Rotary Club of Frederick County (Virginia, USA)

10/28/2026

Rotary in Action: Inspiring Education, Welcoming New Members, and Celebrating Friendship!

Our October 27th morning meeting of the Frederick County Rotary Club was filled with a warm Rotary welcome to our newest teammate, exciting ideas about education, and a special birthday celebration!

🌟 Welcome to Rotary, Pam!

We had the joy of welcoming Pamela Haefner as our newest member of the Frederick County Rotary Club! We’re delighted to have Pam join our Rotary family and look forward to working together to make a difference in our community. Pam is joining Rotary under the education/social worker classification, and has expressed interest in serving on the Youth Services Committee.

🎓 A New Vision for Education in the Shenandoah Valley

We next welcomed Dr. Charles Presberg, co-founder and headmaster of the planned Dawson Sheen Academy, who shared his vision for a private high school combining classical education with practical, real-world career preparation.

Planned to serve grades 9–12, the academy aims to educate the whole person - - body, mind, soul, and spirit. Students would explore history, literature, science, the arts, and Western civilization while preparing for college, business and technology careers, or the skilled trades and professions.

A central philosophy is the Latin expression “Non multa sed multum” - - not many things, but much - - emphasizing depth of learning over simply covering more material.

The academy also hopes to build partnerships with local businesses to provide hands-on internships, helping students connect classroom learning with future careers. Its mission is to develop young people with intellectual curiosity, compassion, joy, and a commitment to service.

We thank Dr. Presberg for introducing us to this ambitious educational vision and sharing his plans for the future of our region’s students!

🎂 Happy Birthday, Marietta!

We also celebrated Marietta Walls and wished her a very happy birthday, with a men of Rotary providing a surprisingly on-key rendition of Happy Birthday! We hope the year ahead brings plenty of laughter, wonderful adventures, and countless reasons to celebrate!

❤️ Education. Fellowship. Service Above Self.

From exploring new possibilities for local education to welcoming new members and celebrating the people who make our club special, our Tuesday mornings remind us that strong communities are built when people come together to learn, connect, and serve.

That’s Rotary! That’s Service Above Self! 💙💛

10/24/2026

10/23/2026

World Polio Day is tomorrow (Saturday, October 24, 2026). Help Rotary achieve its goal of global eradication of polio.
Looking for a great way to help? Participate in the World’s Greatest Meal! Enjoy a simple meal on or near World Polio Day, calculate what you saved, and donate the difference to Rotary’s PolioPlus campaign. A small sacrifice can help make a BIG difference! To donate, go to rotary.org, click on Donate, and select “Polio Plus Fund.”

10/21/2026

💙 Rotary in Action: Fighting Polio, Serving Our Neighbors, and Making a Difference! 💙

Our October 20th Frederick County Rotary Club meeting reminded us why Service Above Self matters! From fighting a disease that once threatened children around the world to helping local families prepare for the holidays, Rotarians are making a difference both at home and around the globe. 🌎❤️

🌍 WORLD POLIO DAY IS THIS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24!

Our featured speaker, Rotarian Kate Schwadron, shared powerful stories from her work on polio immunization trips to Nigeria and Niger. Her firsthand experiences brought Rotary’s PolioPlus campaign to life, showing how Rotarians work alongside local communities to vaccinate children, overcome mistrust, and even negotiate temporary ceasefires so children can receive lifesaving vaccines.

The progress is remarkable! When Rotary and its partners launched the global eradication effort in 1988, polio paralyzed thousands of children every day. Today, wild poliovirus remains endemic in just two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan. But the fight isn’t over! We must keep going until every child is protected. 💉🌍

💡 Kate also shared a great way to help: Participate in the World’s Greatest Meal! Enjoy a simple meal on or near World Polio Day, calculate what you saved, and donate the difference to Rotary’s PolioPlus campaign. A small sacrifice can help make a BIG difference! To donate, go to rotary.org, click on Donate, and select “Polio Plus Fund.”

🔥 Meanwhile, Rotary’s hometown service continues!

Here are a few highlights from our busy morning:

📚 Rotary Cookbook: More than 120 recipes are being prepared for our club’s upcoming cookbook! Stay tuned for more details about this delicious fundraising project.

🪵 Firewood Blitz: Our firewood project is approaching an incredible 1,500 truckloads delivered to families in need! Join us for our next Wood Blitz on November 14.

🦃 Thanksgiving Turkey Baskets: We’re preparing approximately 30 grocery boxes topped with frozen turkeys for local families in coordination with the Healthy Families organization in Wi******er. Volunteers and donations are helping make the holidays brighter.

🎄 Bright Futures Christmas Assistance: We’re helping a local mother and her three children enjoy a happier holiday season. Members are stepping up to provide requested gifts and gift cards.

🎃 Interact in Action: Our young leaders recently assembled 60 Halloween treat bags for local families. Way to go!

❤️ Coming Up This Saturday: In addition to World Polio Day, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s takes place at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. Registration begins at 9 a.m., with the ceremony beginning at 10:00 a.m., and the walk starting at 10:30 a.m. Consider joining the walk or supporting a team!

👏 A big thank-you to Kate for sharing her experiences, her dedication to Rotary, and a powerful reminder that lasting change happens when people work together.

We closed our meeting with a quote attributed to Nelson Mandela that perfectly captures the spirit of Rotary’s work:

✨ “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” ✨

Whether we’re helping eradicate polio worldwide, delivering firewood to a family in need, or making the holidays brighter for local children, we believe in turning challenges into opportunities to serve.

That’s Rotary. That’s Service Above Self! 💙💛

10/19/2026

** Serving with Heart at Jubilee Kitchen **

A warm meal, a welcoming space, and a little kindness can go a long way! The Jubilee Kitchen at First Presbyterian Church in Wi******er serves lunch to community members in need every Saturday. This past weekend, the Frederick County Rotary Club organized 10 volunteers who came together to share their time, lend a hand, and make the day a little brighter for our neighbors. Our team met at 9:45 a.m. to prepare the meal, and served a warm and welcoming lunch to 32 guests.

Service Above Self - - every day, in every way!

10/15/2026

* Rotary in Action: Building Community, Raising Awareness, and Making a Difference! *

Our October 13th morning meeting of the Frederick County Rotary Club was filled with fellowship, community updates, personal celebrations, and an important reminder about mental health awareness.

* A Powerful Message of Hope and Understanding *

We were honored to welcome Charolette Eriksson of the Robert Anthony Eriksson Foundation, who shared her family’s deeply personal story following the loss of her son, Robbie, to su***de at just 20 years old.

Charolette reminded us why mental health awareness, su***de prevention, and education are so important. She encouraged us to break the stigma surrounding mental health, choose our words with care, and create a safe space for people to talk openly about their struggles without fear of judgment.

The Foundation’s motto, “We Are Your Voice,” is a powerful reminder that no one should have to face these challenges alone. By listening, showing compassion, and reaching out to one another, we can help make a difference - - and perhaps even save a life.

Thank you, Charolette, for sharing Robbie’s story and for the Foundation’s ongoing work to bring hope, awareness, and support to others.

* Rotary Serving Our Community *

Our members also shared updates on several exciting projects and upcoming events:
📚 Rotary Cookbook: With 120 recipes submitted, our cookbook project is moving into the proofreading and editing phase. Delicious things are cooking!

🦃 Thanksgiving Turkey Boxes: We’re working toward our goal of providing 30 Thanksgiving boxes supporting the Healthy Families organization. Members are signing up to help make the holidays brighter for local families.

🪵 Wood Blitz: Mark your calendars for November 14, from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., as we gather to split 35 truckloads of firewood for those in need!

🍽️ Jubilee Kitchen: Our volunteers continue serving neighbors through this important community meal program. Our Rotary team will meet this upcoming Saturday at 9:45 a.m. to prepare the meal and serve the Jubilee Kitchen clients.

🎄 Country Christmas Concert: The annual concert featuring Linda Davis is coming December 5, with proceeds benefiting Millwood Station and WATTS. Tickets are $35.

🇺🇸 Honor Flight: We celebrated the recent trip that brought 41 veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit their memorials. A moving letter from a Vietnam veteran reminded us how deeply these experiences of recognition and gratitude matter.

* Celebrating the People Who Make Rotary Special *
Our ever-popular Happy Dollars for our High School scholarships brought smiles and stories about birthdays, anniversaries, family reunions, vacations, and treasured family traditions. And we celebrated Pia’s annual journey around the sun with our very special and unique rendition of “Happy Birthday!”

We also shared heartfelt reflections on mental health and the importance of supporting one another through life’s challenges.

We closed with a reminder from Walt Whitman:
“Keep your face always toward the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.”

At Rotary, we believe that small acts of service, honest conversations, and genuine compassion can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

* Service Above Self — every day, in every way! *

***deprevention

10/07/2026

Making Room for Others: Service, Opportunity & Youth Development

Our October 6 meeting of the Frederick County Rotary Club was a powerful reminder that meaningful change begins when we make room for others.

We were pleased to welcome Sarah Fishel, Executive Director of the Youth Development Center (YDC), who shared her personal story and the remarkable impact of YDC. Sarah spoke about becoming a non-directed living kidney donor - - and the extraordinary experience of eventually meeting Laurel, the two-year-old girl who received her kidney. Her story beautifully reflected Rotary’s commitment to Service Above Self: giving without knowing exactly who will benefit.

Sarah also highlighted YDC’s many programs supporting local youth and families, including YDC Connect, mentoring, literacy, STEM, Esports, art classes, and Summerfest. This year alone, Summerfest welcomed 458 campers - - a powerful example of how access and opportunity can shape young lives.

One of Sarah’s most memorable messages was the “Empty Chair,” a reminder to consider who made room for us along the way and to ask ourselves: “For whom are we making room?”

The morning also included plenty of Rotary business and service: More than 100 recipes have been collected for our upcoming Four-Way Feast cookbook, with proceeds supporting our Rotary initiatives; Volunteers are still needed to help move and distribute donated firewood, with our Firewood Blitz scheduled for November 14th; members were encouraged to participate in the Sherando blood drive and upcoming community fundraisers, including this Friday’s “Swing Into Giving” benefiting The Yellow School House, and the Wi******er Rotary’s October 30th “Casino Night!” We also recognized the Frederick County Rotarians who recently participated in the Lake Frederick cleanup. Finally, we confirmed that our October 17 Jubilee Kitchen service is fully staffed - - thank you, volunteers!

We also announced upcoming October birthdays, shared “Happy Dollars,” enjoyed fellowship and laughter, and closed, as always, with the Four-Way Test.

A meaningful morning of friendship, service, and inspiration - - and a reminder that sometimes the most impactful thing we can do is simply make room for someone else.

******er

10/03/2026

A wet, dreary start to Saturday morning did not dissuade members of the Frederick County Rotary Club! We came together for a Fall Cleanup at Lake Frederick, the rain stopped, and several bags of trash were collected.

Lake Frederick is a stunning 117-acre public lake with over 8 miles of scenic hiking trails. It is a true community treasure - - and we’re proud to help keep it clean and welcoming for everyone.

The photos say it all: Rotarians in Action, making a difference, one step at a time!


Joyce Synnott-Lamoreux Dave Compton Diane Downard Wittreich Karina Rice Roberts Clawson, John R

09/30/2026

Movement is life
Frederick Co Rotary VA
We love TaiChi!