Join us for a special meeting on Tuesday January 5th at Noon!

Our guest speaker will be Angelica Pilato from the Rotary Club of Portland.


Please click here for the agenda for the 1/5 meeting

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85327525274?pwd=OTNXZ1A1N3pnRlgrSXJGeEx1a251dz09

Meeting ID: 853 2752 5274
Passcode: 352511


Rotary Club of Englewood Celebrates in a Big Way

by Hillary Viders

The Rotary Club of Englewood had a sterling month this December! Under the leadership of President Dr. Lisa Wisotsky, two exciting online celebrations were held as well as the weekly meetings. 

The first special event took place on December 18, when the Rotary Club sponsored the annual December Birthday Party for the McCloud Elementary School students in the 3rd-5th grades.Pre-pandemic the school children celebrated with a yoga session and fruit smoothies. Now monthly celebrations are virtual. Each participant received a birthday card and a gift certificate to The Marketplace in Englewood, where they can purchase healthy food.

The McCloud School Birthday Party was an outstanding collaborative event. Rotarians Charlotte Bennett-Schoen, Hillary Viders and Joyce Grossbard congratulated the youngsters during the Zoom program that was organized and led by McCloud School’s nurse, Ketsia Sadler, EdD, RN, CHES. 
At the party, Stacey Antine, MS, RDN, the owner of Health Barn in Ridgewood, gave a 45 minute presentation. She began by asking each student to announce their birth date and speak a little about themselves. 
Antine then talked about choosing healthy foods versus cupcakes and the importance of exercise. She also led an interactive demonstration of how to make a healthy “birthday smoothie” made with yogurt and fresh fruits.  
The Rotary’s support of this event was greatly appreciated. 

Then, on December 29, the Rotary Club of Englewood bid adieu to 2020 and welcomed the New Year with a festive party attended by 36 revelers. The fabulous fest was organized by a committee comprised of Wisotsky, Bennett-Schoen, Jackie Guttman, Amy Sokol, Donovan Rodruiqes and Scott Reddin. 
Prior to the celebration, every Rotarian received a hand delivered chocolate basket filled with a delicious chocolate assortment from Matisse Chocolatier. Nothing like a hefty dose of chocolate to get a party going!  

The New Year’s program included a musical performance by popular Rotarian Scott Reddin, who was dressed in a wild multicolored holiday jacket. Reddin radiated holiday spirit as he sang along to a medley of spirited tunes, such as “Jingle Bell Rock” and “it’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.“ 

The party then moved on to a video clip of Billy Amanna mixing a potent holiday tropical drink called “Billy Baroo.” Amanna warned, ‘Don’t drink this while zooming!”

Next was a hilarious comedy segment starring Chip Ambrogio, whose skit about “old people and modern technology” had people rolling in their chairs.  

What A Year It Has Been!

Due to the Covid pandemic, 2020 was a year filled with unprecedented challenges. But the Rotary Club of Englewood was front and center supporting the community’s needs with financial, logistical and moral support, true to its mission of “service Above Self.”  

President Wisotsky gave an overview of some of these Rotary’s activities in 2020. Scott Reddin proceeded to have each Rotarian state their wishes for the New Year. The most popular wishes were for peace, health, the end of the pandemic, social justice and the return to hugging grandchildren. 
The party concluded with a beautiful performance by Rotarians Mitch Schonfeld playing violin and Jenny Katsaros on the piano, ending with a soulful rendition of “All Lang Syne.”

It was a great gala enjoyed by all, and everyone is looking forward to an in-person holiday party in 2021!
DJ Scott Reddin (top photo)
Featured Comedian Chip Ambrogio (below)
Billy Amanna, former bartender of the famed Greenwich Village Waverley Inn
Jennie Kastaros, Jacueline Guttman and Mitch Schonfeld of The Starling Ensemble
Of Blessed Memory
Picture of Rotarian Carol Schults presenting the Community Award to George Milne in March, 2019. With Carolyn Milne.

We are saddened to inform you that fellow Englewood Rotarian, George Milne, died on Tuesday morning, December 29, 2020. George joined our club some 20 years ago, and served as Treasurer for over a decade.  
 
Canadian born, George lived in upstate NY and was working as a high ranking financial executive at Xerox, when he met Carolyn. In 1969, they moved to Englewood for George to work as CFO at Scholastic Books, on Rte. 9W in Englewood Cliffs, and a stone’s throw from the Summit Street home in which they raised 6 children. From the start, George embraced community service, initially with the Dwight School and First Presbyterian Church on their respective finance committees. George served many other Englewood and County organizations, lending his fiscal expertise to keep the non profit community financially sound.
 
In the recent two decades George was particularly devoted to Flat Rock Brook, Englewood Rotary Club, the Bergen Family Center, as well as the First Presbyterian Church. 
 
Though George never hesitated to speak his mind, he expressed divergent opinions graciously , keeping fellowship at the forefront, while explaining his point of view.  He had a heart of gold.

Mitch Schonfeld
Rotary Club of Englewood, Secretary
A Look Ahead....
Tuesday January 5 at noon- Dr. Angelica 'Angel' Pilato, from The Rotary Club of Portland, the first woman Air Force Officer assigned to manage an officer's club and the first to run one on a fighter pilot base in Southeast Asia, "How Being Part of History Turned into a Memoir".

Tuesday January 5 at 7 P.M.- Ft. Lee Rotary Club invitation to our Club for meeting via ZOOM, Coping with Stress in the Pandemic, Dr. Matt Zimmerman. Click here to join. Meeting ID: 87513804028, Passcode: 73888  

Wednesday January 6 at 7:00 PM- Service Project Meeting. There will be discussion of Service Projects, including one for Black History Month. Contact committee chair Joe Sorbanelli for more info.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 792 0359 1649
Passcode: 7f0bV9

Tuesday January 12 at noon- Bergen County Commissioner Tracy Zur will discuss Food Insecurity during the Pandemic in Bergen County and in Englewood

Tuesday January 12 following Club meeting- Monthly Board meeting

Tuesday January 19 at noon- Englewood Rotary member Dr. Mike Passow, "Englewood Environmental Trail"

Tuesday January 26 at 6 PM- Englewood Police Chief Lawrence Suffern
Dr. Lisa Wisotsky, President,Rotary Club of Englewood
LisaWisotskyRotary@gmail.com

For Membership Inquiries please contact Joyce Grossbard, Chair of Membership
Joyce.grossbard@gmail.com