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CLUB #69
SERVING THE RICHMOND
COMMUNITY SINCE 1913
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September 2025
Volume 25 Issue 9
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Paul Keller Obituary
Paul Joseph Keller, Jr.
May 1, 1943 - August 10, 2025
Paul J. Keller peacefully passed away on August 10, 2025 after battling a chronic disease. He was born May 1, 1943 in New York, NY to the late Paul Sr. and Anna (Nanko). He was a devoted husband to Kathleen McCoy and a loving father to his son, James. He is survived by his brother, John (Angie); sister, Susan McAteer (James); granddaughter, nephew, two nieces, and four great nephews and nieces.
Paul earned a bachelor's degree from NYU. He served with distinction during the Vietnam War and was awarded the Purple Heart and other medals. He retired from the Federal Reserve Bank. He was dedicated to social justice ministries and community service throughput his life.
Visitation is from 5 to 7 p.m. on August 19 at Bliley's Funeral Home 3801 Augusta Avenue. Memorial mass is at 11 a.m. on August 20 at St. Paul's Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Paul's Catholic Church, Haiti Education Fund (Catholic Diocese of Richmond), or a charitable organization of your choice.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Published by Richmond Times-Dispatch on Aug. 17, 2025.
| | | The Rotary Club of Richmond Presents 2025 Grants | | Brad Burton, Project Homes, receives funding check from President William Cabell. | | Housing Families First representatives Bri Carroll and Executive Director Beth Vann-Turnbull receive check from President William Cabell. | |
| Forrest Lodge, Sportable, shakes hands with President William Cabell, The Rotary Club of Richmond.
| | | | Toby Vernon, Richmond ToolBank, speaks about the impact of their grant from The Rotary Club of Richmond to further their mission of greater access to tools and equipment to community-based organizations and volunteers. | | Julie Bilodeau, CrossOver Healthcare Ministry, speaks about the impact of The Rotary Club of Richmond's grant to support their dental clinic. | | Chris Beach, Fatherhood Foundation of Virginia, shows off the new DiaperVan to support families across Virginia. | Mark Deutsch presents a district grant of $2500 to The Rotary Club of Richmond on behalf of Chris Beach, The Fatherhood Foundation. |
Kristin Blalock, Henrico CASA, is pictured here with Chuck DuVall from the Rotary Club of Richmond. |
Walk to End Alzheimer's November 8, 2025
by Sherry Peterson
The Alzheimer’s Dementia Rotary Action Group is a National Team for this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s. As a National Team, Rotary Clubs across the country participate in Walks to End Alzheimer’s. Last year 278 teams raised a total of $520,686.
The Greater Richmond Chapter’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s will be held November 8 at City Stadium. Funds raised through the Walk help the Chapter provide much needed services such as 24/7 Helpline, Care Consultation, Educational Programs, Support Groups, and Safety Programs to those with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers, and support research to End Alzheimer’s.
I have registered to walk this year and have registered a Rotary Club of Richmond team. To register or donate to either the team or me, go to alz.org/walk and click on Find A Team and put in Rotary Club of Richmond. I can also take checks made out to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Thank you for your support. Together we will End Alzheimer’s!
| | Members of The Rotary Club of Richmond enjoyed the Reenactment of Virginia's 1775 Convention, featuring Patrick Henry, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, with a special performance by The Rotary Club of Richmond's President William Cabell. | | |
Our thanks to everyone who has attended, hosted and sponsored Rotary Means Business. Make plans to join us for Rotary Means Business on September 17th at 5:30 pm at Stonehenge Golf and Country Club, 1000 Farnham Dr, Richmond, VA 23236, sponsored by Sean Danowski and the Rotary Club of Midlothian.
If you are interested in hosting Rotary Means Business, please contact Pam Kelleher.
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Satellite Club Meeting
Satellite Club is going strong. The next meeting is scheduled for September 10, 2025 at 5:30 PM - Libbie Mill Conference Room - Libbie Mill Public Library 📚.
Hammer & Ales
Make plans to join Dale Fater and fellow Rotarians for Hammers & Ales on Friday, September 12th with the Richmond Tool Bank. Dale Fater is leading a group of 7-8 Rotarians for this fun and engaging event the club is helping sponsor. We are building two benches for deserving community projects in the Richmond area. Please reach Dale by email to reserve your spot: dale.fater@gmail.com.
Crab Festival - September 13th
15 more days until our signature Blue Crab Festival fundraiser is here!
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Please try to help sell 5 tickets to the event, invite friends, family, neighbors! Buy tickets on our website here. This is a great way to help support our club's mission to raise funds to support non-profit organizations making a difference in our community through our grants program.
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Become a sponsor or ask a business you are familiar with to sponsor. See Martine Richardson for more details on sponsorships or our website here.
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Volunteer during the festival. Sign-up to volunteer using our Signupgenius here. Remember, this would be a perfect opportunity for a high school student who needs volunteer hours!
Click HERE for more information.
Sign up to volunteer HERE!
Silent Auction Bidding starts September 3 at 3:00 PM HERE!
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Volunteer Opportunity:
Meals on Wheels
Grab a buddy and/or make a new friend! Meals on Wheels is in need of drivers and runners Thursday mornings. This is a two person volunteer opportunity! Sherry Peterson is heading up this effort. Sign-up sheets are always available at our meetings. Drivers and volunteers are needed for September, October and November! Make new friends and make a difference in our neighbors' lives. Reach out to Sherry directly at sepete@verizon.net.
Please note the new location:
8020 Villa Park Drive
Richmond, VA 23228.
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Volunteer Opportunity:
Rework Richmond
Volunteer opportunities range from resume preparation for employment consideration to financial coaching with participants.
Contact John Purnell via email, purnelljc@comcast.net, or Charles Layman via email, laymanc@comcast.net, and Todd Martin via email, todddmartin@comcast.net,
and let them know how you can help.
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Volunteer Opportunity:
Blood Drive
Our summer blood drive is 10:30 - 2:30 pm September 2nd to be held at Bon Air Christian Church.
Please register here to give the gift of life.
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Volunteer Opportunity:
Project Homes
Build a ramp and join your fellow Rotarians for a morning of fun and community service. Accessibility is critical for safety and quality of life. Paul Shively is heading up this effort. Reach out to Paul directly at pshively@cbcllc.net.
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Project Warm
Please keep an eye out for wood ready to be brought and split at the wood lot to prepare when the weather turns really cold weather and we deliver wood to individuals who depend on wood only for their heat source.
Contact Joe Kelleher via email with questions or if you know of a good lead!
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Tuesday, September 2
No Meeting due to
Labor Day Holiday
Willow Oaks will be closed on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.
We will resume our meetings Tuesday, September 9, 2025.
Enjoy the long Labor Day weekend.
We thank you for all you do to make The Rotary Club of Richmond successful.
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Tuesday, September 9
Jobie Hill, PhD, History; MS, Historic Preservation; MA, Art History; BA, Anthropology.
"Documenting Every Slave House Still Standing"
Jobie Hill is a licensed preservation architect with over fifteen years of professional experience. She has graduate degrees in historic preservation (MS) and art history (MA), and a BA in anthropology and is completing her Ph.D. in history at Duke.
Since 2011, her research and professional work has focused exclusively on domestic slave buildings. She is engaged in interdisciplinary research examining the architecture of slavery, the influence these dwellings on the lives of their inhabitants, and the preservation of their history.
In 2012 she started an independent project titled “Saving Slave Houses” with the primary goal to ensure that slave houses, irreplaceable pieces of history, are not lost forever. In her efforts to preserve extant slave houses and to education the public about them she has had the opportunity to partner with the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), TED Talk, Trimble, Google, Historic American Buildings Survey, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, National Trust for Historic Preservation, C-SPAN, Virginia Humanities, Montpelier and Monticello.
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Tuesday, September 16
Club Assembly
Join The Rotary Club of Richmond on Tuesday, September 16, for a club assembly and classification speech by recent member Kyle Morrisey!
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Tuesday, September 23
Pat Edwards District Governor, Rotary District 7600
“Uniting for Good and Finding Starfish”
Pat was born and raised in Rockland ME and attended Notre Dame College in Manchester NH, graduating with a BA in Advertising. During her senior year she realized that working in an ad agency was not what she wanted to do, and that helping people had to be part of the equation.
Pat received her EMT certification while working at E.I. DuPont and joined the City of Manchester NH Fire Department soon after. Several years later Pat relocated to central Vermont and obtained her Paramedic and Critical Care Paramedic certifications while working for White River Valley Ambulance. She was promoted to Operations Supervisor and spent her last seven years there as Executive Director.
During her years in Vermont, she was introduced to Haiti by her medical director. Pat fell in love with Haiti during that first medical clinic and returned 9 times. Haiti is her Rotary story. Upon returning to Vermont after that first medical clinic, she was asked to share her experience with the Greater Bethel Area Rotary Club and was asked to join the club. She said yes and served as Club President for two years.
Pat moved to Virginia Beach in 2014 and joined the Rotary Club of Town Center Virginia Beach. She has served as President for 2 years, along with being the club’s Foundation Chair. Pat has served as an Assistant Governor, Lieutenant Governor, District Membership Chair, District End Polio Now Baseball Games Co-Chair, and District Conference Co-Chair. Pat is a RLI graduate, a Phil Harris Fellow +5 PHS, and a Bequest Society member. She is District 7600’s HANWASH Champion and a supporter of CART.
Pat currently works as the EMS Coordinator for Bon Secours Health System Southside Hampton Roads. She lives along the Elizabeth River in Portsmouth with her partner Kim, their chocolate lab Pedey, and cat Kiko.
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Tuesday, September 30
Colleen Messick, Executive Director, Virginia Commission for the Arts.
"Investing in the Arts for the Commonwealth of Virginia"
Colleen Dugan Messick was appointed by Governor Youngkin in October 2024 to serve as Executive Director of the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
Previously she served as Chief of Staff to the First Lady of Virginia/Commonwealth of Virginia from 2021 to 2024 where she oversaw and mentored the First Lady’s team to ensure efficient and effective day-to-day operations. From 2016 to 2021, she was the Executive Director of the Virginia Capitol Foundation. In that role, she managed and led a fundraising organization that supports the ongoing restoration, preservation, and interpretation of the historic Virginia State Capitol, Capitol Square, and Executive Mansion in coordination with a broad range of constituencies.
Previous positions were major gifts advisor with the American Heart Association and vice president of philanthropy for the Virginia Home for Boys and Girls.
Colleen believes the arts are uniquely poised to foster creativity, empathy, and cultural understanding while also strengthening communities socially, educationally, and economically, and contributing to better health and well-being.
Colleen has an MA in Arts Administration from Columbia University and a BA in International Economics from William & Mary. Of late, she has enjoyed reconnecting with her flute and calligraphy!
| | THANKS TO OUR PAST SPEAKERS | | Thank you to Carl Gupton, Greenswell Growers, for visiting with The Rotary Club of Richmond. | | We enjoyed hearing from Eric Shoemaker, Performance Food Group, at The Rotary Club of Richmond. | | We extend our thanks to Anthony J. Romanello, Executive Director, Henrico Economic Development Authority, for speaking to The Rotary Club of Richmond. | | We appreciated Kevin J. Vonck, Director, RVA Department of Planning & Development Review, for visiting with The Rotary Club of Richmond. | | John Ritenour receives his badge! | | | | | |
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Email Katie Hellebush at katie@hellebushconsulting.com.
| | Whether you are relatively new to the club or a long-serving member, the Rotary Club of Richmond has been serving Richmond for more than a century; do you have your copy of this history? Copies are now available; $20 soft copies; $30 hard copies. | | Birthdays and Anniversaries | | Let's wish our fellow Rotarians Happy Birthday and congratulations on their Rotary Anniversary! | | | Member | Birthday | | Marriner, John F. (JOHN) | 12-Sep
| | Townsend, J. Shane (SHANE) | 12-Sep
| | Gordon, Reginald E. (REGGIE) | 19-Sep
| | Layman, Charles D. (CHARLES) | 23-Sep
| | | | Member | Start Date | Years | | Poston, William G.(BILL) | 9/1/1978 | 46
| | Caldwell, John B. H.(JOHN) | 9/1/1970 | 54
| | Chandler, Charles H.(CHARLES) | 9/1/1989 | 35
| | Beach, Christopher Edward Sr. (CHRIS) | 9/1/2015 | 9
| | Marriner, John F.(JOHN) | 9/5/2015 | 9
| | Cubitt, Jennifer M.(JENNY) | 9/13/2011 | 13
| | Boyce, Ryan (RYAN) | 9/17/2024 | 0
| | Worthington, Michela (MICHELA) | 9/28/2022 | 2
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