After a slow start following the Covid shutdown, Dracut Rotary Club got in full swing in July, 2023. Incoming President Ann Tinnirella outlined her plans for the 2023-2024 year at her installation, calling on members to choose a cause each month. By the close of 2023, the club has much to show for its efforts.

In August, the club kicked off its back to school project, DRC’s Backpack Drive. With the help of the community, DRC donated 250 backpacks to the Dracut Public Schools for kids in need. 

DRC continued its annual commitment to Dracut’s Old Home Day as a sponsor of the Annual Road Race, along with our presence at the daylong event. We handed out letter openers and info on our club and its local and worldwide causes to all who visited our table. The club’s September cause was End 68 Hours of Hunger. This year, DRC donated $500 to this non-profit to provide meals for children who would be hungry from Friday lunch until Monday breakfast.

We kicked off October on the 1st, with our First Annual Cornhole Tournament at Farmer Dave’s in Dracut. It was a fan and financial success, which we plan to repeat in 2024. On October 24th, we joined the Lowell Club, hosting the Annual Harvest Dance for seniors in the greater Lowell community. 

November was a busy month. We joined Owen and Ollie’s Restaurant in promoting Dracut’s Annual Fall Food Drive. On the 7th, we hosted our Annual Veterans Appreciation Luncheon honoring dozens of our Dracut Veterans. This year’s honoree was Gerry Mercier, a Vietnam War vet. For more than 2 decades, the club members have been donating to DRC’s Annual Thanksgiving Dinners Drive This year, the effort netted $1500 in supermarket gift cards for Dracut’s families in need.

December is Gingerbread House Competition for DRC. This year’s event was held December 2nd, with hundreds in attendance. This is our gift to the community and a fundraiser for the Dracut Food Pantry. As in past years, the club donated $500 to the pantry following the event. DRCmembers joined the Dracut Fire Department’s Annual Toy Drive in December again this year. We capped off the holiday month with a visit from Dracut High School’s Show Choir. We treat them to lunch each December and they treat us to holiday music. 

As 2024 begins, we are kicking off this year’s major fundraiser,  Dining Around Dracut 2024. This is the basis for our annual giving, allowing us to help those in Dracut in need, and furthering the worldwide causes of Rotary International.