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We appreciated a special evening in April with Zahra Jlayer, the founder, owner and curator of Vanda Gallery in New Rochelle, sharing her story of her medical career in Iran and New York and her courageous decision to pursue her passion for art and open a gallery in New Rochelle, pictured here with members Crane, Maya, Okelo, and Claircius.
We have had a busy year so far in 2025, with speakers including Matt Stern, New Rochelle City Council member; Frances Stachnik, Meals on Wheels; Eugenia Schatoff, the new Director of the New Rochelle Public Library; Anne Todd, Executive Director of the New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence; Adam Salgado, Commissioner of Development for the City of New Rochelle and his Deputy Jorge Ventura; and Charles King, former Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan. We also enjoyed a night of Iona basketball and hosted a Trivia Night for the third year in a row, raising funds and having a good time!
We mourned the untimely passing of our longtime member and friend, Dr. Peter Fauci. We welcomed our new member, Major Luxene Claircius of the Salvation Army.
We ended 2024 with a delightful jazz night fundraiser at the Thomas Paine building, featuring the Brian Carter Quartet; Brian also came to tell us about his career and connections to Sister City La Rochelle. funds will support our annual scholarship and other donations to community organizations. We welcomed Claudia Wallis to speak about Hearts & Homes for Refugees, and enjoyed a festive lunch at Dubrovnik Restaurant with friends from Larchmont Rotary.
Fall 2024 - we enjoyed diverse and provocative speakers - Georgette Blau of OnLocationTours; Lisa Burton of HOPE Community Services at Dubrovnik Restaurant; and dinners at Modern with Mary McDonnell of Lions; Mariana Jusufaj of the City of New Rochelle; Tejash Sanchala, County Human Rights Commissioner; and Judy Tucker, Tutti Bravi Productions. We also welcomed our Rotary District Governor Syed Alirahi and our new member, Stephanie Henriques-Malcolm. Members engaged in events such as the New Rochelle Street Fair, the Walk to End Alzheimer's, our annual barbecue with the NR Parks and Rec Department for families with developmentally disabled children, and the New Rochelle Thanksgiving Parade.
Inspiring speakers came from all parts of our community April through June - Joan Alexander from the League of Women Voters; Karenann Carty from Monroe Community College; Alejandro Alvarez from Soulful Synergy; Bro. Kevin Griffith from Iona College; and more!
We welcomed two community leaders as speakers in March: Raya Salter, founder and head of the Energy Justice Law and Policy Center and David Peters, City Councilman for District 3.
Recent speakers included Theresa Kump Leghorn, President of the New Rochelle Council on the Arts, and Krishna Brodigan, Outreach Services Programmer for the Westchester Library System.
We started 2024 with diverse speakers at our Wednesday meetings: Peter Nance, author of The Children's Ten Commandments; Patty Oddoux and Lisa Castro from Sleep in Heavenly Peace, an organization that builds beds for needy children; Fatimah Gilliam, author of the new book, Race Rules: What Your Black Friend Won't Tell You; and Bryan Grossbauer, President of the Campership Fund.
December 2023 - We hosted Linda Tarrant-Reid and Stu Reid of Lincoln Park Conservancy; also Mark Perlman, author of The Reluctant Soldier; and Rotarians served
families our annual holiday dinner in cooperation with the NR Parks and Rec Dept.
We were pleased to hear in February from Bernard Ellis and Christina Hall-Ellis, new Rochelle residents and founders of the nonprofit Family First Visitation and Consultation Center. The Center offers affordable court-ordered Supervised Visitation for children with their non-custodial parents: “Putting smiles on children’s faces one visit at a time.”
Stimulating speakers, good times together, and new members. Recent speakers in 2023 were Superintendent of New Rochelle schools, Corey Reynolds and Songcatchers Executive Director Jennifer Lanser. We hosted a fun Oktoberfest benefit, and our District Governor J. Loren Russell installed our new member, Jose Maya.
February to June 2023 flew by with speakers that included: Nicole Alifante, founder of CURE, the Coalition for Understanding Racism through Education; Bob Marrone, director of public relations, CHOICE, supporting mental health services; Arisleyda Riehl, Vice President, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management; Rhiannon Navin, on climbing Mt Kilimanjaro; Jim Killoran, Executive Director, the Fuller Center for Housing; Barbara Davis, New Rochelle City historian; and David Rose, Archivist, New Rochelle Public Library. Members and friends enjoyed a great evening, Turn Out for Trivia, a fundraiser to benefit Rotary scholarships and support to local organizations. Summer social meetings at people's homes and local restaurants re-energized us for fall, 2023. See our calendar page for upcoming speakers!
More good speakers in February, including Rhiannon Navin, novelist and community leader, and Losira Okelo, expert on horsemanship and mental health. We appreciated a visit from Amir Asadi of Bronx Rotary, head of international service projects for the District. Note the flag from a Rotary club in Poland that is helping clubs in Ukraine to provide services.
New Rochelle Rotarians are out in the community - below, annual barbecue for families with developmentally disabled children; to the right, the Walk to End Alzheimers. And we bring the community to us with regular speakers at our dinners - here Robert Gazzola, New Rochelle Police Commissioner; Erica Hackman, travel expert; and Walter Ritz, former CEO of HOPE Community Services.
We were impressed to hear in February from CEO Judith Factor about the programs of Friends of Karen, a Westchester-based organization that supports the families of critically-ill children throughout the New York area, serving hundreds of families each year.
We had fun hosting local poet, photographer, ahd health communications expert, Dr. Jim Swinehart, who spoke about his interesting life and shared amusing rhymes from his book, It's Here Somewhere and Other Poems. He is seen here with a photograph of New Rochelle's Davenport Park.
We enjoyed hosting Vincent Parise, New Rochelle's energetic Parks and Recreation Commissioner, as our speaker in January, and were pleased to be joined by Lester Nathan, President of Larchmont Rotary. Photos here with Tom Geoffino, NR Rotary Club President.
Kathryn Ellis, from Sharing Shelf spoke to us in December about the great work of her organization in collecting and organizing donated clothes for children of all ages in Westchester, addressing clothing insecurity.
Rotarians preparing to march in the New Rochelle Thanksgiving Parade. We were behind HOPE Community Services, where we helped to distribute turkeys donated by the Club.
November meetings featured stimulating speakers Michele Glik (right) from HOPE Community Services and author Amy Bass (left) from Manhattanville College, pictured here with Club President Tom Geoffino.
Good times with German food, music and beers at our Club Oktoberfest 2022! Funds raised will support our annual scholarship to a high school senior from New Rochelle and donations to community organizations.
Jim Maisano, Westchester County Consumer Protection Director, cautioned us about handling risks we face as consumers and amused us with his observations about sports, rock and roll music, and diverse topics, including his Monday evening radio show on WVOX 1460 AM, "College Hoops Chat!"
Impressive presentation of the Cookstove Project to reduce indoor air pollution and carbon emissions in Uganda and Nepal, by Mark Johnson and Jeff Cadge of Briarcliff Manor Rotary.
Fall 2022 started with new momentum for our Club - a fun speaker - the entrepreneur Michael Weissman who created Mikey Dubbs Frozen Custard - a well-attended barbecue in cooperation with the Parks and Recreation Department for families participating in the Parents Advisory Committee for Developmentally Disabled, and a new tent at the New Rochelle Street Fair. Check our calendar and contact us for upcoming events.
A busy spring 2022 for Rotary as we welcomed speakers Denis O'Rourke, historian of the JFK assassination, and Anne Zahner, project director for studies of African-American history in New Rochelle; held our wine and beer tasting fundraiser at the Irish Benevolent Society, and awarded two scholarships to New Rochelle High School seniors, Jeba Karim and Andres Nunez.
Charles Curtis, Director of Community Engagement, City of New Rochelle, and Claudia Wallis, journalist and columnist for Scientific American, were warmly received by our Club on March 30, 2022 and April 13, 2022, respectively.
We were pleased to welcome distinguished speakers at our March 2022 meetings, Dr. Jonathan Raymond, Superintendent of New Rochelle Schools, March 9th, (right) and Dr. Seamus Carey, President of Iona College, March 23rd, (left).
New Rochelle Rotary welcomes our new member, Jeff Endervelt, businessman and longtime New Rochelle resident. Our winter meetings were on Zoom, and we welcomed outstanding speakers including John and Karen Hessel and Kathy Curtis O'Connor.
Martha Lopez, City Council member in New Rochelle, after her remarks at Rotary dinner December 2021, pictured with Club President Francis Okelo and Vice President Tom Geoffino
Becky Mazzanobile, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of New Rochelle (third from right), with her colleagues William Iannuzzi and Chris Campbell, joining Rotary for dinner November 2021
Rotary dinner with members and guests, speakers from Opportunity Youth Part, Colleen Gardephe and New Rochelle City Court Judge Jared Rice (not pictured), November 2021, at Posto 22.
Rotary members and friends at Monroe College Dining Lab - a delicious affordable dinner prepared and served by the students!
Rotary President Francis Okelo with his son, Chris Okelo, who spoke to the Club about his experiences as a United Nations representative in South Sudan.
Rotarians Tom Geoffino, Dave Biskup with his wife Theresa, and Francis Okelo, teaming up for the New Rochelle Public Library Scaveganza October 2021.
Rotary members and volunteers with Nina Gainor (left) from New Rochelle Parks and Recreation, hosting a barbecue for families with developmentally disabled children, September 2021.
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Rotary members Dave Biskup and Gil Walton at the New Rochelle Street Fair, September 2021
Left: President Francis Okelo visiting the Bronx Rotary in August 2021 to discuss a water filtration project in Kenya organized by the Utumishi Club of Nairobi and supported by our Club and others as well as our District and Rotary International. Dr Mussadiq Mir, the past president of the Utumishi Club briefed the members assembled.
Rotary Club 2021 Scholarship winners are pictured here on June 30th at the Club's first in-person dinner at Posto 22 since early in 2020: Dylan Farley and Clay Best, both graduates of Iona Prep. Francis Okelo was installed as President of the Club for 2021-22, along with other new officers.
We have been pleased to host speakers at regular Zoom meetings since March 2020, including Linda Tarrant-Reid, Executive Director of the Lincoln Park Conservancy; also Angela Campbell, Executive Director of the Lower Hudson Valley Perinatal Network; and speakers from Iona College, Bret Sanner, Carl Procario-Foley, and Dayna Richardson; Catherine White of the Chamber of Commerce; Karel Littman of the New Rochelle Business Improvement District; Walter Ritz and Sylvia Hamer from HOPE Community Services; Jennifer Ryan-Safsel from the YMCA; and others.
Right: Barry Fertel, former New Rochelle City Councilman, with Francis Okelo and Dave Biskup, February 2020
Left: Lutonya Russell-Humes, Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club of New Rochelle, with Club members, February 2020
Left: Barbara Davis, New Rochelle City Historian and Community Relations Coordinator, NR Public Library, at a Rotary meeting January 2020 with Gil Walton, Dave Biskup and Felix Battiato
Right: Daniel Bonnet, Director of the New Rochelle Community Action Partnership at 95 Lincoln Avenue, after speaking at Rotary, January 2020.
Theresa Kump Leghorn, President of the New Rochelle Council on the Arts, January 2020, with Club members Tom Geoffino, Dave Biskup, and Francis Okelo
Rotary Holiday Auction at the Surf Club, December 2019. Left: Bill Zimmermann, NR Parks and Recreation Commissioner, inducted as a new Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary District Governor Mahbub Ahmed.
Right: Luis Cancel and Nicholas Moessner of the Venezuelan American Endowment for the Arts with Tom Geoffino, Dave Biskup, and Francis Okelo, November 2019
Right: Delroy Burrell, Banker's Life, with Club member Barbara Crane, October 2019
Right: City of New Rochelle Fire Commissioner Andy Sandor with Club President, Dave Biskup, at Rotary October 2019
Left: Walter Ritz, Executive Director of Hope Community Services, with Dr. Peter Fauci and Francis Okelo, November 2019
Left: Sam Gomez, New Rochelle Youth Council Advisor; Nacir Meikle, NRYC Vice President; Hallye Boughner, NRYC President; Dave Biskup, NR Rotary Club President, October 2019
Left: Rotary District Governor Mahbub Ahmad presenting a certificate to club leaders honoring the club's 100th anniversary.
Right: Rotarian volunteers at the annual Rotary-sponsored barbecue for New Rochelle families with disabled family members
Left: Incoming Club President Dave Biskup recognized for his service to Rotary by County Executive George Latimer at the dinner for Installation of new officers June 26th. Right: Carole Troum, outgoing Executive Director of Hope Community Services, honored at the dinner as a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow, with George Latimer.
Community organizations receiving Rotary donations at the installation dinner. Left to right: Tom Geoffino, NR Public Library; Walter Ritz and Carole Troum, Hope Community Services; Dave Biskup, Club President 2019-2020; Francis Okelo, Club President 2018-2019; Fran Stachnik, Meals on Wheels; Lisa Burton, Campership Fund/My Brother's Keeper; Lutonya Russell-Humes, Boys and Girls Club; and Mary Louise Morgan, Songcatchers.
Proclamations in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Rotary Club of New Rochelle, April 2019
Left: Honorees at the 100th Anniversary Gala - Chris Selin, LaRuth Gray, Iris Rosario, Jim Maisano, and Janet DiBenedetto
Above: Hall of Fame inductees and Club leaders - Francis Okelo, Angela Cermele, Dave Biskup, Kathleen Fanese, Tom Geoffino, Gene Cronin (on behalf of the late Kathleen Cronin), and Ray Beninato
Left: Club President Francis Okelo with Mayor Noam Bramson, delivering Meals on Wheels 2019
Left: Dr. Ken Redcross, Physician, at
a May 2019
meeting
Right: Deborah Disbrow of the Alzheimer's Association with Delroy Burrell and Manzoor Ahmed of Bankers Life, and Club President Francis Okelo at a May 2019 meeting
Right: Michael Kunkel,
Regional Peace Corps
Recruiter, at a May 2019
meeting
Left: Jennifer Ryan Safsel, New Rochelle YMCA CEO, and Lavar Larrier, YMCA Social Responsibility Director, with Francis Okelo at a March 2019 meeting
Review of Club Archives at the New Rochelle Library, including the 1969 special edition of the Standard-Star devoted to the Club's 50th anniversary.
Above: Mary McDonnell and Joanne Raimondo, from New Rochelle Lions Club, visiting a March meeting to discuss collaboration in 2019 on a community health fair
Mark Johnson, Briarcliff-Manor Rotary, presentation on The Cookstove Project in Uganda and Nepal, January 2019
Above: Bruce McHale, Iona Rugby Coach, at a Club meeting February 2019, with Club Pres. Francis Okelo
Right: Joe Fosina and son Michael Fosina, President of New York Presbyterian Hospital/Lawrence, at a Club meeting, with Club President Okelo, February 2019
Below: Gil Walton of Farmers Insurance, Pres. Francis Okelo, Paul Hurley of Hurley's Steakhouse, and Tom Geoffino of New Rochelle Public Library, at Club meeting in December 2018
Above: Presentation of grant check to the New Rochelle Youth Bureau for a literacy project of My Brother's Keeper. Left to right: City Councilman Jared Rice, Chair of MBK; MBK Director Colleen Gardephe; Youth Bureau Director, Kelly Johnson; Rotary member Barbara Crane; NR Rotary President Francis Okelo (January 2019)
Thanksgiving Parade 2018
PACCD Summer BBQ - 2017
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Above: PACCD Holiday Dinner for Families co-hosted by New Rochelle and Pelham Rotary Clubs in collaboration with the New Rochelle Parks and Recreation Department and Hurley's Steakhouse and Pub, December 2018
Rotary District Conference 2018
Pres. Okelo at Family Fest 2018
Installation Dinner - 2017
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Barnard School Literacy Program - 2017
Food Project - 2014
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Instagram Photos
@rotaryclubofnewrochelle
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