The Massena Rotary Club

09/02/2026

Giving Back at St. Lawrence Central’s Back-to-School Night

Massena Rotary was proud to be part of St. Lawrence Central’s Back-to-School Night on September 1st!

It was a wonderful evening that brought families together to meet teachers and staff, learn about school clubs and activities, connect with community organizations, and get ready for the 2026–27 school year.

Massena Rotarians Pat Brady, Darcy Sharpe, and Darcie Fregoe were there to welcome families and distribute Bombas socks to students as they begin another school year.

We were thrilled to provide 258 pairs of socks to 46 families, including:

27 pairs — XS
66 pairs — Small
108 pairs — Medium
51 pairs — Large
6 pairs — XL

We also donated an additional 95 pairs of socks to St. Lawrence Central School for the nurses' and counselor's office. These will be available throughout the school year for students who may need them. Thank you to Superintendent Chris Rose for identifying this need and reaching out to us. We were happy to help!

Most of all, it was great meeting so many parents, students, teachers, and staff who are beginning the adventure of another school year. We were especially impressed by the dedication of the SLC staff in organizing an evening designed not only to welcome students back but also to connect families with their school and their community.

That's what Rotary is all about—People of Action working together to strengthen our communities and support our young people.

Best wishes to all the students, families, teachers, and staff at St. Lawrence Central for a wonderful 2026–27 school year! 📚🍎🚌

Massena Rotary is proud to be part of the community!

08/30/2026

Ray Babowicz, Director of Communications Marketing, Government Relations, and Strategic Partnerships for the Community Health Center of the North Country was a recent guest speaker at the Massena Rotary Club weekly luncheon. Ray gave the club some information on the history of the organization and answered questions about services offered and current locations. Community Health Center of the North Country has approximately 400 employees offering programs and services across the North Country, operating four Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), which provide services to all members of the communities in which they serve. In 2025, the organization had a patient population of approximately 16,000 including 550 veterans. Locations include Canton, Ogdensburg, Gouverneur and Malone. They offer primary, dental, behavioral, physical, and pediatric care available to all residents of the North Country regardless of insurance status, or ability to pay. One of the important points that Ray made in his presentation was that many of their providers grew up right here in the North Country. Ray Babowicz (left) is pictured with Massena Rotary Club President Pat Brady.

08/29/2026

All are welcome

08/21/2026

Have you ever wondered about the meaning behind our meeting bell?

Read about the universal call to unity and commitment.

When you attend a rotary meeting you will hear our bell.

Everyone is welcome to attend a meeting.

We have our meetings every Tuesday at 12:00 at Morley's .

08/20/2026

08/19/2026

Wonderful Massena Rotary Club summer picnic at the Massena Intake Pavilion. The food from Gideons Galley was amazing! Dale Kramer’s music was great! Great conversations and fellowship! And… the weather was spectacular!

08/17/2026

Massena Rotary Helps Students Start the School Year Ready!
On Wednesday, August 12, the Massena Rotary Club was proud to participate in the 8th Annual Ready-4-School Event at Massena Central School.
Rotarians Patrick Brady, Eowyn Doud, and Gail Schneider helped distribute brand-new socks donated by Bombas. Each child received three pairs of new socks, providing 726 pairs of socks to more than 240 children!
Fellow Rotarian Darcie Fregoe also participated as a representative of the Massena Police Activities League (PALS).
A special thank-you goes to fellow Rotarian Emily Kimble, Massena Central's Community Schools Coordinator, for organizing this wonderful event. The Ready-4-School event was started in 2019 by former Community Schools Coordinator and Rotarian Kristin Colarusso-Martin, and it has grown into an incredible community tradition.
The Massena Rotary Club was also pleased to contribute approximately $500 in cash and school supplies to help local students prepare for the new school year.
And a huge THANK YOU to Bombas for your generosity! Through Bombas' giving program, their donation of socks allows our club to provide comfortable, quality socks to children throughout our community. We have approximately 2,500 pairs remaining, which we will continue distributing at community events throughout the year.
Each year, nearly 600 children and family members participate in Ready-4-School, where families can access free school supplies, clothing vouchers, donated back-to-school haircuts, and information about community resources. The event is made possible through the generosity of local businesses and more than 30 community partners.
Massena Rotary is proud to be one of those partners.
Service Above Self means helping our young people start the school year feeling prepared, confident, and ready to succeed.

08/12/2026

This week, the Massena Rotary Club was pleased to welcome Barbara Adams, Executive Director of the St. Lawrence County Community Development Program (SLCCDP), and Jennifer O'Shaughnessy, Director of the Massena Neighborhood Center, as our guest speakers.
Barbara gave us an excellent overview of the many programs provided by SLCCDP, a community action agency that has been serving St. Lawrence County since 1965 when President Johnson declared a War on Poverty. The agency provides Head Start, Housing Choice Vouchers, weatherization, food assistance, and other services designed to help individuals and families achieve greater self-sufficiency and economic stability.
SLCCDP operates six Neighborhood Centers throughout the county, including the Massena Neighborhood Center. These centers provide food pantries, emergency assistance, family development services, budgeting and employment assistance, and other resources to people in need.
Jennifer then focused on the important work being done right here at the Massena Neighborhood Center, which serves residents throughout the Massena area. The Center provides a food pantry and assistance with emergencies involving food, fuel, utilities, and shelter. It also offers a thrift store, family development services, a Christmas program, and a community garden that provides fresh produce to local families.
Jennifer shared her concern about the growing number of people in our community who need help with food and fuel, as well as the increasing number of people experiencing homelessness. Her commitment to helping our neighbors was evident throughout her presentation.
We were especially proud to hear Jennifer recognize the partnership between the Neighborhood Center and Massena Rotary. One of our service projects this year has been helping build new, larger garden boxes for the Center's community garden. These boxes will allow the Center to grow and share even more fresh produce with people who need it.
Thank you to Barbara and Jennifer for sharing the important work of SLCCDP and the Massena Neighborhood Center with us. Their message was a great reminder that service isn't just something we talk about in Rotary—it is something we do together to strengthen our community.
Pictured from left to right, Patrick Brady, Massena Rotary president, Jennifer Oshaughnessy, Barbara Adams and Darcy Sharpe, Rotary community services. 

08/11/2026

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