The Oyster Bay Rotary Club’s 2015-16 president Donald Zoeller would like to see greater cooperation between Oyster Bay not-for-profits, he said in his inaugural speech. A former Oyster Bay-East Norwich Board of Education trustee, he is currently on the board of the Oyster Bay Main Street Association and the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum, so he has an easy entrée with those groups.
“Working together can mean so much for our community,” he said.
Outgoing president Judith Wasilchuk said she felt good about the new people who have joined rotary. She had just inducted the newest member, Mike Napoli, owner of Jack Halyard’s Tavern, where the rotary club currently meets for their Wednesday luncheons.
“The Oyster Festival is a good thing and the money we make can do so many good things,” she said.
She mentioned a donation to the Pine Hollow Cemetery restoration project. Elliot “Butch” Garrison, who is spearheading the restoration, spoke to the club along with Denice Evans Sheppard, a descendant of David Carll, a Civil War veteran buried there.
The rotary also donated funds to the Oyster Bay Historical Society for on-going work and to the Oyster Bay Community Band to cover the costs of their summer concerts.
“Steve Walker mentioned that in his flier, which we appreciate,” Wasilchuk noted.
Rotary provided tickets for senior citizens to attend the Sunday matinee performance of the Oyster Bay High School annual musical.
“I am on the board of the Friends of the Performing Arts Center and we provided their lunch. Rotary does put so much back into the community,” she added.
Another program has been tied to Buckingham’s, providing back-to-school materials for children in need.
“We were giving gift certificates to Buckingham’s, but now we are looking at some new ideas so we can continue that program,” she said.
She thanked her vice president, Beverly Zembko; Surinder Wadyal, who rings the bell for the Salvation Army for Rotary on Christmas Eve; and Ada Frischer and Mary Ann Reardon, who help when needed.
Wasilchuk thanked Paul Rosen and Kristen Reardon for their co-chairmanship of the Oyster Festival and announced that Jim Fuccio will be stepping up to work with Rosen this year.
Along with Zoeller as president, the officers for next year include: president-elect Walter Imperatore, vice president Rich Elias; treasurer Judy Wasilchuk; secretary Jim Fuccio, the Oyster Festival co-chair with Paul Rosen; Kristin Brekne, club service chair; Nick DeSantis, community liaison chair; Michael Smith, vocational service chair; Chris Gallagher, international service.
Wasilchuk announced a new rotary pin, an American flag crossed by the rotary flag. She presented them to the members and said they would be given to visiting rotarians.
Wasilchuk said she has been in rotary for 15 years and has enjoyed working with everyone and on the Oyster Festival. She thanked all her officers, and wished them a happy rest of the season “as we gear up for our October event.”
Rotarian Jim Werner called the Oyster Bay Rotary Club, “A small but mighty machine.”
It is his job to bring in the tall ships that are a centerpiece of the annual waterfront festival that will arrive on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 17 and 18.
