Photo Album

6-17-05 Groundbreaking ceremony for the Hamden Rotary Club Pavilion

Construction began on the long-awaited Hamden Rotary Club Pavilion on Friday.  The structure is being builit in partnership with the Town of Hamden and the Hamden Arts Commission.  Thank you Betty Wetmore and Jo Caro for all of the time devoted to this wonderful project.  It is expected that the structure will be finished in time for the Fourth of July concert on July 1st. 

The Rotary Club of Hamden is selling engraving brick pavers in three sizes that will be placed in the ground in front of the pavilion. This is a great opportunity for residents and businesses to help support the project and also be a permanent part of Hamden's history.  For further information please call Joena Caro (203-606-9975), Betty Wetmore (203-281-3500) or Cathy Forsberg (203-281-0747).

6-13-05 Hamden High School Athlete Recognition Night

Athletes from Hamden High School were honored at a special awards dinner.  Team members chose one person who exhibits true sportsmanship and leadership qualities. Those honored included Lily Morse, Sean St. Arnault, Zachary DeRose, Kevin Coughlin, Anthony Dercole, Frank Brady, Mark Berube, Lyndon Pitter, William Stewart, Edward Burt, Ryan Pellico, Molly Wright, William Stewart, Jessica Wright, Colleen Spilk, Elisa Rapuano, Madelyn Williams, Nicole Velardi, Brittney Pressley, Ahna Johnson, Jayme Delancy, Anni DelVecchio, Colleen Carpinella, Pasquale Amarone, Andrea Leone, Sarah Ryder and Kim Argo.  Congratulations!

May Student of the Month

5/16/05 - Hamden High School Scholar Award Dinner

The top ten scholars from Hamden High School were honored at a dinner recently.  The students were C. Nathanson, A. Johnson, C. Spilka, S. Hochberg, Y. Zhao, L. Liu, L. Morse, K. Stanford, C. Carpinella, and R. Alongi.  Some of the students are pictured below together with a teacher who made a significant contribution in their lives.  Congratulations!

5/15/05 - GSE Welcome Brunch

The Rotary Group Study Exchange program is for young professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 who travel to other countries sharing cultures and business methods with others.  Teams from Chili and Lithuania arrived here recently and several members from the Hamden Rotary Club went to a brunch to welcome them to our country.  One of our club members will be sharing her home with a member of the Lithuania team.  A team from our country visited Chili recently and a U.S. team will visit Lithuania next year.

5/11/05 - Job Shadow Day

Students from Hamden High School spent a morning with Hamden Rotarians at their places of business to experience what an actual workday is like.  Students and Rotarians shared their experiences at a lunch following the morning event.  Thank you to Pat Perkins for organizing such a great day.

5-2-05 Eli Whitney Student Recognition Night

The top three students from Eli Whitney School were honored by the Hamden Rotary Club at a dinner on May 2, 2005.  The recipients are Christian Rafael (drafting), Jose Cruz (drafting) and Loneshia Maybry (electronics). 

Congratulations!

4/27/05 - Quinnipiac University Rotaract Club Inaugural Ceremony

Congratulations to students at Quinnipiac University who have just started a new Rotaract Club! 

We welcome you to Rotary and look forward to getting to know you!

April 2005 - Adopt-A-Road

A group of dedicated souls met bright and early one Saturday morning to pick up trash.  The Rotary Club of Hamden has "adopted" the area on Skiff Street that runs between Whitney and Mix Avenues and picks up trash there several times a year.

Habitat for Humanity Work Day

A group of Hamden Rotarians helped Habitat for Humanity with one of their many house projects on April 9th.

A second work day was scheduled for April 23rd.

March Student of the Month

The Hamden Rotary Club recently honored Hyeonju Kwon as its student of the month for March.  The precocious third grader is shown with her teacher, Kenneth Abrams and her West Woods School principal, Ciro Taccinelli.  A talented writer and a caring friend to all, she was a natural choice for the award.

Happy Birthday Rotary!

Rotary International celebrates it's 100th birthday on February 23, 2005.  To celebrate this event Hamden Rotarians filled three display cases in the Miller Library with Rotary pictures and information.  The display pictured to the right celebrates Rotary and all that has been accomplished in the past 100 years.  A second display highlights local projects that the Hamden Rotary Club is involved with.  The third case highlights International projects.

The display cases will be available for the month of February - please stop in to see them!

January Student of the Month

Colby Hall was honored as the January Student of the Month.  The Shepard Glen fourth-grader is hown here with his principal, Mary Levine, and teacher, Carol Mayhew.  Colby was selected for his kindness and consideration of others as well as his strong work ethic.

January 2005 Vision Clinic - Mexico

Hamden Rotary Club member Lynda Hammond traveled to Mexico to participate in a program to provide eye care and medical screening for diabetes and hypertension to 1251 residents in four geographic locations over a five day period.

December 2004 - Dictionary Literacy Project

A special dictionary was presented to each third grade student in the Hamden public school system as part of Rotary's campaign to improve literacy.  The students were shown how to look up a word in the dictionary and discussed the meaning of the word and how a dictionary can be used.  The students were also informed about Rotary.  Pictured here with some students are Hamden Rotarians Barbara DuPuis and Helene Blanchette.

November 2004 Student of the Month

Jorge Monroy was honored as The Rotary Club of Hamden Student of the Month for November.  Students are chosen by teachers for being a kind, caring and giving individuals.  Jorge is in fifth grade at Ridge Hill School.

November 2004 - Youth Exchange Tailgate

More than 50 Rotarians, family members, and friends representing the Rotary Clubs of Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, Derby-Shelton, Old Saybrook and Wilton gathered on a chilly Saturday morning to enjoy a wonderful tailgate picnic followed by a Yale football game in honor of some young adults visiting this country as part of the Rotary Youth Exchange Program.

The Rotary Youth Exchange Program is for students aged 15 to 19 who travel abroad for an academic year or an extended holiday.  The students stay with Rotarian Host Families during their time abroad and enjoy many educational as well as fellowship activies such as this one.

November 2004 - Walkathon

The International Business Society of Quinnipiac University organized a Walkathon along the Farmington Canal.  Proceeds will pay for shipping text books to developing countries.  Excess proceeds will benefit local charitable projects in Hamden.

Amber Alert ID Session

Hamden Rotary Club members participated in an Amber Alert ID Session at Shepard Glen School.  The goal of the program is to aid in the safe recovery of missing children.  Information for approximately 270 children was entered into a database maintained by the State Police.  The club hopes to visit all of the schools in town.

October 2004 - Adopt-A-Road

A group of dedicated souls met bright and early one Saturday morning to pick up trash.  The Rotary Club of Hamden has "adopted" the area on Skiff Street that runs between Whitney and Mix Avenues and picks up trash there several times a year.

October 2004 Student of the Month

Melanie Wetmore was honored as The Rotary Club of Hamden Student of the Month during October 2004.  Students are chosen by teachers for being a kind, caring and giving individuals.  Melanie is in sixth grade at Bear Path School.

Donation to Habitat for Humanity

Past Hamden Rotary Club president Roger Rovero arranged for a major donation of wood molding to Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven.  The donation was made jointly from the Rotary Club of Hamden and Roger's employer, American Wood Moulding.  The donation consisted of enough wood trim to completely finish ten new homes that Habitat for Humanity will build in the future.

Hamden High School Scholar Awards - 5/14/04

The top ten scholars from Hamden High School were honored at a dinner on 5/14/04.  Students were K. Loan Bui, R. Donovan, L. Hawthorne, P. Hively, P. Massari, K. McColgan, A. Shapiro, C. Vergis, A. Volmer, and E. Zaehringer.  Pictured are some of the students and the teacher chosen by each student that made a significant contribution to their academic development.

April 2004 Student of the Month

Meghan Zagata is in second grade at the Alice Peck School who has a big warm smile.  Mom wiping tears of pride from her cheeks and her uncle with camera in hand documented this event in his niece's life.  The pride and true caring didn't stop there as was evident in the eyes of Hamlet Hernandez, the principal of the school and her teacher Ms. Laurie Kaletsky.  Congratulations, Meghan and keep up the good work!

March 2004 Student of the Month

Christian Colon is a first grader at West Woods School.  He has bright big brown eyes and a smile to match.  He is not only an "A" student who requests that his teacher give him more homework, but he's taken first place in a recent Ti Kwan-do competition.  He likes to play with Lego building blocks and has a dog named Shirley.

February 2004 Student of the Month

Marisa Mohrer, a student at the Wintergreen Magnet School is our student of the month for February.  Marisa enjoys music and plays several instruments including the Obo.  She is a basketball player, speaks Spanish and German, and loves animals, particularly her 7 cats and 2 dogs.  Marisa is a straight "A" student who always makes time for others and is supportive of her fellow classmates.  Marisa has a very full schedule but makes time each week to visit and read to an elderly woman who is blind.  Congratulations, Marisa!

12/13/03 - Cookies and Cider

Rotarians served cookies and cider to children in town as part of the Silverbells Festival.  Pictured at right are Linda Rovero (the reindeer) and Betsy Gorman.

12/17/03-Mike Bergantino Honored

Former Hamden Rotary Club member Mike Bergantino was recently honored by the North Branford Rotary Club for his thirty years of service to Rotary.  Several of the members of the Hamden club were in attendance to congradulate him.  Pictured at left are Mike and his wife, Peggy.

10/27/03 - Student of the Month

Jermane Hughes, a sixth grade student at Ridge Hill School was honored recently as the Rotary Club of Hamden Student of the Month.  Shown here with her teacher, Renee Pietrosimone, Hamden Rotary Club president Roger Rovero, and principal Gil Rebhun, Jermane was praised for her caring and sharing personality.

9/20/03 - Youth Exchange Tailgate Picnic

Annual Schooner Sail - 8/26/03

Visit by District Govenor Paul Burns - 7/21/03

Paul Burns, District 7980 Governor for the 2003-2004 fiscal year and assistant district governor, Michael Musco, honored the club with a visit on 7/21/03. 

The distinguished Paul Harris award was given to past presidents Tom Hylinski  and Debra Sharkey for their hard work and devotion to the club.  Pictured are (left to right) Debra Sharkey, Roger Rovero, Paul Burns, and Tom Hylinski.

Relay for Life Pancake Breakfast - 6/29/03

Hamden Rotary members and friends served a complimentary hot breakfast of pancakes, ham, eggs, coffee and juice for the tired and hungry participants in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life event. Many thanks to K. Moody and McDermott Chevrolet for funding this event.

Hamden High School Athletes Awards-6/2/03

Athletes from Hamden High School were honored at a dinner on 6/2/03.  Team members chose one person who exhibits true sportsmanship and leadership qualities. Those honored included K. Gilmore, J. Schaefer, E. Stevens, O. Kinnebrew, D. Brandi, A.Omerso, K. Brudvig, B. Sansone, J.Turner, C.Romberg, K. Zilm, R. Cofrancesco, N. Mastracchio, J. Mancini, J. Harris, E. Spilka, D. Granucci, C. Methot, J. O'Sullivan, T. Cappella, M. Fabish, R. Kollet, A. Bowen, V. Gelazauskas, M. Dowling, and K. Murphy.

Hamden High School Scholar Awards-5/19/03

The top eleven scholars from the Hamden High School were honored at a dinner on 5/19/03.  Pictured are students (A. Ananth, R. Drucker, M. Elmore, K. Fossum, W. Gardella, E. Kosowsky, D. Money, A. Paley, N. Rudnick, R. Sharma and C. Williams and the teacher chosen by each student that made a significant contribution to their academic development.