Broomall Rotary Club

10/17/2026

The Broomall Rotary Club was delighted to have their very own and new member, Deb Walter, speaking about how to reduce your digital footprint.

This was a very illuminating presentation. Deb handed out copies of a printed workbook that she prepared that outlines her recommendations.

Here is a summary:

Search yourself in Google Incognito with your name in quotes to see what is already publicly visible about you and identify content you may want to remove.

- Audit your online accounts and make a list of old or unused email, shopping, social media, and banking accounts that you should close or remove.

- Use a password manager and create long, unique passwords for every account instead of reusing passwords or relying on browser-based logins.

- Check your breach exposure on Have I Been Pwned using personal, work, and family email addresses, then change passwords for any effected sites.

- Lock down privacy settings on major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and avoid logging into other websites with Facebook or Google.

- Freeze your credit reports through Experian or the credit bureaus to reduce identity theft risk, and unfreeze only when you need new credit.

- Assume data brokers are collecting and selling your information, so request removals where possible and recognize that some data may reappear over time.
Stay skeptical of scams and AI-driven fraud, because attackers can use stolen data and realistic messages to impersonate institutions, employers, or government agencies.

The Broomall Rotary Club thanks Rotarian Deb Walter for taking the time to show us how to reduce our digital footprint. We are so happy that she decided to become a member of the Broomall Rotary Club and embrace the Rotary motto “Service Above Self.”

If you would like to make a difference in your community and your world and feel that the Broomall Rotary Club might be the organization that fits that need, please check out our web site at broomallrotary.com and join us on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 at Charlottes Restaurant in Newtown Square.

Photo: Broomall Rotary President Joe Viola and Rotarian Debra Walter.
By: Catherine Nold

10/03/2026

The Broomall Rotary Club was honored to welcome Rotary District Governor Carol Learner into our club. Carol spoke about opportunities and events upcoming in our district and encouraged us to attend as many as we could.

Create Lasting Impact is the District Governor’s theme for’26-’27, and the district is asking every club to focus on growing membership by keeping current members and bringing in new ones.

Carol Lerner said her Rotary journey began in 2017, changed after a 2018 mission to Monrovia, Liberia, and showed her that Rotary is a family devoted to changing lives through service.

The long-term membership target is 1.25 million Rotary members by 2030, up from about 1.1 million now, and leaders believe stronger membership will bring greater global impact.

Clubs are encouraged to build peace poles and send photos to Jay Penny so the district can show them in a peace video at the November 19th dinner.

The district wants clubs to think about alternative club models and new-club creation tools, noting that companion, fellowship, or service clubs can start with as few as five people.

Instead of a district conference, the governor plans a district picnic on April 17 at Drexel Lodge Park pending confirmation, with families invited to build fellowship and teamwork.

Key upcoming events include Thirsty Thursdays on the second Thursday of each month, the CAPS training on October 10 at West Chester University, and the Marty P. Kellman visit on November 19 at Springfield Country Club.

Rotary’s service calendar also includes Yo-Yo Ma on December 6 to support Interact, PELS on February 25–27 in King of Prussia, and RILA in March.

The district’s major service project is Rise Against Hunger on May 15 at the Phoenixville Y, with a goal of 20,000 meals and a call for families, friends, and Interactors to help.

Carol also handed our four Governor’s Awards to members of the Broomall Rotary Club. They included Catherine Nold, Bill Brower, Seth Rosenberg, and Rick Flounders. Congratulations to those members for their outstanding contributions to their community.

Rotarians interested in leadership should contact Charles Streitweiser about applying to become a future district governor, especially if they have already served as club president.

We would like to thank District Governor Carol Learner for all that she is doing for our district, our members, and our communities. She is a living example of the Rotary moto, Service Above Self.

If you would like to make a difference in your community and your world and feel that the Broomall Rotary Club might be the organization that fits that need, please check out our web site at broomallrotary.com and join us on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 at Charlottes Restaurant in Newtown Square.

Photo: Rotarians Seth Rosenberg, Rick Flounders, DG Carol Learner, Bill Brower and Catherine Nold, Broomall Rotary Club President Joe Viola with this year’s flag and Joe with DG Carol Learner.
By: Catherine Nold and Leslie Stack

09/02/2026

Recently, the Broomall Rotary Club was delighted to have Melissa Trempe as their guest. Melissa is a local, award-winning author who has published one children’s book and has two more coming out in 2027 and 2028. She is an author, educator and speaker who, after leaving teaching, is now focused on bringing children’s books that inspire to every school in the Philadelphia School District. She has presented at countless schools, The Smithsonian Air & space Museums in D.C. and Virginia, The Academy of Natural Sciences, and on Science Friday.

Melissa told us the story about a group of young female students in Chile who had a dream. They learned about how ladybugs eat the aphids bugs on plants. They also learned that the NASA space program was thinking about growing plants in space. They wrote to NASA and convinced them that they should send ladybugs to space for the first time. The girls raised the funds to send themselves to NASA to present their idea. This is the premise of her book, “Ladybug Launch: Inspired by a True Story of Chinitas in Space” which is co-authored by Dr. Natalia Ojeda and illustrated by Manuela Montoya. It follows a girl and a ladybug who dreams of going into space. Her book also has Spanish words sprinkled throughout and a glossary in the back with the translations of those words.

Melissa took this book into one 4th grade class in a school in Philadelphia that is in a book desert which means it has no library of its own or near the school. She talked about the background of the story, read it to them and then presented each student with a blank book so that they could write their very own story. Some children wrote and illustrated their stories and others told their stories through their drawings. She then gave one copy of the book to every elementary school in the Philadelphia School District.

Her next book comes out in 2027 and is called, “The Girl Who Dreamed of Space.” It is the story of Eileen Collins who, after a slow start in school and through sheer determination and perseverance, went on to become a pilot and an astronaut, with several degrees and was the first NASA female pilot and mission commander of a space shuttle. It was the space shuttle that she commanded that held the first four lady bugs that went into space.

Her third book, “Saving Squirrel: A Manatee Rescue Story,” releases in 2028. This nonfiction story shares the tale of one of the youngest orphaned manatees found in Florida named Squirrel and the journey to finding her a mama.

Melissa spoke about the joys of being a first generation college graduate, teacher, mother, and author and how profoundly it affected her to bring inspirational stories and experiences to the children in these elementary schools that need it most.

We want to, again, thank Melissa Trempe for speaking to us about the need for books that inspire in the schools in our area that need it most. It is through her commitment as a teacher and author that she embodies the spirit of Rotary’s Motto of “Service Above Self.”

If you would like to make a difference in your community and your world and feel that the Broomall Rotary Club might be the organization that fits that need, please check out our web site at broomallrotary.com and join us on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 at Charlottes Restaurant in Newtown Square.

Photo: Broomall Rotarian Rick Flounders and author Melissa Trempe
By: Leslie Stack

09/02/2026

Recently, the Broomall Rotary Club was delighted to have Sister Paula Estornell as their guest speaker. Sister Paula is the coordinator for the Grace Lutheran Church Wellness Center on West Chester Pike in Broomall. The Center provides a variety of services based on mind, body, and spirit wellness and is approaching its 5-year anniversary this October.

It was described as a community-focused space with partner-led services, events, and volunteer opportunities.
Services Discussed
MIND:
- Therapists
- Tutors for children, including neurodivergent children
- Chefs teaching cooking classes
- Clubs such as pinochle and ukulele
BODY:
- Dance instructors
- Fitness instructors
- Reiki therapy
SPIRIT:
- Prayer groups
- Spiritual retreats
- Peer-led grief group that meets twice a month

The Center also hosts:
- Community dinners
- Concerts
- Private events such as reunions and birthday parties
- Community outreach and donation collection efforts

Partners within the Broomall community make this happen:
- The Wellness Center works with outside partners who provide classes and services in the building.

- One highlighted partner was Hope for Hallie, a nonprofit that offers free mental health support for ages 13 to 23.

- The center also has a scholarship fund to help expand access to counseling.

Access and Cost
- Services are intended to be as affordable and accessible as possible.
- Many offerings are sliding scale or free, but some services do have a cost.
- Registration for services can be done online.
- Costs and payment timing vary by service.

Volunteer and Participation Options
- There are 3 ways you can get involved:
- Offer a wellness service
- Use the services as a client
- Volunteer
- Volunteers are matched based on interests and skills.
- Examples of volunteer roles include social media support, event setup, and helping with retreats or community events.

Follow-Up Actions
- Check the Wellness Center website to view services and register online.
- Attend the Fall Festival on October 11, 12 to 3 if interested in touring the building and meeting partners.
- Contact Sister Paula at [email protected] if you know someone who may want to provide a service, volunteer, or use the center.

We want to, again, thank Sister Paula Estornell for speaking to us about the opportunities and community at Grace Lutheran’s Wellness Center. It is through the tireless efforts of Sister Paula and the volunteers at the Wellness Center that we know how much they embrace the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self.”

If you would like to make a difference in your community and your world and feel that the Broomall Rotary Club might be the organization that fits that need, please check out our web site at broomallrotary.com and join us on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 at Charlottes Restaurant in Newtown Square.

Photo: Broomall Rotarian Catherine Nold and Sister Paula Estornell
By: Catherine Nold

09/02/2026

The Broomall Rotary Club was honored to have Jeff Molby as their guest this past Tuesday. Jeff is a Rotarian from Caro, Michigan who, three years ago, sold his house and went on the road to raise money and awareness for the American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery. This organization coordinates, among other services, volunteer rides for patients to and from their treatments and encourages people to get screened for cancer, especially colonoscopies. Family history should guide the timing of the tests and not age alone. He became aware of the need for volunteers when his father was diagnosed with cancer and was able to fight it with the support of family and his community. It was during his father’s battle, that he saw other patients who did not have that support and did not survive.

On his fourth used bicycle since leaving Caro, Jeff continues to bike across America advocating for this program and has already logged over 22,176 miles. That is the equivalent of going from coast to coast six or seven times. Jeff started out biking for cancer society alone, but early on in his journey, he decided to reroute his bike journey to spell out the letters “HELP” coast to coast to call for more community helpers of all kinds. He has accepted lodging from Rotarians and others who have been generous enough to offer him protection from the elements, but 85% of the time, he pitches his tent anywhere he can. Jeff will end his journey on the three year anniversary of October 8 in Raleigh, NC.

Jeff’s fundraising is self-funded for travel and living expenses. Any donations he receives go to the American Cancer Society to support program overhead and outreach.

The American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery needs more volunteer drivers because, since the pandemic, roughly half of ride requests are being turned down for lack of coverage. To volunteer as a driver, contact the American Cancer Society, Road to Recovery, or visit chemoriders,org

Volunteers and supporters can learn more or sign up through the non-profit chemoriders.org that Jeff started or directly through the American Cancer Society, though he noted the website works better by phone than on mobile.

Jeff Molby’s central message was that hope and compassion matter most when communities help neighbors through cancer, hardship, and everyday needs.

We want to, again, thank Jeff Molby for speaking to us about the need for volunteers in our community whether it is for rides to treatments, meals on wheels, or other services. It is through the tireless efforts and sacrifices of people like Jeff who serve our communities and beyond that we know how much they embrace the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self.”

If you would like to make a difference in your community and your world and feel that the Broomall Rotary Club might be the organization that fits that need, please check out our web site at broomallrotary.com and join us on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 at Charlottes Restaurant in Newtown Square.

Photo: Broomall Rotary Club President Joe Viola and Caro Michigan Rotarian Jeff Molby and his trusty bike.
By: Catherine Nold and Leslie Stack

07/29/2026

The Broomall Rotary Club was delighted to host our annual Scholarship Award evening, this year being held at DiFabios Market and Tap in Media. Attending the ceremony was Marple Newtown High School Principal John Beltrante; Brynn Battersby and her parents, Jenna and Paul Battersby; Irene Biju and her father, Mathew Biju; Kaya Dezzi and her mother, Allison, and her sister, Ava; Aila Lam and her parents, Nerrie and Vin Lam; and Eric Torikian and his mother, Tamar.

Mr. Beltrante spoke about all of the wonderful achievements of our scholarship winners in addition to and about the graduating class of MNHS and what they will be doing next year. Then, each scholarship winner came up and spoke about their high school experience, their summer plans, where they will be going next year and their dreams for their futures. Each recipient thanked their parents, Mr. Beltrante, and the Rotary for helping them along the way. A lovely time was had by all and no tornado joined our party.

The Broomall Rotary Club would like to congratulate each and every deserving scholarship recipient and thank Mr. Beltrante for his leadership and for encouraging his students to participate in the scholarship process each year.

If you would like to make a difference in your community and your world and feel that the Broomall Rotary Club might be the organization that fits that need, please check out our page, web site at broomallrotary.com or email us at [email protected] and join us on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 at Charlottes Restaurant in Newtown Square.

Photo: Marple Newtown High School Principal John Beltrante, Kaya Dezzi, Eric Torikian, Brynn Battersby, Irene Biju, Aila Lam, and Education Committee Rotarian Leslie Stack
By Leslie Stack

07/28/2026

The Broomall Rotary Club was pleased to have as their speaker last week, Mason Bob Ciampitti. Bob brought with him many artifacts and photos related to Freemasons and gave the club a wonderful presentation on all that the Masons are and are not and their amazing history. Below, is some of his presentation.

Freemasonry traces back to the building of King Solomon’s Temple, originating as a craft guild of stone cutters.

The term “free” is explained as referring to craftsmen who were not indentured or enslaved and could travel with permission, especially if they were Freemasons.

Freemasonry’s major organizational structure in England is dated to 1717, when separate guilds merged into the Grand Lodge of England.

In the United States, the first U.S. charter is said to have gone to Massachusetts, with the second to Pennsylvania, and about 19 U.S. presidents and 17 of 28 Declaration signers were Freemasons.
The fraternity’s purpose is to improve the individual by character and conduct (not status or money), and emphasizes that members should demonstrate those values publicly.

Masonic charity in North America donates about $2 million per day, funded from Grand Lodge investment revenue (with principal not spent), and describes the town of Elizabethtown in PA as a no-cost Masonic charitable operation.

Religious policy is summarized as requiring belief in a Supreme Being.

A practical tour/logistics detail: tours of the Masonic Temple at 1 N. Broad St. can be arranged when lodges are not in session (often after 4:30), and private tours require ~14 people (per Bob).

The Broomall Rotary Club was very grateful for Bob Ciampitti for taking the time to speak to us about Freemasonry. Thank you so much, Bob!

If you would like to make a difference in your community and your world and feel that the Broomall Rotary Club might be the organization that fits that need, please check out our page, web site at broomallrotary.com or email us at [email protected] and join us on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 at Charlottes Restaurant in Newtown Square.

Photo: Mason Bob Ciampitti, Rotarian Bob D’Anjollel and Broomall Rotary Club President Joe Viola
By Catherine Nold

07/03/2026

CANCELLED. The Marple Newtown Parade and the Firecracker 5K have been cancelled. We will post any updates as we get them.
https://www.facebook.com/MarpleNewtownFourthOfJulyParade/posts/pfbid02Qgg6w6bKdnfieZdHK3LMPTHd1gWRzprVRmEvg15YkfNhpH7sM89Twpvbxk794UU8l

07/03/2026

THE RACE IS NOW STARTING AT 8:00am. Registration starts at 7:00am. Please line up early. PARADE STARTS AT 9:00am AT ST. ANASTASIA CHURCH.

The Broomall Rotary's Firecracker 5K race will begin at 8:00am for safety concerns. We will have 3 water stops: one at Marple Ford, one at St. Annie's in memory of Boy Scout Troop 315 Leader Don Johnson, and one at the finish line. Be safe and we'll see you there.

Send a message to learn more

06/28/2026

The Broomall Rotary’s Firecracker 5K is a 5 kilometer running event held before the Marple-Newtown 4th of July Parade. Proceeds from the race benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand and support the fight against childhood cancer.

The parade and race day is Saturday, July 4, 2026. Registration is open now at: http://www.Firecracker5KRun.com