Stories

Rotaplast International, Inc. is committed to helping children and families worldwide by eliminating the burden of cleft lip and/or palate, burn scarring, and other deformities. Working with local professionals, Rotarians, and other organizations, Rotaplast sends multidisciplinary medical teams to provide free reconstructive surgery, ancillary treatment, and training for the comprehensive care of these children. Rotaplast supports education and research towards prevention of cleft lip and/or palate. Our aim is to help local professionals build sustainable models for the care of these children, improving their lives and those of their families.

Rotaplast will employ the following strategies to reach this goal:

Facilitate medical missions to provide surgical intervention for children who are not able to receive treatment or who are in need of more complicated medical procedures than can be provided by local physicians.

Counsel families about ways of reducing the incidence cleft palate anomalies through diet, vitamin supplementation, and lifestyle changes.

Collaborate with local health professionals on follow-up care and on development of comprehensive cleft palate programs where feasible.

Learn about the incidence and causes of cleft lip and palate anomalies, including both genetic and environmental factors.

Educate local physicians and specialists by urging them to work with our teams to broaden their skills in treating cleft anomalies.

Foster international goodwill and fellowship by working with Rotarians as well as with health officials in host countries.

Program: "ArtLink – Winthrop School Students" -

 Six students from the Winthrop School will join us along with Principal Sheila McAdams to show a video-clip presentation sharing their experience with the ArtLink project. We expect a full house to be in attendance so don’t miss out!

What is ArtLink? ArtLink is Creative Connections’ international exchange program designed for 3rd – 12th grade classes.

Students create art pieces that reflect their life and culture, and exchange their work with a partner class in another country. Students then examine and enjoy the art from overseas, gaining new insights into both their own and their partner’s cultures. Finally, students share their insights with one another by posting online thoughtful written responses and photos.

After receiving the art, classes that sign up for the videoconference option (highly recommended!) participate in a live one-hour session in which students share their insights with one another face-to-face in real time. The fully facilitated videoconference is available for an additional fee.

The Rotary of Ipswich donates truckloads of supplies to the Open Door Food Panty.

At the club's meeting last week, Rotarians loaded up two vans from their “25 Days of Giving” initiative in December. Using a reverse Advent Calendar method, club members added one item daily according to a 25 day calendar leading up to the Holidays. Donations ranged from food to clothing to small kitchen appliances.

Seen loading the Open Door van are Open Door Executive Director Julie LaFontaine, President Cushing Titcomb, and Open Door Ipswich Manager Luke Kleindienst.

Cushing Titcomb, center rear, is sworn in as the 96^th President of the Ipswich Rotary Club.  His one year term began on July 1.    

Other Ipswich Rotarians sworn in at the District Installation were District Governor Nominee Joan Arsenault and Assistant Governor Bob Wicks. 

Ipswich Rotarian Sumner Richter was recognized by District Governor Dave Gardner for his outstanding contributions to the District’s Syrian refugee relief initiative.

And, Ipswich Rotarian Christina Harris wrapped up her year as District Governor Sheryl Meehan's Aide de Camp. Well done Christina!

Scenes are from the 2017 District Installation in Danvers which appear on the District 7930 Facebook Page.

Bob Wicks, far right, is among the Presidents and AG's sworn in for 2016-17.  This will be Bob's 6th year as an Assistant Governor.  In this photo, Cushing is directly under the letter "T".    

Earlier this month, the Ipswich High School Interact club inducted its Board of Directors for 2017-2018.  During the ceremony, the outgoing Board also was honored by the club and several members of the Ipswich Rotary Club. 

Ipswich Interact is a Rotary sponsored service club at the High School.  The club raises money for community service projects and international humanitarian gifts.  Members of the club receive credit towards the High School’s service requirements. 

Ipswich Rotary President Lisa Shanko inducts the incoming 2017-18 Board of Directors: Grace Quinn, President; Meghan O’Connor, Vice President; Caroline White, Treasurer; Ava Warren, Co-Secretary; and Mackenzie Greenleaf, Co-Secretary.

The 2016-17 Interact Board are joined by Ipswich Rotary Club Interact Co-Chair Carrie Curley, President Lisa Shanko, and Ipswich and District Youth Officer Keith Harris.  To the left of Keith, the outgoing Board members are: Jesse Cullen-Popp, Director; Reed Dolan, Treasurer; Andrew Freemont-Smith, President; Grace Quinn, Secretary; Ellis Roesler, Director.

Happy, healthy children in Lusaka, April 2017.   

Healthy Kids/Brighter Future (HK/BF) is a mission based initiative founded by an amazing young leader, Lonnie Hackett. The goal of this Maine native and 2014 Bowdoin graduate is to improve the health and learning of at risk children in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Lusaka, Zambia. The program trains a teacher health corps and makes local schools a point of access to primary healthcare and health information.

In 2015, Ipswich Rotary began partnering with the Rotary Club of Brunswick, Maine to raise funds to support this important health and peace initiative. Under the leadership of Past President Bob Gravino, several clubs from our Rotary District joined Brunswick and Ipswich to raise over $37,000 in 2016 though a Global Matching Grant from Rotary International.

Kristin Kelleher, our 2016-17 Rotary Global Scholar, presents an Ipswich Rotary exchange banner to Jagmohan Singh Bhakar, President of the Rotary Club of Tower Hamlets in London, UK. Exchange banners signifyy friendship and international cooperation between Rotary clubs worldwide.

On Thursday, November 17, Ipswich Rotary completed a very successful “Sock Drive for the Homeless”. Rev. Brian Gearin of Starlight Ministries in Boston joined us at our breakfast meeting to describe the need and to help us understand how good people can suddenly find themselves homeless.

Following the meeting, the club packed Rev. Gearin’s car chock full of socks collected during the drive. Ipswich Rotary thanks all our friends in Ipswich and Rowley who contributed to this drive.

Ipswich Rotarians surround Rev. Gearin as he prepares to return to Boston with his car stuffed with socks.  Yes, we left a bit of room in the car for Rev. Gearin.

Rev. Gearin addressed the club about the conditions that lead to homelessness.

Ipswich Rotary thanks our sponsors, auction donors, and attendees for making our masked ball fundraiser a huge success.

In addition to the sponsors listed in the flier below, the following generous companies and individuals contributed to our outstanding silent auction: J Barrett & Co, Ipswich Ale, Pax Massage, Junk Junk Baby, Ipswich Inn, Rowley Family Dental, Ipswich Museum, Coastal Green Grocer, Muddy Creek Animal Care Center, Gordon Florist, Mark Warner Martial Arts, Nat Pulsifer, Ingrid Miles, Born Imagery, and several Rotarians.

Twinning guests stay with host Rotary families during their visit. Over the years, many lasting friendships have been formed.

In addition to the Open Door gift ceremony, some of the activities this year included a trip to a Red Sox game, a tour of the State Capitol led by Representative Brad Hill and Senator Bruce Tarr, a tour of Boston on a Duck Boat, a clambake, and a tour of Ipswich. The Sox won a well-played game 5-4 and Ipswich East team leader, Mark Murphy, and our own District Governor, Sheryl Meehan appeared on the Jumbo Tron while being honored on the field. Since it also was Rotary Night at Fenway, a large group of District 7930 Rotarians joined them to cheer on the home team.

This weekend, a dozen Ipswich Rotarians pitched in to finish painting the new Open Door Food Pantry in Ipswich. Team leader Dave LeBel and Steve Rogé applied the prime coat on May 18, and a team of Rotarians joined forces to complete the job on June 4. Final trim work will be completed shortly.  Participating in this community service project were Rotarians Gerry Beauchamp, Chris Doktor, Bob Gravino, George Gray, Dave LeBel, Julie Nelson, Brian Nelson, Nat Pulsifer, Steve Rogé, Lisa Shanko, Doug Shealy, and Bob Wicks.

With Rotary’s help, the shelves were stocked a few weeks ago and the new food pantry is open for business. The Open Door will serve Ipswich residents on Tuesdays, from 11 am – 5 pm and Thursday 11 am – 7 pm.

From left: LeBel, kneeling, Gravino, Beauchamp, Shanko, Gray, Wicks, Shealy.

From Left: Doktor, Beauchamp, Wicks, Pulsifer, J. Nelson, B. Nelson, and LeBel.  

FOR MORE PICTURES, SEE THE PHOTO ALBUM ON THIS PAGE.

Dave is an Ipswich resident and President and CEO of the Essex County Community Foundation. The Foundation serves 34 communities in Essex County through needs based charitable grants and assistance to area non-profits. Their goal is to get people to “give where they live”. Last year, their grant making totaled over $4 million.

Our speaker at the breakfast club last week was long time Ipswich resident and Rotarian Don Whiston who regaled us with anecdotes from his new book “Winning Silver”.

Picnic in the Park – celebration and remembrance, an annual Ipswich Rotary tradition

This week, in lieu of our regular breakfast meeting, we will gather at noon in Rotary Park, adjacent to the Ipswich Family Y. The park opened in 2006 and the club has returned each summer to enjoy and rededicate this beautiful space. The park also is the site of one of the five Peace Poles placed by the Ipswich High School Interact Club in 2014.

The Ipswich Rotary 5K/10K road race and trail ramble raises scholarship money for worthy Ipswich and Triton students.

The annual run and walk through beautiful Appleton Farms will be held on June 13 this year. Fun and food for all ages. Information is available in the attached flier.  For directions and registration, log onto the Ramble website at www.ipswichrotary5K.com.  Sponsored by the Institution for Savings and the Ipswich Family YMCA.

On April 11th, members of the Ipswich Rotary Club and Ipswich High School Interact gathered on Long Beach in Gloucester for the much postponed "Rotary District 7930 Polar Plunge" to End Polio. Overall, to date, the Rotary District has raised over $105,000. And, despite the numerous weather delays, the water in Gloucester was still very cold, in the upper 30's. Brrrr.

Peter Pinciaro, General Manager of the Crane Estate, recently was inducted by club President, The Rev. Brad Clark, Rector of Ascension Church. Peter is a long time executive at the Trustees of Reservations and friend of Ipswich Rotary. Peter’s sponsor and Rotary mentor is Gerry Beauchamp, Executive Director of the Ipswich YMCA. Peter joins over 65 other Rotarians who are dedicated to improving lives in Ipswich and Rowley.

To find out more about Rotary and how you too can make a difference in our two service communities and around the world, join us at one of our regular meetings on Thursday mornings. Meetings begin at 7:15 am at Ithaki in Ipswich, or the Village Pancake House in Rowley. We meet at the Pancake House on the 1st Thursday of each month, and at Ithaki the rest of the month.  Rotary is an organization of 1.2 million men and women who serve humanity around the world.