Get Involved 

 

Conservation Projects

 

Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA)

 

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA Conference)

 

https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/rotary-youth-leadership-awards

 

Rotaract

 

If you're not familiar with Rotaract, we are a partner club of Rotary International, a world-wide community service and business networking organization where professionals can get together to do good in their communities. Rotaract is specifically meant for young professionals between the ages of 18-30 who are looking for a community of like-minded people with similar values of service.

 

 

Club Information

Meetings are held every Mondays from 1:00pm - 2:00pm. 

Office I at Massbay Community College, Room 130

50 Oakland st, Wellesley Ma 02481

 

 

Visit the MassBay Community College Rotary Club Website click here

 

Member Bios

 

Become a Member

 

We encourage all prospective members to get to know us by attending general meetings, volunteering with us, and joining us for fellowship events before they commit to becoming a member.

 

Anyone and everyone is welcome to our meetings, social events, and volunteer opportunities. We encourage existing members to invite friends and colleagues as well!

 

Let us know if you have any questions!

 

Contact Membership Chair

 

(Like Us on Facebook button)

 

Dinner On Us

Why should you buy a ticket?

 

First, you will be supporting three Rotary projects to end Food Insecurity in Wellesley. Village Table

feeds community members, the MassBay CC project feeds students facing food insecurity, and every

year Rotary serves meals to Veterans at the New England Center for Veterans.

Second, there is a lot to win! Just think, if you win first or second prize, you could eat at a different

Wellesley restaurant every week for more than half a year! If that seems extravagant, it’s because, well, it

is!

· Absurd Grand Prize - $3,000 - Winner takes all $100 Gift Cards to 30 Wellesley Restaurants!

· Ridiculous Second Prize - $1,500 - Winner takes all the $50 Gift Cards to 30 Wellesley

Restaurants!

In addition to the Grand and Second prizes, Dinner on Us also has awesome 3rd-6th prizes: $25 gift

cards to the pizza restaurants and cafes! And the gift cards do not expire. And, the 7th and 8th place

winners will win 2 tickets (Value $100) to the fabulous Taste of Wellesley event in the spring!

· Awesome 3rd - 6th Prizes - $450 of $25 gift cards - Winners take the $25 Gift Cards to enjoy the

pizza and coffee shops!

· Fabulous 7th - 10th Prizes - $100 - Winner wins a ticket to the Taste of Wellesley!

With 2,000 tickets at $20 apiece, the 1st Annual Wellesley Rotary “Dinner on Us” is aiming to raise

$30,000! Do you know that 1 in 8 families in Massachusetts suffer from food insecurity today? Right here

in Wellesley, Mass Bay Students and participants in The Village Table program have food insecurity.

The Wellesley Rotary Club has partnered with Mass Bay and The Village Table to address the issue in an

effort to provide both short-term assistance and long-term solutions. Food insecurity also exists among

our residents living in public housing. We want them and their families to know that there are resources to

help them through these difficult times. Your Rotary Club of Wellesley members have not withdrawn

during this pandemic. We continue to seek creative ways to raise money with or without gathering and we

continue to support our community.

Win or lose, every entry bought is a win for Wellesley.

 

 

Repair Cafe

The EPA says that within just one year, half to three quarters of annual resource inputs to industrial economies are returned to the environment as waste The Rotary Club of Wellesley wants to help reverse these trends by running two Repair Cafés a year; One in the fall and another in the Spring. Check the Calendar for specific locations and times.

 

 

Arbor Day

Every year, the Rotary Club of Wellesley purchases and bags 500 tree saplings for distribution to Wellesley fourth graders.

 

MassBay Scholarship Program

The next few months are critical for many MassBay students

The decision to enroll in the spring semester will be a challenge for many MassBay students and, for some it is already made, they are not eligible because they have an unpaid account balance. To make matters worse, they must be enrolled to access many of the programs offered by the College – tuition scholarships, meal assistance and emergency grants.

When students stop attending, a high percentage will not return

The MassBay Foundation works to remove barriers to education and provided

$30,000 for the MassBay Balance Scholarship Program this fall. The issue has become even more pressing as additional students are carrying balances in an uncertain financial landscape – living expenses take precedence over education.

Education is a great equalizer

 

MassBay Balance Scholarships were impactful this fall, keeping students in the classroom. The College observed that the program provided immediate, much-needed support to students who are motivated to progress with their educational pursuits.

Perhaps best said by our MassBay Balance Scholarship recipients: 

This scholarship came in handy at a time when I was wondering if I should drop out due to lack of funds. 

I was passing through some rough times and had not been able to finish paying the remaining balance of my previous semester and being awarded

with this scholarship literally saved my life, it helped me to be able to continue with my education at MassBay.

I could not be more grateful to MassBay and whoever is in charge of awarding these scholarships, and I genuinely thank you from the bottom of my heart,

this alleviates so much stress that I carry daily. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In partnership with the Rotary Club of Wellesley, the MassBay Foundation is seeking funds for the spring 2021 semester. We have a unique opportunity, generous anonymous donors are offering a $5,000 match.

To support the program mail a check to:

The Wellesley Rotary Foundation, PO Box 812001, Wellesley, MA 02481.

Or To donate online, use this link

 

 

Pooch Parade

 

Taste of Wellesley

The destructive path of the opioid crisis has been extensively documented in the news media, with a seemingly endless stream of statistics and stories describing its effects on individuals and communities. It’s easy to feel disheartened, powerless, or even overwhelmed when faced with the magnitude of the problem. But there are ways to get involved, to raise awareness and make a difference. The Rotary Club of Wellesley is doing just that by hosting its third annual Taste of Wellesley on May 2, from 6:30-9pm. The event will bring together chefs from Wellesley’s top restaurants to share their culinary expertise for a critical cause, Opioid Abuse Prevention. Building on past years’ successes, including raising more than $20,000 in 2018, Honorary Chairperson Jack Pilecki, Wellesley Chief of Police, notes that “Communities have an important role to play in helping their citizens understand the epidemic. Awareness is a key component of prevention.” The event will be held at the Gardens at Elm Bank during the peak of spring flowering, and it promises to be a flavorful evening with newcomers like Smith & Wollensky and cherished favorites such as Juniper bringing their best to the table. The newly-refurbished Papa Razzi is looking to make a splash, and Astraluna Brands and Exhibit ‘A’ Brewery will provide complimentary tastings of their signature craft beers and spirits. A silent auction showcasing unique art pieces from the Wellesley Society of Artists, and a raffle for tickets to major sports and entertainment events, will round out the festivities. Funds raised by the event will go directly to education and awareness of opioid abuse. The Rotary Club will conduct a series of Addiction Prevention Seminars, the first of which will take place on May 22, designed to strengthen community understanding of addiction and methods of prevention. The seminars will bring together prevention experts, parents, and other community stakeholders to make it possible to quickly educate attendees on critical but often misunderstood forces that drive addiction. An additional goal of these gatherings is to establish relationships, partnerships and collaborations to tackle the ongoing local need for education, and substance abuse prevention. The Rotary Club has a strong tradition of advancing understanding and opportunity in the Wellesley community. Past years’ events have donated funds to the Rotary Club’s ongoing programs including tutoring and emotional literacy activities for young children; Peer Leadership & Depression Prevention Among Teens; Middle School Writing Competition, Sapling Plantings for all Grade 4 Students; Support for Homeless Servicemen and Women; Repair Cafe; Kamp for Kids; the High School Football Banquet and Stop Hunger Now. In addressing opioid abuse, their goal is to bring friends and neighbors together to find strength in community, and to feel empowered to take on the challenges posed by opioid abuse

 

$Be a Rotary Partner

When you support Rotary, you change lives.

The Rotary Club of Wellesley creates year-long sponsorship relationships in which sponsors are recognized throughout the year across all types of programming. And no supporter can do more good for more people than our generous annual Rotary Partners - businesses and individuals who share our dedication to helping others. Our activities fall into two categories:

• Service: Every year, the Rotary Club of Wellesley and its members provide meals to financially limited students at MassBay college students, meals for Homeless Veterans, and we support The Village Table in their efforts to provide hundreds of meals weekly to Wellesley community members in need. We promote leadership training for high school students, summer camp for kids, repair cafe to fix household goods for continued use, providing tree saplings to all 400 - 500 fourth graders, assisting those with disabilities, and more. 

In these efforts, our Rotary Partners who provide an annual donation benefit from the admiration of their community, as well as numerous promotional opportunities.

• Fellowship: Many say that "Rotary runs on Food," and some of our meetings are held at the Wellesley Country Club where we eat well! 

We hope you will conclude that a full-year sponsorship would be a compelling combination of philanthropy and sponsorship that delivers marketing and business development value. To do that, please contact the President of the Rotary Club of Wellesley to set a time to speak or meet. 

 

As an annual Rotary Partner:

• Your company becomes a sponsor of ALL OUR EVENTS for a year, including the Dinner On Us, The Taste of Wellesley, Meals for Veterans, the Repair Cafe , and other special Rotary events.

• Your company name and logo appear on EVERY page of WellesleyRotary.org, with a link to your website.

• Your company is included in emails about our events sent to Rotary members and the public.

• Your logo is displayed in event advertisements and posters.

• You will receive an annual newsletter explaining how your generous donation has been used for the community.

• You get a Rotary Partner door decal and/or a Rotary Partner plaque to display at your business, showing your customers you are actively involved in helping others. Think of it as a community seal of approval.

• Your logo is included in Wellesley Rotary promo videos for our events and our club.

HELP US SERVE THE COMMUNITY

By partnering with Rotary, you’re also supporting other charitable organizations. In the past year alone, the Wellesley Rotary Club and Wellesley Rotary Foundation have donated more than $55,000 to groups that serve the community. Here are just a few:

Ongoing support for: Meals for Financially Limited MassBay Community College 

Meals for Veterans

Supported the Village Table in providing hundreds of meals weekly to Wellesley Community members in need.

No less importantly, Wellesley Rotarians are active and engaged volunteers, annually participating in multiple hands-on service projects. Here is a sampling:

• 4 - 500 saplings to 4th graders to plant trees 

• RYLA Youth Leadership Program

• Environmental Projects

• Repair Cafe

• Annual Scholarships for High School Students

ROTARY AROUND THE WORLD

As one of the 35,000 clubs around the world in Rotary International, the Branford Rotary also financially supports the global humanitarian efforts of our Rotary Foundation. Recognized as one of the world's leading charitable organizations, the Rotary Foundation has earned an A+ rating from Charity Watch, and a perfect 100 score from donation watchdog Charity Navigator.

In other words, Rotary Partners can have confidence that their generous donations are utilized effectively and efficiently.

 The Rotary Foundation focuses on six causes: promoting peace, providing clean water, saving mothers and children, supporting education, growing local economies, and fighting disease. The Foundation's work has made an enormous difference. In fact, one small donation can save a life; a child can be protected from polio with as little as 60 cents. Rotary Partner contributions can help us go even further. For every $1 Rotary commits to polio eradication, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed $2. Thanks to the Foundation and its collaborators, Rotary has contributed more than 2 billion to fight Polio playing a large role in eradicating more than 99 percent of polio cases worldwide. Our polio infrastructure is being used to help fight the current pandemic delivering COVID vaccinations.

Rotarians are your friends, your neighbors, and your colleagues. Working together, we can make Wellesley and the world a better place. Please consider becoming an annual Rotary Partner today.