Santa's helpers have been putting in a lot of time working hard to make Santa Land just perfect as we await Santa's arrival. He'll be with us in Santa's House on Sunday, December 1st, following the Denville Holiday Parade. But before Santa arrives, we'll be celebrating our Annual Tree Lighting on Saturday, November 30th at 6:00 p.m. Mark your calendar for this joyous occasion which always includes town dignitaries, carolers, the official countdown to lighting our beautiful tree and of course, hot chocolate and cookies for the children. Come and join us as we kick off the holiday season!
Scoop, fill, weigh, seal, count, box up. Cowbells ringing with every filled box! Lots of that happening at Denville Rotary's End Hunger 3.6 event to the tune of 20,000 meals packaged and donated. Local food banks and community outreach programs will distribute the goods to those in need. Thank you to the amazing 95 community volunteers who got the job done, to our generous sponsors, to St. Mary's Church for hosting us and to Ray Freaney who was the backbone of this event. See you all next time! (To get the true picture, take a look at the event in the Photo Album section.)
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS, SPONSORS, AND DONATIONS
Denville Rotary is holding it's first END HUNGER 3.6 Food Packaging Event on November 2, 2024 and we need your help! Our goal is to package 20,000 dry meals of macaroni and cheese in two hours at the Riverview School Annex. The event is a fun, feel good experience where you'll work in groups of ten, young and old, to fill, weigh, seal and package the meals into cases. When the case if filled, ring the cow bell and the case will be picked up to make room for the next one. Bring your enthusiastic, energetic self and have some fun working to feed the hungry. Please see the flyers below for detailed information on how to volunteer, make a donation or become an event sponsor. Thank you for helping us reach our goal of 20,000 meals!
PLEASE SPONSOR OUR EVENT!
If you are looking for a surefire way to help relieve the awful distress of Hurricane Helen victims, McCarter's Towing is filling a trailer with much needed items as listed on the flyer below. They are working in conjunction with America's 911 Foundation (501c3), an all volunteer organization. Please help fill the trailer so it can be on it's way to aid those in Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. Every little bit helps!
The Women's Center at County College of Morris empowers individuals to achieve financial independence. Are you or someone you know, planning to re-enter the workforce? Contact Kathy Vicente at womenscenter@ccm.edu or 973-328-5025 or scan the QR code on the flyer below.
Pictured left to right are Diane Vezzuto, President Elect, Kathy Vicente of the Women's Center and Betsy Roberts, Co-President
Denville's first ever Feast of San Gennaro is just a couple of days away. You won't want to miss it! Come visit over sixty vendors, bocce ball, activities for kids, wine/beer garden, lots of Italian food, Denville Rotary will run a 50/50 and where else can you go and find a strolling accoridan player. See you on Sunday, September 22nd, 12-6pm. Presented by Two Girls Media and Denville Rotary Club. For more information visit sangennarodenville.com.
Meet Makayla from the New Jersey Sharing Network. What an amazing non-profit organization. Mikayla spoke about their mission and shared some very touching stories of donor recipients and donor families. Team members, volunteers and community partners work together to save lives through organ and tissue donations and provide support to families of those who gave the gift of life. Visit www.njsharingnetwork.org to learn more about how NJ Sharing Network saves live, gives hope and restores physical function. Makayla is pictured here with Denville Rotary's Co-President Betsy Roberts.
THERE IS A CRITICAL NEED FOR BLOOD DONORS. Please give if you are able to. To schedule an appointment, follow the directions on the flyer below. Your donation helps save lives! Sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Denville.
Please give if you are able to in memory of Allison and Margaret. The need is great!
WOW! Our first 2024 evening meeting, fully packed with club members, visiting Rotarians, guests and friends, was filled with high energy and lots of laughs, but the highlight of the evening was our very adorable guest speaker, Ally Harrison, a sophomore at Morris Catholic High School. At the end of June, Ally departed for a three week stay in Japan through Rotary's Japan and American Youth Exchange Program where she visited three major cities (Osaka, Nara and Kyoto) staying with a new host family in each location. Ally enjoyed the opportunity to meet many new people and immerse herself in the culture. It was such a pleasure to have her as our guest sharing details of her experiences, both culturally educational and fun loving. Ally is the daughter of Denville, Rotarian Vicki Harrison (proud mama) and her husband Mark, who hosted two Japanese students in their home while Ally was abroad. A win win situation for all involved!
Pictured are Denville Rotarian Vicki Harrison (left) and Ally Harrison (right).
Dementia is a general term for a decline in memory, reasoning skills or other thinking skills severe enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's is a specific brain disease and is the most common cause of dementia accounting for 60-80% of all dementia cases. Dementia is not a normal part of aging but is caused by damage to brain cells which affects communication, thinking, behavior and feelings. Thank you to Melissa Burside and Kevin Roman of the Alzheimers Association for educating us. Please visit alz.org to learn about the warning signs, stages, and so much more. You can sign up for their newsletter or call the hotline 800-272-3900 to speak with a professional. You can also participate in "Walk to End Alzheimer's" on October 20th (see flyer below). Pictured from left are Betsy Roberts, Co-President Denville Rotary, Melissa Burside, Kevin Roman and Diane Vezzuto, President Elect Denville Rotary.
July 28th was not only a celebration of our 2024-2025 District Govenor, Jeannie Tsukamto, but also a "Celebration of District 7475". We are back and we are strong. Under Jeannie's leadership, with participation of all 7475 Rotary Clubs, it promises to be a very active and impactful year!
Congratulations District Govenor Jeannie Tsukamoto! As you hold that gavel high and proud, we're looking forward to a very impactful year!
There was also a celebration of current Club Presidents with "Extradorinary Years of Service." We are very proud that our very own President, Betsy Roberts, was recognized for her 36.1 years of extradorinary service to the Rotary Club of Denville! Thank you, Betsy, for your many contributions and years of dedicated service!
The Rotary Clubs of Denville were well represented at the "Celebrate 7475 Dinner." Seated right to left are Carmine DeMaio and Bill Roberts (Denville Rotary Honorary Members), Mary Radicsh and Betsy Roberts (Co-Presidents of Denville Rotary), Patricia Agliata (Past President of Denville Rotary), Maureen Dempsey (Member of Denville Sunrise Rotary) and Jim Harp (President of Denville Sunrise Rotary).
Bruno is a sophomore at Morris Knolls High School, plays soccor and basketball, has many accomplishments to his credit including three consecutive years on high honor roll in middle school and Denville Junior Volunteer of the Year 2022-2023. Bruno is a Life Scout with Troup 118 Denville and is working on his Eagle Scout project. Denville Rotary is proud to support him in is Fishing Line Recycler installations at Gardner Field, Riverside Drive, Cooks Pond, Muriel Hepner Park, McCarter Memorial Park, Hollstein Lake and the Recycle Center. Bruno is an avid fisherman at our local parks who is conservation minded and has a strong drive to give back to the community. His project will help keep marine mamals safe from injesting or becoming entangled in lines that, without his project, may otherwise end up in the waters. Good luck, Bruno and much success with your project!
As we enjoy our cookouts, star-spangled parades and skies bright with fireworks, let us not forget, this day, July 4, 1776, commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress establishing the United States of America. Have fun and be safe!
On June 29, 2024, we ushered in the new Rotary year with our traditional celebration of saying a heartfelt thank you to our outgoing President, Rick Rafferty, and welcome with good wishes and happy vibes to our incoming Board. Meet our team: Co-Presidents Betsy Roberts and Mary Radicsh (pictured with DG Jeannie Tsukomoto), President Elect Diane Vezzuto, Secretary Diane Grabowski, Asst. Secretary Patricia Agliata, Treasurer Yasmin Pareti-Boudway, Sergeant-At-Arms Tom Vitiello, Parliamentarian Tony Toriello and our Directors Michael Boudway, Brigitte Carruci, George Hrobuchak, Bill Kader, Joe Paci and Rick Rafferty. (Missing from the photo are Brigitte Carruci and Bill Kader.) Thank you to Tony Toriello for serving as Master of Ceremonies and thank you to Mayor Tom Andes and Mrs. Sharon Andes for your continuing support! Lastly, congratulations to Andrew Crawford for receiving a Paul Harris Recognition for his many contributions to Denville Rotary! (Take a look at the album under the Photo Album Tab.)
President Rick Rafferty has come to the end of his term as President of Denville Rotary Club. He also served as President during the 2014-2015 term as well as serving as President of his former Maplewood Rotary Club. He doesn't look too unhappy about this as he waves a fine farewell, but perhaps Rick is just really proud of all his accomplishments not only this past year but of all his many years serving as a dedicated Rotarian. Congratulations, Rick, on a job well done!
The Denville Police Department and the Office of Emergency Management designed a custom "box" to house the drone, batteries and accompanying equipment used when responding to emergency situations. This custom box will be fitted to an emergency vehicle so it's always ready to jump into action at a moments notice saving valuable time in reaching an emergency location. Wesley Sharples, Coordinator of the Office of Emergency Management and the Denville Community Emergency Response Team, accepted our donation of $1,000 as presented by President Rick Rafferty. We are always happy to support Denville's emergency responders.
Another two new members were recently officially installed into our Denville Rotary Club Family. Welcome Mary Carri! Mary is a Denville resident working in Parsippany as a Client Financial Manager for a health care company, is Co-President of Morris Knolls High School Booster Club and a member of the Morris Knolls High School Home and School Association. Angelo Faillace is transferring his membership from the Phillipsburg Rotary Club as he has relocated to Rockaway to be closer to family. Angelo has served as Secretary and Assistant Treasurer while he was a member in Phillipsburg. We're sending out a warm welcome to Mary and Angelo and look forward to your participation in service and fellowship! Pictured with Mary is Membership Chair Tony Toriello and with Angelo is President Rick Rafferty.
All the meetings, the planning, coordinating and cooperation, ordering, mental excerices, checks and balances, advertising, registering vendors, the physical labor and all that is takes behind the scenes for eight months in the works has culminated in another very successful Denville Rotary Street Festival. Thank you Mother Nature for a beautiful day and a very special thank you to Mayor Andes, Denville Police Department, Denville DPW, McCarter's Towing, friends of Rotary and family members for volunteering their time and of course a very special thank you to all of our sponsors. We couldn't do it without you! Thank you to PP Joe Paci and Michael Boudway for being at the helm and leading us through another spectacular annual festival! Take a look at the two Street Festival slide shows under the Photo Album section. Hope to see everyone again next year on June 1, 2025. Mark you calendar!
Our Annual Memorial Day Rememberance. We honor all who served this great nation of ours, but especially those who gave all. Past President Joe Paci lays the memorial wreath while Past President Bill Kader raises the flag.
The countdown has begun! Get ready for our 41st Anniversary of the iconic Denville Rotary Street Festival where thousands of visitors come for the fun, food, beer garden, carnival rides, over 100 vendors and of course the 50/50 raffle. Will you be the winner? See you there!
One of our favorite days of the year is our Annual April Senior Luncheon where we serve up a delicious pasta lunch at the Denville Senior Center. We just love puting a smile on the faces of this beautiful population! In fact, we probably have more fun than they do! Here's a shout out to Anthony and Sons Bakery for donating the rolls, to Denville Dairy for donating the pretty ice cream cake and to Denville Pizzeria for cooking the pasta and meatballs to perfection. Mayor Tom Andes always joins us to hang out with our senior friends (and pull the lucky 50/50 ticket) and we were very happy to have Township Council President Glen Buie join us. We would be remiss if we didn't give a special shout out to Past President Joe Paci for organizing this event again this year. Thanks Joe, well done! (Click on Read More to see a few photos and take a look at the fulll album under the Photo Album tab.)
Gay Holaten, Jesus Menendez and Diane Grabowski...Let's Go!
Rotarians At Work Serving Up Pasta and Meatballs 
Denville Rotary exists with a true spirit of giving to help others and here's a fine example of just that. Through a grant and generous monetary gifts, we were able to donate two fire blankets and an emergency plug to the Denville Fire Department. The blankets will contain electric vehicle fires in order to prevent spreading and the plug will be used to neutralize an electric vehicle so it can not move. This is especially important if passengers are trapped inside the vehicle. First Aid Captain, Bill Keating, center, and his crew received the donations. Click on Read More for additional photos.
It was a very exciting day at Denville Rotary! We couldn't be happier to present two prestigous awards to three very deserving individuals. On the left, Past President Betsy Roberts presented Susan Banks, owner of Faith and Begorra, with the Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award. Susan's contributions to the community are way too numerous to list here, but if you know Denville, you know Susan Banks!
On the right, Vicki Harrison and Brigitte Carucci, owners of Two Girls Media, were presented with our coveted Claude Dickerson Award which is given only during the first five years of membership to an individual (or team) who has made exemplary contributions to the community and exemplifies the ideals of Rotary. Just like Susan, their contributions are great and too numerous to list here, but if you know Denville, you know Vicki and Brigitte! Presented by past recipeint Diane Grabowski.
Join us for our second Meet and Greet gathering at El Mejicano on April 4, 2024. Enjoy some apps and chat with Denville Rotarians to learn about all we do to create lasting change both locally and globally. Details below:
Congratulations to John DiMaggio for becoming Denville Rotary's newest member! John is the owner of Denville Pizzeria and has a long history of always being willing to lend a helping hand and give back to the community. He lives by Rotary's motto of Service Above Self. Welcome, John, and thank you for your service and for your support of Denville Rotary! Pictured from left are Tony Toriello, John DiMaggio and John's sponsor Patricia Agliata.
Tony deserves a nice round of applause as Denville Rotary President, Rick Rafferty, presents him with the prestigious Paul Harris Recognition. After almost twenty years of membership with unwaivering dedication and outstanding contributions to Denville Rotary and to the community, Tony earned this award for the sixth time. Congratulations Tony and thank you for all you do!
Please support the Denville Arts Council! Brigitte Carucci and Vicki Harrison, the creators of the Denville Arts Council, work tirelessly to bring enjoyment, entertainment, local talent and lots of smiles to all who take advantage of the free events they bring to town. Their plans include a Mini Art Show, spring and fall Art in the Park events, the second annual Field of Flags in May, the first ever Denville Fairy Trail Walk, six Music in the Park concerts at the bandstand in Gardner Field and three Makers Markets at various locations. If you would like to be a participating artist, a sponsor or want to mark your calendar for the upcoming events, visit the website at denvilleartscouncil.org for all the details. Additionally, Vicki and Brigitte are bringing us the Garlic Festival on May 19th and the Feast of San Gennaro September 22nd. They are definitely two very busy ladies! Did I mention that they the owners of Two Girls Media and also proud members of Denville Rotary Club. Thank you Vicki and Brigitte for all that you do!
It's plain to see that Jesus is very happy to be the newest member of Denville Rotary and we are all equally as happy that he has joined our Rotary family. Jesus is the owner of El Mejicano Restaurant located on First Avenue in Denville where he recently hosted our successful first Meet and Greet gathering. We look forward to working together to further our endeavors in the community. Welcome Jesus!
Did you ever wonder what Rotary is all about? (No, there isn't a secret hand shake!) 
Are you interested in having an impact in the community? Are you caring and kind and mindful of helping others? Do you like social gatherings and making new friends? Join us on March 4th at 7pm at El Mejicano where you'll meet Denville Rotary members who will tell you about our history and our impact. Maybe we're the perfect fit for you!
Are you interested in having an impact in the community? Are you caring and kind and mindful of helping others? Do you like social gatherings and making new friends? Join us on March 4th at 7pm at El Mejicano where you'll meet Denville Rotary members who will tell you about our history and our impact. Maybe we're the perfect fit for you!
The Joey Bella Memorial Fund, an all volunteer organization, was founded in 1988. It was established in honor of young Joey who left us way too soon. The fund helps individuals and families in and around the Denville area who need assistance covering health care and related expenses of a seriously ill child. They also help families obtain assistance through the NJ Children's Catastrophic Illness Act. Thank you Richard Yobs, who has worked with the organization since its inception, for sharing the history and some very heartfelt stories. Please help spread the word about the Joey Bella Memorial Fund and perhaps consider becoming a volunteer.
Congratulations and thank you to Emile Ayil! President Rick Rafferty presented Emile with his latest Paul Harris Recognition. For his generous contributions to the Rotary Foundation, Emile is now a Paul Harris Plus Five Member. Wear your pin proudly Emile!
The Police Unity Tour was founded in 1997 with 18 officers pedaling over 300 miles to the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington DC bringing awareness to Police Officers who have died in the line of duty and to honor their sacrifices. May 9th, 2024, marks the 28th anniversary with well over 3,000 police officers participating in this rigorous and emotional event. Among the riders will be Denville Police Department's Officer Michael Ambrose, Officer Julian Melahn, Officer Vincent Fisher and Sgt. Dennis Subrizi. Denville Rotary commends their valient efforts with a generous donation in support of "Denville's Finest". Gentlemen, have a safe and memorable ride! Pictured on left is Ofc. Michael Ambrose and on the right is Ofc. Julian Melahn.
It's always a special day when we welcome new members to Denville Rotary and today it's twice as special as we induct two new very enthusiastic members. Meet Kristan VanDerMeer and Christine Rowe. Kristan (first photo) left the corporate world to start her own business, KVDM Consulting LLC, located in Denville with a focus on financial / life skills and leadership. Christine (second photo) is employed by M&T Bank as a universal banker located in Denville. Christine was previously a member of Randolph Rotary. Welcome to our Rotary family! (Pictrued with our newest members is Tony Toriello, Membership Chairperson.)
It was such a pleasure and an honor to have Jeannie visit Denville Rotary. She always brings her smile, sense of humor and a wealth of knowledge wherever she goes. Accompanying her was Herb Hamilton, Assistant Govenor. Jeannie joined Madison Rotary in 2007 serving in many leadership positions including president. She has served in numerous district leadership positions including Assistant Govenor and she is the recipient of many awards and recognitions. Jeannie is currently serving as District Govenor Elect. To learn more about Jeannie's very impressive service to Rotary and community, please visit https://njrotary.org/documents/en-us/cccca203-37af-464b-9103-458770783ae4/1
A very big heartfelt thank you goes out to the Academy of Perfoming Arts Vocal Group located at Morris Knolls High School. This very talented group of vocalists joined us for lunch at the Village Restaurant and treated us to some festive tunes. What a wonderful way to ring in the holidays!
OH WHAT FUN IT IS .. to party with Denville Rotary! We packed the house at Ravello's with good food and spirits, amazing dance moves, awards and most importantly, good friends and friends of friends. Let's not forget the highlights of the evening. Mayor Tom Andes was presented with Rotary's highest award, the prestigious Paul Harris Fellow Recognition, for his years of many outstanding contributions to the community and his unwavering support of Denville Rotary. Also, Deacon Frank Vezzuto was presented with Rotary's Vocational Service Award for promoting high ethical standards and furthering the ideals of community service. Both of these honors are very well deserved and we thank them for their many years of service. (Please take a look at the Holiday Gala photos under the Photo Album tab below.)
Pictured are President Elect Betsy Roberts and Past President Tony Toriello (aka party planners)
Pictured below is Mayor Tom Andes, Mrs. Sharon Andes and Rotarian George Hrobuchak
Pictured below is Rotarian George Hrobuchak, Deacon Frank Vezzuto, Rotarian Mrs. Diane Vezzuto
Gay Hotalen, LPC, is one of Denville Rotary's newer members bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience in mental health services. Gay earned a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Kean University and completed her Graduate Studies at Seton Hall University specializing in Vocational Rehabilitation. She has a long standing career in Mental Health, including 44 years at Atlantic Health working in the area of Behavioral Health. Gay is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Rehabilitation Counselor, a CAP Facilitator (Child Assault Prevention) and is working towards her Tobacco Cessation Certification and NJ Gambler Specialist. Gay, along with Tom Vitiello, CPRS, (Certified Peer Recovery Specialist) opened the Sun Valley Wellness Center on Main Street in Denville. Please visit SunValleyWellnessNJ.com or call 973.993.6088 to learn about the extensive services they offer. Pictured are Gay Hotalen, LPC, and Rick Rafferty, President Denville Rotary.
Not only is Denville Rotary all about service to others, service to community, networking, fundraising, caring and kindness, we also like to share fellowship and fun times! Are these things important to you? If you have an interest in joining us, contact Tony Toriello at ttoriello@yahoo.com to chat about how you can become involved. (The men had their party too.)
Hundreds of enthusiastic visitors came from near and far to enjoy the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at Denville Rotary's iconic Santa Land and Santa is now awaiting wide eyed happy children to share their wish list. Dignitaries welcomed the crowd, holiday songs were sung, the tree was lit, hot chocolate and cookies were served and all is merry and bright! Everyone is welcome to visit Santa Land anytime of day, but to chat with Santa, come weekdays from 4-7pm and weekends from 1-6pm. (Take a look at the pictures in the Photo Album section below.)
THIS IS YOUR REMINDER ...
Don't miss out on the festivities at Denville Rotary's Annual Tree Lighting Event this Saturday, November 25th, at 6pm. Santa Land is all decked out and ready for Santa's arrival on Sunday, November 26th, following the Holiday Parade. On December 2nd and 3rd and then December 9th through the 23rd, Santa will be sitting in his chair waiting for all the children to visit him on weekdays from 4-7pm and weekends 1-6pm. Happy Holidays To All!
Jojo may look like a big mush as she's loving it up to Detective Travis Dean, but she is so much more. Jojo is Detective Dean's partner in the duties he performs for the Morris County Sheriff's Department. She is extensively trained and very disciplined in her response to commands. Detective Dean is also extensively trained as he is a member of an elite group in the State of New Jersey on call for bomb threats. Earlier this year Detective Dean was honored by Sheriff James Gannon at the 2023 Annual Medal Day Ceremony for outstanding achievement and life-saving measures. It was a real treat to have Jojo and Detective Dean join us at our weekly luncheon!
It's that time of year already! We're only two weeks away from the formal opening of Denville Rotary's iconic Santa Land so Santa's helpers are hard at work. Mark your calender for Saturday, November 25th, 6:00pm and join us for our traditional Tree Lighting ceremony with carollers, hot chocolate for the children, local dignitaries, Morris Knolls Academy of Performing Arts Vocal Group and of course the count down and tree illuminaton. See you all there! (Here's a special thank you to the Morris Knolls High School Interact Club for lending a helping hand with our preparation.)
There wasn't a seat to be had when Morris County Sheriff James Gannon spent time filling us in on his extensive perosnal background as well as the many incredible initiatives and responsibilities of the Sheriff's Department. Sheriff Gannon was entertaining, informative and is a true leader. We are grateful for his many years of service to Morris County.
This past weekend was a spooky fun time at the Morris Knolls High School Interact Club's Trunk or Treat event. President Rick Rafferty and Rotarians Bernadette Lindsay and Jessica Lindsay participated handing out treats to little ones from Rick's spidery trunk.
Rotary is all about sharing and caring and giving. There is such waste as billions of dollars worth of medical supplies sit unused or are thrown away every year. Mission MediGive is working with MedShare and Denville Rotary to collect medical equipment and supplies that will be donated and re-used where they are needed. The Medical Equipment Drive is being held on Saturday, October 21, 2003 at Morris Knolls High School 10am - 2pm. For more information please contact Brooke Ogilvie at bogilvie44@gmail.com.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Your very thoughtful donation can play an important role to women receiving breast cancer therapy. Please give if you can on October 18th at Denville Municipal Building. See details on the flyer. Appoints are preferred but walk-ins are welcome!
We just love the occasional off premise meetings. This past Thursday brought us to a wonderful culinary delight at Cafe Metro on Diamond Spring Road. Friends gathered and learned so many interesting facts about the history of Denville from Vito Bianco, Director of the Denville Historical Society. Stop in the Denville Museum and take a look around and, if you'd like, you can arrange for a private tour. Thank you, Vito, for a very interesting presentation.
Pictured is Vito Bianco.
Tom Vitiello is President of Sphere Construction Group, founded in 1986, located right here in Denville on East Main Street. It was very impressive learning about their multifaceted commercial projects which span Southern New York, Eastern Pennsyvania and New Jersey. A recently completed project is the four story Carrino Plaza located in Newark. It is beautifully constructed and landscaped, houses sixty senior apartments and ground floor retail space. To learn more about Sphere Construction Group you can reach out to Tom here, tom@sphereconstructioncorp.com. In addition to being a dedicated professional, as you can see, he brings a special fun loving element to Denville Rotary!
Let's give a warm welcome to Denville Rotary's newest member, Dennis Ng. Dennis is a co-owner and consultant for Chuang Tzu Journey Data located in downtown Denville. Now that Dennis is a member of our Rotary family, we look forward to his active participation in our many events and fundraisers. Pictured is Dennis and his sponsor and Membership Chair Tony Toriello.
What a pleasure it was to have Dr. Steven Forte, Superintendent of Schools, join us for an afternoon meeting! Dr. Forte has served as Superintendent of Denville Township Schools since 2014 and he has much to be proud of. Our schools rank in the top 20% of NJ schools for math and reading proficiency with a student/teacher ratio of 10:1. Dr. Forte spoke about the updated curriculum, woodworking program, building improvements, the operating budget and reserve funds, maintaining faculty and staff and recruiting new hires, class three resource officers, how the district is planning for the possible increase of students as a result of the new housing developments currently under construction and those planned. This is just a sampling of Dr. Forte's discussion. If you missed this meeting, you missed a lot. Thank you Dr. Forte! (To sign up for the school newsletter email sforte@denville.org. Please click on Read More to view Denville Public Schools Fact Sheet.)
Denville Rotary and Denville Sunrise Rotary once again joined forces for our Annual Dictionary Project. We were greeted with lots of smiles and enthusiasm at both Riverview School and Lakeview School where dictionaries were distributed to every third grade student. It's so heartwarming to know that in this age of a constant on-line existence, the students are still very excited to receive a dictionary in hand. This is always one of our favorite projects!
The weather could not have been better with a clear blue sky and mild temperatures. It was the perfect day for an off-site outdoor meeting at Diamond Spring Brewing Company (thank you for hosting us)! It's nice to spice it up a bit and do something a little different. Pizza and salad were ordered from Denville Pizzeria and of course individual beverages from the brewery were a real treat! We love supporting our local businesses. Thank you to new members Bernadette Lindsay and Jesse Lindsay for introducing us to their business, North Capital Funding.
Bugles Across America was founded in the year 2000 by Retired Marine, Tom Day. The mission of this organization is to sound a live rendition of "Taps" for verterans by a bugler. BAA provides this honorary service at no cost to the verteran's family. It is strictly a volunteer organization. Larry Schillings, BAA NJ State Director, explained the details of the ceremonious presentation of "Taps" and the presentation of our country's flag to the family. For more information and to request a bugler, visit their website www.buglesacrossamerica.org. Pictured below is Larry Schillings, BAA NJ Director.
The newely formed Denville Arts Council (DAC) presented it's first Music In the Park concert with Denville Rotary and Sheeran Real Estate Group serving as sponsors. There was full cooperation from the weather setting the stage for a beautiful evening at Gardner Field. Headliner, Eric DeLauro of the Rat Pack Band, sang Frank Sinatra songs and encouraged the audience to display their own vocal abilities. Other young performers included the Lakeland Youth Symphony and students of Bach to Rock. Concessions were available in the snack stand and Denville Public Library provided games and crafts for the kids. Thank you DAC for this wonderful community event. A good time was had by all! Pictured from left are Rotarians Michael Boudway, Joe Paci, Nurys Paci, Patricia Agliata (singing), Betsy Roberts, Bill Roberts, Yasmin Pareti-Boudway and headliner Eric DeLauro. Click on read more for additional photos.
Rotarians Doug Cook of Pequannock and Ray Freeney of Madison joined us for lunch and gave a presentation on the End Hunger Program which provides packaged food for those in need not only in New Jersey but well beyond our borders. Volunteers from churches, scouts, corporations, service organizations, families, friends and more gather to work in an assembly line set-up to measure, package, weigh, seal and box up for shipping dry food pouches each meant to feed a family of four. The food is shipped to preselected organizations/charities where it is distributed to families. The Grains of Hope in Pequannock is one such program, having already packaged more than a million meals, they have two million in their sights. Stay tuned for more to come on End Hunger. Pictured from left, Ray Freeney and Doug Cook.
Denville Rotary extends a warm welcome to our two newest members. Tom Vitiello and Gay Hotalen. Tom is the Owner/President of Sphere Construction Group LLC and Gay is Therapist and Board President of Sun Valley Wellness Center of NJ. We look forward to your participation in our many service events and fellowship activities. Pictured from left are Tom, Gay and Tony Toriello, Membership Chair.
Members and friends of Denville Rotary are donating school supplies for local families in need of support as the new school year is just around the corner. Steve Dublanica of Denville Social Services will be hosting a parent/child visitation day where families can secure the items they need. We wish all students a very sucessfull and fun-filled 2023-2024 school year! Pictured from left are Rotarians Betsy Roberts, Mary Radicsh and Diane Grabowski.
Denville Rotary welcomes and supports new businesses to our community. Andrew Abdul, sole onwer of Flags and Jewelery, gave a presentation to us at our weekly luncheon meeting. He shared some details of his background, including community service projects, and gave a history of his business which he began in 1987. You can visit Abdul at his new location at 123 East Main Street. Welcome to Denville Andrew!
Denville Rotary and Sunrise Rotary are having their monthly Blood Drive on Wednesday, August 16th. This drive is a special celebration of the life of Allison Sillence who passed away following a courageous battle against ovarian cancer. Please see the flyer for details and donate if you are able to. Thank you!
Last Thursday's meeting brought us a very informative presentation by Judy Kroll and Colette Crescas of Friends of The Drew Forest. Drew Forest is a 53 acre parcel located on Drew University property in Madison and was in desperate need of restoration. Since 2008, numerous regional and national organizations joined forces to take on the challenge of restoring store this land to what is now a beautiful natural habitat. Not only is it a beautiful landscape, but is a biodiversity hot spot and is home to Buried Valley aquifer wells which four towns soley rely on for their drinking water. Drew University is offering this parcel of land for sale. Please visit their website to view before and after photos, read the story of its restoration and learn how you can help 'Save the Drew Forest' www.friendsofthedrewforest.org. Pictured from left, Collette Crescas and Judy Kroll
Welcome to our two newest members! Meet our first mother/daughter team, Bernadette Lindsay and Jessica "Jessie" Lindsay. Bernadette transferred to us from Patterson Rotary after moving to Denville. She relocated her business, North Capital Funding, downtown on Second Avenue. Welcome to Denville Township!
We also extend a warm welcome to Bernadette's daughter, Jessie. Jessie is back from Columbia following her tenure as a teacher and is now working as a Mortgage Processor with North Capital Funding. We look forward your friendship and service as active members to our club and our community.
Pictured from left are Denville Rotary President Rick Rafferty, Bernadette Lindsay, Jessica Lindsay and Membeship Chairperson Tony Toriello. Exciting things happened at Denville Rotary on June 24, 2023. We joined together at Navona Restaurant celebrating the installation of incoming President Rick Rafferty and his Board of Directors serving the 2023-2024 Rotary year with PP Diane Vezzuto serving as Master of Ceremonies. As tradition holds, this is a very special time for us! That's not all though. Denville Rotary awarded Rotarian Dr. Andy Smith with the prestigous Paul Harris Recognition for his contributions and service to Rotary and to our community. A second Paul Harris Recognition was awarded to Dave Sipple, Chairman of the Denville Beautification Committee, for his nonstop efforts to keep Denville "flowering" season after season. A special thank you to Dave and his volunteers for literally getting down and dirty so our community remains bright and beautiful! To show our appreciation, we presented the DBC with a $1,000 donation to help with their ongoing plans. As things wind down, we offer a very special thank you to President Joe Paci and his Board for their leadership and dedication as we continued to grow and prosper. Looking forward, we wish the best to incoming President Rick and his Board of Directors in keeping the momentum going for another prosperous year!
(Please take a look at the Installation Photos under the Photo Album tab below.)
On this day in 1777 the United States approved the design of its first national flag. Today we honor its beauty and its glory!
Our 40th Anniversary Street Festival was a huge success! We had perfect festival weather, thousands of visitors, over a hundred vendors, numerous sponsors, a very lucrative 50/50 raffle, live music all day long, dancing in the street, a very busy beer garden, a variety of yummy food and treats, rides for the kiddies, and balloons, cotton candy and zeppoles. All this topped off with lots of smiles, laughter and the joy of children of all ages! Thank you to all who visited and enjoyed the day with us. Your support contributes to the many Denville Rotary community projects and donations delivered over the course of the year. Also, a special thank you to our club members, club families, club friends and all volunteers who worked so hard for many months. We want to give a very special thank you to Mayor Andes, Denville Police Department, Denville Fire Department and the Denville Department of Public Works. Please visit the Photo Album area below and click on Sreet Festival 40th Anniversary 2023 to view the photos.
Rotary's A. R. Spinola Scholarships were recently awarded to seven very deserving students for use in pursuing their higher education goals. We want to thank the Spinola family for their continued support in honoring "Spinny," who was a beloved Denville Township school administrator and devoted member of this club for many years. The scholarship recipients are Jessica Russo and Braden Loeffler of Morris Knolls High School; Meredith Hollister and Christian Barnard of Morris County School of Technology; Paulina Castaneda, Olivia Kelson and Benjamin Reinhart of Morris Catholic High School. Congratulations to all!
Turn back the calendar to1983 and you'll find Ronald Reagan was President, the final episode of M*A*S*H aired on TV, "The Right Stuff" won four Academy Awards, Cabbage Patch Kids were the most popular toy, Michael Jackson's "Thriller" was the best-selling album, and the very first Denville Rotary Street Festival was held. Forty years later and we're still going strong!
Join us for good food and good fun on Sunday, June 4th, from 11a.m. to 6p.m. on Broadway in downtown Denville. Enjoy all-day live entertainment, fabulous food trucks, beer garden, unique merchandise for sale as well as professional vendors, 50/50 raffle, and lots of rides and inflatables for the kids, see your neighbors and meet new friends! Proceeds support Denville Rotary charity efforts locally, nationally and worldwide.
Denville Rotary would like to give a special thank you to Detective Scott Welsh for presenting a very informative program at our May 11th lunch meeting. He spoke about current events within the police department, the growth of Denville Township as seven parcels of land are being developed for residential living spaces and how this growth will effect the department, he spoke about school safety and discussed the requirements regarding the new conceal carry law in New Jersey. Detective Walsh answered many questions from those in attendance. It was such a pleasure to have one of Denville's finest join us for the afternoon! Pictured are Detective Welsh and President Joe Paci.
Rotary would not be in existence today if not for the vision of one man, Paul Harris, born April 19, 1868, he died on January 27, 1947. Paul was born in Wisconsin, grew up in Vermont, attended the University of Vermont, Princeton University and the University of Iowa where he received his law degree. He ultimately settled in Chicago where he opened his law practice. During a walk along the streets of Chicago's North Side with a fellow attorney, Paul was very impressed by the comaraderie among businessmen and wanted to find a way to channel it. He had a vision and on February 23, 1905 Paul met with three business associates to discuss forming a networking organization for local professionals. This became known as the first Rotary meeting. To learn more about the history of Rotary and it's evolution, seach rotary.org/history. You'll find Rotary's very first service project very interesting! Thank you Paul Harris! (Graphic credit Debbie Vance, Graphic Designer)
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Service Above Self
Denville, NJ 07834
United States of America