Spring is Busting Out with New Members at Ipswich-Rowley Rotary
Ipswich-Rowley Rotary is delighted to welcome David Fields, Eric Gedstad, Kevin Moriarty, and Virginia Stevens to the Rotary family.
David Fields lives in Rowley and is employed by the state of Massachusetts in the field of land use entitlements, where he actively seeks new opportunities in housing development and investment. David also sits on the Rowley Planning Board. He also is actively involved as a volunteer at his child’s school and is teaching his daughter amateur radio and rocketry. David is sponsored by Deb Mahoney.
Eric Gedstad lives in Ipswich and is the Executive Director of the Ipswich Local News, a community based, non-profit newspaper serving Ipswich, Rowley and surrounding communities. He also is an active member of Ascension Memorial Church where he sings in the choir and serves as Junior Warden and on the Stewardship, Scholarship, and Buildings & Grounds committees. In his free time, Eric enjoys tennis, cycling, hiking, running and occasionally pickleball. Eric is sponsored by Rev Brad Clark.
Kevin Moriarty lives in Rowley where he owns and operates a local brewery. His areas of special interest are community outreach and technology. Kevin is a member of the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce and is actively involved in organizing community events and fundraising for local charities. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking and photography. Kevin is sponsored by Diane Herth.
Ginny Stevens lives in Ipswich where she works in the fields of real estate, bookkeeping and financial services. She is an active community volunteer, a member of the Ipswich Open Space Committee and a volunteer at Appleton Farm. Her memberships include the Essex County Trail Association and the Trustees of Reservations. Ginny is an active equestrian, and an advocate for peace, the environment, animal welfare, and food security. Ginny is sponsored by Andrea Lacroix.
These professional leaders are committed to helping improve our communities in meaningful ways through collaborative Rotary service, where we achieve more together than we can alone.
Photo caption:
In the photo, our new members are joined by their sponsors and co-Presidents.
From left, Andrea, Rev. Brad, Ginny, Eric, Kevin, David, Deb, Co-Presidents Doug and George
Sunday morning, Rotarians gathered to clean up a section of our adopted highway from Gordon’s Greenhouse to Lakeman’s Lane, a 3/4 mile stretch on Route 133. Pitching in to pick up the pitching out were Susanne Pederson, Doug Shealy, and Andrea Lacroix. Seen here are Doug and Susanne.
Our Assistant Governor and District Rotary Foundation chair, Anne Lewis, recently visited our club to recognize several members who recently pledged a minimum of $100 per year to help end polio. Their generous donations also make them members of the ‘PolioPlus Society’, which was formed in 2012 to encourage sustained, recurring gifts to Rotary’s leading humanitarian project, the eradication of polio. 
We are very grateful to the generous contributions from the following local businesses, with the greatest donations from Paula Henrys Fitness. Thank you! 
Ipswich-Rowley Rotary is again asking for community donations to support its annual food drive, February 1 through March 1. According to Chris Davis, Ipswich-Rowley Rotarian and food drive organizer, “donations benefit the 
Ipswich-Rowley Rotary Events Chair Lisa Shanko announced the winners of the club's annual Holiday Raffle. 
On November 12, 2025, Rotarians from across the Northeast MA District (7930) gathered at the Andover Country Club to thank their members who served in the armed forces. These veterans were awarded the prestigious “Paul Harris Fellow” in appreciation of their service. 
The evening’s speaker was retired US Army Brigadier General Jack Hammond, Chief Executive of the Home Base Foundation which was co-founded by the Boston Red Sox and Mass General to assist veterans, service members and their families through “world-class clinical care, wellness, education and research”. Since its founding over 50,000 veterans have been treated.
At a gala dinner last Saturday evening at the Ipswich Country Club, Ipswich-Rowley Rotary was one of seven area Rotary clubs that were honored with Massachusetts Senate Citations presented by State Senator Bruce Tarr. Senator Tarr noted the clubs were being recognized for their historic founding by local business leaders in 1923, and for their many years of community service and social support. As he put it, “700 years of community and international service are represented in this room”.
Rowley, MA 01969
United States of America