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in our community and the world
Mailing Address:  P.O. Box 65, Wayne, PA 19087

For recent club news:

WE GENERALLY MEET at 6:05 p.m. ET on the 2nd & 4th THURSDAYS of the month
at Bateman-Gallagher AMERICAN LEGION POST 668, 401 East Lancaster Avenue, Wayne, PA 19087

Check Club Calendar below for the most up-to-date information

Club Calendar

Home Club of Five District Governors

Club Directors, Officers and Committee Chairs (click to open)

CLUB OFFICERS

President

John Kopcha


President-elect

Chuck Madden

Immediate Past President

Doug Blazey

Secretary

Aaron Tsai

Treasurer

John Douglas

CLUB DIRECTORS

Membership / Youth Services

Julianna Zekan Blazey

Sergeant-at-Arms

Jake Szulinski

Club Chairpersons

Rotary Foundation

Doug Blazey


Abp. Carroll HS Interact

Tom Quintois


Julianna Zekan Blazey

Gundaker Foundation /

Graduate Grants Contact

Theodora Voulgaris

Rotary Club of Wayne Foundation Board

Douglas Blazey (chair and treasurer)

open

John Douglas (2020-21 Club President)

John Kopcha (2022-24 Club President)

open


NEWS

Pictured (left to right):
Rod Tondreau, Doug Blazey, Julianna Blazey, Mark Cunningham-Hill, Mike Piccioni, Cynthia Petty, John Douglas, Kathy Douglas 



Rotarians from the Rotary Clubs of Wayne, Paoli-Malvern-Berwyn, and Bryn Mawr joined forces to cut down, pull up, and haul away invasive plants and weeds from a large area surrounding the Rotary International Paul Harris Monument at Valley Forge National Historic Park as part of Rotarians at Work Day on Saturday, April 30, 2022. 

VFNHP ecologist and IPM Manager Kate Jensen and Ashley Kroon identified invasive plants, tagged native trees and plants with blue ribbons to protect them, and dubbed all participants “Weed Warriors.”  Various Rotary Clubs have cared for the monument, dedicated in 1977, over the years.  Anyone interested in future work around the RI Monument such as creating a butterfly garden, building a bee pollinator garden, planning for a solar powered flag pole (with flag from 1777) and future brush removal should contact Julianna Blazey. 

Special Presentation: "Insurance Options for Managing Personal Risk" was held 4/6/22

Katherine Cole Douglas, Esq., Jake Szulinski, and Linda Pittounicos provided answers to questions about auto insurance, homeowners' and tenant policies, as well as “excess personal liability” and life (both “whole” and “term”), long term care, and disability insurance.  Wayne Rotary President Doug Blazey moderated the panel.

Wayne Rotary renews Thanksgiving commitment to Wayne Senior Center

After many years of serving dinner at Wayne Senior Center's Thanksgiving feast, and a year's absence due to Covid-19, Wayne Rotarians returned to the center on Monday, November 15 to pack delivery meals for the upcoming holiday.  Shown above are Past Club President Jake Szulinski, current Club President Doug Blazey and President-Elect John Kopcha.  Rotarians hope to celebrate with WSC in-person again in 2022!


Wayne Rotary raised over $2,000 in its joint golf outing with

Paoli-Malvern-Berwyn Rotary at Downingtown Country Club on September 30, 2021

Past and present Wayne Rotarians plus family members marched with the club banner in front of Doug Blazey's big red truck at the Radnor Memorial Day Parade on 5/31/21

On Wed., March 10, René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH presented "The History of Vaccines: Before Jenner and After Moderna", on the many different events that have marked the history of vaccines, from events that occurred millennia ago in ancient China to the promising future of genetic technology.  The presentation covered well-known events in vaccine development history as well as lesser known "unsung heroes" of the science and technology behind vaccines. The audience became more aware of the cumulative knowledge of vaccinology, and why vaccine development has accelerated to the point of breaking a 50-year old record on vaccine deployment to bring  us the COVID-19 vaccine.

Dr. Najera is an Associate in the Epidemiology Department at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Adjunct in the Global and Community Health Department at George Mason University, Senior Epidemiologist at the Fairfax County (Virginia) Health Department and Editor of the History of Vaccines project by the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. He attended the University of Texas at El Paso for a baccalaureate degree in medical technology, George Washington University for a master of public health degree, and Johns Hopkins University for a doctorate in public health. In his free time -- which has been limited by the pandemic -- Dr. Najera enjoys swimming, cycling and running, and spending time with his daughter and wife.  

Please click HERE for a Zoom recording link and view Dr. Najera's talk

passcode is .zS77Tvs

Wayne Rotary Past President Jake Szulinski (left) presented a $300 check to Wayne Senior Center Executive Director Katie Mahon (right) to support the center's meal delivery efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, then helped deliver Virtual Thanksgiving meals to homebound seniors on Monday, November 23

Rotarian Julianna Blazey (right) helped Cabrini University Rotaractor Isabella Romani make crocheted bed rolls for the homeless out of plarn (yarn made from plastic bags).  

The college service club, which is sponsored by Wayne Rotary, was named Best Rotaract Club at the District 7450 SASY (Service Above Self) Awards in 2017-18. 

Club President John Douglas welcomed Mark Rudiger of the Westtown-Goshen Rotary Club's Rotarians Against Distracted Driving program to the Wednesday, April 11, 2018 dinner meeting at Margaret Kuo's.

At the club's Annual Holiday Party in December 2016, Past President/District Governor Doug Blazey (right) presented an award to Officer Charles R. Yespelkis, a 35-year veteran of the Radnor Police Department.  During his career, Yespelkis saved three people by CPR and four more by medical treatment, delivered two babies, apprehended two bank robbers, and led the department in DUI arrests and traffic citations for many years with 550 the top number. He’s also helped numerous stranded motorists with flat tires.

Annual Wayne Rotary Projects:

Other Wayne Rotary Projects:

Club History:

2020:  New projects supporting Wayne Food Pantry and 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

2017:  Largest donation of holiday gifts to CASA Youth Advocates, Inc. in past decade

2012:  Donated $3,000 to Radnor Township Police Dept. for Officers' Bicycles

2010:  Stacy Filopoulos, Esq. represented club in Group Study Exchange to Greece

'08-09:  Club was #1 in District in per capita Rotary Foundation giving

'04-05:  Doug Blazey led Group Study Exchange team to Queensland, Australia

1990:  Renewed Radnor HS Scholarship: oldest continuously funded RHS award

1981:  Hosted Pro-Am golf tournament benefiting St. Edmond's Home for Children

1979:  Inaugurated annual 10k Run at Radnor High with Interact Club

1969:  Radnor HS Interact Club sought to create Special Needs center

1964:  Annual "Service Above Self" medal presentation to VFMA cadet

1962:  Held Career Conference for local youth as Vocational Service

1961:  "Sounds of the Big Bands" concert on WRCV Radio at Wayne Theater

1960:  Club named Rotary Foundation Builder with 300% Participation

1959:  Purchased 100 U.S. sidewalk flags for display along Lancaster Avenue

1956:  Sponsored new Rotary Club of King of Prussia, PA

1950:  Hosted 9 English King (Eagle) Scouts at Boy Scout Jamboree

1949:  Sponsored new West Chester Pike [now Newtown Square] Rotary Club

Purchased motorette-scooter for crippled local resident

1947:  Helped fund Radnor Fire Co.'s first ambulance, a Packard

Roster of Past Presidents (click to open)

 2023-24 John W. Kopcha

 2022-23 John W. Kopcha

2021-22 Douglas R. Blazey

2020-21 John Douglas

2019-20 Henry Stewart

2018-19 Jake Szulinski

2017-18 John Douglas

2016-17 Mary Lee

2015-16 Julianna Zekan Blazey

2014-15 Tae Seangpoeam

2013-14 Mary Ann Cusack *

2012-13 Douglas R. Blazey

2011-12 Paul Sloate

2010-11 Al J. Marland *

2009-10 Dale A. Pope

2008-09 Margaret Kuo

2007-08 Mary Ann Cusack *

2006-07 Mary Ann Cusack *

2005-06 Merrill H.J. Roth *

2004-05 Merrill H.J. Roth *

2003-04 Al J. Marland *

2002-03 Douglas R. Blazey

2001-02 Dale A. Pope

2000-01 John Baxter

1999-00 Charles W. Boohar

1998-99 Mary Lee

1997-98 Judith B. Howson

1996-97 Henry Otterson *

1995-96 Phillip Bertoft

1994-95 Col. Donald S. Rowe

1993-94 Dale A. Pope

1992-93 J. Reed Taylor

1991-92 Joseph Fratoni

1990-91 D. Richard Knauff *

1989-90 Al J. Marland *

1988-89 Robert E. Preston

1987-88 Fred H. Pargeon

1986-87 Henry P. Jansen *

1985-86 Benjamin V.M. Wilson *

1984-85 Gordon Ralph

1983-84 Benjamin L. Taylor, Jr.

1982-83 J. James Cancelmo *

1981-82 George H. Leyrer *

1980-81 Luther A. Schwalm *

1979-80 John Quinlan

1978-79 Joseph C. Iacone

1977-78 J. Bruce Hagan *

1976-77 F. Harry Spiess, Jr.

1975-76 Courtney Rockefeller *

1974-75 John A. Tifft *

1973-74 Paul M. Kistler, Jr.

1972-73 Charles R. Meyers, Jr. *

1971-72 Norman L. McMahon

1970-71 James R. Kelley III *

1969-70 Joseph W. Thomas *

1968-69 Mark H. Smythe *

1967-68 John R. Shaw

1966-67 Robert Fraunberger

1965-66 Charles E. Park

1964-65 John Williams

1963-64 Frederic E. Hendler *

1962-63 Russel P. Wood *

1961-62 G. Rodney Park, III *

1960-61 William R. Wood *

1959-60 William H. Self *

1958-59 Thomas O. Lewis *

1957-58 Henry J. Campbell *

1956-57 Benjamin L. Taylor *

1955-56 John Y. Howson *

1954-55 Anthony R. Flores *

1953-54 Frank H. Tagye *

1952-53 Robert W. Thompson *

1951-52 Robert E. Porter *

1950-51 Paul M. Kistler, Sr. *

1949-50 Louis E. Toro, Jr. *

1948-49 C. Walton Hale *

1947-48 Jacob C. Fisher *

1946-47 Elmer J. Matthews *

1945-46 Frank A. Ludden *

1944-45 Charles R. Meyers, Sr.*

1943-44 O. Louis Ehmann *

1942-43 Jason L. Fenimore *

1941-42 John Y. Howson *

1940-41 Joseph M. Fronefield *

1939-40 George R. Park *

1938-39 Charles A. Alexander *

*deceased

Rotary Club of Wayne Scholarship Recipients at Radnor High School  (click to open)

2022: Meghan Moyer (Penn State Univ.)
2021: Min Ji Kim (Univ. of Pennsylvania)
2020: Daniel Campos (Thaddeus Stevens Tech)
2019: Sneha Roy (Univ. of Pittsburgh)
2018: Julianne Reddy (Drexel Univ.)
2017: Jacob Schwack (Univ. of Florida)
2016: Zachary Parrish (West Chester Univ.)
2015: Emilie Grace Horstmann (Univ. of Arizona)
2014: Elizabeth Hilt (Ursinus Coll.)
2013: Natalia Salinas (Yale Univ.)
2012: Shelby Richardson (Loyola Univ.-LA)
2011: Katherine Sydnes (Temple Univ.)
2010: Giselle Blanco (Manhattan Coll.)
2009: Meaghan McGinty (Occidental Coll.)
2008: Elizabeth Hilberts (Denison Coll.)
2007: Kathleen Williamson (St. Louis U.-Spain)
2006: Catherine Stamateris (Boston Coll.)
2005: Julie-anne Savarit-Cosenza (American Univ.)
2004: Caroline Pearsall (Univ. of Pennsylvania)
2003: Daniel Bloom (Penn State Univ.)
2002: Sarah Cryan (Boston Univ.)
2001: Kara Seaton (Bates Coll.)
2000: Patrick Farley
1999: Hannah Go
1998: Christi Bartel
1997: Michael Berry
1996: Dahlia Halicki
1995: Brian Mathews
1994: Rayne Soret-Johnson
1993: Lori Consalvi
1992: Kevin Mathews
1991: Steven Gord (Dartmouth Coll.)
1990: Janine Kramer (Albright Coll.)