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Winter Survival Kits Delivered to Rescue Mission

Thank you to our community members for helping us collect Winter Survival Kit items for the Rescue Mission of Trenton. Club members assembled the kits of clothing, hygiene items and non-perishable food after our meeting on January 16 and delivered huge box-fulls to the Rescue Mission.
Special thanks to program coordinator Marie Howard and assistant Sharon Lucidi and to Mary Jane Diener, who crocheted 125 scarves for the kits, adding to the hundreds she has made in previous years for the collection.

Students Shine at First 2026 Meeting

Our first meeting of the new year featured Students of the Month - an impressive group as always.
The high school seniors told us about their activities in and out of school and about their plans for the future.
As program co-coordinator Greg Blair put it, “We’re all pretty amazed that they have the time to do what they do.”
Honored this month were Liam Cox, Nottingham; Sabrina Alfaro, Hamilton West; Autumn Mattaliano, Steinert; and Jaxon Kaber, Robbinsville. Jaxon was unable to attend the meeting due to a basketball injury.

Award Presented to Outgoing Mayor Fried

We were pleased to present a Rotary Community Service Award to Robbinsville Mayor Dave Fried on December 19 as he addressed our weekly meeting on Zoom in one of his last talks as the township’s chief executive.
Accepting his Rotary award was Rotarian Jodi Stephens, the township’s Assistant Business Administrator and Confidential Aide to the mayor.

Mayor Fried, who decided not to seek reelection after serving 25 years as mayor, looked back on his terms in office and credited his strong team for helping him achieve his major goals, including several copied around the state.
He made particular note of the fact that the township itself has not raised taxes in more than a decade and that property values soared from one of the lowest in the county to one of the highest, rivaling even Princeton.

Scouts Lend a Hand - Again

The Scouts BSA Troop 91 (B and G) based in Hamilton Square helped us complete a critical piece of our Flags for Heroes program - properly folding the American flags that will be mailed to purchasers.
With great care and respect, the scouts paired up to fold more than 100 flags into appropriate tight triangles.
In November, the scouts led the Pledge of Allegiance at the Flags for Heroes ceremony and helped our Rotary Club take down the flags after they flew for three weeks at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton.
We appreciate their community service!

Working Together to Help Families

A team effort by the Robbinsville Hamilton and Princeton Corridor Rotary Clubs to provide 47 baskets of turkey dinner supplies and gift cards for turkeys to benefit families served by HomeFront.
The Robbinsville Hamilton Rotarians, led by Lauri Harbison and Tom Park, loaded the laundry baskets and attached gift certificates after the November 21 Rotary meeting. An assembly line of volunteers packed the baskets with non-perishable food items purchased at discount prices from our friends at Foley's Family Market in Hamilton.
Thanks to all involved and Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Historian Outlines NJ’s Key Role in Revolution

Rotarian Joe Bellina, who arranges our guest speakers each week, could not have been more timely in scheduling our presenter for November 21.
With Ken Burns’ “The American Revolution” concluding that evening on PBS (you can still stream all episodes on PBS.org), historian Roger S. Williams - dressed to the part and likely the first person to use a sword as a pointer at a Rotary meeting - gave us an insightful look at New Jersey’s pivotal role during the Revolutionary War.
“There were more battles and skirmishes fought in New Jersey than any other state,” Roger said.
The site of our Rotary meeting - the RWJ Fitness and Wellness Center on Quakerbridge Road in Hamilton - is coincidentally along the route Washington took to surprise the enemy in Princeton after the Second Battle of Trenton - bolstering the patriot cause.
For more, visit TenCrucialDays.org.

MCMAC Sending Heroes Home for the Holidays

Our Rotary Club on November 21 presented the Mercer County Military Action Council with a $5,000 donation - almost all of which will be used for MCMAC’s Send a Hero Home for the Holidays program.
The funds are part of the proceeds from our annual Flags for Heroes display.
MCMAC officials Regina Arcuri and Gregory Kruse said their program has provided financial support to between 250 and 300 junior enlisted military personnel each year to return home for the holidays.
Also at the meeting, we welcomed our newest member, Steven Servillo, sponsored by Club Vice President Chris Merlino. Welcome, Steve!

First EarlyAct Club Inducts New Members

The first school to establish a Rotary EarlyAct service club back in 1998 - Morgan Elementary in Hamilton - inducted its 2025-26 EarlyAct 5th Grade officers and members on November 13 as the school’s 4th graders cheered them on.
The 18 EarlyAct students are continuing a proud tradition at Morgan - the school whose example of student leadership and kindness prompted the creation of EarlyAct clubs around the world.
So far this year, the Morgan EarlyAct club has held a popcorn sale to benefit the school, and on November 14 will do a walkathon to raise additional funds for the American Diabetes Association, an effort that had already generated $575.

Meanwhile, the EarlyAct Club at Greenwood Elementary School in Hamilton installed its officer during a school assembly on November 25.
The students recited the EarlyAct pledge and announced that a key project this year will be “Greenwood Celebrates America’s 250th Birthday.”

Ceremony Celebrates Flags for Heroes

More than 100 community members, local and state officials and others joined the Rotary Club of Robbinsville Hamilton on November 8 in celebrating the range of heroes reflected in the 2025 Flags for Heroes display on the grounds of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton.
Under glorious skies, Rotary Club President Stan Plytynski thanked the flag sponsors and welcomed a series of speakers who joined him in paying tribute to heroes in all forms, from veterans and active military members to doctors and nurses working only a parking lot away.
Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin, State Police Lt. Luis Salgado, Mercer County Military Action Council Chair Regina Arcuri, and hospital Chief Administrative Officer Lisa Breza also spoke during the ceremony.

A Freshness to the Meeting

Everything was new at our Rotary Club meeting on November 7.
We have a new venue for our Friday meetings - RWJ Fitness and Wellness Center on Quakerbridge Road in Hamilton.
We had a new set of Students of the Month - impressive as always.
And we got a new perspective on how children and others deal with grief from our guest speaker, Chris Heiss, Executive Director of Good Grief.
Our Students of the Month - Ava Iorio, Hamilton West; Aurora Bergren, Nottingham; and Cameron Braud, Steinert - gave us a rundown of their activities in and out of school.
Chris Heiss described the programs offered by Good Grief that provide support for young people and other family members dealing with major loss. For more information, visit good-grief.org.

Change in Meeting Location

Beginning November 7, the Rotary Club of Robbinsville Hamilton will hold its weekly 7:30 a.m. Friday meetings at the Robert Wood Johnson Fitness and Wellness Center at 3100 Quakerbridge Road, Hamilton.
Please join us there. Signs will point you to the room location.
Thank you to our good friend Lee Paroly of Friendly’s in Robbinsville for opening his doors early and allowing us to meet at his restaurant for the past six months. We appreciate the hospitality he showed us.

EarlyAct Clubs Ready to Go - Including a New One!

Rotary EarlyAct Club service programs are gearing up this fall in four Hamilton elementary schools.
Last week, McGalliard Elementary became the latest school in the township to form an EarlyAct program to promote community service and leadership among its students.
Also, the George E. Wilson Elementary School installed 17 officers who will lead the entire 4th Grade in EarlyAct activities in its fourth year.
Morgan Elementary and Greenwood Elementary will officially start this year’s programs shortly.
Congratulations to all of the participating schools, students and advisors, and to our club’s EarlyAct coordinator Kalpana Patel.

Tourism Heating Up in Mercer County

There’s a whole lot happening at the Mercer County Division of Travel and Tourism, especially with big events like the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the FIFA World Cup coming up next year.
At our club meeting this morning, Division Director Jamie Volkert of Hamilton told us of the buzz of activity in the relatively new division, including exciting initiatives on the way to highlight the county’s involvement in next year’s major events as well as everyday tourism offerings. For more, visit mercercounty.org and check out “Visit” for information and virtual Tour Guides.

A ‘Wheel' Big Success

A whopping total of 161 bikes in all conditions and sizes were donated in our Rotary’s Club’s 2025 bike drive on October 18 at Friendly’s in Robbinsville.
The bikes will be fixed up and sold by the BGC Bike Exchange with the proceeds going to the Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County.
Thank you to all who donated bikes and to the Robbinsville Township Police Department, Friendly’s, Bruno’s Bicycles in Allentown, Economy Bikes in Hamilton, the Robbinsville Public Works Department, the BGC Bike Exchange and our Rotary volunteers, particularly organizer Bill Boyles, and Steve Woods and George Ott, who loaned their trucks for the cause.

Club Receives ‘Pay it Forward’ Award

Thank you to Robbinsville Township and Mayor Dave Fried for honoring the Rotary Club of Robbinsville Hamilton with a 2025 Pay it Forward Award “in appreciation for extraordinary community support.”
It was nice to hear the mayor refer to our club as “a beacon for all of us to follow” and a “treasured” partner with the township.
It’s been our pleasure for 33 years to put “service above self” for our communities.

Addiction Doesn’t Discriminate, Speaker Says

Recovery Advocates of America reminded us at our meeting on October 17 that addiction affects people “from Park Avenue to park bench.”
If you or someone you love is impacted by substance use disorder you can contact Recovery Advocates at 1-888-360-7788 for assistance or visit their website at recoveryadvocates.org.
Our club presented Recovery Advocates with a $1,000 donation. The non-profit is accepting monetary donations and items such as clothing and food to help those they serve.

Nearly 1,000 Pounds of Food for the Hungry

For the second time this year, shoppers at Foley's Family Market in Hamilton showed their generosity as Rotary Club volunteers collected food for the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank.
Shoppers bought items from our wish list on Saturday, filling a line of carts with an amazing 950 pounds of food and donating $315.65 in cash that will be used to purchase more food.
We appreciate the 13 Rotarians who helped with the Send Hunger Packing food drive, especially “Ironman” Nev Greenough who worked the full 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. collection period.

And, as always, a big thanks to Joe Foley, owner of Foley’s Family Market, and to all those who donated.

Club Marks Miracle League's 20th Year

A special outdoor club meeting was held on October 10 at Miracle Field to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of one of our club’s most impactful projects - the Miracle League of Mercer County NJ.
Rotarian and League “Commish” Dan Sczweck described the tremendous growth in the league in terms of players, families and programming since our club raised the funds to build the field for special needs individuals two decades ago.
Also at the meeting, Club President Stan Plytynski reviewed our club’s bustling fall lineup of upcoming activities.

Tree Program Expands Roots

On October 6 and 7, teams of Rotarians continued the club's annual conservation efforts by planting five trees and four bushes at sites in Hamilton and Robbinsville.

Two trees and the four bushes were planted at Megan’s Place, and single trees were installed at Linwood Park in Hamilton, the Miry Run Recreation Area in Robbinsville and the Miracle League of Mercer County field at the YMCA’s Sawmill complex.
It’s the fourth consecutive year the club has added to the area landscape in a program coordinated by Rotarian Joe Cavone in consultation with the respective townships and with the approval of the club’s Board of Directors.

Kalpana Patel to Serve as District Governor

Kalpana Patel, club member and past Club President, has been selected as District Governor to lead our entire Rotary district - 75 clubs in central and northern NJ - for the 2027-28 Rotary year.
That’s a big deal and has only happened once before in our club’s 33 years.

Kalpana joined the Rotary Club of Robbinsville Hamilton in 2020 and has served in various leadership roles, including Club President in 2022-2023, the club’s 30th Anniversary year.

Kalpana is a multiple Rotary Paul Harris Fellow, recognizing her continued support for the Rotary Foundation, a charitable arm of Rotary helping people access clean water, education, health care and disaster relief, while working steadfastly to eradicate polio.
Congratulations, Kalpana. Read the full press release above.

Helping Out at the Food Bank

Following the September 26 Rotary meeting, a group of Rotarians helped out at the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank, filling 280 packages, totaling 1,120 meals to be distributed to school kids in need of food on weekends. Club members participate at the Food Bank on the 4th Friday of the month. Meanwhile, the club’s Send Hunger Packing fall food drive at Foley’s Family Market is scheduled for Saturday, October 11 at Foley’s Family Market in Hamilton.

Group Helping Kids Fulfill Promise

UrbanPromise Trenton is making a difference with students age 8-18 in the capital city. On August 29, Executive Director Sean McFadden outlined for Rotarians the educational and life skills benefits of the youth organization’s after-school and summer programs. Thanks to word of mouth of its success, UrbanPromise Trenton is at capacity at its two after-school locations and is hoping to expand to help more students. To learn more, visit urbanpromisetrenton.org.

Good Game, Good Cause

Rotary Club members, family and friends enjoyed our annual Philadelphia Phillies Strike Out Hunger game on August 18. The Phillies donated half of the proceeds from our club’s $2,500 in ticket sales to Rotary’s international charitable works, including efforts to eradicate polio. And the Gates Foundation matched those donations 2-1, bringing our club’s total impact to almost $4,000. The Phillies also collected non-perishable food from fans to supply local food banks - making the game a home run for beneficiaries near and far and a fun fellowship night for us.

Backpacks, Supplies Donated to Area Schools

A record number of backpacks and school supplies were donated to the Wilson and Greenwood elementary schools in Hamilton thanks to the generosity of Rotarians, community members and a Robbinsville youth group.
More than 200 backpacks filled with essential school items - a record for our Rotary Club - were delivered to the schools on August 15 and 18.
Special thanks to Rotarians Linda Gearren and Janice Miller who coordinated the annual drive and to the teenage members of the Robbinsville chapter of PURE (People for Urban and Rural Education) who helped collect the supplies and load them into backpacks.

Fun for All at National Night Out

Lots of fun at the Rotary Club booths at National Night Out events in Robbinsville and Hamilton on August 5.

We enjoyed meeting with community members, sponsoring games and prizes for the kids, and sharing information about our club.

If we sparked your interest, check out our stories below and the links above.

Meeting Spotlights Organ Donation

In general, one organ and tissue donor can save up to eight lives and enhance the lives of more than 75 others, said our guest speaker on August 1. Chris Lowicki, Community Services Specialist for the NJ Sharing Network.
Unfortunately, there is a drastic shortage of organ donors and the demand far exceeds the supply. Chris said that 100,000 men, women and children await lifesaving organ transplants, including 4,000 in New Jersey. The average wait time is five to seven years and 12 people die each day while waiting.
To learn more about the donation process, visit njsharingnetwork.org.
Our club presented the NJ Sharing Network with a donation of $500 in memory of recently-deceased club member Tom Liwosz.

Big Award, New Members Kick Off Rotary Year

Our first meeting of the new Rotary year on July 11 featured a special award to the Miracle League of Mercer County and the addition of two new members - Robbinsville Township Councilman Hal English and Kevin Ott, a local Scouting America official whose membership creates our club’s first-ever father-son duo.
All this as Stan Plytynski, our club’s first president in 1992-93, began a new term behind the podium.
Accepting the George Prutky Vocational Service Award and a $500 donation on behalf of the Miracle League was Rotarian and League “Commish” Dan Sczweck. The award, named for one of our club’s founders, hit close to home as our club helped establish the Miracle League 20 years ago and has been a continuing supporter.

First Club President Back at the Helm

Stan Plytynski of Hamilton was sworn in as President of the Rotary Club of Robbinsville Hamilton at the club’s annual Installation Dinner on June 26.
Stan, who served as the club’s first President in 1992-93, pledged to “keep the ball rollin’” following a remarkable year led by outgoing Club President Joe Cavone.
The dinner also featured the presentation of awards to club members, including the highest distinction - Paul Harris Fellow recognition - to Membership Chair Marilyn Silverman, Club Secretary Janice Miller and Past President George Ott.

Club Awards Scholarships

Congrats to nine high school seniors from Hamilton and Robbinsville who each received $1,000 scholarships from our Rotary Club.
The scholarships, funded through the club’s annual Dollars for Scholars raffle, were based on the students’ community service activities and plans.
The recipients were: Olivia Cerulllo, Steinert; Olivia Pomin, Notre Dame; Jay Wilmot, Mercer County Health Science Academy; Cali Holliday and Logan McGuire, Nottingham; and Naiya Patel, Christian Deane, Rahul Vaidynathan and Caitlyn Todd, Robbinsville.

Problem Gambling Called ‘Hidden Epidemic’

Jeanne Swain, a specialist with the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey, spoke to our Rotary Club on April 25 about the alarming rise in problem gambling in the state, especially with online gambling just an arms-length away on your phone and gambling advertising so pervasive.
She called it a “hidden epidemic.”
Since online sports gambling was legalized in NJ in 2018, calls to the Council’s help line have gone up more than 300 percent; 800 percent for those under 30.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 800-Gambler or visit the Council’s website at 800gambler.org.

Rotary’s Polio Fight Continues

At our final meeting of the calendar year, our club was reminded in very personal terms of how important it is to continue Rotary’s flagship fight to eradicate polio around the world.
Rotarian John Nanni of Delaware, a polio survivor and a leader in Rotary’s PolioPlus campaign, said the wild poliovirus is still stubbornly present in two countries - Pakistan and Afghanistan - despite decades of work by Rotary and other organizations to wipe if off the map, an effort that has saved an estimated 21 million people from the crippling disease.
Our Rotary Club and individual members contribute thousands of dollars each year to the campaign. For more information about Rotary’s work to eradicate polio, visit www.endpolio.org.

What it Means to Be a Rotarian

A bevy of guests at our August 9 meeting heard Rotarians offer their thoughts on what it means to be a member of the club.
Said one, whether you’ve had a good week or a rough one, there’s something comforting about coming to a Friday morning meeting and knowing you’re among friends.
Similarly, another said, “It’s like Cheers, you walk in and everyone knows your name.”
Others focused on the opportunities to serve the community, particularly those in need. For example, Rotarians will be receiving food items in front of Foley’s Family Market in Hamilton on August 10 from 10-4 for the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank, and we’re busy collecting backpacks and school supplies for students at Wilson Elementary School.
The international reach of Rotary, including a major effort to eradicate polio, was also cited as an attractive aspect of the organization, as well as local programs like Flags for Heroes.
Club President Joe Cavone boiled it down to one word - hope. “We give people hope, We’re in the hope business.”

More Than Three Decades of Service

Videos Highlight Club’s Service Above Self

The Rotary Club of Robbinsville Hamilton is featured in a series of videos marking the club’s first 30 years. Since 1992, the club has made a positive difference in our communities. We started as a spinoff of the Hamilton Rotary Club and took little time to establish our own identity as a club of action.
Check out the videos below:

Stan Plytynski

I'd like to think that some 33 years ago, with the strong help and support of my fellow Charter members, we began to lay the foundation for what has proven to be an exceptionally successful club. It is my privilege to again serve as this club's president as we look to build upon more than three decades of progress in helping our communities.

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