Rotary Club of Dracut, Ma

Dracut Rotary honored long time member Farook Taufiq on June 18th in a special ceremony recognizing his 46 of service to the club. Taufiq received the club’s Service Above Self Award in recognition of his efforts on behalf of Rotary here and around the world. Farook’s wife, son, and family were the surprise guests of the club at the Tuesday meeting dedicated to expressing DRC’s appreciation to Farook for all he has done for the club since being inducted in 1978.

Club member Chuck Moran outlined just some of the things DRC has been able to accomplish thanks to Farook’s leadership. According to Moran, Farook has been the “go to” member for local, national and international projects for DRC for most of the club’s fifty year history.

He has served in many capacities during his membership, including two-time president, vice president, board member and chair of numerous committees. When the club decided to send chicks to the Caribbean following a hurricane that destroyed poultry farming in Jamaica, he stepped up to help lead the effort. When the club took on a project to get water pumps to a school in Haiti that was desperate for fresh drinking water, Farook was quick to say “let’s make it happen.” When the club decided to collect for flood ravaged areas in the Mississippi Valley, he got space on a semi for the club to load with donated non-perishables headed for the flood victims. Whether it was medical supplies for a clinic in Southeast Asia or books for schools in India, Farook Taufiq was the person who knew how to make it happen. He has been a Greater Lowell leader, philanthropist, and national spokesperson for a world effort to bring food to the hungry. 

Farook and his wife will be moving to the west coast to be close to family and enjoy a much deserved rest, but we doubt that he will be retiring from his service to others. He will be greatly missed by DRC. In fact when we need some advice, we’ll be calling Farook Taufiq.

Dracut Rotary Club’s 7th Annual Dining Around Dracut, held on March 11th, was another resounding  success. Lenzi’s was packed with more than 400 patrons, all there to enjoy the taste treats offered by 24 local restaurants and caterers. The diners came ready to try samples of appetizers, main course items and desserts and take their chances on dozens of gift baskets. Guests made their selections and voted for “Best” in each of four categories, including “Best Presentation.”

“It was a great turnout again this year,” said chair Lee Ouellette. “We thank the presenters for making the event possible,” she added. “We have to thank our great sponsors and program book advertisers as well,” said club president Ann Tinnirella.

The guests cast their ballots for “the best” in four categories. When the votes were counted, the winners in each of categories were announced. In the “Best Appetizer” category the winner was Owen & Ollies. The “Best Entree” category winner was and Brown and Budnick Meats. Farmer Dave’s took 1st prize for the “Desserts” category. The “Best Presentation” category went to newcomers in this year’s event, “Middlesex Community College Culinary Arts.”

Dining Around Dracut is the club’s major fundraiser. This event allows Dracut Rotary to lend its support to dozens of local causes, as well as appeals from around the world.

Mark your calendars. It’s almost time for Dracut Rotary Club’s annual fundraiser, Dining Around Dracut.The much anticipated night of food and fun will begin at 6:30 on Monday, March 11, 2024, at Lenzi’s on Merrimack Avenue in Dracut. There will be 25 restaurants and caterers on hand this year with tastes and treats for you to sample. In addition, you can have a chance to win some great prizes. Some lucky winner will even take home $5,000. 

This event raises the funds that allow the club to donate to many causes, including the Dracut Food Pantry, Dracut Scholarship Foundation, Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation, Catie’s Closet, End Hunger Now, Shelter Box, and Dracut International’s Polio Plus program. Tickets are $25 in advance ($30 at the door) and can be purchased at Alexander’s Pharmacy, Dracut Hardware, Daigle Insurance, Szczepanik Insurance, Lupine Designs and Lenzi’s. You can also get your ticket online at eventbrite

Buy your tickets today and join in on the fun on March 11th. Help Dracut Rotary help those in need in our town, our country and our world.

Are there hungry children in Dracut?

Dracut Rotary Club welcomed Andrea Connelly, the Program Coordinator of 
Dracut’s End 68 Hours of Hunger Chapter, to a recent meeting to answer that question.
End 68 Hours of Hunger is one of Dracut Rotary Club’s annual charities. 

“End 68 Hours of Hunger is a non-profit effort to confront the approximately 68 hours of hunger that some school children experience between the free lunch they receive in school Friday and the free breakfast they receive in school Monday,” according to the program. The concept originated in New Hampshire in 2011, is the idea of Claire Bloom. According to Bloom “ this weekend program puts nourishing food in the hands of school children to carry them through the weekend.” 

Currently, there are 54 Dracut children in the Public Schools and Innovation Academy Charter School receiving a backpack to take home on Friday, according to Connelly. The backpacks are filled with non-perishable items like cereal, crackers, peanut butter and jelly, canned tuna and chicken and pastas, mac and cheese mixes, canned fruits, and nutrition bars. School administrators identify the children in need and parents and guardians give permission. 

The staff  is 100% volunteer and all food is donated or paid for with donations from individuals and groups, like Dracut Rotary Club. Dracut Rotary has been a sponsor of the Dracut chapter for the past decade. 

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.

Club president Ann Tinnirella opened DRC’s Veterans Appreciation Luncheon on November 7th, this year in honor of Gerry Mercier and our Dracut Vietnam War veterans.  “Thank you for making this world a better place with your courage, sacrifice, and dedication to our country,” said Ann.

In attendance were more than four dozen Dracut veterans, their families and club members to pay tribute to the men and women in our community who have served, protecting our country. This year our special tribute was for our Viet Vets.

President Ann said she never thought a lot about veterans until she met Gerry Mercier. Gerry is honored to have served in Vietnam, and dedicated to his fellow vets. “He is there to help vets in need and keep the memory of their service and sacrifice in the hearts and minds of our community, said Ann. “Gerry makes you proud of our vets,” she added.

The club presented Gerry a Dracut Rotary Club “Service Above Self” award, an honor that is awarded to those in our community who sacrifice for the needs of others. We recognized the vets at the event from the Korean and Vietnam wars, as well as one of our WWII vets. 

Club President Ann Tinnirella shared her hopes for the 2023-2024 year at Tuesday’s weekly meeting at Lenzi’s. President Ann wants to make the focus for this year to be on the needs of those in our community. She would like to see Dracut Rotary become the voice for the groups and individuals in Dracut and greater Lowell who are working to meet those needs.

President Ann hopes to see the Club focus on a different cause each month, not only with financial support, but also with promotion of that cause throughout our community. She sees the effort not only furthering that month’s charity, but also bringing greater awareness about Dracut Rotary.

“If you ask someone about Dracut Rotary, they will say they don’t know anything about what we do,” said President Ann. She challenged the Club to make Dracut Rotary known throughout our community.

Officers for the Club for 23/24 include : President- Ann Tinnirella, President Elect- Jess Silva, Secretary- Chuck Moran, Treasurer- Lee Ouellette, Foundation Chair- Chuck Moran, Membership Chair-Kate Dame, Public Image- Lou Ann Jendro, Youth Service- Jennifer Hardy, Club Service- Diane Clark, RYLA- Katie Manahan,

Board of Directors- Sandy Niemaszyk, Diane Clark, Jess Silva, Georgiana Kotsironis.

Dracut Rotary Club donated $1,000 to ShelterBox for relief for victims of earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. With the support of Rotary International, ShelterBoxUSA has been providing emergency shelter tools to areas impacted by natural or political devastation for two decades worldwide. ShelterBox is Rotary’s disaster relief charity partner. It is an on-scene relief effort that provides emergency shelter kits to displaced families after disasters, to begin to recover and bring hope. The program is one that Dracut Rotary Club supports wholeheartedly.

You’re invited to a night of food and fun on March 20th at Lenzi’s on Merrimack Avenue in Dracut, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. It’s Dining Around Dracut, Dracut Rotary Club’s annual fundraiser and it’s all for a good cause. With more than two dozen restaurants and caterers participating, and chances to win some great prizes, it’s an evening you won’t want to miss. This event raises the funds that the club can then donate to it’s many causes like Dracut Food Pantry, Dracut Scholarship Foundation, Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation, Catie’s Closet, End Hunger Now, Shelter Box, and Dracut International’s Polio Plus program, to name a few. 

Tickets are $25 in advance ($30 at the door) and can be purchased at Alexander’s Pharmacy, Dracut Hardware, Daigle Insurance, Szczepanik Insurance, Lupine Designs and Lenzi’s. You can also get your ticket online at Envitebrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dining-around-dracut-tickets-546461800957

Don’t hesitate, get your tickets today and join in on the fun. Help us help those in need in our town, our country and our world.

Dracut Rotary Club kicked off the town’s holiday season on December 3rd with the Annual Gingerbread House Competition. Area residents, young and old, were on hand at Gagnon Harmony Hall to view the dozens of sugary creations and vote for their favorites. Visitors were treated to holiday music, cookies, hot cocoa and coffee. Children got to decorate gingerbread cookies. Of course, the highlight of the event was the arrival of Santa. It was a day filled with holiday fun.

The club has been holding the event for the past 15 years to celebrate the holiday season and the town’s Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. The club collects donated food for the Dracut Food Pantry. Visitors take chances to win one of the donated creations to take home. Admission to the Gingerbread Competition is free. Money raised by the sale of raffle tickets and cash donations is awarded to the food pantry. 

There were four categories in the competition; Professional, Adult, Young Adult (ages 13 to 19 years) and Children (through age 12 ). All winners of the four categories are chosen by the event visitors. Winners are announced at the close of the event. The following creations were this year’s winners: 

Professional – Sugar Coated Bakery
Amateur – John Cole, 1st; Christine Cole, 2nd; Dracut Senior Center; 3rd
Young Adults – Skylar Bergeron, 1st; Annamae Kelley, 2nd; Kelsey & Alyssa Bergeron, 3rd
Youth:  Adeline, Gwendolyne & Loralye Bergeron, 1st; Timothy Pagg, 2nd;  Violet Kennedy, 3rd.

Thank you to all who donated gingerbread creation, all volunteers, and all the visitors at the 2022 competition.