Bottle Hill Tavern on Waverly Place will be providing "free" Thanksgiving Dinners on November 27th, Thanksgiving Day, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., first come, first serve.   There is no cost for the dinner, but donations will be accepted from those who can help.  Donations will be made to  Madison Rotary and earmarked to alleviate food insecurity locally.

Madison Rotary volunteers are neeedd to help with logistics - There will be 4 one hour shifts from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm.  2 volunteers are needed per shift.

Click the link on the left to sign up for a shift.

Please join your fellow Rotarians  by marching in the Holiday Parade on Friday, November 28th.  Meet at the Ambulance Corp building on Keep Street at 5:30 pm.   The parade itself will begin at 6:00 pm. Madison Rotary has participated in the Madison Christmas Parade for over 25 years.  Rotarians walk alongside the Santa Claus float and make sure excited children don't run out to greet Santa.  The event is generally over by 6:30 pm.  Immediately after the parade is the lighting of the town Christmas tree at 6:30 pm.  We need about 20 volunteers to help with this service project.

• Saturdays 9:30 – 6 PM
• Sundays 10 AM – 6 PM
• Monday – Friday 4 PM to 8 PM

🎉 Rotary New Member Orientation Announcement 🎉

📢 Greetings Madison Rotarians 📢

We are thrilled to announce our upcoming New Member Orientation session, an integral part of our Rotary family's growth and community engagement.

This orientation session is designed to welcome and acquaint new members with the values, goals, and opportunities within our esteemed Rotary club. It's a fantastic chance for new members to network, learn, and get involved in our various initiatives aimed at making a positive impact in our community and beyond.

The event is for new members who have not previously attended a new member orientation. Dinner will be on you own at Romanelli's. Plan on going through the ordering/eating starting at 5:30 pm. Orientation program starts a 6:00 p

Let's continue to inspire and serve together! See you there!

Regards

Barry Kroll

Membership Committee

Jonathan Golden, Drew University Associate Professor and director of Drew's Center on Religion, Culture & Conflict (CRCC) as well as the program director of Drew's Conflict Resolution & Leadership program, will join us for a discussion of his work.

Soup Making

The Madison Rotary team will cook dinner for an estimated 80 homeless persons  at the Morris County Homeless Solutions facilities on West Hanover Ave. Our team will be six persons (max is 7). The menu we have chosen, after discussion with the manager there, is meat and Vegan tacos, black beans and rice, salad, bread and a desert sheet-cake. We will arrive no earlier than 3:00 pm and will leave by 7:00 pm. All preparation must be done on site. There is a new kitchen where we will work. The first sitting, single women and families, will line up to be served dinner at 5:45 pm to be followed later by the single men. 

50/50 Raffle Drawing at the breakfast meeting.  

New Member Orientation and Classification Talks

Grant Recipients

Here is your opportunity to meet many of the people and organizations that receive grant support from Rotary.  All organizations will be invited to participate in our regular breakfast meeting.

Barry

This is a food packing event for our club on Monday, January 19, 2026 that will benefit the following local organizations:  Homeless Solutions, NourishNJ, JBWS and Hope One.  The location will be the Grace Episcopal Church in Madison (parking is in the back of the church).  We decided to let our new members lead the way with planning and execution but we will need others in our club to volunteer as well for the set-up and packing portions of the event.  Here's the schedule:

• 9:15AM:  Those that have purchased supplies arrive at the church with items for packing. - purchasers arrive at TMC with items for packing.
• 9:15AM to 10:00AM:  Unload cars and set-up the assembly line for the breakfast bags. We need at least 2 more volunteers to help with set-up.
• 10:00AM to 11:30AM :  Pack 400 bags and load into cars (2-3 "assembly lines").  We need at least 12 additional volunteers for the packing.

Participation in this wonderful event is limited to our club members and their families.  If you'd like to volunteer (and haven't already done so), please reach out to Ray DeRiggi (rjderiggi3@gmail.com) and Steve Eckhardt (eckhardt.steve@gmail.com).  What a great way to kick off 2026.

Nicole Pittaluga, Director of Development and Communications at the Cemter for Evaluation and Counseling will discuss the organization's miossion and role in the community.

Claire Whitcomb, Chair of the Madison Environmental Commission, will discuss the newly completed Environmental Resource Inventory.

Carol Graham, President of RAMP. will discuss her organization's mission and role in serving our community.

We are excited to invite you to a special evening of fun and fellowship at Game Night with the residents of Cheshire Home on Monday, Monday, Feb. 17th from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm.

We’ve had light Rotarian turnout at past Game Nights, and we truly need more members to get involved. Your presence can make a big difference—not only for the residents, but also for building the spirit of our club.

This is a wonderful opportunity for us to share smiles, laughter, and camaraderie with the residents of Cheshire Home (www.cheshirehome.org), a facility dedicated to empowering adults with traumatic spinal cord or neurological injuries to achieve independence. By spending time playing games together, you’ll brighten their evening and strengthen your commitment to service above self.

Some may feel uncertain about how to engage in this setting, but please don’t worry—it’s not at all uneasy. At the end of the day, everyone appreciates kindness and a genuine smile. A friendly conversation can quickly put everyone at ease, and sharing a game is a simple, enjoyable way to build connections. The residents are always glad to meet new friends and will warmly welcome your presence.

Contact Frank Desantis to sign up to volunteer  

Kirsten Wallenstein, member of the Madison environmental Commission, will discuss the upcoming plans and goals for the MEC.

Test

Madison Rotary will sponsor a food packaging event on March 7,2026 held at Grace Church aimed at combating food insecurity. 

The goal is to package 60,000 meals which will be distributed to local food banks, shelters, and organizations supporting individuals and families in need. The event not only addressed immediate hunger needs but also raised awareness about food insecurity, with a call to action for continued community support.

Thanks to the generosity of donors, sponsors, and the dedication of volunteers, the Madison Rotary continues to make a significant impact in the fight against hunger. The initiative reinforces the Rotary's mission of Service Above Self and highlights the power of collective action in creating meaningful change.

To donate or volunteer to help contact Joe Smith at jtsmith0443@gmail.com

Bill Kennard, Madison Rotarian and Therapist will discuss what brings children and teens into therapy and what happens in therapy.

SAVE THE DATE

Marlena Fass, President of the Madison Education Foundation will speak to members about the issues and challenges facing Madison schools.

The Taste of Madison is returning on Monday, April 27, 2026

Madison Rotary will meet with the MHS Interact Club at the MHS.

Dylan Medici, Director of Outreach and Education for the New Jersey Highlands Coalition, will speak about the importance of protecting the New Jersey Highlands.

Kathleen B. Riordan, Esq. will speak about estate planning.