Ipswich MA Rotary - A Message from the Club President

Incoming Rotary International President Ray Klinginsmith has created a theme that I believe is the essence of who we are as Rotarians. He said, "I decided to search for a briefly stated theme that would fulfill two objectives: the first to explain Rotary to non-Rotarians, and the second to validate our work for Rotarians. The words I have selected to describe Rotary's current mission and to highlight our achievements are what we do best: Building Communities Bridging Continents."
I am so excited to be your president as the 2010-2011 theme speaks to my heart and embodies the reason I became a Rotarian.

As noted on our website, "At the very beginning the object of the Ipswich Rotary club was put forth to be, "an organization that would seek" to fulfill its commitment to our own community as well as to the world-wide objectives of Rotary International." The Ipswich Rotary Club has done a lot over the years to support our local and worldwide communities with projects/programs such as Rotary Park, cleaning up roads, Scholarships, Early Act, Interact, serving lunch to Seniors, donations to Ipswich Caring and the Food Pantry, Lend a Hand Program, Bialek Park Project, 375th Parade, Ipswich Holiday Events, Shelter Boxes for Haiti, Cleft Palate Missions, Hosting Exchange Students, GSE, Adopt a School Program in Pakistan, and Water Filtration Systems in Africa.

But it is not enough. The needs of our fellow citizens internationally and locally are many in these times of fiscal difficulty, political unrest/war and natural disasters. We need to remain diligent and focused in our commitment to service above self. I challenge each of you to engage more fully in this club. Find a passion, something that speaks to your heart. Bring forth your ideas, and let us strengthen our Rotarian community so that we can meet the various needs locally and internationally.

Ipswich Rotary is out there serving our community and the world! Let's build on the momentum of years past and make the upcoming year extraordinary.
It is my honor and pleasure to serve as the President of the Ipswich Rotary Club for the next year. I would like to focus on the needs of our community and strengthen our partnership w/ other community organizations to better meet the needs of our children, citizens, schools and town. Internationally, I would like to continue our commitment to education/literacy programs, eradicating polio, and supporting cleft palate missions.

I look forward to the 2010-2011 Rotary Year and will put forth my best effort as your President.

Joan Kelly Arsenault
Ipswich President 2010-2011