The winners were:
1st Prize: Phil Garfinkel
2nd Prize: Club ticket shared by several Rotarians
3rd Prize: Ellen Tweed
We would like to thank everyone who participated in this year's raffle!
Mother's Day Tea PartyLast week, we had the honor to celebrate some Moms at the Oaks Senior Living Facility in Toms River. We threw them a tea party, brought sandwiches, desserts, and what a treat it was... We played some bingo and The Silverton Community Dance Club demonstrated some dances for us all! Hope your Mother's Day is just as wonderful.... Happy Mother's Day! PS: Thank you to all our members who planned this wonderful event, as well as all the members that helped during the luncheon. |
Daughters of the American RevolutionLast week Caroline Germond from Daughters of the American Revolution National Headquarters came to talk to us about the "Female Spies of the Revolution". Throughout the Revolutionary War, there are stories of heroism; those who sacrificed to save others, those who put their lives on the line to warn of impending danger. The vast majority of these stories involve men, but there are countless extraordinary women who risked and sacrificed just as much as men. While women were not allowed to serve in the military, they found clever ways to spy and help the war effort. From clothesline strategies to "button" codes these women were successful and better at hiding than their male counterparts. To read some of these amazing stories visit: https://www.womenshistory.org/articles/revolutionary-spies |
A Better Life GuatemalaJeff Wilhelm came to talk to us about the nonprofit organization A Better Life Guatemala. More than 9 million people (more than half the country) live in poverty in Guatemala and lack basic services and this nonprofit supports families in need. Their goal is to provide better health, sleep, education, and opportunities for individuals and families to improve their circumstances. Happiness can be as simple as drinking a glass of clean water when we are thirsty, having a bed to sleep in after a long day, and having fresh food available. We were happy to donate to this cause after listening to Jeff. Keep doing great work! To learn more about this organization visit: https://abetterlifeguatemala.org/ |
Oaks Senior Living ApartmentsLast week Tara and Jolene came to talk to us about The Oaks Senior Apartments in Toms River. These apartments provide affordable housing for Seniors 62+. The Oaks staff also tries to provide events and activities for these Seniors to occupy some of their time. If you would like more information about The Oaks at Toms River call 732.244.0991 Stay tuned because in May we are working on something special for these Seniors! |
Forest Resource CenterSome of our members helping sort seedlings at the Forest Resource Center in Jackson. Helping the planet one seedling at a time |
2nd Annual Rocking Rotary ConcertLet’s get together and enjoy great music, food, beer garden by Battle River Brewery, and vendors all for a great cause! SPONSORSHIPS AND VENDOR OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE! ➡️ Learn more information ⬅️ |
Toms River Police Dept K9 Unit PresentationIt was a pleasure getting a K-9 demonstration from the Toms River Police Department. We learned a lot about the training these dogs through to keep our community safe and as you can see they are not only cute but very smart! We were also very excited to present them with a check from our "Dine and Donate" event in December. Thank you to those who donated and supported us. |
Silverton Volunteer Fire CompanyThank you Captain Michael Cocco from the Silverton Volunteer Fire Company and Chief Instructor for the Toms River Fire Training Center for talking to us about the importance of knowing how to administer CPR. For those interested, the Toms River Fire Department is hosting CPR Training for the public at the Fire Training Center located at 1780 Church Rd in Toms River. They will have two training sessions per day, on Saturday, February 25th, and Saturday, March 4. The student cost is $40 per person. To register visit: https://tomsriverfire.org/academy-signup/ or call 732.341.4441. |
12th Annual Gift AuctionJoin us for a fun night helping local organizations as well as the non-profit Science Research for All. Tickets are only $20 per person, attendees are welcome to bring their own food & refreshments however, no open alcohol is permitted. We will have a 50/50 raffle on the day of the event as well. This year's auction will be held on: Tuesday, April 4th, 2023 at 5:30 PM at Toms River High School East (Cafetorium) Our auction sells out fast. Don’t miss out and buy your $20 ticket today! *No refunds. All proceeds of our Gift Auction go to local charities in addition to Science Research for All, LLC.* Permit #107-5-42900 - RL#9426 |
Annual Harbor House LightingOur Rotary Elves outdid themselves again! On a cold winter night this week, some of our members met to do our annual Christmas lighting of Ocean's Harbor House. If you drive by take a look at the fantastic job they did! |
Dine & Donate December 1stCome out and eat at TGI Fridays in Toms River on December 1st and help us raise money for the Toms River Police Department K-9 Unit to get them bulletproof/stab-resistant vests and anything else they may need. All you have to do is present the flyer (printed or via phone) when you are ready to pay and 20% of your check will go to this great cause! If you can't stop by TGI Fridays on December 1st you can still donate online to our fundraiser for the Toms River Police Department K9 Unit by clicking here: https://checkout.square.site/buy/3LHLWJW523CYG7PTKKCUSM7K Doesn't get easier than that. Let's do this Toms River!!! |
50/50 Raffle TicketsBefore we give thanks this year, help us raise money for those in need by getting a 50/50 raffle ticket! To get your tickets simply ask one of our members or message us. Tickets are only $20 each or a book of 5 for $100.
The drawing will take place on November 22 at 12:45 pm. Winners will be contacted directly. If interested email centraloceanrotary@gmail.com - we accept Venmo. All proceeds go to local charities in our community. |
Can Food DriveWe are collecting non-perishable can food donations for Plentiful Plates of Ocean County NJ. For a list of items needed click on the event below. Plentiful Plates is an organization of Chefs and food handlers that volunteer their time and skills to supply food to those suffering from food insecurities. Items can be dropped off at Toms River Fitness & Aquatic Center starting now until November 17! |
NJ Teacher of the YEAR - Christine GirtainA couple of months ago we shared that our member Christine Girtain was named Ocean County Teacher of the Year. Now, we are beyond excited to share that she was just named New Jersey Teacher of the Year!!!!! Well deserved Christine, CONGRATULATIONS! |
East Coast Escape RoomLast week, Christie from East Coast Escape Room talked to us about their escape room. If you have never been to an escape room and you like puzzles you have to try them! How does it work? It's a fun, real-life adventure game using clues, keys, codes, and hands-on tasks! You and your team will assemble inside a themed room and have 60 minutes to complete the objective. Book your next adventure on their website: https://www.eastcoastescaperoom.com/ |
Scarecrow Walk ContestThe Downtown Toms River Scarecrow Walk Contest is back! Meet our Moon Time Tea Scarecrow (#4) - Ballots can be found at local stores with a scarecrow poster on the window. After voting for #4 drop it off in the ballot box located in the lobby of Downtown Shops at 53 Main or at the Ocean County Library. Scarecrows will be on display along Washington Street until the 31st... VOTE NOW! We would also like to thank member Renee Millemann for her creation |
Dream to Build Gala by - NOHHLast Friday some of our members attended the 5th Annual Dream to Build Gala hosted by Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity. This is such a great and fun event as they celebrate their successes and raise money to support their projects. Thank you Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity and the volunteers that help those in need by repairing, building homes, and revitalizing neighborhoods. |
Friends of the Ocean County LibraryWe were happy to have Friends of the Ocean County Library Toms River NJ visit us again for a nice lunch at Capones Gourmet Pizza and Pasta House. They updated us on some events they have coming up like their Used Book Pop-Up Sale on October 15: https://fb.me/e/1LBzQdIlt For those that don't know Friends of the Ocean County Library is a non-profit organization that works to support our public library. They are volunteers who design and manage fundraising activities in support of the library and offer programs and events for the community to enjoy. To learn more follow them on Facebook! |
The Arc of Ocean CountyOn Tuesday Lauren Gandulla joined us for lunch to talk about The Arc, Ocean County Chapter. The Arc, Ocean County Chapter offers a wide range of programs and services to meet the needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. They currently provide services to 1,000 people in Ocean County, NJ! We are also very happy to be an 18th Hole Sponsor for their upcoming Mini Golf Tournament. To be part of this event visit: https://www.arcocean.org/get-involved/events/mini-golf.html |
2022 Back To School Supply DriveOur Back to School Supply Drive was a success! Thank you to everyone who donated. This is the most donations we have collected for this drive and we couldn't have done it without YOU. One anonymous donor gave us around 50 backpacks and another one gave us about 4 boxes of assorted supplies!!! We do want to give a big shout-out to Toms River Fitness & Aquatic Center for being our drop-off location, to member Jen Cowen Lorentzen, member E Montes Rastelli and Freedom Village office manager, Joyce Coco, for making all of this possible. We are making many families at Freedom Village very happy |
Welcome New Member Keri KristenNew Member Alert Join us in welcoming new member Keri Kristen to our Club! She came to talk to our Club back in June and she never left!!! Keri works for RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention & Recovery and also serves as manager for the Toms River Communities That Care Coalition. We are excited to have her in our club and for the exciting new things, we will do together in our community! Keri was sponsored by Club Secretary Laurie Erlenmeyer Singer. : Club Secretary Laurie, New Member Keri Britske, Club President John Anderson |
Fun with the BlueClawsSome of our members and their families had a fun time at the Jersey Shore BlueClaws game yesterday. Check out those bright smiles! Thank you to Science Research for All for the invitation! |
Bright Harbor HealthcareOn Tuesday, we had Kathy Luszik and Lisa Mulhearn from Bright Harbor Healthcare, formerly known as Ocean Mental Health Services. They talked to us about the services they offer to adults, children, and families in our community. They provide counseling, foster care, group homes, partial day services, a private school for children with emotional and behavioral challenges, and much more. We were happy to present them with a donation for the OceanCares Foundation which supports Bright House Healthcare. If you would like to help or learn more about this great organization, please visit: https://brightharbor.org/ : Kathy Luszik, Club Secretary Laurie Singer, and Lisa Mulhearn |
Donation to TR First Aid SquadWe were happy to present a donation to the Toms River First Aid Squad for all the help they provided for our Rocking with Rotary Concert! THANK YOU for everything you do in our community : President John Anderson and TR First Aid Squad volunteer Lisa Caputo |
D.G. Michael Johnson Visits our ClubThis Tuesday District Governor Michael Johnson presented our Club with this year's theme banner "Imagine Rotary", Imagine the possibilities in the change we can make to transform the world. This is the theme for this year's first female President, Jennifer Jones! It was fun to have District Governor, Michael Johnson and Assistant District Governor, Stacey Cofka join us for lunch and talk to us about the great events that are being planned for this Rotary year. To learn more about Rotary or are interested in the events coming up, visit: https://district7505.org/ |
Wrangle Brook Community GardenLast week we were pleased to make a donation to the Wrangle Brook Community Garden. The Wrangle Brook Community Garden is a project sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Ocean County Congregation, in cooperation with Berkeley Township. Located on the edge of Wrangle Brook and bordered by River Terrace in Toms River and Southhampton Drive in Berkeley Township, this community garden was developed on 4+ acres of vacant land that were left unattended for many years. Their goal is to provide fresh vegetables to local organizations to give or feed those in need in our community. COMING SOON: Our club will be helping them build a much-needed pergola to provide some shade for sunny days. Stay tuned! If you are interested in volunteering at the Wrangle Brook Community Garden or would like to learn more please contact Garden Coordinator Bonney Parker at 732.639.1674 or email info@uuocc.org. |
2022 Installation DinnerLast night we held our Annual Installation Dinner for Officers of our Club. Club President John Anderson was sworn in for his second term as Club President, by District Governor Michael Thompson. As the District Governor said during his speech, John is serving an encore year but this time under the Rotary theme “Imagine Rotary”. President John Anderson also recognized members Jen Lorentzen, Laurie Singer and George Hanna for all the help they provided during his first year as President of our club. We wish John and his Board a successful year of service. Special thanks to District Governor Michael Thompson and District Assistant Governor Stacey Cofka for joining us at our 2022-2023 Installation Dinner. |
Welcome New Member Evan Weissglass Shoutout to new member Evan Weissglass Evan is a realtor associate for Crossroads Realty, sponsored by member Mike DellaRocca. We are excited he chose to be part of our club and look forward to helping our community together. left to right: Member Mike DellaRocca, Evan Weissglass, President John Anderson |
Annual Laptop/Scholarship PresentationOur favorite time of the year is here… our annual scholarship/laptop luncheon presentation! Today, we were honored to present $15,000 between scholarships and laptops to deserving students for their college education. As always, our scholarship committee had a very difficult decision to make but we are happy to announce the winners. Congratulations to you all and wish you the best in the years to come! Laptop Winners: • TRHSN: Taniyah Watson • TRHSN: Arianah Davis • TRHSS: Chloe Seluchins • TRHSS: Sequoia Bivins • TRHSE: Cruz Chacon • TRHSE: Neveah Rondon Scholarship Winners: • TRHSN: Rutva Shah • TRHSS: Chloe Seluchins • TRHSE: Michael Picaroni • Donovan: Olivia Lechner • VOC: Nicholas Tasker Special shout out to everyone who supports us throughout the year. We certainly wouldn’t be able to help these students or our community without you! |
Communities That CareKeri Britske came to talk to us about CTC. Communities that Care (CTC) is a data-driven, coalition-based process that brings together all sectors of the community in order to help decrease youth problem behaviors, which include substance and alcohol use, nicotine use, violence, delinquency, and mental health conditions. To learn more visit: https://www.rwjbh.org/.../programs/communities-that-care/ |
Thank you for Rocking with RotaryThank you to everyone who in one way or another supported our first Rocking with Rotary Concert! The weather was perfect and it was nice to see our community coming together to have a good time while supporting a great cause. There are many thanks to go around… We first would like to thank all our sponsors, vendors, food trucks, guests, club members, volunteers, and a huge shout out to A & S Sound for taking care of all the behind-the-scenes for our bands without them we wouldn’t have been able to have a concert at all! BIG thanks to EVERYONE! We are looking forward to seeing everyone again next year! |
Downtown Toms RiverThank you Mairin Bellack for being a guest speaker. Mairin is the executive director of Downtown Toms River and came to talk to us about the great businesses Downtown as well as the redevelopment. The Township of Toms River has five (5) approved redevelopment plans, one of which is almost built out. Some of the plans include residential units, about 16,00 sq ft of retail which includes a restaurant, coffee shop, fitness center, doggie daycare, and more. To learn more about the redevelopment visit: https://www.tomsrivertownship.com/.../Economic... |
Special Shout Out SPECIAL SHOUT OUT! We just want to take some time to thank Laura from Artisan's Restaurant & Brewery. She always takes care of us at our weekly meetings and stays on top of all our needs. It can get crazy at times but she keeps it all flawless. Laura also has volunteered with us. Recently she helped with our gift auction and she did an amazing job! Thank you, Laura. We appreciate you and are very lucky to have you : President John Anderson and Laura |
Filmmaker Craig SingerLast Tuesday we had the pleasure of having filmmaker Craig Singer as a speaker. Craig was a Disney Executive for many years when he decided to return to his passion for filmmaking. He has directed, written, and produced several Award Winning shorts and feature films (one starring Neil Patrick Harris, fresh off Doogie Howser fame). Craig's latest film "6:45" is a time-looping psychological thriller about a dream vacation gone very, very bad. Check out his reel on imdb.com https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0801916/ |
TRHSS - Project SPEAR-ITOur Club will always support the youth in our community. This is why we were happy to donate to Project SPEAR-IT at Toms River High School South. Project SPEAR-IT is a pre-vocational training program in partnership with United Way of Monmouth and Ocean Counties that exposes and connects youth to a diverse array of career options and fields, including hands-on learning opportunities. Lead teacher Timothy O'Leary runs this program and when the pandemic hit he was able to transition the program to a virtual model -- which included how-to instructional videos and Google Meet discussions. To learn more about this great program visit: https://www.trschools.com/commu.../project-spear-it-lives-on : President John Anderson (left) with Lead teacher Tim O’Leary |
Gift Auction: Thank youThank you to everyone who attended our gift auction last week. We had a great time while helping two great causes: Central Ocean Rotary and Science Research for All! We also drew the winner for our 50/50 that night... and the winner was Amy Gao with ticket #0522. Thank you all again and to those who won a prize Congratulations! See you all next year! |
Toms River Police DepartmentWe were honored to have Toms River Police Department Chief Mitch Little as our speaker last week. He thanked us for our latest donation to the K9 Unit, walked us through the process of new hires, how the Police Dept helps our community, and talked to us about the Toms River Police Foundation. The Foundation awards scholarships to qualified applicants from all Toms River high schools and to those students pursuing a career in law enforcement as well as the children of police department members regardless of their career path. Thank you, Chief for all the information you provided and as always we will continue to support the department in any way we can. To learn more about the Foundation visit: https://www.tomsriverpolicefoundation.org/ |
New Member: Eileen Beck NEW MEMBER ALERT Welcome to Rotary, Eileen Beck! Thank you to her sponsor, Rotarian George Hanna, for introducing Eileen to Rotary and to our club. We look forward to helping our community together. : Membership Chair Staci Melchiondo Staci Melchiondo (left), Eileen Beck, Service Project Chair George Hanna |
John F Peto Studio MuseumLast week we had the pleasure to be hosted by Barbara Hanna, Vice President of the John F. Peto Studio Museum. Barbara showed our members the museum and we were happy to not only learn the history of John Peto but also we were happy to help with a donation for the museum. This museum is located in Island Heights and it's a hidden piece of history. Schedule a visit with the family: https://petomuseum.org/visit/ : President John Anderston and Peto Museum VP Barbara Hanna in front of a portrait of John F. Peto |
Constellation EnergyDave Greiner from Constellation Energy came to talk to us about how the energy grid works and how they are constantly looking to expand on their renewable energy solutions. Constellation is the nation’s largest producer of carbon-free energy and the leading competitive retail supplier of power and energy products and services for homes and businesses across the United States. To learn more visit: https://www.constellation.com/ |
TR Homeless CoalitionLast meeting we met Rev. Susan S. Jones a Pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church and now the President of a new non-profit organization: Toms River Housing and Homeless Coalition. The TRHHC goal is centered on meeting the unmet needs of individuals who are at risk of becoming homeless in Toms River and Ocean County at large. These needs include providing emergent housing needs while also providing access to long-term, stable housing as well as other supportive services as quickly as possible. What is even better is that Rev. Susan is trying to get all organizations helping the homeless together to be able to provide help at a larger scale. We are happy to support this non-profit organization and are looking forward to see the great changes it will bring to our community. If you would like to learn more or donate please visit https://trhomelesscoalition.org/ |
Rocking with Rotary ConcertLet’s get together and enjoy great music, food, beer garden by Battle River Brewery, and vendors all for a great cause! SPONSORSHIPS AND VENDOR OPPORTUNITIES! TICKETS ON SALE NOW - Learn More |
Toms River K9 UnitIn December we held a Dine & Donate event at Turning Point in Toms River to benefit the TRPD K9 Unit. This donation would not be possible without YOUR help. Our Community. It was very exciting to meet a couple of the K9s as well as to learn about the work the handlers do. Thank you to the K9 Unit for keeping our community safe! From the Toms River PBA "Toms River PBA #137 would like to extend their sincere gratitude for the tremendous generosity we received from the Central Ocean Rotary for our K9 fund. Your generous contribution is greatly appreciated by all of our K9s and their handlers!" |
11th Annual Gift AuctionSOLD OUT!!! We have partnered with local non-profit Science Research for All and are excited to announce our gift auction BACK! This year's auction will be held at Toms River High School East Thursday, April 7 and tickets are only $20 each Learn More or Buy Tickets Online |
Artisan's Brewmaster AndyWhat better way to start 2022 than learning how beer is made at Artisan's Restaurant & Brewery. Brewmaster Andy talked to us about the beer brewing process and all that takes to make different types of beers. Craft brewing is a small American industry that only accounts for 12% of sales while foreign big companies take the rest so let's support our local breweries ! Andy will also be opening his own brewery so keep checking his website for details: https://www.birdsmouthbrewing.com/ : President John Anderson on the left with Brewmaster Andy. |
New Member: Tom DeAngelo NEW MEMBER ALERT 2021 Keeps on giving ! Join us in welcoming our newest member Tom DeAngelo from CG Moneta LLC. We are excited to have him join our club and look forward to everything we will accomplish together! : Tom is pictured with Membership Chair Staci Melchiondo |
Gift Wrapping for Contact Of Ocean'Tis the season to wrap gifts ! Some of our members have been volunteering at the Ocean County Mall with Contact of Ocean & Monmouth Counties throughout the week. They will continue to wrap until this Friday the 24th... so stop by and get your gifts looking pretty . All proceeds go to this great organization. |
50/50 Winners Drumroll, please!!!!! And the winners for our last 50/50 raffle of 2021 are: 1st: $4,550 goes to Ticket #0190 - Andy Girtain 2nd: $1,300 goes to Ticket #0399 - Kyle Staffa 3rd: $650 goes to Ticket #0112 - Bill Kaufmann *Winners will be contacted directly. Thank you to everyone who purchased a ticket. We collected a total of $13,000 from which $6,500 will go back to our community helping local organizations in need. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Lastly, a shoutout to Insectropolis for hosting us . |
Dine & Donate for TRPD K9 UnitJoin Central Ocean Rotary Club of Toms River raise funds for the Toms River Police Department K-9 Unit. To participate, simply bring the flyer when dining* at Turning Point in Toms River, and 15% of your whole order will go to this great cause! *For take-out orders present this flyer when picking up. Orders from a third-party delivery service (door dash, uber eats, GrubHub, etc) DO NOT count towards the donation. Won't be around but still want to donate? Donate online, any amount is appreciated: https://square.link/u/5A8A5QV0 |
Winter Coats for Your Grandmother's Cupboard Join us on our second annual Coat Drive and help us share the warmth by donating your new or gently used winter coat. Coats will be distributed to "Your Grandmother's Cupboard", a nonprofit organization group that helps the homeless, seniors, and children in need. Drop off your gently used coat at Toms River Fitness & Aquatic Center or email CentralOceanRotary@gmail.com and we will arrange pick up by one of our members! Coats of all sizes and ages are welcome. Coat donations must be in by 12/31/2021. Want to learn more about "Your Grandmother's Cupboard"? Visit https://yourgrandmotherscupboard.com/ |
Cattus Island Clean UpYesterday some of our members spent a couple of hours cleaning up Cattus Island County Park. They collected so much garbage that the garbage can was overflowing and they had to pile more bags around it! Thank you to all our members who volunteered. It was a beautiful day to be outside while doing something good for our community . |
Winter 50/50 RaffleWho is ready to win some ?! Our Cold Days/Warm Hearts 50/50 raffle is here and tickets are on sale now. Message us or contact one of our members to get yours... gotta be in it to win it! Drawing is on December 14 |
Your Grandmother's CupboardThanks to "Your Grandmother's Cupboard" for coming to speak to our club. Your Grandmother’s Cupboard is a unique service to those in need of a helping hand. They are a place where men, women and children can come and “shop” for FREE clothing, shoes, linens, blankets and toiletries for themselves, and also go home with a bag of groceries for their family. Stay tuned as we will be sharing information on how we will be helping them soon! Want to learn more about this organization? Do you want to donate? Visit https://yourgrandmotherscupboard.com/ |
Ocean County CASA's GalaLast Friday some of our members attended Ocean County CASA's Dining for a Cause Gala. There was dancing, entertainment, gift auction and all helped to raise funds for this great organization. CASA of Ocean County is a non profit that trains volunteer advocates to speak up for abused and neglected foster children as they navigate their way through the NJ Family Court system. To become a volunteer or learn more visit: https://www.casaofoceancounty.org/ |
Behavioral Health CenterIt’s important to know that a person’s mental health can change over time, depending on many factors. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. If you are feeling off, ask for help! Thank you Jessica Alpert for talking to us about the RWJBarnabas Behavioral Health Center, which provides mental, behavioral health, and wellness services. They offer a 24/7 support line, inpatient and outpatient care, suicide prevention resources, and many more. Visit their Facebook page or website for more information: https://www.rwjbh.org/…/mental-health-and-behavioral-health/ |
Congratulations George for Paul Harris Fellow AwardThank you George Hanna for your contributions to our Rotary Foundation and congratulations on earning another Paul Harris Fellow Award!!! 🎉 President John Anderson presented George with this award. |
Scarecrow Contest: Vote #17Our "Rocking Out with Rotary" scarecrow is waiting for your votes. Stop by the Ocean County Library to get your ballots or any shop downtown displaying the poster. Voting ends Oct 31. Vote for #17! Special thank you to member Maryann Gingrich, member Jen Cowen Lorentzen and vice president Renee Millemann for helping bring this rocker to life! |
Roca Bella helps 9/11 First RespondersMeet Cheryl Lee from RocaBella Brands, which was created in 2014, after she lost her husband, Jersey City Fire Department Captain Mark V. Lee, Sr, from a 911-related illness. RocaBella Gives by RocaBella Brands is a non-profit that was formed to give back to first responders who put their lives on the line as well as support education, confidence building, and positive growth for children in the area. Our club was happy to donate to this non-profit so they can continue helping the community.
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Welcome New Member Kristine!⚠️NEW MEMBER ALERT ⚠️ Special thank you to Mathis House at 600 Main, a B&B and Victorian Tea Room for providing a delicious lunch and a beautiful backdrop for pictures 😍 📸 (from left to right): Sponsor Dick Read, Kristine, and President John Anderson |
Habitat's Dream to Build GalaOn Friday some of our members attended the 4th Annual Dream to Build Gala hosted by Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity. It was a nice evening supporting this great organization. Through the years and thanks to Dick Read we have worked very closely and will continue to be a helping hand (literally) whenever possible. To learn more or to learn how you can help visit https://northernoceanhabitat.org/ |
District Gov Chuck Watson VisitIt was a pleasure to have District Governor Chuck Watson and Assistant District Governor Stacey Cofka visiting our club. To learn more about Rotary District 7505 https://district7505.org/ 📸 left to right: President John Anderson, VP Renee Millemann, DG Chuck Watson and ADG Stacey Cofka |
Ocean County Scanner NewsThank you Dave from Ocean County Scanner News for coming to our meeting and telling us about all the work that goes behind your scanner news! It was fun and interesting 🙂. If you haven't heard about Ocean County Scanner News, they provide live, breaking news updates to keep Ocean County Residents informed. |
Chair Yoga with Member Laurie SingerMember and Yoga Instructor Laurie Singer Yoga Teacher gave us a nice and relaxing taste of chair yoga. It was nice to disconnect for a little while and take care of our minds and bodies. Thank you, Laurie! |
Gift of Life Annual MeetingOur club attended the Gift of Life International Rotary District 7505 annual meeting this week. At this meeting, we received a banner in appreciation of our contributions to the District. This past year has been difficult but Gift of Life never stopped working and helping children in need from developing countries. To learn more about this great organization visit: https://www.giftoflifeinternational.org/ |
TR Mayor Maurice0" Mo" HillToms River Mayor Maurice "Mo" Hill came to tell us some of the exciting new things happening in Toms River in the near future such as the Community Based Outpatient Clinic. Our members also had the opportunity to ask the Mayor questions about local issues. Thank you Mayor Maurice "Mo" Hill for your time and information! To stay up to date to Toms River updates follow Toms River Township Government, New Jersey or visit https://www.tomsrivertownship.com |
Open House 2021Yesterday was our first Open House since Covid and what a great time we had with Members and Guests. It was fun to catch up with everyone and share some ideas for new and exciting things coming up . |
Blood Drive July 2021Another successful Blood Drive hosted by the three Toms River Rotary Clubs is in the books! We loved how quickly this drive got filled Thank you to everyone who donated! from left to right (and height order ): Club Vice-President Renee Millemann, Member Jill Lynnworth-Rand and Club President John Anderson |
FBLA PresentationWe recently had Toms River High School North students Ishan Shah, Rutva Sha and teacher Jamie Tesoro give us a great presentation about the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) group. FBLA helps high school students prepare for careers in business through academic competitions, leadership development, and educational programs. It was also very interesting to see that in addition to the academic work, they also do so much helping our community by providing assistance to local non-profits. Keep up the great work and we look forward to helping our community together in the near future! |
Cattus Island Boardwalk ProjectMembers and friends of the Central Ocean Rotary Club donated and built 50 feet of boardwalk on the Yellow Trail in Cattus Island County Park. Friday was demolition day and Saturday was time to build. Special thanks to M&T Bank for providing volunteers to help with the demolition of the old boardwalks, Yadira Martinez (winner of this year's scholarship from Toms River High School North), and her brother Carlos for volunteering their time to help with the construction of the new boardwalks, and the Ocean County Parks & Recreation staff for working with us and allowing us the opportunity do this service project that benefits our community. |
2021 Installation DinnerJuly marks the beginning of a new Rotary year and with it comes a new President. Join us congratulating incoming President John Anderson and his Board, who will be leading us under the Rotary theme “Serve to Change Lives”. We look forward to another year serving our community under the guidance of our President. Thank you to outgoing President George Hanna for keeping us together helping our community during a time we couldn’t be more apart. Special thanks to District Governor Chuck Watson, family, and friends for joining us at the 2021-2022 Installation Dinner. |
Cattus Island Yellow Trail Check out what we did over the weekend! Members and friends of the Central Ocean Rotary Club donated and built 50 feet of boardwalk on the Yellow Trail in Cattus Island County Park. Friday was demolition day and Saturday was time to build. Special thanks to M&T Bank for providing volunteers to help with the demolition of the old boardwalks, Yadira Martinez (winner of this year's scholarship from Toms River High School North), and her brother Carlos for volunteering their time to help with the construction of the new boardwalks, and the Ocean County Parks & Recreation staff for working with us and allowing us the opportunity do this service project that benefits our community. |
Cattus Island Boardwalk Project Check out what we did over the weekend! Members and friends of the Central Ocean Rotary Club donated and built 50 feet of boardwalk on the Yellow Trail in Cattus Island County Park. Friday was demolition day and Saturday was time to build. Special thanks to M&T Bank for providing volunteers to help with the demolition of the old boardwalks, Yadira Martinez (winner of this year's scholarship from Toms River High School North), and her brother Carlos for volunteering their time to help with the construction of the new boardwalks, and the Ocean County Parks & Recreation staff for working with us and allowing us the opportunity do this service project that benefits our community. |
Welcome Our New Members Join us in welcoming our new members Staci Melchiondo and Kelly Servodio! Staci is a branch manager at M&T Bank and Kelly is with CASA of Ocean County. Special thanks to Michael Bucca for recruiting Staci and Kelly and sponsoring them. . We are very excited to have both of you on board and look forward to doing many service projects together! |
OC Solid Waste ManagementDo you follow Ocean County Recycles? You should! They provide great tips and information on how to be environmentally responsible. Sandra Blain-Snow and Tanara Hall from the Ocean County Department of Solid Waste stopped by to give us some tips to #RecycleRight. To learn more visit: http://www.co.ocean.nj.us/recycle |
HOPE Sheds LightWe all know someone directly or indirectly that has been affected by drug addiction. HOPE Sheds Light is a beautiful organization that helps not only addicts but also their families because this is a family disease. Heather Price came to our meeting to talk to us about the great work Hope Sheds Light does and to reminded us that their 8th Annual Celebration of Hope Walk will be held on September 11 on the Seaside Heights Boardwalk. To learn more visit: https://hopeshedslight.org |
The Leukemia & Lymphoma SocietyLast week we had a great presentation by Nicole DeStefano and Nicholas Napolitano from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Nick is a survivor himself and it was very interesting to learn more about these diseases and everything they do to create awareness. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a global leader in the fight against cancer. They not only fund the research to advance lifesaving treatments but also provide patients, survivors, and their families the education and support they need during these difficult times. For more information visit their website https://www.lls.org/ |
Microbe Solutions LLC - Common SenseOur guest this week was Michael Hammer from Microbe Solutions LLC - Common Sense, an antimicrobial solution company located in Bayville, NJ. During Michael's presentation we learned that we should always read the instructions for our sanitizing products and not assume we know how to use them as we may not be really disinfecting an area. Go ahead, read the instructions of your lysol disinfectant spray... are you really disinfecting the area? Common Sense is an environmentally safe sanitizer solution for home and commercial spaces that provide lasting germ protection and odor removal. Typical hand sanitizers only kills germs in the first 15 seconds and stops working. Common Sense continues to inactivate germs for hours after application while moisturizing and protecting your hands as it follows the CDC's guidelines. Sanitizers will be part of the norm for years, let's make sure we use the right products and we learn to use them correctly. Thanks, Michael for a great presentation! |
50/50 Raffle WinnersWe have our winners for our "May the Fourth Be With You" 50/50 Raffle. Congratulations to all and thank you to everyone that purchased a ticket. 1st place: John Anderson #750 $4,606 2nd place: Lou Madris #381 $1,316 3rd place: Michael Bucca #038 $658 Big thanks to Insectropolis for lending us their space and to Tim from OZANE Termite and Pest Control for lending us a hand... literally |
Shout-Out to Member Christine Girtain Big shout-out to member Christine Girtain, Director of Authentic Science Research for TRHSN and TRHSS, for having two of her students present their scientific research at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in May. Christine's students have come to our club to present their research countless times and we are left amazed every single time by their presentations! Good luck to these two students and Christine! |
Fulfill Food DistributionIt's always a good time to help our community! President-Elect John Anderson and Toms River Mayor Maurice B. Hill helping to distribute food this morning to those in need. Thank you Fulfill and Toms River Presbyterian Church |
Successful Blood DriveThe blood drive organized by the three Rotary Clubs in Toms River was today. Thank you to everyone that registered and helped save lives. This is another successful blood drive in the books! Special thanks to President Nancy Ellson, President , President George Hanna, and our members E Montes Rastelli, who volunteered to help run it today. Blood supplies are critically low. If you missed our blood drive and still would like to donate visit https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/find-drive |
Easter Drive for A Need To FeedWe held an easter drive for A Need We Feed and member Maryann Gingrich presented the donated Easter Basket collection. Easter baskets will be assembled and delivered with meals for families in need.Rotary always happy to help! |
A Need To Feed Food DonationWe presented a check to A Need to Feed so they can continue their efforts of feeding those in need in our community. Special thanks to our member MaryAnn Gingrich for setting all of this up! |
Better Universe and CitizensFellow Rotarian Tawainga Katsvairo, talked to us about Better Universe and Citizens , an organization that is trying to help with the much-needed grass replenishment in Haiti.Haiti has one of the highest soil erosion rates in the world. It’s also the poorest country in the American continent with an income per head of about $2 per day. This organization's effort is aimed towards a solution for land reclamation, clean water, disaster readiness, habitats for wildlife, fodder for livestock and to reduce poverty through planting perennial grasses. To learn more about this volunteer-run organization visit their website at https://www.betteruniverseandcitizens.org |
Coat DriveJoin us on our first annual Coat Drive and help us share the warmth by donating your new or gently used winter coat. Coats will be distributed to a local Code Blue group which helps people when temperatures drop below freezing. Simply email CentralOceanRotary@gmail.com and we will set up curbside pick up by one of our members! Coats of all sizes and ages are welcome. Coat donations must be in by 12/31/2020. |
50/50 Raffle Winners!Congratulations to the winners and thank you to everyone that purchased a ticket! We will continue helping our community thanks to you. |
Boardwalk at Cattus IslandYesterday for #WorldMentalHealthDay some of our members met at
to help rebuild a boardwalk for one of the trails. Great work by all and special thanks to Nikki from Cattus Island for her help with this service project! |
Science Research for AllWe are happy to support member Pamela Kuhn. with her new non-profit "Science Research for All". Their mission is to promote original science research in the high school curriculum through teacher in-service training. In an increasingly technological nation, U.S. schools seem unable to fill a void created by the need for scientists and engineers. Studies indicate a strong correlation between original research experiences and increased student enthusiasm, increased propensity to pursue science courses, and participation in long-term STEM careers. Toms River schools are lucky to have this program already in place in their schools. You will probably remember all the students that come to talk to us through the years about research they have done in school. However, this is not the norm. Schools in our country do not provide science research for their students. Science Research for All wants to place a science research program in any high school desiring to promote opportunities for interested students, regardless of their academic level. Such a great initiative! |
33rd Annual Raffle WinnersWe are happy to announce the winners of the 33rd Annual Central Ocean Rotary Raffle! 1st Place - Ticket #131 went to Laverne White Congratulations to the winners and thank you to everyone who purchased a ticket! ❤️ Special thanks to Veronica at Artisan's Restaurant & Breweryfor helping us pick this year's winners! |
**Meeting Notice**There will be no regularly scheduled Rotary meetings on Tuesday, July 3rd or Tuesday, July 10th. Please join us at our next regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, July 17th at Artisans. |
CONTACT of Ocean and Monmouth CountiesA few weeks ago, Pat Lathan stopped by to talk to us about Contact of Ocean & Monmouth Counties and all the great work they do offering free confidential crisis intervention. At that moment we knew we wanted to assist this volunteer-based organization. To learn more or to volunteer visit their website: http://contactoceanmonmouth.org |
Service Dog Project a Success!President Mike DellaRocca presented District Governor Diane Latza Rotondelli a check for the service dog project. The goal was to provide 2 service dogs to veterans in need and because of everyone's efforts, Rotary District 7500 will be providing THREE service dogs! |
2018 Scholarship and Laptop RecipientsWe were honored to have parents along with the deserving students being awarded scholarships from us as well as laptops for their college education. Congratulations to you all and wish you the best in the years to come! Laptop Recipients: TRE: Damian Katarsky, Tiffany Porpora, Destinee Vehock TRN: Gina Marzella, Lidia Quintano TRS: Seth Edwards (not pictured) Scholarship Winners: Donovan Catholic: Regina Vahey TRE: Mackenzie Casais TRN: Kelly George TRS: Taylor Ketcham OCVTS: Kara Costa |
Newest MemberWelcome to the Central Ocean Rotary Club of Toms River Jill Rand! This past Tuesday, Jill was inducted as our newest member thanks to her sponsor Elizabeth Rastelli. Jill owns and runs Toms River Fitness & Aquatic Center along with her family. Looking forward to a great future in Rotary living by our motto “Service Above Self”! <3 Pictured is her sponsor Elizabeth, Jill and Club Membership Chair Michael Bucca. |
BugFest 2018We are so grateful for all of the families and friends that came out to BugFest 2018 at Insectropolis! A good time had by all. Funds raised will benefit our club's scholarship fund. Special thanks to past president Chris Koerner and OZANE Termite and Pest Control for their support of Rotary! |
Ocean County YMCA Golf Outing |
Applebee's Service Dog BreakfastWe would like to thank every single person that donated and/or came to our breakfast! The Rotary District 7500 Foundation Service Dog Project has hit the benchmark for 2 dogs and is currently working for a 3rd dog. From the bottom of our hearts - Thank you. |
Rock2AdoptDonna from Rock2Adopt stopped by to tell us about her wonderful event taking place this fall at the Popcorn Park Zoo. Our club has supported this event for many years and is proud to do so again! |
CONTACTSpecial thanks to Pat Lathan from Contact of Ocean & Monmouth Counties for being our guest speaker last Tuesday.
CONTACT of Ocean & Monmouth Counties, a non-profit, charitable organization, provides trained telephone listeners who respond to human needs 24 hours every day. This volunteer-based organization offers free confidential crisis intervention, information on available resources, and referral to community services. To learn more or to volunteer visit their website: http:// |
Rotary Leadership Institute GraduateCongratulations to Rotarian Jessica Connors for completing all three courses of the Rotary Leadership Institute of N.E. America. She is a big part of the future of our club! Jessica attended RLI this past Saturday along with four other Central Ocean Rotarians to learn more about Rotary and leadership. |
Habitat Project for a VeteranCentral Ocean Rotary members volunteered their time to work with Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity. Rotarians performed various tasks to help revitalize a home for a veteran in need in our community. Thank you so much to all of the volunteers who helped on this project. |
Society for the Prevention of Teen SuicideDawn Doherty from the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide (SPTS) came to talk to us about all the great work they do in schools and our community. SPTS's mission is to reduce the number of youth suicides and attempted suicides by encouraging overall public awareness through the development and promotion of educational training programs for teens, parents, and educators. To learn more about this organization visit their website: www.sptsusa.org
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SERV Behavioral HealthWe were delighted to have Christina Gaetano and Sheyla Bonnet from SERV Behavioral Health System, Inc. to discuss their organization and their programs in our area. SERV provides services for those dealing with mental illness in a variety of ways. For more information, please logon to https://www.servbhs.net |
Multiple Paul Harris FellowClub President Mike DellaRocca presented club President-Elect Michael Bucca with a multiple Paul Harris Fellow pin. Michael is one of our club's proud donors to the Rotary Foundation, which provides help to people all over the world in the form of District and Global Grants. Find out more about the Rotary Foundation at https://www.rotary.org/en/about-rotary/rotary-foundation |
Jersey Shore Council Boy ScoutsCentral Ocean Rotary is proud to support the Jersey Shore Council Boy Scouts of America. Rotarian and scouting District Executive Jerome Townsend accepted a $1,000 donation from club president Mike DellaRocca. The Boy Scouts and Central Ocean Rotary have collaborated on many projects over the last year and we look forward to what we can accomplish together! |
Welcome New Rotarian!We are happy to welcome the newest member of our club, Frank J Davis! He came to our gift auction back at the beginning of March where he met Ben Giovine (his now sponsor). Ben told him about us and he saw he would fit right in! Welcome Frank, we are excited to have you! From Left: Michael Bucca (Membership Chair), Frank Davis, Ben Giovine (Frank's Sponsor) |
Police Unity TourArtie Cronk from the Manchester Police Department stopped by on Tuesday to talk to us about the 2018 #PoliceUnityTour, which he is part of. Artie, along with officers around the country, rides his bike into Washington DC to support law enforcement families who have lost loved ones in the line of duty.❤️🚲 The Police Unity Tour's primary purpose is to raise awareness of Law Enforcement Officers who have died in the line of duty. Their secondary purpose is to raise funds for the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial and Museum. To learn more about the Policy Unity Tour visit: http://policeunitytour.com/ |
Paul Harris Fellow RecognitionJoin us congratulating member Melanie Bucca as she was recognized by an anonymous donor as a Paul Harris Fellow for her outstanding work on the board of Rotary District 7500 Gift of Life. She was presented the award by Gift of Life chairperson Kathy Hiltner and District Governor Diane Rotondelli |
Face of America Bike RideDiane Colangelo came to talk to us about The Face of America Bike Ride that will be taking place on April 28th and 29th. It will start in front of the Pentagon and riders (alongside many of our brave, wounded vets) will go all the way to the Gettysburg Battlefield. It's sponsored by World Team and pairs disabled vets with able-bodied riders on a very challenging and hilly ride. 🚲 The Face of America bicycle and hand cycle ride honors the sacrifices veterans make in service to their country and the exceptional dedication and determination of adaptive athletes. Funds raised through donations from participants, family, friends, and colleagues will cover the costs of our participating adaptive riders and will support all World T.E.A.M. events nationally.❤️ To learn more visit: https://www.wtsevent.org/faceofamerica/ |
AMP ZoneNancy & Dylan from AMP Zone stopped by to talk to us about their great organization. This non-profit organization offers after-school programs, summer camp sessions, homework help and tutoring sessions, and an adolescent re-entry program for at-risk youth. They are committed to providing at-risk youth with the skills and knowledge needed to become self-sufficient, compassionate citizens, caring parents and ethical leaders of their community. To donate or learn more about AMP Zone visit https://goo.gl/QeLRYf |
8th Annual Gift Auction a Success!Thank you to all of the wonderful attendees of our 8th Annual Gift Auction. Buster from the Lakewood BlueClaws came by to get the party started! Attendees got to take a chance at hundreds of gifts and prizes! We sincerely thank everyone for their support of our club and community. Click here for a short slideshow of the event. |
The Arc of Ocean Bowl-A-ThonA few of our members attended The Arc, Ocean County Chapter Bowl-A-Thon at Finnigans Lanes. We are proud to sponsor this event as well as the all the great work The Arc does for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. To learn more about their work visit their website: www.arcocean.org |
Science Rules!Meet Kaitlyn Molnar. A high school student who wrote a master's paper on E-coli and how essential oils can help fight it. After listening to her presentation and her experiment with essential oils it made us think back to the times when a building a volcano was enough to pass... These kids have a great future ahead of them! |
Authentic Science Research StudentsRory Hogan stopped by and talked to us about how pollution affects our ecosystem. DID YOU KNOW that fertilizers that we apply to our lawns are washed from runoff into rivers, streams and even the ocean? This excess nitrogen causes pollution in our area. In high school, Rory worked on a project where he planted indigenous plants right here in Ocean County and discovered that there were certain plants that lowered the nitrogen levels from the earth. These plants are the Joe Pye Weed, Bee Balm and Switchgrass. They required minimal care and we can all do our part by planting these around our community to help the environment. |
Gift of Life 21st Annual GalaOur club proudly attended the Rotary District 7500 Gift of Life Gala supporting life saving heart surgeries for children around the world. A very special thank you to club member and Gift of Life board member Melanie Bucca for her hard work at the event. |
Gift of Life PresentationCentral Ocean Rotary member Melanie Bucca, who is also on the board of Rotary District 7500 Gift of Life, talked to us yesterday about the great work Gift of Life is doing helping children in developing countries. Rotary District 7500 Gift of Life supports programs that enable medical teams of doctors, nurses and technicians provide advanced training in pediatric cardiopulmonary surgery to establish a permanent presence in countries throughout the world to provide life-saving services to an ever-increasing number of children with cardiac problems. |
Vocational Service Award WinnerWe are so proud of our fellow Rotarian Dick Read who received a Rotary District 7500 Vocational Service Award. Dick has not only used his engineering skills for our club and our projects, but he has helped so many non-profits in Ocean County such as Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity. Dick is a tremendous Rotarian, and we are so happy for his recognition. |
Asbury Park Press visit |
2017 Holiday PartyMay your holidays sparkle with moments of love, laughter, and goodwill. And may the year ahead be full of contentment and joy. |
Boy Scouts STEM Merit Badge AcademyClub members volunteered for the Jersey Shore Council Boy Scouts of America's STEM Merit Badge Academy at Toms River North. It was great to see all the bright young leaders! Thanks to the Rotarians who were able to volunteer. |
Harbor House Holiday DecorationsMembers of our club lit up Harbor House by hanging holiday decorations and lights. A Central Ocean Rotary tradition, the lights and decorations bring joy to the residents and staff of Harbor House, a safe haven for homeless youth in our community. Thank you so much to Ken and the entire staff, plus all of the Rotary volunteers who came out to get the lights and decorations up this year. |
Solar Light ProjectFellow Rotarians Dara Heidt and Micki Ginsberg from The Rotary Club of Moorestown visited us yesterday to talk to us about their Solar lights for Uganda project. One solar light at a time, they will replace kerosene lamps with solar lights in Uganda. This project will provide at least 400 school children, living in villages without electricity, with solar lamps making it easier for them to work and study. Kerosene lamps have caused burns, eye irritation, breathing difficulties and sometimes fires. |
Toms River Baseball DocumentaryWe were visited at our last meeting by Sandra Levine of Sandra Levine Productions to discuss her Toms River baseball documentary premiering in 2018. The film will feature baseball coach Ken Frank, baseball player Todd Frazier, and Toms River High School South. Rotary club members were treated to 5 minute reel of the film. |
Twin ClubWe have a twin! The Central Ocean Rotary Club of Toms River and the Rotary Club of Kyrenia Cosmopolitan located in Kyrenia, Cyprus have become Twin Clubs! Our two Rotary clubs will exchange ideas and learn more about each other to further international understanding and goodwill. Our club and our members look forward to our collaboration! |
New Member InductedWe had the pleasure of inducting our newest member of our club Ben Giovine. Ben currently serves as the president of the Toms River Regional Schools Board of Education and works for New York Life. We are so happy to welcome him as a Rotarian. Pictured with Ben is sponsor Christine Girtain and club membership chair Michael Bucca. |
Scouting For FoodMembers of our club and others helped collect bags of donated items for Scouting For Food. This initiative by the Jersey Shore Council Boy Scouts of America collects non-perishable food left in bags on the doorsteps of generous donors, which are then distributed to food pantries and hunger relief agencies. Special thanks to Jerome Townsend for setting up the project and involving our club! |
Cattus Island Tree PlantingOur club planted trees at Cattus Island County Park and also collected some garbage from the blue trail. We had a great time and it was very nice to see how Toms River residents and Ocean County Parks & Recreation do a great job taking care of our Parks. Special thanks to Pete from Cattus Island for all his knowledge and helping us help the environment. |
Rotary Foundation Thanks for Giving DinnerMembers of our club attended the Rotary District 7500 Thanks for Giving Dinner. Club president Michael DellaRocca received our Rotary Foundation District Grant, which will be used to purchase laptops for deserving students on their way to college. Also, past Rotary International Director Karen Wentz spoke to everyone about the Rotary Foundation. |
Welcome New Member!Join us welcoming our newest member Linda Alpay from Home Title Insurance Agency! We look forward to working together making our community a better place! |
Polio Survivor SpeaksRN Susan Gato came and talked to us about Polio. She is a polio survivor herself and we learned so much about the struggles people with polio go through and what they have to live with. Rotary has reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent worldwide since the first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979. We are close to eradicating polio, but we need your help. Whether you have a few minutes or a few hours, here are some ways to make a global impact and protect children against polio forever: https://goo.gl/odSzP1 |
Rise Against HungerClub members and community members all worked together to Rise Against Hunger. Volunteers put together packages of ready to eat meals that are to be shipped to areas in need. Over 75,000 meals were packaged across three sites. Central Ocean secretary Marion Callazzo is pictured sealing the bags. More photos are on our Facebook page. |
People's Pantry Denim and Diamonds EventClub members attended the Denim and Diamonds event for The People's Pantry Relief Center at Laurita Winery. Our club was proud to sponsor the event and support hunger relief in Toms River and Ocean County. |
32nd Annual 50/50 RaffleOur guest Justin picked the winners of the 32nd Annual 50/50 Raffle today! The winners are: 1st prize - Ticket #83 - Melanie Bucca, Shannon Rabea, Brittany Richstein, Carrie Andrews, Ashley Worden 2nd prize - Ticket #28 - Elizabeth Rastelli, Michael DellaRocca, Mark Rushwald, Dick Read, George Hanna 3rd prize - Ticket #144 - Henry Hengchua Our club sold out all 150 available tickets. Thank you so much for all who purchased a ticket to support Central Ocean Rotary! |
New Jersey Institute for DisabilitiesVenus Majeski from the New Jersey Institute for Disabilities (NJID)stopped by on Tuesday to tell us about her organization. NJID offers specialized programs and support for infants, children and adults with disabilities throughout the state. With a dedicated staff of more than 500 employees and 41 program sites throughout the state, NJID is one of the largest not-for-profit agencies of its kind in the nation. Each year, more than 1500 infants, children, and adults with disabilities and their families are helped by NJID's unique continuum of services.
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O.C.E.A.N. Inc.Channel Wilkins, President CEO of O.C.E.A.N., Inc. stopped by to talk to us about the great things they do for our community. Some of the program they work on are: To learn more about what they do visit their website: https://goo.gl/WV9i2L |
FulFill NJ Food BankWe were happy to welcome Linda Keenan from the Fulfill NJ food bank. She brought our club members up to date on the state of food distribution in our area and how we can help. For more information, please log onto http://fulfillnj.org/ |
Medium Event CancelledRegretfully, the Rotary/People's Pantry medium event on Friday, October 6th has been cancelled. If the event is rescheduled we will let you know. We thank you for your continued support.
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Wellness PresentationThank you Dr. Anthony Pellegrino of Absolute Chiropractic for your discussion with our club about approaches to wellness from a proactive versus a reactive way. Thank you also for your efforts to assist with Hurricane Harvey relief efforts in Texas. |
Nuclear Power EducationWe were visited by Dave Greiner from Exelon. He gave us a very informative update/talk about energy and the Oyster Creek Generating Station. We learned about Geenhouse Gas Emissions, why Oyster Creek is shutting down and what would be some of the consequences. If you would like to learn what it takes to run the Oyster Creek Generating Station visit: https://goo.gl/Reczdr |
Welcome Melinda!Welcome to our newest member Melinda Allen from Kearny Bank. Melinda was sponsored by Jerome Townsend and inducted by membership chair Michael Bucca. We are so excited to have Melinda on board! |
Downtown Toms River Military Banner ProgramThank you, fellow Rotarian John Byrne from Rotary Club of Toms River, for coming on Tuesday to talk to us about the Military Troop Banners Program in downtown Toms River.The Military Banner Tribute Program salutes our brave men and women honorably discharged who serve, or have served in the military by displaying military banners in the community between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. To participate or to learn more about this great program visit: https://goo.gl/3vkeUw ️ |
Fraud PresentationThis weeks' guests were Kevin Frenia and Joyce Somerville from Holman Frenia Allison, P.C. Accounting Firm. They showed us a very fun video and gave us some tips on how to prevent fraud. HFA provides highly personalized and comprehensive accounting, audit, tax and business consulting services. To learn more about HFA visit: https://goo.gl/4XYS4L |
District Governor Diane Rotondelli VisitsA great and inspirational visit from District Governor Diane Rotondelli! Thank you for visiting our club and bringing us up to date on the world of Rotary. Pictured with Diane is club president Mike DellaRocca. |
RYLA Students SpeakOur guests this past Tuesday were recent District 7500 Rotary Youth Leaders Academy (RYLA) participants Mark and Matt Koerner. They completed the program this past June and came to tell us what they learned. We had a great time listening to their stories. Special thanks to the Koerner family for joining us for lunch and always being a part of our Rotary family. |
History of Toms RiverOur meeting was very educational. Our guest, Steve Baeli, talked to us about the history of Toms River. Did you know that there were Ocean County residents on the Titanic? Did you know that Toms River used to be part of Shrewsbury back in the day? We learned a ton about our area yesterday, thank you Steve! |
BlueClaws GameClub members enjoyed a night with friends and family at our annual excursion to the BlueClaws. Buster stopped by of course! Let's go BlueClaws! |
Ocean's Harbor HouseWe had the pleasure to have Harbor House as our guest. For those who don't know, Ocean’s Harbor House is dedicated to assisting homeless, runaway, abused, neglected and abandoned youth, ages 10-21 not only from Ocean County but all New Jersey. They provide a safe haven and caring environment for vulnerable youth to enable them to unlock their potential and learn skills that will empower them to build healthier lives, relationships, and futures. To learn more about them or how you could help visit: https://goo.gl/vY5wHR |
Scouting Youth Service AwardOur club was granted the Youth Service Award from the International Fellowship of Scouting Rotarians for our service project assisting on Beaver Day with the Jersey Shore Council Boy Scouts of America on April 8th. We are proud to help promote scouting. Thanks so much to club member Jerome Townsend for giving us the opportunity to serve. |
President's Installation DinnerOn June 27th District Governor Elect Bill Donnelly introduced Michael DellaRocca as our new president. Special thanks to outgoing President Michael Bucca for your great leadership this past year! Also, many awards were presented that night... As president, you lead and motivate your club, ensuring that club members feel valuable, inspired, and connected to each other. Best Wishes for an equally successful 2017-18 year to incoming President Mike Della Rocca! |
Meeting NoticeThere will be no regular weekly meeting of our club on Tuesday, June 27th or Tuesday, July 4th. Please join us at our next regularly scheduled weekly meeting on Tuesday, July 11th at Artisan's at 12:15PM.
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2017 Scholarship LuncheonOur club's focus has always been our youth and helping them achieve their dreams of becoming successful and productive individuals. We had the honor to present 6 outstanding Toms River high school students checks to pursue their education dreams. Join us in congratulating: Julia Mazza, Holly Phillips, Iyanah Thomas, Kristen Parks, Joseph Signorelli and Samantha Goodyear (not pictured) wishing them a bright future ahead. Be bold, be courageous, be your best! |
Toms River 250th AnniversaryCentral Ocean Rotary Club members joined the Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce for the raising of the flag for Toms River's 250th Anniversary. Our club is proud to be a part of the Toms River community. |
Hands on CPR TrainingCherie from Hands on CPR Training was our guest. What a cool meeting we had! She demonstrated CPR and choking techniques and showed us how to use the AED machine during an emergency. |
BugFest 2017BugFest 2017 hosted by Insectropolis was a huge success this past weekend. The event raised money towards the Central Ocean Rotary scholarship fund. Special thanks to Chris Koerner, Jerome Townsend, Glynis Wray, Jessica Connors, Linda Cronk, Dick Read, Mark Rushwald, Judy Gross, and the entire staff of Insectropolis for hosting and volunteering for the event! Check out tons of videos and photos of the event on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/centraloceanrotary |
Ocean County YMCA Golf OutingOur club sponsored the 36th Annual Ocean County YMCA's Golf Outing. We had a great time and most importantly we were able to help fund life-changing programs that help Ocean County children, adults, and families to learn, grown and thrive. :D Thank you Pete, Jim, Mark and George for representing us! |
Ocean County ParksOur guest was Mary Jane Bavais from Ocean County Parks & Recreation. She talked about all the different programs they offer such as: kayaking tours, canoeing, photography classes and much more. We also learned that Ocean County Parks & Recreation has a Cranberry Farm as well as 2 golf courses in addition to the 20 parks they operate! Thank you Mary Jane for all the great information provided :). If you would like to learn more about what Ocean County Parks & Recreation has to offer visit: https://goo.gl/qxmRVj |
Welcome New MemberJoin us welcoming our newest member Noelle Carino from Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce!!! She is a great addition to our club and we look forward to working together making our community a better place! |
Toms River Field of DreamsChristian Kane from Toms River Field of Dreams came to visit our club. Nearly five years ago, Christian's youngest son, Gavin, suffered serious injuries in a car accident. The (then) 19-month old spent two months hospitalized and suffered severe brain trauma. After realizing that most parents of special needs kids don't have the means or access to facilities to be able to give their child a "normal" life, the Kane's envisioned and planned a complex within the community for children and adults with special needs. Here they will be able to enjoy the basic fundamentals of play: an inning or two of ⚾baseball paired with a “buddy” on a rubberized baseball field, nine holes of ⛳ miniature golf on a wheelchair accessible course, adaptive playground equipment on an all inclusive playground, a game of 🏀basketball on a rubberized court with collapsible rims, or a stroll on an art encompassed walking path surrounded by a multi-sensory landscape. ➡️ We invite you to learn more about this beautiful project on their website: https://goo.gl/7cniqN |
Business Coach VisitsOur guest Mark Frey from FocalPoint Business Coaching & Training Mark Frey taught us that to be successful in the workplace we need knowledge, skill and most important attitude! Mark helps business owners become more profitable, develop more engaged, better-trained employee teams so they can maximize the value of their company. |
Caregiver Volunteers of Central JerseyOur guest speakers came from Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey - CVCJ - Multicultural Outreach Coordinator Carol Gibbons and Volunteer Ambassador Linda Phander. CVCJ provides vital assistance to the elderly, disabled, veterans, and those who care for them. Their goal is to enable individuals to remain independent and to allow them to live with dignity and joy. <3 Some of the programs they offer are: Medical Transportation, Grocery Shopping, Friendly Visits, Visiting therapy dogs and more. If you would like more information visit: https://goo.gl/X1RqTr |
History of our ClubOur guest speaker at our last meeting was Ken Matthews, a past president of Central Ocean Rotary. He presented a history of our club and brought us lots of memories from what our club was many years ago. He made all of the current members proud to be Central Ocean Rotarians. Ken is pictured holding our club's charter, dating back to September 16th, 1980. |
Healthy Kids Day at the OC-YMCAOn Saturday, April 29 some of our members helped out at the Ocean County YMCA's Healthy Kids Day! It was a day filled with activities for a good cause <3. Healthy Kids Day is the Y's largest national initiative, bringing children and families together and providing the education, activities, and experiences that teach good health and foster connections through fitness, sports, fun and healthy habits. Want to learn more about the YMCA? Visit: https://goo.gl/LGa5Ss |
Northern Ocean Habitat for HumanityWe were pleased to welcome Suzan Fichtner from Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity as our guest speaker. She talked to us about the great job her organization does in our area to help build decent, affordable housing and to create healthy, vibrant and self-sufficient communities.
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Habitat Painting ProjectWe partnered with Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity to help make someone's dream come true. A Brush with Kindness is Habitat for Humanity’s home preservation repair program that focuses on exterior repairs. It is part of the broader Neighborhood Revitalization that enables Northern Ocean Habitat to offer a variety of construction services using the Habitat model.
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The OceanairesWe had the privilege to listen to Oceanaires Chorus - www.oceanaires.com. They are a men's acappella chorus singing in the four-part Barbershop Harmony style that has been entertaining audiences in Ocean County since 1957.
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Beaver DayCentral Ocean Rotary club members pitched in at Beaver Day for the Jersey Shore Council Boy Scouts of America at the Citta Scout Reservation in Barnegat. Our members volunteered their time to assist with various tasks at the event. Our club is proud to support scouting with both service and funding.
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Police Unity TourYesterday, guest speaker Art Cronk joined us from the Manchester Police Department and talk to us about the Police Unity Tour. The tour's primary purpose is to raise awareness of Law Enforcement Officers who have died in the line of duty. Their secondary purpose is to raise funds for the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial and Museum. We also presented him with a check to support him on the tour! To learn more about the Policy Unity Tour visit: http://policeunitytour.com/
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Welcome New MembersJoin us welcoming our newest members Mary Ann Gingrich (sponsored by member Mark Rushwald) and Debbie Maceira (sponsored by member Marion Callazzo). We look forward to working with both of you making our community a better place!
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Jon Bon Jovi Soul Kitchen LunchOur club payed it forward with moving our lunch meeting to the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Kitchen in Toms River. They are now open for lunch every Thursday! Our normal lunch proceeds and "Happy Bucks" all went to the Soul Kitchen. Our club enjoyed fellowship and great food together all while pitching in to help the Toms River community!
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Boy Scouts Jersey Shore CouncilAt today's meeting, club president Michael Bucca presented a check to Jerome Townsend representing the Boy Scouts of America - Jersey Shore Council. Our club is proud to support the Boy Scouts with both financial support and volunteers. For more information, please log onto https://www.jerseyshorescouts.org.
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Greater Berkeley Rotary ClubWe are proud to support the new provisional Greater Berkeley Rotary Club which recently had their first meeting. Central Ocean Rotary will be sponsoring the new club! Pictured are club president Michael Bucca, Rotary District 7500 Ocean County Membership Chair Bill Ridgway, the first club president Jennifer Dreher, Berkeley Township Mayor Carmen Amato and Berkeley Township Councilwoman Judith Noonan. (Photo courtesy of Berkeley Township)
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Greater Toms River Chamber of CommerceWe were joined by Noelle Carino from the Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce at today's meeting. Noelle spoke to us about activities they are involved with in our community and how they promote business activity in Toms River. For more information, please log onto https://tomsriverchamber.com/
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Ocean County Prosecutor's OfficeWe were joined at lunch by Rory Wells from the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office. He talked about how Social Media plays an important role in the lives of many young people and the dangers that it presents.
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7th Annual Gift AuctionCentral Ocean Rotary hosted it's 7th Annual Gift Auction at the Clarion in Toms River. Hundreds of gifts were raffled off to benefit local charity and the club's scholarship program. More photos of the event can be found on our Facebook page.
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The Arc of Ocean County Bowl-a-ThonOur club was proud to sponsor and attend The Arc of Ocean County's Bowl-a-Thon in support of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. For more information about The Arc of Ocean County, please visit www.arcocean.org.
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Girl Scouts of the Jersey ShoreWe were joined by Madalaine Rice from the Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore to tell us about upcoming events and let us know ways our club can help. For more information, please visit www.jerseyshoregirlscouts.org
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Member InductionWe are happy to welcome Pamela Dixon-Kuhn as a new member! Pam has been involved with our club in the past when she taught at High School North by bringing students to present their Authentic Science Research presentations. She is going to be a great addition to our club!
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20th Gift of Life GalaMembers of our club attended the 20th Annual Gift of Life gala, which our club was proud to sponsor. Rotary District 7500 Gift of Life funds mission trips where doctors perform life saving heart surgeries for children across the world. More photos of the event are located in the photo albums in the right column.
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Science Rules!We continued hearing presentations from the Authentic Science Research students from the Toms River Schools. Today's presentation was by High School North student Nicolette Carbonetto. Her project centered around the effect of music on student's performance. Rotarians asked her questions that hopefully will help her further prepare for future presentations.
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New Member JoinsWe're happy to induct Jennifer Dreher from TD Bank into our club. Along with other Rotarians, Jennifer hosted the Rotary Means Business event with us last November, and she is actively helping to start a Rotary club in the Bayville area. Welcome aboard!
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Wine and Paint PartyOur club recently held our first Wine and Paint Night at Insectropolis, hosted by the Vintage House. Everyone had a great time painting a winter-esque scene. Proceeds will benefit local charities in Toms River and Ocean County. Thank you to everyone who attended!
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Vocational Service AwardCongrats to past president Chris Koerner on receiving a vocational service award from our District 7500. Chris owns Ozane Pest Control and Insectropolis Bugseum in Toms River and has successfully run our Bugfest fundraiser for many years. Pictured with Chris is District Governor Elect Diane Rotondelli.
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Georgian Court UniversityWe were joined at today's lunch meeting by Jessica Evans from Georgian Court University. She informed our members of their career counseling program that works with local businesses to help employ alumni in our area.
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Authentic Science ResearchWe began hearing presentations from the Toms River Schools' Authentic Science Research program. Daniel Gural presented a project cataloging the effects of concussive injuries using a Wii balance board. Rotary members asked questions to help Daniel prepare for future presentations of the material. Pictured with Daniel is Toms River High School South teacher and Rotary member Christine Girtain.
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Interfaith Hospitality Network of Ocean CountyWe were visited by Al Spangler of Interfaith Hospitality Network of Ocean County to tell us about how their organization helps homeless people in our county. For more information, please logon to their website http://ihnoc.net/
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Toms River ShorebeatWe were very fortunate to have Daniel Nee from Shorebeat join us at our last meeting. Daniel told us about the history of the online publication and about their news coverage. To see the Toms River publication, log onto
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2016 Holiday PartyWe recently held our annual Holiday Party at Tardi's in Toms River. Members and their guests enjoyed the evening of fellowship and fun. Members also brought along a children's toy to be donated to Toys for Tots for the holidays. More photos are located in the photo albums.
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Harbor House Holiday DecorationsMore than a dozen club members and their family came out to help decorate the Ocean's Harbor House in Toms River. Rotarians put up the lights on the house itself, trees in the yard, and the office building to get the staff and residents in the holiday spirit. The effort was led by our Christmas light expert Henry Hengchua.
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New Member InductionWe were happy to induct Jessica Connors to our club. Jessica's background is in IT and web design. She attended the Rotary Means Business in Ocean County event held in November and then came to our meetings. She is going to be a great addition to our membership!
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RYLA Students VisitWe were joined by two students who attended this year's Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) program. These students learned skills that will propel them to be tomorrow's leaders. They both shared great stories of their experiences. Pictured with them is our club's RYLA coordinator Henry Hengchua, Toms River High School South teacher and club member Christine Girtain, and club treasurer Mark Rushwald.
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Ocean's Harbor House EventClub members attended A Night Under The Stars, a fundraising event for Ocean's Harbor House held at the Novins Planetarium at Ocean County College. The event honored two retiring board members of Harbor House: Jerry Boisseau and William Schoenfeld, who also were past presidents of our club. Central Ocean Rotary is proud to be a supporter of Harbor House since its inception. Please visit their website for more information about Harbor House: http://www.oceansharborhouse.org
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Turkey DonationOur club recently donated 26 turkeys to the People's Pantry Relief Center in Toms River to help feed families this upcoming Thanksgiving. The turkeys were funded by donations from members and from our recently ended 50/50 raffle. Special thank you to Fischer-Bay ShopRite for assisting with the donation. Pictured is Mary Masi and Pat Donaghue from the Pantry, Central Ocean Rotary Club President Mike Bucca and his father-in-law, Bill Matlosz
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Rotary Means Business in Ocean CountyWe recently held Rotary Means Business in Ocean County, sponsored by TD Bank. Rotarians and non-Rotarians gathered to talk about their own businesses and learn how Rotary can help them network and succeed. We also heard from Jennifer Dreher, manager of the TD Bank in Bayville. It was a great night of networking and fellowship. More photos of the event are located in the photo albums.
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Community Medical CenterWe were joined at our weekly lunch meeting by Rick Pallamary and Christine Filippone from Community Medical Center. They informed our club of what was going on at the hospital plus gave us an educational lesson on infectious diseases and ways to manage them.
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The People's PantryWe were so fortunate to be joined by Pat Donaghue and Mary Masi of the People's Pantry Relief Center. Pat and Mary spoke to our members about the pantry and how our club may be able to help now and in the future. For more information, please visit www.thepeoplespantry.org
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The People's PantryWe were so fortunate to be joined by Pat Donaghue and Mary Masi of the People's Pantry Relief Center. Pat and Mary spoke to our members about the pantry and how our club may be able to help now and in the future. For more information, please visit www.thepeoplespantry.org |
New Member InductionWe inducted the newest member of our club at our weekly meeting: Dominick Leone from Diane Turton Realtors. Dominick is pictured with club president Michael Bucca after the induction ceremony. |
Stop Hunger NowOur club particpated in Stop Hunger Now's meal packing project. Members of Rotary clubs around Ocean County plus other volunteers worked to bring an end to hunger this weekend in Manahawkin. The volunteers packed meals in an assembly line formation within specialized crates to be shipped nationally and internationally to areas around the world with a shortage of food. Over $5,000 was raised at the event from contributions from Rotary clubs, businesses, and individuals to fund the costs of the meals to help end hunger. Two other meal-packing events took place in Monmouth and Burlington Counties.
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Community Volunteer AwardsRotary District 7500 held its annual community volunteer awards, and our club honored Patricia Donaghue of the People's Pantry Relief Center for her outstanding service to Toms River and its residents. We are so grateful for all of the hard work she's done to help feed the people of Toms River and the surrounding areas.
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31st Annual 50/50 Raffle WinnersWe're pleased to announce the winners of the 31st Annual 50/50 Raffle: 1st Prize - Brenda Skinner The winners will be contacted. We thank everyone who participated in the raffle. Proceeds will benefit charities in Toms River and the Ocean County area. |
Toms River Mayor VisitsWe were honored to be joined by Toms River Mayor Thomas Kelaher at our regular lunch meeting. The mayor brought us up to date on issues in Toms River and thanked members of the community for their volunteer service.
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Jersey Shore MakerFestCentral Ocean members participated in The Toms River Regional Schools' Jersey Shore MakerFest, held at the Pine Belt Arena. Kids and families got to see various ways of creating using art and technology from several dozen vendors and companies. More photos in the photo albums.
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Strike Out Hunger Dinner Our Central Ocean Rotary president Michael Bucca attended the annual Strike Out Hunger dinner, co-sponsored by Rotary International and the Philadelphia Phillies. Rotary International President John Germ spoke to the crowd celebrating the 30-plus year relationship between Rotary and the Phillies to end hunger.
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Nuclear Power Education Dave Greiner from the Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant came to educate our members on nuclear power. Our club members also learned of the impact to our community when the plant closes in 2019.
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Gift of Life Annual Dinner Central Ocean Rotary members attended the annual Gift of Life dinner held at the La Bove Grande in Lakehurst. Gift of Life provides life-saving heart surgeries for children across the world who do not have access to the medical care needed. Pictured are the current District 7500 Gift of Life board of trustees with representatives of Gift of Life International.
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Ocean's Harbor House We were visited by John Piscal, executive director of Ocean's Harbor House. He gave our club an update on the organization and educated some of our newer members on the long history of Central Ocean Rotary's involvement with them all the way back to the beginning of the house. We continue to support them. For more information, please logon to http://www.oceansharborhouse.org/
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Northern Ocean Habitat for HumanityA big thank you to the members of our club who helped with wall sheathing a house for Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity. Our club gladly supports the work they do for our community. For more on Northern Ocean Habitat, visit www.nohfh.com.
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RYLA ExperienceMatthew Koerner came to the club to share his experiences with us of District 7500 RYLA. He told us how the experience changed his life and taught him new skills. We also had Bill Kaufmann visiting from the Langhorne Rotary Club in PA. Pictured with them are club members Chris Koerner and Dick Read.
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BlueClaws GameMembers of the Central Ocean Rotary Club attended the BlueClaws game and enjoyed fellowship with family and friends. Rip Tide came in for a visit with our members!
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Boy Scouts Jersey Shore CouncilJerome Townsend of the Boy Scouts of America Jersey Shore Council joined us at our meeting and updated what the scouts are up to in Ocean County.
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Member Inducted |
Carmelena Cares Golf OutingOur club was proud to participate in the Carmelena Cares golf outing, supporting a great cause helping to purchase electric bikes for disabled children.
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New MemberWe inducted a new member at out last meeting, JoAnn Krzeminski from INEQCO International. We are thrilled to have her come aboard. Pictured with her is club president Michael Bucca.
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Presidential Installation DinnerWe installed the new President of our club, Michael Bucca. Members, family, and friends came out to the La Bove Grande for fellowship and support. Michael and his wife Melanie look forward to a great year of service to the club. A special thank you to Sheila Vinton and Diana Rotondelli for being a part of the ceremony. We also honored Michael DellaRocca with a Paul Harris Fellow and Chris Koerner with our Service Above Self Award. Photos of the event are located in the photo albums.
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Parade of Presidents Saturday night was the annual District 7500 "Parade of Presidents" and district changeover dinner. Our district governor David C. Forward has been re-inducted to be the district governor for a second year. Pictured below are incoming presidents Michael Bucca of Central Ocean Rotary and Brenda Skinner of Asbury Park Rotary.
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2016 Scholarship LuncheonWe held our annual scholarship luncheon honoring five exceptional students in Toms River. Every year we have dozens of applicants from each school. Congratulations to all of the winners. More photos available in the albums.
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BugFest 2016Hundreds of people turned out for BugFest 2016 at Insectropolis in Toms River. Pictured are one of the runnings of the cockroach races! Insectropolis and Ozane run the event every year and donate the proceeds to our club.
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CASA of Ocean CountyVicki Weiss of CASA of Ocean County visited the club to update us on programs and services from the organization. She shared inspiring stories of children being helped in our area. For more information, please log onto www.casaofoceancounty.org.
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District 7500 ConferenceOver 3 days, over 140 Rotarians gathered in Baltimore. Great guest speakers included RI president's rep Allan James. He emphasized young people in Rotary. Pictured are some of the young Rotarians in attendance, including Central Ocean's Mike and Melanie Bucca.
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Great Presentations!Last week we had our final Authentic Science Research presentation. Toms River High School North student Omar Shaw presented his project to us. A great job by him and all the students this year. We wish them well in their college journeys!
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Science Rules!Authentic Science Research students are continuing their presentations to the club. At the last meeting, we heard from Toms River High School North student Alexa Ramlall on a project relating to diabetes. Also pictured is High School North teacher Pam Dixon-Kuhn.
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2016 Police Unity TourCentral Ocean Rotary is proud to support the Police Unity Tour. Arte Cronk from the Manchester Police Department will be riding on May 9th. Pictured is his mother Linda Cronk and club president Peter Singagliese.
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Authentic Science ResearchWe're beginning to hear science presentations from the Toms River Regional Schools Authentic Science Research program. We heard a great project today from Heather Lavin, a senior at Toms River High School North. Pictured with her is teacher Pam Dixon-Kuhn.
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District 7500 Gift of Life GalaCentral Ocean Rotary member Henry Hengchua presents at the District 7500 Gift of Life Spring Fling Gala in Cinnaminson, NJ. We continue to help support the life saving heart surgeries for children across the world provided by Gift of Life.
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Ocean County YMCARecently, Central Ocean Rotary provided support and help to the Ocean County YMCA. We have sponsored various projects throughout the years for the Y and continue to support them. Pictured is Peter Rosario accepting the check.
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Big Brothers, Big SistersSue Sedivec from Big Brothers, Big Sisters visited the club today to present to our membership about the initiatives and programs the organization is undertaking. Central Ocean Rotary has been a long time supporter. Pictured is our secretary Marion Callazzo presenting a check to Sue.
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2016 Gift AuctionWe recently held the Central Ocean Rotary Club's annual gift auction! Hundreds of gifts were raffled off for over 300 attendees. Photos of the event are located in the photo albums in the right column.
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Pre-K Our Way PresentationWe had a tremendous presentation from Pre-K Our Way led by Milan Sledge and Maryanne Drahick. They brought together more than 30 members of the Toms River and Rotary communities to discuss the importance of per-kindergarten throughout New Jersey. For more information, please visit their website at www.prekourway.org.
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Arc of Ocean County Bowl-a-thonMembers of our club attended the Arc of Ocean County's Bowl-a-Thon. Central Ocean Rotary was a proud sponsor of the event. Proceeds benefited the Arc which helps find employment for residents with developmental disabilities. For more information, please visit www.arcocean.org.
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Traffic Safety PresentationLast week we were given a presentation by Toms River High School South student Nicholas Milone on methods of digitally recording traffic safety incidents. He is a part of the Toms River Schools Authentic Science research program. He gave the presentation to our club membership and to several representatives of police forces in Ocean County. Visiting the club were Chief Reece Fisher and Ptl. Mike Kuchta (Ocean Gate Police), Chief Robert Tapp (Beachwood Police), Robert Reita (South Toms River Police), Sgt. Gene Bachonski and Lt. Christopher Dudzik (Toms River Police). |
New Member InductionWe were proud to induct Christine Girtain as the newest member of the Central Ocean Rotary Club. Christine is the wife of long time member and past president Andy Girtain. She is a teacher at Toms River High School South and has been bringing her Authentic Science Research students to the club for many years. We are so happy she is our newest member!
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Ocean County SPCAThe Central Ocean Rotary Club of Toms River is proud to announce a partnership with the newly-formed Ocean County chapter of the SPCA. The mission of the SPCA is to focus on animal safety, welfare and education. Central Ocean Rotary will be working closely with the Ocean County chapter of the SPCA to support their cause.
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Driven By HeroesWe were visited today by Diana St. John from Driven By Heroes, an organization we are proud to support. Volunteers provide rides to veterans who need transportation to doctors appointments. For more information,please visit www.drivenbyheroes.org
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Newest MemberWe were happy to induct our newest member today! Teri Allen from African Brothers Expeditions has joined us. You can join us too! Email us at centraloceanrotary@gmail.com to find out more about our club.
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Rock 2 AdoptWe were visited this week from Donna and Pete from Rock 2 Adopt. The annual pet adoption and musical event is being held on June 11-12 at the Popcorn Park Zoo in Forked River. For more information, please visit http://www.rock2adopt.com
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African Brothers ExpeditionsTeri Allen from African Brothers Expeditions visited our club today to educate our members about the continent of Africa, how expeditions work and how she takes groups on climbs of mountains. Teri has climbed several mountains including Mt. Kilimanjaro.
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Providence HouseLisa Gazzara from Providence House visited the club and updated our membership on the organization. Providence House is a part of Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton and provides domestic violence services to help end the cycle of abuse. Central Ocean Rotary has supported them for many years and continues to do so. For more information, please log on to www.catholiccharitiestrenton.org.
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2015 Holiday PartyWe held our annual holiday party last night at La Fontana. A great time was had by members and their families. More photos of the event can be found in the photo albums.
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New Members InductedA rare occasion at our meeting today: Not one, not two, but three new members have joined our club. In a joint induction ceremony today, Nancy Smith, Joseph "Dick" Read and Robert Kess are the newest members of the Central Ocean Rotary Club of Toms River. We are so looking forward to their participating in our great group. Photos of the event are located in the photo albums.
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St Francis Counseling ServiceBreanne Gesicki from the St. Francis Counseling Service came today to speak to us about their program. They provide therapy plus services for sexual abuse and assault victims. For more information, please visit www.stfranciscenterlbi.org. Special thanks to Elizabeth for bringing her to our meeting.
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NJ Division of Children and FamiliesLee Xenakis and Guy Forcone from the Ocean and Atlantic County divisions of the Department of Children and Families came to speak to the club today about foster parenting. They spoke to us to gain community awareness of the process a foster child goes through and how to contact them if families are interested in a foster child. For more information, please log onto www.njfoster.org.
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Driven By Heroes LuncheonSeveral Rotarians attended a luncheon for Driven By Heroes, an organization that connects veterans so that they can be transported to their doctor appointments. The Central Ocean Rotary Club proudly supports this organization and the veterans who have served our country. Pictured are the veterans proceeding into the luncheon. For more information, please visit www.drivenbyheroes.org.
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Community Volunteer AwardRotary District 7500 held a community volunteer recognition dinner at the La Bove Grande for outstanding leaders in vocational service in Ocean County. Our club's award recipient was Clark Paradise, who has tirelessly served for many organizations in Toms River and surrounding communities. Pictured is Club President Pete Singagliese presenting the award to Clark.
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Members Volunteer at ReStoreDuring the month of November, our members are volunteering their time at the Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity ReStore. The store sells furniture and household items donated by others. The proceeds are directed toward house building and other projects in our community. For more information, please visit www.nohfh.com. Pictured are club members Melanie Bucca and Mark Rushwald.
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The B.E.A.T. CenterWe had a informative joint presentation from representatives of three organizations working together to help end hunger in Ocean County. Dorothea Bon Jovi from the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, Patricia Donahue from People's Pantry and Linda Keenan from the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties are working together to create the B.E.A.T. Center, which will be a large facility located in Toms River where poor and working families can access food, education and other resources. The Central Ocean Rotary Club is proud to pledge its support for such a great initiative.
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New MemberWe inducted the newest member to our club, Melanie Bucca. Melanie works for the Toms River Regional Schools and is the spouse of current member Michael Bucca. She has already participated in many Rotary events and is happy to officially be a Rotarian.
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District 7500 Thanks for Giving DinnerSeveral club members attended the District 7500 Thanks for Giving Dinner, celebrating the wonderful contributions generously donated by clubs and their members to the Rotary Foundation. Included at the ceremony was the Central Ocean Rotary Club's donation to the PolioPlus program. The club's donation was enough to immunize 1,200 kids.
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Thanks for Giving DinnerSeveral club members attended the District 7500 Thanks for Giving Dinner, celebrating the wonderful contributions generously donated by clubs and their members to the Rotary Foundation. Included at the ceremony was the Central Ocean Rotary Club's donation to the PolioPlus program. The club's donation was enough to immunize 1,200 kids.
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Raffle WinnersWe pulled the winners for our 30th Annual Fall Full of Cash 50/50 Raffle. The winners are: Thank you for all that participated in this year's raffle. Our club could not be more thankful for your continued support and generosity. |
Northern Ocean Habitat for HumanityLizzie Treat from Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity visited the club to present the orientation video for their volunteering program. Members of our club will be donating time in their ReStore, their large store for goods where sales proceeds are used to fund the program. We are also proud to support their organization not only with volunteering but financially as well. For more information, please log on to http://www.nohfh.com/
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The Arc of Ocean CountyPatricia Nolan from the Arc of Ocean County visited our club to introduce us to their organization. She presented to our group on the many ways the Arc is helping people with developmental disabilities find employment. For more information, log on to http://www.arcocean.org.
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50,000 Kids WeekWe did not hold our regularly scheduled lunch meeting to participate in Rotary District 7500's 50,000 Kids Week. The District's goal is to raise enough funds to immunize 50,000 kids across the world. Our club will be donating the amount normally spent on lunch to the cause of ending polio across the world, and the amount donated from our club will be matched 2 to 1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
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Ocean's Harbor House TourIn lieu of our regularly scheduled meeting this week, we were invited to tour Ocean's Harbor House, which is a safe haven for homeless children in Ocean County. For more information, please visit their website http://www.oceansharborhouse.org.
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Jersey Shore MakerFestSeveral members of our group participated in and attended Jersey Shore MakerFest, which was held at the Pine Belt Arena in Toms River. This event showcased all sorts of crafts, technical wizardry and innovation all in one place. Our members brought their own unique talents to the community as a part of the initiative led by the Toms River Regional Schools. More photos of the event are located in the photo album.
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Meals on Wheels of Ocean CountyJames Sigurdson from Meals on Wheels of Ocean County made a presentation to our club and educated us about hunger among seniors in Ocean County. The Central Ocean Rotary Club has made a donation to support their cause. Please visit http://www.csimow.org/ for more information on this great organization.
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Nuclear Power PresentationDave Greiner from the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant was our guest speaker. Dave held an informative session on how nuclear power works, the future of the plant and a discussion of the effects on our area once the plant closes in 2019.
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OMHS Race4RespectThe Central Ocean Rotary Club of Toms River participated in the Ocean Mental Health Race4Respect. Several members ran in the race to benefit Ocean Mental Health, an organization we proudly sponsor.
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Toms River Chamber of CommerceAt this week's meeting, we were visited by Noelle Lotano – Executive Director of the Toms River Chamber of Commerce. She spoke to our group about happenings in the community.
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Women's Commission BreakfastSeveral members of the Central Ocean Rotary Club attended the Ocean County's Women's Commission breakfast honoring Kathy Durante of the OceanFirst foundation. Pictured is Glynis Wray, Michael Bucca and Jill Houston.
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Toms River Schools VisitWe were visited by Toms River Regional Schools Assistant Superintendent of Operations Marc Natanagara and Supervisor of Educational Technology Tiffany Lucey. Marc and Tiffany updated our club on some of the new initiatives the district is undertaking, including Jersey Shore MakerFest, a large expo for kids and members of the community to meet people who create and innovate. The event will be held at the Pine Belt Arena on October 7th. Several Rotarians will be helping demonstrate their skills as "Makers" at the event.
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Judo DemonstrationClub member Henry Hengchua and son Brandon Hengchua educated our members on the art form of Judo. They both performed incredible demonstrations at our last meeting. Thanks to them both for such a neat presentation.
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The Hope CenterKim Santora from the Hope Center of Toms River visited the club to update us on the activities of her organization. We have supported the Hope Center for several years and are continuing to do so. In addition to financial support, Our club members are bringing toiletries to donate as there is a tremendous need for these supplies. For more information, please log onto http://houseofhopeocean.org/
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District Governor VisitDistrict 7500 Governor David C. Forward visited the club to update us on the new initiatives the district is undertaking this Rotary year. David presented the 2015-2016 Rotary banner to club president Peter Singagliese.
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Paul Harris AwardMichael Bucca was awarded a Paul Harris Award for exemplary service to the Central Ocean Rotary Club of Toms River. Michael currently serves the club as our Membership and Public Relations chairs. Pictured is President Peter Singagliese, spouse Melanie Bucca, sponsor Henry Hengchua and mother Joanne Reffie.
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Mission TripEmily Koerner, daughter of club member Chris Koerner, spoke to the club today about her recent mission trip. Emily visited Mexico City for two weeks and provided help to an orphanage located there. She shared stories and photos from the trip with the club.
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Installation DinnerWe are proud to install our new president, Peter Singagliese, for the 2015-2016 Rotary year. Peter is pictured being installed by charter member Jerry Boisseau at the annual installation dinner. Photos of the event are in the photo albums to the right.
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BlueClaws NightThe Central Ocean Rotary Club was spotted at the Lakewood BlueClaws game on Wednesday, 6/17. Members and their families were treated to a fun night of baseball!
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Scholarship LuncheonThe Central Ocean Rotary Club was proud to award 5 scholarships to deserving high school seniors from Toms River. Photos of the event are available in our photo albums.
The winners were:
TR South - Jordan Urbaczek
TR North - Ashley Winters
TR East - Kathryn Kusion
Voc Tech - Samantha Rose Shinn
Donovan - Roksolana Dumenko
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Driven By HeroesDiana St. John from Driven by Heroes came to the club today to tell us about her organization's mission to assist veterans in getting to and from their doctor appointments at the VA. For more information, please log onto their website at http://www.drivenbyheroes.org
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Mulch ProjectSeveral members of the Central Ocean Rotary Club pitched in to distribute mulch for Providence House in Whiting, NJ. Photos of the service project are available in the photo albumns.
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Pre-K Our WayCheck out this article about our Club President Glynis Wray and her dedication to our community! http://patch.com/new-jersey/tomsriver/pre-k-expansion-group-hosts-representatives-more-90-communities-forum-preparing-kids-kindergarten
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Rock2AdoptDonna Torres from Rock2Adopt came to the Club to tell us all about this years event that features music and pet adoptions! It will be held at the Popcorn Park Zoo. For more information, visit http://www.rock2adopt.com
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Bowling NightThe Central Ocean Rotary Club held it's first annual Bowling Night! Members of the club, their families and friends all bowled for local charities. Photos of the event are in the photo album to the right.
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Bonsai!Bonsai! Central Ocean Rotary Club treasurer Mark Rushwald gave us a great presentation on Bonsai trees. These small trees from Japan and Asia require special care. Mark has been growing them for over 25 years.
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Gift of Life EventSeveral members of our club attended the Gift of Life Celebration of Life event held in Cinnaminson. The Central Ocean Rotary Club has been a proud sponsor of the life saving work done by Gift of Life for children across the world. Pictured is Marion Callazzo, Henry Hengchua and Debbie Ooi.
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Gift of Life EventSeveral members of our club attended the Gift of Life Celebration of Life event held in Cinnaminson. The Central Ocean Rotary Club has been a proud sponsor of the life saving work done by Gift of Life for children across the world. Pictured is Marion Callazzo, Henry Henchua and Debbie Ooi.
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Shore Sports ZoneRich Chrampanis from the Shore Sports Zone visited our club today to tell us about his endeavor to bring sports video to the web for Monmouth and Ocean Counties. The website is www.shoresportszone.com.
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HS North Authentic Science ResearchToms River High School North student Ryan Larsen presented his Authentic Science Research project on baseball pitching arm rotation to the club today. Pictured with Ryan is Rich Larsen, Club President-elect Peter Singagliese and HS North teacher Pam Dixon.
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Police Unity TourThe Central Ocean Rotary Club is proud to support the Police Unity Tour. Each year many thousands of police officers ride into Washington, DC to remember and salute those officers who have died in the line of duty. We were fortunate to have officers from the Toms River and Manchester Police Departments with us today to tell us about the upcoming event. Pictured from left to right is Ofc. Paul Bachovchin, Rotary member Linda Cronk, Ofc. Artie Cronk, Ofc. John Mehl and Rotary Club President Glynis Wray.
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4th Annual Gift AuctionOn Monday, March 2nd, the Central Ocean Rotary Club held its 4th Annual Gift Auction. Hundreds of people turned out for a chance to win lots of prizes and support so many charities in the process. Photos of the event are located on the right hand column under the album "4th Annual Gift Auction".
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Authentic Science ResearchToms River High School South student Stephanie Fallon presented her Authentic Science Research project on autism to the club today. Pictured with her are club president Glynis Wray and president-elect Peter Singagliese.
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2015 Gift Auction Tickets On Sale!Tickets are on sale for 2015 Gift Auction! The event will be held on Monday, March 2nd at the Clarion Hotel, 815 Route 37 West, Toms River. Tickets are $25.00 each. For more information or to purchase a ticket, please email us at centraloceanrotary@gmail.com.
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Young InventorStudents from the Toms River Regional Schools are continuing to present their amazing science projects to our club. Pictured is Toms River High School South Vice Principal Brian Blake with student Brett Weiss and Club President Glynis Wray. Brett presented an amazing electronic invention that was the subject of his project.
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Science RulesChristine Girtain from Toms River High School South brought one of her students to the club today to present to us the results of his experiment. Each year students present to our club as a trial run before their presentation at their high school and state science fairs.
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1/27 Meeting CancelledNote to all members: The regularly scheduled meeting on 1/27/15 is canceled due to the impending snow storm. Our next meeting will be 2/3/15 at 12:15PM at Artisans.
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Ocean County YMCAJoAnn Kermick from the Ocean County YMCA came to the club on Tuesday and gave an excellent presentation on what the YMCA has been doing for the residents of the area. She has asked for our support to help the YMCA continue to provide the services it has for many years. Pictured with JoAnna is our president-elect Peter Singagliese. We are proud to support such a great organization. Please visit their website at http://www.ocymca.org |
Ocean Mental Health ServicesJennifer and Christina from Ocean Mental Health Services visited our club on Tuesday to tell us about many of the new initiatives and programs OMHS is undertaking. Central Ocean Rotary Club is proud to partner with them on their programs and help support their organization. For more information, please visit http://www.oceanmhs.org/
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Paul Harris AwardCongratulations to Peter Singagliese, who was honored with a Paul Harris Award at our annual president's installation dinner. Peter's years of service to the club has been exceptional. Pictured with Peter is President Glynis Wray, who will be serving the Central Ocean Rotary Club with a second term until July 2015.
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Central Ocean Rotary Club RecognizedLast night, the Central Ocean Rotary Club was recognized by Providence House in observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. President Glynis Wray, Jill Houston, Chris Koerner and Elizabeth Rastelli accepted the award on behalf of the club. The CORC and Providence House have a long and established relationship that the club is proud to continue this year.
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Fall Full of Cash WinnersOn Tuesday, the Central Ocean Rotary Club held its annual 50/50 Fall Full of Cash Raffle!
The winners were: 1st Prize: Phil Garfinkel 2nd Prize: Club ticket shared by several Rotarians 3rd Prize: Ellen Tweed We would like to thank everyone who participated in this year's raffle! |
Meals on WheelsErik Hall from Meals on Wheels spoke to the club last week about the great programs that exist and how the club can help. President Glynis Wray presented a check to show our support!
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The Hope CenterJennifer Bauer from the Hope Center visited the club today to tell us about the great things her organization is doing. The Hope Center provides basic supplies to needy families and individuals in Ocean County. For more information, please log onto http://www.houseofhopeocean.org/
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Gift of Life Annual DinnerSeveral members of the Central Ocean Rotary Club attended the Gift of Life Annual Report Dinner last night. Central Ocean Rotary and District 7500 are proud to support the program that delivers life-saving heart surgeries to children across the world. For more information, log onto http://www.rotarydistrict7500giftoflife.org/
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The FoodbankLinda Keenan from the Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties visited the club today to update us on projects and initiatives being taken on by this great organization. With the donation provided by the Club, we will be providing 3000 meals! We are proud to help fight hunger in the community.
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Carmelena Cares Golf OutingThe Central Ocean Rotary Club was proud to support and attend the Carmelena Cares Golf Outing. Members of the club joined members of the community to golf for an amazing cause. Proceeds from the outing benefit the charity to help disabled children secure bikes and other assistive devices. Thank you to all who attended!
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Students RecognizedAt the meeting today, the club honored two very dedicated students: Emily Koerner and Brandon Hengchua. These two fine young people have been volunteering their time to the club and it's many activities for many years. The club is grateful for their service and dedication.
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BlueClaws GameThe Central Ocean Rotary Club was spotted at the Lakewood BlueClaws game last Thursday night. Members and their families were treated to a fun night of baseball and a special appearance by Buster!
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The Truth 365Andrea Gorsegner from The Truth 365, an initiative of Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation, visited the club and shared her daughter Natalie Grace's childhood cancer story. She has created a pediatric cancer charity to help children just like her own daughter. For more information, please visit http://www.thetruth365.org/
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BugFestTwo weeks ago, The Central Ocean Rotary Club participated in BugFest run by club member and Insectropolis owner Chris Koerner. The event helps raise monies that benefit our annual scholarship winners. Pictured are kids and their families enjoying all of the bug-tastic sights at the event. Photos of the event are on our website, http://www.centraloceanrotary.org/ Also, for more information about the Bugseum, please visit Insectropolis athttp://www.insectropolis.com/
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Scholarship Award LuncheonThe Central Ocean Rotary Club was proud to award 5 scholarships to very deserving high school seniors that attend the Toms River Regional Schools and Monsignor Donovan High School. Pictured are 4 of the winners and the Rotary Scholarship Committee.
The winners are:
Toms River High School South - Dara Hoffman
Toms River High School North - Allyssa Ostrowski Toms River High School East - Valerie Hirschfeld Ocean County Vo-Tech / High School South - Katie Gantner Monsignor Donovan High School - John Goodyear Congratulations to these bright students and we wish them all the best on their future success! |
Carmelina CaresCarmelina Cares visited the club on Tuesday to update us on their golf outing and other news from the charity. The golf outing is taking place on July 28th at the Woodlake Country Club. Pictured is Carmelina Cares director Vinnie Mancini with Rotary members John Vowteras and Liz Rastelli. The club is proud to support the cause!
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Habitat for HumanitySusan Fichter of the Northern Ocean County Chapter of Habitat for Humanity visited the club on Tuesday to update on us on their initiatives in the region. Central Ocean Rotary is proud to support Habitat for Humanity. Pictured is President Glynis Wray presenting a check.
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Dottie's HouseNicole Arnone came to the club today to give a presentation about Dottie's House, a safe haven home and program for women who are victims of domestic violence. Club President Glynis Wray presents a check to Nicole in support of the cause.
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Relay for LifeCrystal Figueroa from the American Cancer Society Relay for Life came to the club today to tell us about the events and happenings of the Toms River chapter. They are holding a Relay for Life at Toms River High School South starting at 3PM on May 31st. For more information, please log onto:
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Big Brothers Big SistersSue Sedivec of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ocean County came to the club to update us on initiatives being done by the organization. Club President Glynis Wray presents a check to Sue to pledge our continued support. For more information, please log onto http://www.bbbsoc.org/
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Presidential CitationsClub President Glynis Wray holds the two Rotary International Presidential Citation awards that the Central Ocean Rotary Club was awarded at the district conference. Congratulations to all of our members for a job well done.
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Providence HouseMarcia Fishkin from Providence House visited the club today to explain to us how her organization houses victims of domestic violence. She talked about the various services available to these children and families and how we can help. President Glynis Wray presents a check to Marcia.
For more information, please log on to:http://www.catholiccharitiestrenton.org/cc3/index.php?page=providence-house |
District 7500 ConferenceMembers of the Central Ocean Rotary Club attended the District 7500 Conference held at the White Sands Hotel in Point Pleasant. Over three days, members participated in a variety of events to learn about what clubs in the area are doing to help "Strengthen Our Shore". Photos of the events are still to come!
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CASAVicki Weiss of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) came to the club today to discuss how we can help foster children who are in need. Her organization supports these kids by providing volunteer advocates for them in their homes. For more information on how you can volunteer, please visit www.casaofoceancounty.org.
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Rock 2 AdoptDonna from Rock 2 Adopt came to the club today to invite us and others to the annual concert to help in the cause for pet adoption. The event is being held June 21 to June 22 at the Popcorn Park Zoo. For more information, please visit www.rock2adopt.com
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Welcome to a New Rotarian!The Central Ocean Rotary Club has a new member! Tim McNichols from LevinCyphers has joined us. We are thrilled to have him. Welcome aboard, Tim! Our club continues to grow as more professionals want to help others in our community. Pictured is Mark Rushwald pinning Tim as President Glynis Wray performs the induction ceremony.
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Science RulesScience students preparing for competition are presenting their projects to the Central Ocean Rotary Club. This week, we were treated to a fascinating project from a High School North student on the effects of certain chemicals and their potential for cancer research.
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3rd Annual Gift AuctionLast night, the Central Ocean Rotary Club held our 3rd Annual Gift Auction! Hundreds of people turned out to bid on gifts of all shapes and sizes. Thank you very much to all of the sponsors, friends, guests and Rotarians who helped make the event a huge success. Photos of the event are in the photo album located on the right side of the page.
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Police Unity TourArtie Cronk from the Manchester Police Department presented to us today about the 2014 Police Unity Tour, which he participates in. Artie, along with officers around the country, rides his bike into Washington DC to support law enforcement families who have lost loved ones in the line of duty, as well as other causes. For more information, please visit www.policeunitytour.com
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Rotary District 7500 Gift of Life FoundationGary Siciliano of the Asbury Park Rotary Club spoke today about the Rotary District 7500 Gift of Life Foundation. He explained some of the current lifesaving medical work done for children across the globe, and how our club can help the foundation meet its goals. For more information, please visit: http://www.rotarydistrict7500giftoflife.org/
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**GIFT AUCTION POSTPONED**Due to the upcoming snowstorm, the 3rd Annual Gift Auction has been postponed until Thursday, March 13th. Location and time remain the same.
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Carmelena CaresVinnie Mancini and Drew Carswell came to the club today to tell us about their charity, Carmelena Cares. The charity was founded after Carmelena Mancini was disabled in a pedestrian car accident. The charity helps other disabled children by providing medical equipment and other necessities to families in need. For more information, please visit http://www.facebook.com/carmelenacares
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Bowling for NadineRotary member John Anderson is hosting Bowling for Nadine, a fundraiser for a single mother who is battling a rare form of ovarian cancer. The goal of the event is to raise $5,000. The event will take place on Friday, March 7th from 5-10PM at Bradley Beach Bowl & Recreation Center. For any questions or information on donations please contact John Anderson at 732-245-2520 or JJAAnderson2011@gmail.com.
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Run While You Can 5KNancy Elson visited the club today and shared her wonderful story with us. She is participating in the Run While You Can 5K. More information can be found at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Run-While-You-Can-5k/105563909570187?ref=br_tf
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Service groups take on painting projects for local nonprofit |
Welcome to our Website!Thank you for visiting the Central Ocean Rotary Club's website. We meet each week to promote Service above Self in the Toms River area.
Please use the links above to find out information on what we are up to!
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Rotary International is 106
In 1905, Paul Harris, a young lawyer in Chicago, frequently met after hours with colleagues and other professionals to discuss the issues and concerns of the times.
A man of vision, he recognized the benefit of formalizing the meetings so the group could share in the knowledge and solutions each member could offer. |
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