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Applegate Award Winner Announced

The club’s Vern Applegate Community Service award was presented on June 20 to Doris Petruska for her variety of steadfast volunteer efforts.
Doris was nominated by Rotarian Lauri Harbison, who outlined Doris’ long-time activities in the area, including volunteering with Project Healthy Bones, Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County, St. Raphael - Holy Angels Food Pantry, the Hamilton Library and the Tulpehaking Nature Center.
The award is named for late club member Vernon Applegate, who had a major impact exemplifying Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self.” This annual award honors an individual with significant history and results in community service in the local area.

The award includes a $500 donation to a designated non-profit group. Doris chose Interfaith Caregivers of Greater Mercer County.

New Member Sworn In

Our club continued its torrid new membership pace with the swearing in on June 20 of Gerard “Jerry” Appert - our 18th new member in the past 15 months - with the 19th and 20th scheduled to join next month.
Jerry has spent his entire career in consulting and in 2013 joined Compliance Architects, LLC in Robbinsville as Chief Operating Officer. Since 2015, Jerry has been involved as an Adult Leader in Scouting America; in 2023 becoming Scoutmaster of Troop 91 in Hamilton.

Robbinsville Budget Outlined

At our meeting on June 20, club members were briefed on the Robbinsville Township municipal budget.
Robbinsville Township Council President Mike Todd summarized the 2025 municipal budget, updated the club on the new municipal, police and court building, and discussed this year’s priorities of continued investment in public safety and recreation. He was joined at the meeting by Township Council Vice President Debbie Blakely. A version of the presentation is available at https://cms5.revize.com/revize/robbinsville/Clerk/2025%20Budget%20Guide%20Presentation.pdf

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.

Rotarians Tour Joint Military Base

Rotarians and their spouses spent a special morning at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst on June 6 learning about services provided on the sprawling base and getting a tour of an aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft, the KC-46.
Our club has a strong partnership with the base, raising funds through the Flags for Heroes program to help send junior enlisted personnel home for the holidays. Our thanks to Mercer County Military Action Council Chair Regina Arcuri, who arranged the tour for the club.

Students Plant Flowers at Megan’s Place

Fifth graders from Sayen Elementary School in Hamilton joined Rotary Club members in planting flowers on May 30 at Megan’s Place park.
The students planted more than 50 vincas donated by Chris Ciaccio of Tony’s Farm & Garden Center on Route 130 North in Windsor.
Megan’s Place was created in honor of 7-year-old Megan Kanka of Hamilton who was murdered in 1994 in a former house on the site by a convicted child molester. The Rotary Club, then only two years in existence, raised funds to purchase the house, tear it down, and build the park in its place.

‘Scouting Does Make a Difference’

At our meeting on May 30 at Friendly’s in Robbinsville we learned about the vibrant scouting scene in our area and we presented a $1,000 donation to support Robbinsville Meals on Wheels.
Kevin Ott, Mercer Area District Executive for Scouting America’s Washington Crossing Council, gave us a briefing on scouting and told us how young people can benefit now and later in life from joining a scout troop.
“Scouting does make a difference,” said Kevin, son of Club Immediate Past President George Ott.

Club Honors Hamilton Patrolman

On May 23, our club presented the second of its two awards to police officers in our townships for outstanding work in community service. The officers are selected by their chiefs of police and the award includes a $500 donation to their respective PBAs.
Hamilton Township Patrolman David DeLeon was honored for his “exceptional service to the Community Policing Unit, for coordinating large community events in the Township, and for personal dedication to volunteer work.”
Thanks to Rotarian Joe Bellina for coordinating the Police Community Service Award program. And congratulations to Patrolman DeLeon!

Membership Tops 50!

With the addition of two new members in recent weeks, the Rotary Club of Robbinsville Hamilton now has 51 members. That’s 17 fresh recruits in the past 14 months! Our latest new members are Dr. Nikki Graham and Denise Barrood.
Nikki is nearing retirement as a veterinarian and wants to give back to the community. In 1969, she opened the Nottingham Animal Hospital on Route 33 and then moved the office to Nottingham Way in 2008.
Denise joined as a corporate member. She is a Business Development Representative for the Healthcare Employees Federal Credit Union. She looks forward to “giving my best to those in need.”

Weekly Meetings Move to Friendly’s

The Rotary Club of Robbinsville Hamilton is now holding its weekly 7:30 a.m. Friday meetings at Friendly’s in the Foxmoor Shopping Center, 1031 Washington Boulevard, Robbinsville.
We want to thank Pj’s Pancake House and Tavern in Robbinsville for hosting our Friday morning Rotary Club meetings since December 2022.
Due to a burst of new members we needed a larger venue with a similarly excellent reputation and Friendly’s stepped up to meet that need.
Guests are always welcome at our meetings. See you at Friendly's!

Officer Recognized for Community Service

One of the strong traditions of our club is to recognize and appreciate the work of our police. Each year, we present awards to officers selected by the chiefs of police in our two townships for outstanding work in community service. The award includes a $500 donation to their respective PBAs.
On May 2, our club announced the Robbinsville award recipient - Sergeant Thomas Septak, who was unable to attend the meeting. Chief William Swanhart of the Robbinsville Police Department accepted the award on his behalf, telling our club that the recently-promoted Sergeant Septak is “an integral part of the community,” going above and beyond in his patrol duties and in his interactions with students, children and other community members.

Club Honors Students of the Month

We welcomed our final set of Students of the Month for the 2024-25 school year on May 2. As with the prior groups of high school seniors, the students impressed us with their activities in and out of the classroom.
Recognized were Gina Wong of Hamilton West and Steinert’s Jack Perelli. Unable to attend the club meeting were Geovanna Narvaez Chica, Nottingham, and Julia Meddahi, Robbinsville.
Congratulations and best wishes to the students. And a big thanks to our club’s Students of the Month coordinators Greg Blair and Wally Sawka.

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.

Planting the School’s Community Garden

Club members had fun on April 16 helping students clean, prep and plant their community garden at Greenwood Elementary School in Hamilton.
Rotarians and faculty members guided the students in planting a variety of vegetables in their garden boxes.
The plants were provided by Chris Ciaccio of Tony’s Farm & Garden Center on Route 130 North in Windsor - a good friend of our club.

Club Supports Mobile Meals of Hamilton

As Mobile Meals of Hamilton celebrates its 50th year, our Rotary Club on April 11 provided a $1,000 check to help support the organization.
Executive Director Eileen Eversheim said she appreciates the annual financial contribution from the club to help provide hot, nutritious meals five days a week to an increasing number of Hamilton residents whose physical, mental or social conditions require a home-delivered meal service.
At an upcoming meeting, the club will also provide $1,000 to Robbinsville Meals on Wheels - part of our continuing effort to assist hungry families in Mercer County.

Nonprofits Share Successes, Challenges at Summit

It was nice to hear the positive reviews of the Rotary Club-sponsored summit on March 1 that brought together two dozen nonprofit groups for an engaging discussion of common challenges and opportunities.
More than 100 people attended the summit at RWJ Fitness and Wellness Center. Keynote speaker Barrett T. Young, CEO of the Rescue Mission of Trenton, led the Q&A with audience members and our three panelists - Sarah Steward, CEO, HomeFront; Nathalie Nelson, CEO, Younity (formerly Womanspace); and Karen Andrade-Mims, former CEO, The Father Center of NJ.
The need to collaborate and adapt to the changing landscape of fundraising, technology and other basic functions were key themes.
Thanks to Kalpana Patel and her team for a well-planned event.

Celebrating 20 Years of Miracle League

Fun time for Rotarians, spouses and friends at the Miracle League of Mercer County's 20th anniversary kickoff bash on February 1. The Rotary Club of Robbinsville Hamilton helped start the Miracle League by raising more than $300,000 to create the initial all-access field for ballplayers with special needs.
Rotarian and Miracle League Commish Dan Sczweck has taken the league to new levels with year-round activities and the Rotary Club continues to provide the league with substantial support each year.

A Generous Community Stocks Winter Survival Kits

An amazing response from the community and our Rotary Club members to our Winter Survival Kit collection to benefit those served by the Rescue Mission of Trenton and Interfaith Caregivers of Greater Mercer County.
Bag after bag, box after box filled with hats, gloves, socks and scarves, hygiene products and single-serve foods were donated at multiple drop-off points and then assembled on January 17 at our Rotary Club meeting and delivered to the organizations.
The drive was coordinated by one of our newer club members, Marie Howard, along with Interfaith Caregivers Executive Director Lauri Harbison and Rotarians Sharon Lucidi and Chris Merlino.
A huge thank you to all who donated items to help those in need during these cold months.

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.

EarlyAct Returns to Morgan School

The EarlyAct service club is back at Morgan Elementary School in Hamilton!
In 1998, the school and our Rotary Club established the first EarlyAct program, launching an idea that spread around the world with EarlyAct clubs forming as far away as Africa and Australia.
Designed to promote community service and leadership among young people, EarlyAct has returned to Morgan stronger than ever after a five-year hiatus.
The 22 officers and members gathered this week under the direction of faculty advisors Jenna Mihalow and Matt Petrowski, who was a member of that first club. The club is in the midst of its first school-wide project - collecting change to donate to the Hamilton Animal Shelter.

Tree Program Branches Out

For the third consecutive year, the Rotary Club of Robbinsville Hamilton planted trees to honor its communities and promote conservation. In consultation with the townships, club members on December 10 planted an American Elm on the grounds of the former Miry Run Golf Club in Robbinsville and a Japanese Maple in Veterans Park in Hamilton.

The installations bring the total to seven trees in the past three years as part of a program coordinated by Rotary Club President Joe Cavone and approved on an annual basis by the club’s Board of Directors.

Bike Drive Aids Boys and Girls Club

More than 60 bikes - from old clunkers to ready-to-ride beauties - were donated in our Rotary’s Club’s 2024 bike drive on November 23.
The bikes will be refurbished and resold 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 our partners, the Robbinsville Police Department and Friendly’s in the Foxmoor Shopping Center, Robbinsville.
Hats off also to Bruno’s Bicycles of Allentown, the Robbinsville Recreation Department, the BGC Bike Exchange and our Rotary volunteers, particularly Mark Setaro, who organized the drive, and Steve Woods, who loaned his truck for the cause.

Helping Out at the Food Bank

Following the Rotary meeting on November 22, a group of Rotarians headed to the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank to help with food sorting. In all, the team of six loaded 46 boxes of grains and canned vegetables after separating three large bins of miscellaneous food items. Pictured left to right - Andre Caldini, Tony Rosica, Paul Neu, Tom Damm and Nev Greenough. Missing from the photo - Linda Gearren.

Ceremony Marks 5th Annual Flags for Heroes Display

More than 175 people joined us on a spectacular day to celebrate the 2024 Flags for Heroes display on the grounds of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton.
Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Theresa Hilton and Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin headlined the speakers marking our 5th Annual flags event - this year featuring 200+ flags recognizing local heroes. The flags will be on display with attached hero messages until November 16.
Rotary Club President Joe Cavone led the ceremony which also included remarks by Mercer County Military Action Council Chair Regina Arcuri and RWJUH Hamilton Chief Administrative Officer Lisa Breza, a flag salute led by Scouts from Troop 91B and Troop 91G of Robbinsville Hamilton, inspirational messages from Sewa International Central Jersey volunteers, the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner by Jenn (Furman) Dinan and the playing of Taps by bugler John Periano.

TASK: Meals and Much More

The Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) serves about 12,000 meals a week to patrons at its Escher Street location in Trenton and at satellite sites in Mercer County. But as TASK Donor Engagement Manager Dana C. Jones explained to Rotarians on November 1, TASK offers a lot more than hot meals.
Dana informed us of services TASK provides to encourage self sufficiency and improve the quality of life of patrons. Among them are adult education, creative arts, a culinary academy, warm clothing, help with preparing for and finding a job, hygiene products, and connection to vital resources.

For more on TASK and its volunteer and donation opportunities, visit https://trentonsoupkitchen.org/

Club Honored with Assembly Proclamation

A big thank you to Assemblywoman Tennille McCoy for serving as our guest speaker on August 30 and presenting the club with an Assembly proclamation for our decades of work in the community.
Assemblywoman McCoy gave us an update on her key legislative actions, including working with her 14th Legislative District colleagues to secure grants for public safety needs in Hamilton and Robbinsville.
Another highlight of the meeting was the swearing in of our 6th new member in the past five months - Mark Talbott. Welcome, Mark!

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: