Marlborough Rotary Club leads the way in a community service day

On Saturday, September 29, Marlborough Rotary Club’s Service Day was a great success for the community. Seventy-eight participants provided 250 hours of service.

Thirty of the participants worked for 90 hours on our multi-club project, the Boroughs Trail, a hiking trail that winds through Marlborough, Northborough, Westborough, Southborough, and back to Marlborough. Hence, it is called the Boroughs Trail. Working with Boy scouts and students from AMSA, the project calls for clearing the trail of natural and manmade debris and posting directional signs along the trail. With Rotarians Andy Eick and Mark Vital and Marlborough Conservation Officer Priscilla Ryder, Scouts and AMSA students and other members of the family of Rotary cleared much of the path in eastern and western Marlborough. The AMSA school is very much interested in continuing with this project.

Rotarians who participated included President David Morticelli (leadership, coordination), Peggie Thorsen (Photos, publicity), Dave Brower who sold the advertising on the backs of the shirts, Heather Johnson (Kits for Kids), Mark Vital who brought 28 kids from AMSA with him, Emily Greenwood and Darlene Trainer who set up and ran Bingo for seniors in assisted living, Marilyn Perry for preparation, Peggy Sheldon and Elaine McDonald with Doug Palino and Jim Chaffee prepared food at the soup kitchen, June’s Table, Andy Eick who sent six residents from New Horizons assisted living to Bingo at another facility and worked with the AMSA volunteers on the Boroughs Trail, and Fr. Mike McKinnon who provided the Church Hall for the venue. Mark Oram helped at Bingo and organization. In all, fourteen club members participated.

One woman came from the Westboro Rotary Club. Five families of volunteers came from the community. One family split up to different jobs – husband worked on the trail, wife and teen worked on a craft, and when all jobs ended at noon, they could drive back home together.

Partnerships formed within the community included Christopher Heights assisted living where Bingo was a hit, New Horizons for volunteers, Marlborough Conservation Trail Committee, Boy Scouts, and Salvation Army who also linked up with AMSA volunteers.

The Rotary Club had 300 shirts printed for this occasion, which will also be used next spring, when we hope to have another Service Day. The shirts were very well received and sponsored by the businesses of Rotarians.

Salvation Army gave a great talk. Mike Skoog spoke about the explosions in the Merrimack Valley and how people can do hands and feet service to help when such disasters occur.

The day ended with Rotarians cooking and serving dinner to regular Saturday evening diners at June’s Table at Holy Trinity Anglican Church Hall. Peggy Sheldon. Doug Palino, Elaine McDonald, and Jim Chafee prepared salad, chicken pot pie, with chocolate cake for dessert. Among the servers were Club President David Morticelli, his wife Rose, and two offspring. In addition, each diner was sent home with a treat bag that contained an apple, a hard boiled egg, and a protein muffin for their breakfast.

Since 1922, the Rotary Club of Marlborough has supported the youth and charitable organizations of our community and the Rotary Foundation’s efforts to enhance our world.

Join Rotary… Do Good… Feel Great!