Page 34 - North Haven Magazine Issue 39 Summer 2025

A Year of Impact,

One Event at a Time. by Mark Minotti

During the past Rotary year, the club made significant
strides in public image, membership growth, and communi-
ty engagement. With a focus on modernizing outreach and
strengthening visibility, we implemented a strategic media
campaign that included billboard advertising, full-page mag-
azine features, and active digital communication through
platforms like DACdb, Facebook, and Eventbrite. These ef-
forts led to increased recognition within the community—
earning the club a district nomination for a Public Image
Award and the nickname “The Fabric of North Haven.” From
updating worn signage to launching new fundraisers and re-
engaging inactive members, the year was marked by innova-
tion, collaboration, and a renewed sense of unity.

• We entered the year and celebrated at the spectacu-
lar Haven’s Summer Beach Bash that lit up the shore-
line with fun, food and fellowship!

• We kicked off our 1st fundraiser (and kept everyone
happily sugared-up) with our Drive-Thru Fried Dough
Event at The Landingwhich was a great success, prov-
ing that we can run new events successfully even if
it’s our first time doing it and the weather isn’t very
accommodating! It poured most of the day!

• The Taste of North Haven turned the North Haven
Fairgrounds into a wonderful family event that en-
compassed food trucks, a huge kids area, live bands,
wine and beer stations and many vendors selling their
wares. It was an extreme success for a 1st time event
so much so that we are doing it again this year! Ray
Sola will be Co Chairing it with me so that he can see • Winter’s chill met its match through our Warm
the ins and outs of the event. He will run the event Coat Project. Thanks to you, 1st grade children at
going forward. He has massive experience in fairs and Brendan Rodgers Magnet School now faced the
festivals ,so we are definitely in great hands! Again, cold wrapped in warmth and dignity.
mark the date down for this year’s event! Sunday, • We rolled up our sleeves for the Veteran Yard
Sept 28th from 10:00-5:00! All hands-on deck are re- Cleanup helping Paulette Demaio, honoring those
quired! who once answered our country’s call by answer-

• The ever-popular Pancake Breakfast flipped more ing theirs.
than 1,500 pancakes—and maybe a few skeptics • We also began St Johns Suppers again but with
about Rotary into believers of what our Rotary motto a twist. Having themed dinners! The community
is! Service above self . loves them so much, they now RSVP to attend so

• Some of you swapped syrup for sneakers and partic- they won’t lose their spot! The numbers of at-
ipated in making the 5K Road Race a success, where tendees have steadily risen form a mere 5 attend-
the money raised turned miles into miracles for Spe- ees to topping out our last at 70! Chris Reardon
cial Olympics. and Ray Sola will now be heading them up again
for this year. They will be monthly starting in July!
If you would like to host, please see them for de-
tails…

34 North Haven Magazine - Summer 2025