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The Rotary Club of Potsdam invites you to its 19th annual Potsdam Rotary Scholarship Golf Tournament on Saturday, May 20, at the Potsdam Town & Country Club.

Registrations for foursomes are now being accepted at potsdamrotary.org or bit.ly/rotary-golf-2023.

There are also many levels of sponsorships for area businesses and individuals also available at potsdamrotary.org.

Potsdam Rotary BOCES February Student of the Month

Hunter LaPage of Parishville-Hopkinton Central School, a student in the Automotive Tech program at BOCES Seaway Tech, is the Rotary Club of Potsdam BOCES Student of the Month for February. At a Rotary luncheon honoring LaPage, he met with Potsdam Rotarians and was commended for his academic excellence by Seaway Tech School instructor Dave Denny. The Potsdam Rotary Club meets at noon at the Potsdam Town Hall community room every Wednesday. Guests are welcome. Left to right: Potsdam Rotary President Duane Pelkey, Denny, LaPage, and Rotary Vocational Service Chair Amanda Wilson.

Potsdam Rotary Seeks High School Students for Leadership Program

The Rotary Club of Potsdam is seeking 15- to 17-year-old high school students from the Potsdam area who are interested in being part of the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA), May 26-28, at RKY Camp on Eagle Lake, one hour north of Kingston, Ontario. Potsdam Rotary is sponsoring up to two students who will incur no costs of their own to attend the camp, other than their personal transportation.

Potsdam Rotary BOCES January Student of the Month

Bowen Rodriguez of Canton Central School, a student in the Metalworking program at BOCES Seaway Tech, is the Rotary Club of Potsdam BOCES Student of the Month for January. At a Rotary luncheon honoring Rodriguez, he met with Potsdam Rotarians and was commended for his academic excellence by Seaway Tech School instructor Nanci Collins. Left to right: Potsdam Rotary President Duane Pelkey, Rodriguez, Collins, and Rotarian Sunday Smith.

Jessica Carista Inducted into Potsdam Rotary Club

Jessica M. Carista of West Stockholm was recently inducted as a member of the Rotary Club of Potsdam. Carista is the director of interactive marketing at Clarkson University. She is a native of Ogdensburg and received her bachelor's degrees in economics and French from St. Lawrence University, and her MBA from Clarkson. Carista has been a member of the Department of Marketing & External Relations at Clarkson since 2008. She is a member of the West Stockholm Ladies Auxiliary and the Potsdam Elks Club. A former board member of the Potsdam Chamber of Commerce, she currently serves on its membership and marketing committee. Carista resides in West Stockholm with her husband, Matt, and her daughters, Carrigan and Quinn. Left to right: Membership Chair Sunday Smith; Carista; her sponsor, Michael Griffin; and President Duane Pelkey.

Potsdam Rotary at Frosty Fest!

Potsdam Rotary put Rotary International on display, today, at Frosty Fest!, Potsdam's annual snowman competition. Rotarians Duane Pelkey, Sunday Wright Smith, Amanda Wilson and Michael Griffin, led by Laurean Pelkey and assisted by Bobby Gordon, created a "Snowtarian" tableau promoting literacy and other Rotary areas of focus. Thanks to the North Country Children's Museum, SLC Arts and the Potsdam Chamber of Commerce for this service opportunity! Left to right: Duane Pelkey, Laurean Pelkey, Michael Griffin and Amanda Wilson.

Potsdam Rotary Donates $1,000 of Personal Care Products to Potsdam Central School P2 Club

The Rotary Club of Potsdam recently donated $1,000 worth of personal hygiene products to the Potsdam Central School Positivity (P2) Club for its Food and Personal Care Pantry. The contribution is partially funded by a matching grant from Rotary District 7040. The P2 students have raised funds for the purchase of food, but are unable to purchase many personal hygiene items due to their high cost. The Potsdam Rotary donation will allow the P2 Club to distribute more personal care items to students and senior citizens in need. The P2 Club fills the gap between the need for and the availability of costly personal care items for those in the Potsdam community. The donated products include shampoo/conditioner, deodorant, sanitary pads, tampons and bar soap. The Rotary-P2 project focuses on two of Rotary International's seven causes: providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene; and fighting disease. Left to right: Potsdam Central School Positivity (P2) Club President Johannes Richter , Rotary District 7040 Area Governor Michel Wong Kee Song, Potsdam Rotary President Duane Pelkey, and Potsdam Rotarians Mary Sue Foster and Laurean Pelkey.

District Governor Visits Potsdam Rotary

Rotary District 7040 Governor Michel Wong Kee Song visited the Rotary Club of Potsdam on Wednesday and addressed its members. Left to right: District Governor Wong Kee Song and Potsdam Rotary President Duane Pelkey exchange banners.

Potsdam Rotary BOCES December Student of the Month

Evan Converse of Massena Central School, a student in the Natural Resource Management program at BOCES Seaway Tech, is the Rotary Club of Potsdam BOCES Student of the Month for December. At a Rotary luncheon honoring Converse, he met with Potsdam Rotarians and was commended for his academic excellence by Seaway Tech School instructor John Morgan. Left to right: Potsdam Rotary President Duane Pelkey, Morgan, Converse, and Rotary Vocational Service Chair Amanda Wilson.

Potsdam Rotary BOCES November Student of the Month

Skyler Thomann of Colton-Pierrepoint Central School, a student in the New Visions program at BOCES Seaway Tech, is the Rotary Club of Potsdam BOCES Student of the Month for November. At a Rotary luncheon honoring Thomann, she met with Potsdam Rotarians and was commended for her academic excellence by Seaway Tech School instructor Richelle Cisco. Left to right: Potsdam Rotary President Duane Pelkey, Cisco, Thomann, and Rotary Vocational Service Chair Amanda Wilson.

Potsdam Rotary Donates $1,000 to Potsdam Holiday Fund

The Rotary Club of Potsdam has donated $1,000 to the Potsdam Holiday Fund, an all-volunteer non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides new gifts, warm clothing and food to families and senior citizens in need in Potsdam, Madrid, Hopkinton, Nicholville, Brasher Falls, Chase Mills, Fort Jackson, West Stockholm and Winthrop. Donations to the Potsdam Holiday Fund are still needed and welcome at potsdamholidayfund.org or Potsdam Holiday Fund, PO Box 827, Potsdam, NY 13676. Left to right: Potsdam Rotary Club President Duane Pelkey presents a check to Potsdam Holiday Fund President Traci Giffin, assisted by Rotary Treasurer Shawn Seymour and Secretary Romeyn Prescott.

Potsdam Rotary Provides Hundreds of Children with Books During Haunted Hallway Event

Members of the Rotary Club of Potsdam provided nearly 300 children with a book as well as a scare during their annual Haunted Hallway event during the Potsdam Chamber of Commerce Fright Night. The club ordered a wide selection of children's books from Scholastic and allowed each child to take one home. The youngsters took home a fright and a doughnut as well, as they navigated the club's Haunted Hallway with their parents, which culminated in "bobbing" for doughnuts on a string. The book distribution is part of Rotary International's focus on basic education and literacy. St. Lawrence Federal Credit Union, the Potsdam Food Co-op and Yum Yum's Chilly Delight also supported the project through their donations.

Potsdam Rotary BOCES October Student of the Month

Gracie LaLonde of Brasher Falls Central School, a student in the Criminal Justice program at BOCES Seaway Tech, is the Rotary Club of Potsdam BOCES Student of the Month for October. At a Rotary luncheon honoring LaLonde, she met with Potsdam Rotarians and was commended for her academic excellence by Seaway Tech School instructor Joe Colon. Left to right: Potsdam Rotary President Taylor Robertson, Rotary Vocational Service Chair Amanda Wilson, Lalonde and Colon.

Michael Griffin Recognized as Paul Harris Fellow

Potsdam Rotarian Michael Griffin was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow at the Rotary District 7040 annual conference in May in Ottawa, Ontario. Griffin's Paul Harris Fellowship was made possible by a donation of points by Rotary District 7120 Governor Janet Tenreiro of Canandaigua, N.Y., in recognition of the work he has done on making a new custom New York State license plate available to Rotarians. The new plate will be available for order on the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles website in early August. This is the sixth time that Griffin has been recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow. He currently serves as Rotary's north central New York area governor. A past president and board member of the Potsdam club, he joined Rotary in 1986 and chairs the club's community service and communications.

Amanda Wilson Inducted into Potsdam Rotary Club

Amanda L. Wilson of Hannawa Falls was recently inducted as a member of the Rotary Club of Potsdam.

Wilson grew up in Hopkinton, N.Y., and graduated from Parishville-Hopkinton Central School in 2010. She earned her bachelor of science degree in community health from SUNY Potsdam in 2020. She is the office manager at Midwife Sunday Smith’s Birthing and Wellness Center, where says she has "a passion to serve the birthing community."

Wilson is involved in the St. Lawrence County Arts Council with her partner, Andrew Norrell, who works in ceramics. They have four children: Leah, Lucy, Claire, and Brayden.

Left to right: Wilson's new member sponsor Sunday Smith, Wilson, and President Taylor Robertson.

Clarkson President Tony Collins Recognized as Paul Harris Fellow by Potsdam Rotary

Clarkson University President Tony Collins was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Club of Potsdam at its annual meeting on June 1. He was honored for his demonstrated commitment to the goals and purposes of Rotary and "in appreciation of their tangible assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world." Collins, who has served Clarkson University for 40 years, and as its president for nearly 20 years, will step down as its 16th president, this month.

Potsdam Rotary President & Board Installed

Taylor Robertson of Parishville was installed as the 2022-2023 president of the Rotary Club of Potsdam for a second consecutive year at its annual dinner on June 1. During the ceremony, incoming and continuing officers President-elect Brandon LaShomb of Parishville, Secretary Romeyn Prescott of Potsdam, and Treasurer Shawn Seymour of Hannawa Falls were also recognized. Laurean Pelkey of Madrid was elected as a board member, and Beck Tessier of Massena and Michael Griffin of Colton will continue on the board.

Potsdam Rotary Donates $700 of Products to Potsdam Central Positivity Club

The Rotary Club of Potsdam has donated nearly $700 of personal hygiene products to the Potsdam Central School Positivity Project, which operates the Potsdam P2 Food Market, a food and personal care pantry for students and senior citizens. The donated products included shampoo/conditioner, soap, deodorant and feminine products as well as razors donated by Harris Medical Supplies & Equipment.

The Potsdam P2 Food Market is the only student-run, free food pantry in the northern New York region. It is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, with monthly food shipments arriving from the Food Bank of Central New York. Clients are able to order an assortment of canned food, pasta, breakfast items, and personal hygiene products. The market fills a gap between need and availability of costly personal care items for students and senior citizens. The need for hygiene products among those in need is very great in the Potsdam community.

Left to right: P2 member Ashley Berry-Wilson, Rotarian and P2 advisory board member Mary Sue Foster, and P2 Food Market Co-Manager Johannes Richter.

Tickets Available to Win $500 Top Prize in Potsdam Rotary Rubber Ducky Pluck

It's that time of year again! The Rotary Club of Potsdam will hold its annual Rubber Ducky Pluck during the Potsdam Summer Festival on Saturday, July 16, at 2:30 p.m. at Ives Park in Potsdam.

Potsdam Rotary Golf Tournament Results

The Rotary Club of Potsdam thanks the North Country community for its support of the club's 18th annual Potsdam Rotary Scholarship Golf Tournament on Saturday, May 14, at the Potsdam Town & Country Club!

Potsdam Rotary Awards $3,300 to BOCES Students with Support from Local Businesses

Thanks to the generosity of many local business sponsors, 14 students at the BOCES Seaway Career & Technical Education Center have received $200 Potsdam Rotary business scholarship awards, despite the cancellation of a major Rotary fundraising event.

Potsdam, Canton, Massena and Watertown Noon Rotary Clubs Volunteer at Dodge Pond

Rotarians and friends from the Potsdam, Canton, Massena and Watertown Noon clubs came together on May 21 for an interclub work day at Dodge Pond. They continued work on a trail that connects the main lodge with another portion of the camp -- constructing sideboards, putting down a weed barrier and filling in with trail material. The ARC Jefferson-St. Lawrence positioned materials and provided staff to supervise and assist. Dodge Pond is truly a unique opportunity for special needs children in Northern New York and something the Rotary clubs have been supporting for more than 40 years!

Left to right: Amanda Wilson, Andrew Norrell, Claire R-Norrell, Lucy R-Norrell, Gerry Lambert, Jeanne Tyo-Martin, Ron Patnode, Taylor Robertson (holding Sam LaShomb), and Brandon LaShomb. Not pictured: Howie Ganter and Michael Griffin.

Clarkson President Tony Collins to be Honored at Potsdam Rotary Dinner, June 1

The Rotary Club of Potsdam will honor Clarkson University President Tony Collins as a Paul Harris Fellow at its annual dinner on Wednesday, June 1, at the Lobster House in Norwood. Taylor Robertson of Parishville will also be installed as Potsdam Rotary's 2022-2023 president at the event.

Collins will be honored as a Paul Harris Fellow for his demonstrated commitment to the goals and purposes of Rotary and "in appreciation of his tangible assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world."

All Rotarians; family, friends and colleagues of the honoree; and community members are invited to attend the dinner.

A social hour with hors d'oeuvres gets underway at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6 p.m. A selection of eight entrees will be available to order at the dinner: prime rib, beef brisket, chicken pesto, chicken parmesan, haddock (broiled or fried), maritime platter (broiled shrimp scampi, fish filet, fried clams, and fried shrimp), vegetarian ravioli, or pasta primavera.

Tickets are available by advance purchase only for $40 per person. To pay online, go to potsdamrotary.org, click on "Donate," and select "Use this donation for Annual Dinner."

Or checks can be mailed to “Potsdam Rotary” at PO Box 912, Potsdam, NY 13676. (If you mail us a check, please email your RSVP to Robertson.Taylor.31@gmail.com, so we can get a guest count.)

All reservations must be received by Friday, May 27. Please call Taylor Robertson at 518-534-2863 with questions.

Potsdam Rotary Donates $1,000 to Potsdam Neighborhood Center Food Bank

The Rotary Club of Potsdam has donated $1,000 to the Potsdam Neighborhood Center food bank in honor of the Rotary District 7040 Week of Service, April 24-30. The donation was supported by a matching grant from Rotary District 7040. According to the district, with inflation in food costs, food banks have warned that those in need may soon run out of money for food and increase their use of food banks and other food sources. Also, due to inflation, it is likely that these organizations will have to pay more for many items.

To address this issue, the Rotary district is providing about a total of $80,000 to support food banks and other providers in the New York, Ontario, Quebec and Nunavut. Participating Rotary and Rotaract clubs in District 7040 are each making a donation to a local food bank, food operation, or charitable meal provider during the Rotary Week of Service.

Potsdam Rotary Volunteers at Community Clean Up Day

Potsdam Rotarians turned out at Ives Park on April 24 to volunteer at the Potsdam Chamber of Commerce Potsdam Community Clean-Up Day and celebrate the first day of the Rotary District 7040 Week of Service! Thanks to everyone who helped out!

Board Meeting
Potsdam Town Hall Community Room

Apr 18, 2023 5:00 PM
Rotary District Conference
Le Westin Montreal

May 05, 2023 – May 07, 2023
District 7040 Rotary Foundation Walk
Cornwall Civic Complex

May 13, 2023
9:00 AM – 1:30 PM
Board Meeting
Potsdam Town Hall Community Room

May 16, 2023 5:00 PM
Potsdam Rotary Scholarship Golf Tournament 2023
Potsdam Town & Country Club

May 20, 2023 9:00 AM
Potsdam Rotary Pres. Changeover & Awards Dinner
Lobster House

Jun 08, 2023
5:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Board Meeting
Potsdam Town Hall Community Room

Jun 20, 2023 5:00 PM
Rubber Ducky Pluck 2023
Ives Park

Jul 15, 2023
9:00 AM – 2:30 PM
Board Meeting
Potsdam Town Hall Community Room

Jul 18, 2023 5:00 PM
Board Meeting
Potsdam Town Hall Community Room

Aug 15, 2023 5:00 PM

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Links

Join Rotary!

For New Members

Potsdam Rotary on Facebook

Potsdam Rotary on Twitter

District 7040 Home

Our Club Helps at Dodge Pond

New member application

Rotary Basics (Adobe Document 832k)

Potsdam Club Bylaws

Constitution (Adobe Document 43k)

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