Events

Dan Strollo, Executive Director – In Control Family Foundation - a nonprofit offering the nation's first state certified closed course, hands-on crash prevention training.

www.driveincontrol.org

Dan is a father of four with a background in the auto industry, marketing and construction.  He first learned of In Control back in 2006 and has led the organization for over 15 years, reaching 40,000+ students and saving countless lives in the process.  Today, his goal is to educate you on how dangerous driving has become and offer some tips to keep you and your family safer on our roads.

Andover Rotary Weekly Meeting

Doubletree Hilton Hotel, 7:15 AM Breaakfast Buffet, 7:30, Meeting begins

Speaker: Dan Strollo, Executive Director,  In Control Family Foundation 

Program: How dangerous driving has become, and how to keep safe onmn the roads.

Plus: Food Colection for Neighbors in Need at the Meeting

Please register - its just a click away!  By Wednesday afternoon please! 

<p>Ironstone Farms, Spirit of Giving Gala</p> <p>6&nbsp;PM Fundriaser for Challenge Unllimited Program, representing Rotary</p> <p>16 tickets available, or go to website <a href="http://ironstonefarm.org">https://Ironstonefarm.org</a></p> <p>Contact Jim Greeley for more information&nbsp;</p> <p>greeleyj7@gmail.com</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Andover Rotary Weekly Meeting

Robb Senior Center, Andover`

7:15 AM Breakfast Buffet, 7:30 - 8:45 AM, Meeting 

Speaker:  Mark Comeiro, Director, Andover Veteran's Services 

Want to honor a veteran? Please be sure to register him or her! Veterans from the VFW will attend!

Wnat to help a neitghbor in need to enjoy Thanksgiving? Bring non-perishables that would bless a table to the meeting. 

All food donatons Nov 8,15 and 22 go to Neighbors in Need to Distribute, devlivered by Alex and Diana Kiesel

And bring a  $Ten for Turkleys (for the Charitable Trust) or Venmo @Rotaryandover with the note, "Turkeys". 

Join us this Tuesday, November 12th at 12:30 pm for lunch or 5:30 pm for dinner at the Chateau in Andover.  20% of the total sales (before tax) will benefit the Andover Rotary Charitable Trust.  

If you are unable to join us for lunch or dinner, any purchase on this day from 11:30 am to 9:00 pm (dine-in on your own time, take-out or online orders) will qualify. Mention "FLAG YOUR CHECK" to the server or phone rep or if placing an online order, add the item "Fundraiser" to your cart and "Rotary" under special instructions.  

Invite your friends, co-workers, family members! 

To "sign-up" for either lunch or dinner, CLICK HERE.

NOTE: Your sign-up will reserve a seat for you/your guest(s) at tables in our section and does not include the cost of the meal.

Common Man for Ukraine’s co-founders turned small-town New Hampshire heart into global impact, refusing to stand idly by after the February 2022 invasion. Without a clear path to help Ukraine’s children, the four volunteers reached out and built one. 

Inspired by our Plymouth Rotary Foundation's commitment to Service Above Self, our all-volunteer team efficiently and effectively partners with fellow Rotarians on the ground to deliver impactful relief programs for Ukraine's most vulnerable children.

With every humanitarian trip our co-founders lead, it becomes clear that the needs of Ukraine's children of war keep growing both in scope and complexity.

Starting with an effort to feed the children and heat their safe houses, the toll on their mental health became increasingly clear -- leading to the launch of our trauma counseling initiatives.

Aaron’s Presents is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that offers 1) hands-on, individualized mentoring, 2) materials/services, and 3) logistical help to any child in 8th grade or below who wants to carry out an idea that benefits at least one other person, animal, and/or the environment. We follow the children’s vision as they create and lead a memorable, meaningful, and fun experience by practicing kindness, empathy, and generosity.

In the process, the children discover the value of their ideas and unique qualities and their ability to make the world better exactly as they are at every age and stage. Ours is a new approach to “community service”, because we’re asking kids to start seeing giving not as an occasional obligation but as their larger purpose.

Leah Okimoto started Aaron’s Presents in January 2014 as a way to honor the memory of her son. At other phases of her life, she has composed music for musical theatre, run a legal recruiting firm, tutored and mentored kids, and volunteered at homeless shelters, hospitals, schools and meal kitchens. She graduated from Harvard University in 1998 and currently lives on the campus of Phillips Academy in Andover, MA with her husband and two daughters.

Top Notch Scholars positions inner-city youth for success based on the principles of Intentional Psychology, an approach that’s been effective in helping improve human performance & achievement.

Run for the Troops is seeking volunteers for the Christmas Dinner for Veterans at the Veteran's Outreach Center in Haverhill on Thursday, December 12th.

Help is needed to:

• Set up
• Serve dinner
• Clean up.

If you are available to help in all capacities (from 1:30 to 5:00 pm), please sign up under "All Tasks" in the online signup. If you are only available to help with specific tasks, please sign up under the individual task.  

Questions can be directed by email to Bill Pennington or phone: 978-886-8587.

Thank you for supporting our troops!

Andover's Leadership Academy is an 12 week course designed to enhance townspeople's understanding of Town government operations and for municipal leaders and townspeople to learn from one another through conversation. The program is designed to advance understanding of and participation in civic affairs as well as to increase awareness of the challenges facing municipal government.

You, your family and guests are cordially invited to celebrate the holidays with us on Thursday, December 19th starting at 5:30 pm at the home of Mary Ann Millar in Andover. Appetizers and dinner buffet will be provided.  If you would like to bring a dessert or beverage to share or need Mary Ann's address, please email Diana who will be coordinating incoming fare.

We will also be collecting unwrapped gifts for pre-school children and canned food to benefit the Andover/No. Andover YMCA who generously offers meeting space throughout the year for our Club.  CLICK HERE for the Amazon Wish/Gift List.  Gifts from the wish list can be mailed directly to the YMCA if preferred.

RSVP by signing up online (click blue button under Online Registration to the left) or via the sign-up sheet which is being circulated at the weekly meetings.  If you are signing up for more than one person, please use the appropriate registration category to help ensure adequate food. 

Looking forward to celebrating this joyeous season together!

For the past seven years Andover Rotary has hauled in more money from a day of bell ringing for the Salvation Army than any other group in the Greater Lawrence area.

This year we go for our 8^th year. Our secret? Corny music and bad dancing.

On Friday, December 20, from 9:00 to 5:00, in front of Old Town Hall, come ring with us and drop some bills in the kettle.

The Rotary Club of Andover will go for its eighth consecutive win for the biggest cash haul in the Merrimack Valley for the Lawrence Salvatio Army. The Free Christian Church, once again, will try to topple us but we are the Harlem Globetrotters and they are the Washington Generals. (If you are under 40 you may have to ask a Boomer or Wikipedia.) And the Washington Generals always lose...

...But only if you join in the merrment on Friday, December 20th from 9 am to 5 pm in front of Andover Old Town Hall. Sign up for one or more one hour shifts. Shifts involve serious emoting, like dancing, singing and (if you're Doug Mercurio) begging. Friends and family members are invited!

Coordinator: Mark Spencer (mspencer@wateranalytics.net, 978-884-6958)

Provide help at Lazarus House Food Pantry on Thursday, January 2,  from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM.  We are looking for four volunteers. Enjoy fellowship with the volunteers and residents at Lazarus House while doing good and making a difference in the Rotary way. 

4 Volunteers are needed each month

Meet the Makers - The Heart Behind Pinch Dab Dash: 

Hi there! We’re Andrea and Eric, the founders of Pinch Dab Dash, and we’re thrilled to share our culinary journey with you. Like many of you, we found ourselves juggling busy lives and the familiar question, "What’s for dinner?" That’s when we realized the need for flavorful, easy-to-use solutions in the kitchen.

With Andrea’s extensive knowledge of cooking and her talent for replicating global flavor profiles, we’ve meticulously crafted our gourmet blends to bring the taste of classic worldly cuisine straight to your kitchen. At Pinch Dab Dash, we believe in gourmet made easy — that cooking should be an exciting adventure for everyone, whether you’re just starting out or have years of experience.

Our ready-to-use blends simplify the cooking process, allowing you to whip up delicious meals without the hassle of buying, measuring, and mixing individual spices. Each blend is a testament to our commitment to quality and flavor, designed to inspire your culinary creativity and help you feel confident in the kitchen, knowing that the perfect spice is at your fingertips.

We invite you to join us on this flavorful journey. Ask us questions, share your cooking stories, and let us be your trusted companions in the kitchen. Together, let’s make gourmet cooking simple, fun, and effortlessly delicious!

Essex Capital Partners was founded in 1995, and since its inception, has owned, developed and operated a portfolio of commercial properties in the greater New England region.

ECP’s first solar project was CRL Solar in White River Junction, VT, which entered commercial operations in 2012. Since that time ECP has successfully developed and capitalized 14 MWdc of solar projects in Massachusetts and Vermont.  As a family business and owner-operator, we take a long term view towards equipment and vendor selection, community relationships and sustainability. 

Serve lunch at Lazarus House Soup Kitchen on Januray 16th (the third Thursday of every month) at 11:15 AM to 1:15 PM.  Enjoy fellowship with the volunteers and residents at Lazarus House while doing good and making a difference in the Rotary way. If you are able to join us, please contact Jim Greeley at greeleyj7@gmail.com

The goal of the Haggetts Pond ADA Rail Trail project is to improve the existing trail along the railbed near Haggetts Pond to make it more welcoming and usable to all town residents. The paved trail proposed at the site will be fully accessible, providing opportunities for persons of all abilities to enjoy Haggetts Pond and the serene environment that surrounds it. When completed, the trail will be the first Town-sponsored accessible and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant trail in Andover, making it a cornerstone of accessible recreational opportunity in the community. 

James Moore has more than 30 years in the banking and mortgage arena, but today he will speak with us about his role as President of the Merrimack Valley Toastmasters.  Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that builds confidence and teaches public speaking skills through a worldwide network of clubs that meet online and in person. In a supportive community or corporate environment, members prepare and deliver speeches, respond to impromptu questions, and give and receive constructive feedback. It is through this regular practice that members are empowered to meet personal and professional communication goals. Founded in 1924, the organization is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado with approximately 270,000 members in more than 14,000 clubs in 150 countries. Learn how Toastmasters can help improve your public speaking and build leadership skills!

Andover High School students made a splash on the world stage recently after winning an international physics competition and being invited to a laboratory in Germany.

It all began at the start of the 2023-2024 school year when then-junior Richard Chen approached physics teacher Daniel Donovan with a lofty idea. Chen, a member of the Andover High School Physics Club, wanted to enter a group into Beamline for Schools, a challenging particle physics competition.

Last May, the team received news that it was one of the competition’s three winners and earned the team a trip to Hamburg, Germany to test their experiment.

Only the third team from the United States to win this competition, the team is bound for Germany in September 2024, excited for a unique two-week long learning experience that will serve Andover students in years to come.

Transmural Systems is a Clinical Stage Medical Device Company with a Platform of Innovative Transcatheter Electrosurgery and Heart Failure Therapies headquartered in Dundee Park in Andover.  

Kimberly Lannon is an Addiction Medicine Physician in BEDFORD, MA. Kimberly evaluates patients using many different procedures, in order to determine what treatments must be carried out in order to properly assess their symptoms. Addiction Medicine Physicians provide medical care in addition to consultation for each patient and their families.

Since 1809, the Andover Bookstore has been located on Main Street, in the heart of historic Andover, MA. We take pride in being the country’s oldest continuously operating independent bookstore, in the value we add to our local community, and in our part in the fight to save small, local independent bookstores across the country from the faceless, ruthless online corporate behemoth that threatens all of our Main Streets.

Recently 60 Minutes reported on fentanyl, the deadly synthetic opioid that has created the worst drug crisis the United States has ever faced.

Last year, more than 70,000 Americans died from a fentanyl overdose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's a higher death toll than U.S. military casualties in the wars in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan combined. 

Drug cartels in Mexico have flooded the United States with fentanyl, often hiding it in counterfeit pills designed to look like authentic prescription pills, including OxyContin, Percocet, Xanax, and Adderall. And fentanyl is also showing up as an additive in street drugs, like cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. This has led to an increased risk of accidental overdoses, cases where someone has unwittingly ingested fentanyl without knowing it was present.

This week, as part of our ongoing Andover Cares efforts, Paul Salafia will present on this harrowing topic.