In the photo, Ipswich-Rowley Rotary Past President Ann Witzig receives the 2024 Presidential Citation from Past District Governor Lori Karas.
Ipswich-Rowley Rotary members, working together, completed 17 of 20 goals set by the club at the beginning of the 2023-2024 Rotary year.
The goal categories outlined by Rotary International are:
- Enhance Participant Engagement
- Increase our impact
- Expand our reach
- Increase our ability to adapt
In recognition, our club received the 2023-2024 Rotary Citation from Rotary International President R. Gordon R. McInally. This is the most significant award a Rotary Club can earn each year.
On hand last week to present the award to Past President Ann Witzig was Past District Governor Lori Karas. Lori reminded us that is important to ‘celebrate the things we do since it is a catalyst for new members’.
Some of our notable accomplishments during the past year include:
- Environmental Grant to support regional efforts to preserve regional water resources
- Comfort and assistance to senior citizens – including ‘Coffee with a Rotarian’, ‘Lend-a-Hand’ small projects support, annual Senior Lunch, and quarterly ‘Ipswich Dinner Bell’
- Food distribution – collecting and delivering food in support of The Open Door food pantry
- Youth programs – our annual programs include several school based service clubs, youth leadership development, international youth exchange, and scholarships including our yearly $10,000 donation to the ‘Gerry Beauchamp Camp Scholarship Fund’ at the Ipswich YMCA
- Centennial Gift of $15,000 – to support the updated community garden and recreational facilities being developed by the Ipswich Housing Authority (IHA)
- Tree planting at the IHA County Road campus
- Veterans and First Responders support – aka ‘Flags for Heroes’
- Public health – installing Buddy Benches at all school and library locations in Ipswich and Rowley, supporting Rotary International’s Polio eradication program, and funding ‘Manny’s Swing’ to assist an autistic child in Ipswich
Together we achieve more than we can alone.
Rowley, MA 01969
United States of America