Annual Bike Safety Day
Stories
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Dennis DiZoglio Our speaker on May 10th. was the first and three term Mayor of Methuen; Dennis DiZoglio, who's background includes;, Executive Director of the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, Deputy General Manager for Planning & Development - MBTA, and Associate Edward J Collins Center for Public Management - U Mass Boston Dennis gave us an enthusiatic and humorous insider view of the rote and responsibilities of a small town Mayor as the town transitions from a Town Manager to a Mayoral form of government; using the chapters of his recently published book; "The Value of Political Capital" to touch on the highlights of his 3 terms as a Mayor..  |
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Cathy Lanois - Green Belt Cathy Coffin Lanois, Greenbelt's Director of Development and Community EngagementCathy has two decades of experience in development and advancing the work of environmental, educational and cultural nonprofits. In her 10+ years at Greenbelt, she has attracted and engaged multi-generational audiences by bringing in new members, increasing the participation of current members and facilitating volunteer programs and events. She leads Greenbelt's Development and Community Engagement team working to advance our land campaigns, the Annual Fund, communications and membership programs. Cathy's appreciation for accessible open space stems from her lifelong love of being outdoors - trail running, skiing, hiking, boating, beach walking. Professionally, her goal is to provide others who value the benefits of conserved land the opportunity to get involved, make a difference, and support Greenbelt's mission. Cathy has a Master’s Degree in Geology and worked as an environmental consultant before starting her career at Greenbelt.
About Greenbelt: Click on the "Read More" button in the lower left to learn about the Greenbelt web site and app, and to see their Essex County Sites and Amesbury trails.
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2023 Educator of the YearROTARY EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR 2023 41st Annual Award 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:
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 2023 Educator of the Year is Tuesday, May 2, 2023, at noon.
Educator’s name and school: _____________________________________________ Your name and phone number: ____________________________________________ |
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Pettingill House Service ProjectAmesbury Rotarians and Kiwanians joined forces in a service project to help the Pettingill House assemble furniture and storage shelving in the new space which they are expanding into, in order to better server their clients. The project was so well organized by Sierra Partlan; key member of the Pettingill House management team, and member of both Amesbury Rotary and Kiwanis, that all scheduled work was completed in one hour. it was a fun evening, great team building exercise, and an opportunity for two Amesbury's service clubs to work together, and get to know one another. Amesbury Rotarians participating were: Co-Presidents Donna Collins and Eric Palen, Sierra Partlan, Todd Schell, Cheryl Keim, Tom Farrell, Sandy Carlisle, and our newest member; Jeff Salerno. To see pictures of the teams, please click on the "Read More" button on the lower right. |
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Social MeetingThe March 29 meeting was a social gathering at Game Iime with lots of good conversation, and Rotary camaraderie. Present were (left to right) Sandy Carlisle, Todd Schell, Eleni Lopes, Ryan Lopes, Cheryl Keim, Tom Farrell, Sierra Partlan. Also present were Eric Palen, Madison Barns, and Mac Odell.  S |
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An Irish Ballad to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day At our Club Assembly on March 15 at Game Time, our President Elect; Steve McKenzie lead us in singing an Irish Ballad to celebrate St. Patrick's Day - a fun time for all present.
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Madison Barns - Classification TalkMadison (Maddie) Barns joined Rotary and the Amesbury Rotary Club o October 12, 2022. She shared her background with her fellow Rotarians in her well presented Classification talk on March 22 at Molise.   A Classification Talk is an opportunity for new members to introduce themselves to their fellow Rotarians, with an oral and visual biographical sketch; in whatever detail they wish. Usually it includes where they were born, where they grew up, schools and colleges/universities, sports, hobbies, particular interests, civic and professional involvement, career path and where they have worked and are currently working, significant civic and professional achievements, family, travels, events and people that have influenced your life ,etc. Some use their laptop tied to the large screen TV. Most keep it informal and on the light side, including humorous anecdotes from their past - it can be both a fun and interesting time for the club, and for them; as they revisit their past, while putting they notes and pictures together.
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Visit to Amunii StudioOn Wednesday, March 1st. Tanya and Kevin, owners of Aumnii Studio hosted our evening meeting; at their 5 Market Square, Amesbury workshop studio. Aumnii has had both a work shop/ studio as well as a retail store in Amesbury, but has decided to focus full time on DIY workshops in their Market Square studio, and at private events, birthdays, team building events, etc. both in the New England area, as well as special workshops at venues ranging from Canada to Florida. They will continue selling through the internet, after they close their Main St store later this Month. Their art forms range from the traditional to the eclectic; furniture painting. glassware painting and etching, wood image burning, macrame, cloth, wood forms, wall and window hangings, etc. -- using alcohol inks, chalk paint, acrylic pour, etc. It was an exceptionally interesting and educational evening, which we were exposed to art forms that most little or nothing about. Tanya and Kevis's discussion was fascinating, and your enthusiasm was infectious. It's great to see a small business succeeding here in Amesbury..Thier web site is: www.aumni.com.     |
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1936 Amesbury FloodOn February 22, Amesbury Historian Bart Bailey brought us back to 1936, when the great flood occurred. His oral and visual presentation was riveting, and very informative. He showed a movie which his father had taken of and from Main Street, showing both the ice and the ensuing flood. The movie was of such exceptional quality and definition, that it could easily stand beside those taken today. Bart has done a great job of preserving these images in digital format; as a permanent record for future generations.    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. |
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Rotary Service At Our Neighbors Table Wednesday, February 15 afternoon was Amesbury Rotary's sponsorship of a meal and serving at Our Neighbors Table. ONT is a key part of the greater Amesbury community; serving a prepared meal every Wednesday to all who come - meals are currently for takeout only, but the ONT staff is hoping to resume eat in table service in the near future. This meal while an important service to the community, is the tip of the iceberg, as ONT is a major source of food through it's Main Street Food Pantry, where it make a significant contribution to addressing food insecurity in our area, which affects 1 out of every 16 people across Northern Essex County. Creating a food secure region is a collective effort of working together to ensure every person across Northeastern Essex County has access to food when and where they need it. Our Neighbors' Table relies on the generosity, time, and talents of local individuals and businesses to ensure every neighbor has food on their table. You can make a difference – your actions will help create a food secure region. |
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Link House Valentine Service ProjectAmesbury Rotary prepared Valentine gift bags with socks, chocolate, and a special Valentine for Link House, Inc. residents. The feedback was that everyone loved the new socks and were happy to be remembered. Rotarians are “People of Action” and no act of thoughtfulness is too small.
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Holly B's Fracking Art Workshop & StudioOn 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!       |
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Nepal's - Great Himalaya Trail ProjectEconomic and Community Development of Eco-Tourism Creating successful and sustainable eco-tourism and micro enterpris  e among extremely poor mountain villages. Build on proven initiatives started in the Makalu and other parts of Nepal over the past 20+ years, harness a proven Appreciative Planning and Action (APA) development methodology along Nepal’s 1000 mile Great Himalaya Trail (GHT)—spanning the entire 500 miles from East to West Nepal.This proposed Economic Development International Project, supported by District 7930 and Amesbury Rotary, is being designed by Amesbury Rotarians Malcolm (Mac) Odell, Mark Bean, and Sandy Carlisle from the Amesbury Rotary Club members. You can read more about the project in the Northeast PETS House of Friendship by following this link: |
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Merrimack River Watershed CouncilOn January 11th.John Macone, Policy & Education Specialist, and Tracey Chalifour, Director of Development; Staff members from the Merrimack River Watershed Council talked about activities the MRWC does to promote education and awareness about the health of the 117 mile long river, and provided supporting statistics. They also discussed some of the major challenges the river faces, most notable of which is sewerage run off into the river, when there is a period of heavy rainfall; and the roll that the federal and state governmental agencies are playing to abate this source of contamination. Amesbury Rotary has provided funding, through a District grant to fund development of a contamination warning system. Some of our members have gone on hikes/walks with the MRWC group and found them to be very interesting, which included historical and environmental issues pertinent to the area being visited. MRWC Mission Statement: to improve and protect the health of the Merrimack River Watershed for all people and wildlife. MRWC Vision: A Watershed where community and nature flourish together. MRWC Values: Collaboration - Inclusivity - Integrity.   |
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Tom Whalen - Classification Talk Tom Whalen, one of our newest members, gave his Classification Talk on January 4th. Tom is Director of Men's Supportive Services at Link House, at their site in Amesbury. Tom shared much about his background, diverse experiences, and life before joining Link House, which uniquely qualifies him for his work in helping their residents transition from addiction to fully functioning members of the community. He shared much about Link House, their mission, challenges, statistics, success stories, and future. Tom spoke without notes, straight from the heart -- a memorable and inspiring talk. |
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Amesbury Library UpdateThe Amesbury Rotary met at the Amesbury Library in front of the fountain we gave the city as part of our 75th Anniversary. Head Librarian, Aime Westphal, and Friends of the Library, incoming president, Katie Fawkes gave us a status report on all things library!
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DG Alex Falk Visits Amesbury RotaryToday, Amesbury and Newburyport Rotarians heard from District Governor, Alexander Falk. He updated us on the presidential initiatives as well as the leadership’s plan for District 7930. He even got a few laughs from the group which isn’t always easy. KUDOS Alexander!
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The Business Side of Being an AuthorWhat an interesting Rotary meeting this afternoon. We heard about the business side of being an author from Edith Maxwell, who also writes under the pen name, Maddie Day. It’s more than just writing a mystery story. Be sure to check out her website, edithmaxwell.com and sign up for her newsletter and Facebook page.We also learned that Cathy Toomey was written into (and out of) the Quaker Midwife Mysteries. It’s amazing what you can get if you’re the highest bidder at a charity auction  |
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Link House - newest Amesbury Rotary Corporate Member |
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Amesbury Rotary President's NightIt’s a new Rotary year, which means new leadership in our clubs, our districts, and our international board. On Monday, June 27 PDG Julia Phelps inducted our club’s first co-presidents, Donna Collins and Eric Palen. We also gave 4 people Paul Harris recognitions. Ann Ferguson, Amy Farrell, Ann Boudreau, and Tom Farrell were named Paul Harris Fellows because they exemplify our motto, Service Above Self. Outgoing President; Tom Farrell gave an excellent recap of the Club's many accomplishments during the last Rotary Year, and incoming Co Presidents Donna Collins and Eric Palen laid out their view and goals for the 2022-2023 Rotary Year. On June 30, hekd at the Danversport Yacht Club, at the district celebration where our new District Governor Alesander Falk inducted Donna and Eric. Busy week, and we’re off to our new Rotary International theme for 2022-2023; "ImagineRotary". For pictures, please click on the "Read More" button. |
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Step Up Thirft Store
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Rotary Annual Bike Safety DayAmesbury Rotary held it's annual Bike Safety Day in conjuction with the Amesbury Police Department in the lower mill yard parking lot on May 21st. Approximately 30 kids brought their bikes down to get fitted for a new helmet, get their bikes tuned up, ride the bike safety course - they got a
certificate when completing it, and enter a raffle for a new bike. Click on "Read More" for picture from this event. |
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2022 Amesbury Rotary Amesbury Scholarships
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2022 Educator of the Year - 40th Annual Award2022 Educator of the Year - Courtney Lovett Cashman Elementary School 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. |
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Amesbury Teacher Appreciation Project  On May 4, 2022 Amesbury Rotary showed its appreciation to all Amesbury teachers, for the impact that they have on all aspects of the growth of their students, with a pouch of seeds; symbolizing growth, with a tag reading "Thanks for planting the SEEDS of Knowledge". The project was lead by Amesbury Rotary President Elect, Donna Collins.
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Community Service Project - Pettengill House Emergency Food Bags
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PDG Julia Phelps Spoke on Her International Service ExperiencesLast 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. |
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Valentine's Day Card Community Service ProjectFebruary 2 - evening meeting at Game Time. We had a Community Service project work party; writing 160 Valentine’s Day cards for 2 local nursing homes. PDG Terri Kidder lead this effort; coordinating with the nursing homes and getting the supplies. We had members and guests of all ages involved. President Tom is delivering the valentines to the nursing & assisted living facilities this week. For pictures of this event click on the READ MORE button below.
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Amesbury Rotary Served at 2021 Senior Holiday Lunch We served the December holiday lunch for Amesbury Seniors. Every December Amesbury Rotary serves at the Senior Holiday Lunch, always a great community service event. I (Julia Phelps) had a great AHS Interactor helping me!
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Two New Members Join Amesbury RotaryOur two newest members; Eric Palen (lower right) and Ryan Lopes (upper left), the newest members to join Amesbury Rotary gave their biographical Classification Talks at our January 5th. meeting at our evening meeting at Game Time.  . |
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2020 Annual Corn Hole Tournament Tickets are on Sale NOW!Get your tickets at Event Brite  |
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Join us for some Holiday Family Fun! |
This past week, Jane Ansaldo Church shared information about the Step Up Thrift Shop. They accept “lightly” used/worn clothing/shoes and books to name a few things (not furniture) and they are open certain hours but you can donate 24 hours/day at the shed they have that’s between the library and the church. They reinvest almost all the proceeds back into the City of Amesbury.
