working at that agency that I was first introduced to Rotary and was a member of the Newport Rotary club for 7 years. I felt I was then recruited to serve as the Executive Director of North Country Home Health and Hospice in Littleton, NH. I joined the Littleton Rotary while in that role.

After working in Littleton for almost 5 years. We returned to Massachusetts and purchased a home in Amesbury, Mass, and I began a new position as Clinical Director at the Visiting Nurse agency, Circle Home in Lowell. I joined the Lowell Rotary Club while in that role

Currently I work for the Community College System of New Hampshire coordinating their Allied Health training programs.  I work part time at Great Bay Community College in Portsmouth, NH. I enjoy this part time role, and that I am able to once again devote time to be a Rotarian

 

 

ROTARY EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR 2025

43^rd Annual Award

Previous Recipients:

Derek Bent 2024 Deidre Vachon 2023 Courtney Lovett 2022

Stacey Fijalkowski  2021 Patty Bradley 2008 John Swistak 1995

Marianne Curry 2020 John Lyman 2007 Bill Claffey 1994

Dr. Kristen Walsh 2019 Suzanne Morin 2006 Marcia Stellmach 1993

Jessica Regis 2018 Karen Iworsky 2005 Geraldine Minihan 1992

Leslie Barnaby 2017 Tom Horan 2004 Glenn Peterson 1991

Maryanne Dower 2016 Steven O’Connor 2003 Maria Ferrandini 1990

Bethany Noseworthy 2015 Billie McLane 2002 Nina Tassinari 1989

Mark Casto 2014 Jim Cassidy 2001 Linda Young 1988

Liz Morris 2013 Christopher Perry 2000 Rose Marie Bailey 1987

Gale Regis 2012 Albert MacDonald, Jr. 1999 Patricia Hoyt 1986

Anita Marsh 2011 Peggy Laufer 1998 Peter Hoyt 1985

Maureen Hardin 2010 Kathy Scholtz 1997 Barbara Foster 1984

Bruce McBrien 2009 Marlene Schroeder 1996 Barbara Leary 1983

The Amesbury Rotary Club is committed to serving the youth of our community. We sponsor scholarships and offer interest-free loans to Amesbury students. We also honor one of the many outstanding educators in our school system each year. This award recognizes professional excellence and the performance of outstanding service in the Amesbury School System. Eligibility requirements as follows:

• Must teach in the Amesbury School System - this includes all classroom/special education teachers and specialists in technology, art, music, library, guidance counselors, etc. Administrators are not eligible.

• Must have been employed in the Amesbury School System for at least five years.

• Must not plan on retiring within the next two years.

• Must not be a previous recipient.

Nominations are encouraged from past and present students, parents, co-workers, and all community members. If you wish to nominate a candidate, please mail this completed form, along with a letter explaining the reasons for your nomination to: Amesbury Rotary Club, PO Box 554, Amesbury, MA 01913 or drop it off at any Principal’s office, Superintendent’s office, or the Amesbury Public Library or email Donna Collins at dlcamesbury@yahoo.com.

The nomination deadline for 2025 Educator of the Year is Thursday, April 17, 2025 at noon.

Educator’s name and school: _____________________________________________

Your name and phone number: ____________________________________________

26 Feb 2025  

Life long resident Todd McGrath walked us through images of the sparsely known parts of Amesbury’s history- our cemeteries. He presented the legacies of 50 local men & women who have served America.

Todd has served on the Amesbury Cemetery Commission.

Over the last five years he has traveled each of these grounds many times, logging names and service records into a digital data base. Existing base maps of St Joseph, Union and Mt Prospect are dated 1940. Todd and the Cemetery Commission believe it is critical to provide visiting family and / or visitors with a plot location and a service record for a loved one.

The City has funded a drone overflight mapping with data entry to digital data set in 2025.

The 5 municipal cemeteries are under the control of the DPW Director with a commission budget of $1,000. The City has two openings on its appointed three member Commission. Ms. Jane Snow is the Chair and long term appointee.

The largest cemetery is Union on Rt 110 ( Haverhill Rd) with 900 veteran plots. Mt Prospect cemetery is on Elm St @ the top of the hill : with 500 veterans interred. Old Corner is also on Elm St at the Cumberland Farms, with 25 +/- veterans : some Revolutionary and Civil War veterans are here.

The small pox cemetery on Kimball Rd at the Elec. easement is un-marked and is a 17 the century parcel.

The Tuxbury family plot is also on Kimball Rd at the highest spot on the hill with 2-3 Veterans.

There are also 4 private cemeteries;

Bartlett on Main St adjacent to the Macy Colby house. There are 116 Veterans interred here.

Salisbury Point on Clarks Rd behind Burger King. There are 66 Veterans here.

ST Joseph on Rt 110 across from Andy Mans Bakery. There are 852 Veterans here from the Civil war through Iraqui Freedom.

Salisbury Plains is found on the Amesbury Salisbury town line on Monroe St. It is owned by the Bartletts.

The goal is to have each of 2,350 Veterans marked with a branch specific PVC flag holder identifying

his/ her service. Currently only St Joseph has a full set of flag holders with 605 new PVC medallions

and 150 +/- to be funded, purchased and installed in place ( $ 1,950.)

We estimate $ 19,500 is required to provide service markers for the 1450 unmarked headstones.

To date, all the funding has been provided by one benefactor.

Jane and Todd’s time is all volunteer.

If you wish to support this worthy and ongoing project please contact Todd directly at tmmcgrath@comcast.net.

 January 8, 2025  Andrea Lacroix has been interested in trash and recycling for as long as she can remember. She has served on her town’s Waste Reduction   Committee   for the past 10 years and is active in community events promoting sustainability. In October, 2022, she took Judith Enck’s master class on plastic pollution   and was stunned by the extent not only of plastic waste but of the health issues faced by humans as a result. She joined the Speakers’ Bureau to do her part in   educating as many people as possible. She lives in Ipswich, MA.

Rewilding Inside and Out -

Flags are proudly displayed at the Amesbury Servicemen's Memorial Honor Roll on Main Street (across the street from Amesbury Middle School).  Flags will be on display starting  May 25th through Flag Day, June 14th.  The honorees are  veterans, active-duty service members,  first responders, police, firefighters, EMTs, teachers, coaches,  essential workers, family members, humanitarians, or best friends. Hero's names are personalized on a medallion, which are attached to a full-size American flag, and which will be given to each flag sponsor as a remembrance, when the display is taken down.  

To learn how Amesbury Rotary puts the support of this project to work in our community, please click on the "Read More" button.

42nd. Annual Award

The 2024 Educator of the Year is Derek Bent, who has been make a difference in his students lives at the Amesbury Middle, for 27 years. Derek was nominated by Julie Sisson, who's letter read by Amesbury Rotarian; Madison Barns. Joining Derek for the award presentation were his daughter Lily, and son Ethan. Recognition of Derek's work, contributions and accomplishments were Amesbury Superintendent (and Amesbury Rotarian); Elizabeth McAndrews, and Amesbury Middle School; Jayne Vilandenis. We were honored by the presence of past recipients of this award; Marianne Curry and her husband Mike, 2000, and Stacey Fijalkowski, 2001.

Previous Recipients:

The Amesbury Rotary Club is committed to serving the youth of our community. We sponsor scholarships and offer interest-free loans to Amesbury students. We also honor one of the many outstanding educators in our school system each year. This award recognizes professional excellence and the performance of outstanding service in the Amesbury School System. Eligibility requirements as follows:

• Must teach in the Amesbury School System - this includes all classroom/special education teachers and specialists in technology, art, music, library, guidance counselors, etc. Administrators are not eligible.

• Must have been employed in the Amesbury School System for at least five years.

• Must not plan on retiring within the next two years.

• Must not be a previous recipient.

42 years and counting

“This is the 42nd.. year that the Amesbury Rotary Club will be giving an Educator of the Year award,” said Donna Collins, who heads the nominating committee., “which recognizes professional excellence." The Amesbury Rotary Club takes nominations from students, parents, co-workers, anyone in the community, Collins said. “We get all these letters and I screen them. The teachers have to have taught in Amesbury for at least five years and not plan to retire within the next two years.”

After Collins sifts through the nomination letters and verifies eligibility with the school department, the committee, which includes three or four Rotarians and four past winners, reviews all eligible nominations. Rotarians make the final decision,” she said, “but the input from the teachers is very valuable to us in making that decision.”

For event pictures, please click on the READ MORE button on the lower right of this screen

On March 27, 2024, Christine Turner, Executive Director of Link House based here in Amesbury presented an update of Link House, its several housing, rehab and treatment sites, and its outreach to the communities that Link House serves.

Chris oversees all aspects of Link House’s residential and outpatient treatment programs, bringing more than 25 years of experience leading human service organizations to this role.

Prior to joining Link House Inc., Turner held leadership positions at Lowell House Inc. where she served as the Clinical Director for women’s treatment services and was instrumental in procuring grant funding for the development and oversight of specialized addiction treatment programming for women. During her time at Lowell House she also served as Director of the Sheehan Women’s Program, Senior Director of Residential Programs, and interim CEO. Turner was also the Director of DPH funded Community and Residential Substance Abuse Services at The Psychological Center in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

A Licensed Alcohol Drug Abuse Counselor and Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor, Turner is also board certified by The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and is a Master Addictions Counselor with the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Bedford College (part of the Cambridge University Institute of Colleges, UK) and her graduate degree in Community Counseling Psychology from Springfield College, Massachusetts.

Purpose of a Grand Jury

A grand jury is used in the U.S. to protect people from unjustifiable and unfair prosecution. The grand jury, composed of 12 to 23 everyday citizens, reviews evidence, and hears testimony for the purpose of conducting an investigation into alleged criminal conduct. Such grand jury investigations take place behind closed doors, testimony being kept secret, in order to encourage witnesses to testify freely. If there is sufficient evidence presented to warrant the defendant being charged with the crime, and put on trial, the grand jury issues an indictment.

When a true bill indictment is issued, it results in the defendant being criminally charged, and the move toward trial begins. When a no true bill is issued, most people never even know the matter was heard by a grand jury, as these proceedings take place confidentially.

The worst possible weather combined to produce the 1936 flood: A warm front that stalled on March 11 followed an unusually cold, snowy winter. With that warm front came the first rain storm, centered on the White Mountains. It lasted until March 13 and dumped five inches of rain onto Maine, New Hampshire and parts of Vermont. Weather forecasters had accurately predicted the 1936 flood, and ample warning prevented much loss of life. Ice jams on rivers caused most of the destruction. A mark at the very top of the first story of a barn on River Road in Merrima, shows the high water mark of the infamous 1936 flood, an event that is largely forgotten today. The flood caused enormous damage all along the Merrimack River and its tributaries. It forced the evacuation of Amesbury’s Point Shore, and led to desperate measures such as dynamiting ice jams.

On January 18th. a contingent of Amesbury Rotarians had the pleasure of visited Holly B's workshop and studio at CI Works here in Amesbury, and learned about the relatively little art form of "fracking." As the accompanying pictures show; We had a "WHALE of a GOOD TIME!" Holly showed us the end product and then took us through the entire process. We learned about safety measures, sent electricity through the wood (fracking), scraped the ashes, sanded, burned the edges, and posted for pictures. We even had time to make sure that Donna and Sandy received their new Paul Harris recognition pins. It was tons of fun and we learned about a local business in our backyard. Great evening!

 Members of Amesbury Rotary were all smiles this evening as we put together emergency food bags and birthday bags fo the clients of Pettengill House. Many families need food to get them through a few days while they work on getting settled. We know this will help. This project was funded in part by a District 7930 Managed Grant which was made possible by our club’s contributions to The Rotary Foundation. Thank you Terri Doerfler for making this happen! All of your planning and efforts made this a fun, meaningful project. This wouldn't have happened without you! This is why I’m (Julia Phelps) so committed to Rotary. We make the world better in our own backyards as well as every where else in the world.

Last week Julia Phelps shared some of her many Rotary experiences. Specifically, she shared her “WASH” (Water, Sanitation and Hygine) involvement and experience. 

I think this is a great example of what Rotary is and can be. Some members of our Club are, or have been involved with International events/efforts. Some of our members are much more focused on the local area, and some members are not yet involved . I hope at least one take-away from Julia’s presentation is that there are many ways to get involved and if you aren’t sure of how to do so, just ask one of our Members – we really have a number of experienced Rotarians in our Club.