Rotary Club of the Plainfields’ Recent Events
Submitted by Michael R. Townley
Unlike the seemingly endless presidential election of 2020, a smooth process took place at the Rotary Club of the Plainfields’ Zoom meeting on December 16.
To prepare for the Rotary year beginning July 1, Rotary clubs are required to hold elections in December of the prior year. This helps assure that future officers are in place and can receive information and training before they assume office on July 1.
The local Rotary club has a transition plan in place that is constant, providing future leaders remain in the club. Using that plan, the club held a successful election of the following members, the first three of whom fittingly represent North Plainfield, Plainfield, and South Plainfield:
President – Eugene Mitchell
Vice-President – Timothy Priano
Secretary/Treasurer – Michael Townley
Sergeant at Arms – Tom Reedy
President-Elect Eugene is now responsible for asking members to fill the position of directors of key areas. These directors will serve during the same terms as the elected officers.
The Rotary Club has been meeting remotely using the Zoom platform for several months on a biweekly basis. “For a time when the weather was nice, the club chose to meet for ‘coffee and’ at The Coffee Box in Plainfield,” said Club President Shannon Jefferys. “Zoom is nice, but ‘coffee and’ is nicer! But we’re now back to Zooming.”
The Club’s normal, pre-pandemic weekly meeting schedule has been modified to a bi-weekly schedule of Zoom meetings. The December 16 meeting saw the election of officers take place, followed by a brief report from the North Plainfield High School Interact Club advisers, Kay Sayani and Joe Lombardo. A good discussion followed on ways Rotary can help the Interact Club find opportunities for service.
Club members then reviewed a number of items currently in process or just completed, such as the Club’s Christmas support to a young boy and his family in Ecuador; support for Star Fish Food Pantry’s holiday meals project; a donation to the Salvation Army Plainfield to help them this holiday season; a 50/50 raffle fundraiser for scholarships; and a possible “grab and go” pancake breakfast in the Spring; and other topics.
Club members were joined by three non-members who were interested in learning more about Rotary and specifically about the club’s activities. Given the information discussed at the meeting, the guests had a good opportunity to learn. As a follow-up to the meeting, Wanda Cruz-Lopez of North Plainfield was inducted as a new member in the Club’s first-ever Zoom induction ceremony on January 6, 2021.
If you would like to sit in on a future club Zoom meeting, drop a note to the club secretary and he will follow up with you –secretary@rotarypnp.org.
The Rotary Club of the Plainfields normally meets weekly for lunch to share in friendship and to plan projects and activities to support the people in the Plainfields. Meetings are suspended during the pandemic; visit rotarypnp.org to find out when and where the meetings will resume. Contact Michael Townley, club secretary, for more information –secretary@rotarypnp.org.
