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Rotaplast International, Inc. is committed to helping children and families worldwide by eliminating the burden of cleft lip and/or palate, burn scarring, and other deformities. Working with local professionals, Rotarians, and other organizations, Rotaplast sends multidisciplinary medical teams to provide free reconstructive surgery, ancillary treatment, and training for the comprehensive care of these children. Rotaplast supports education and research towards prevention of cleft lip and/or palate. Our aim is to help local professionals build sustainable models for the care of these children, improving their lives and those of their families.
Rotaplast will employ the following strategies to reach this goal:
Facilitate medical missions to provide surgical intervention for children who are not able to receive treatment or who are in need of more complicated medical procedures than can be provided by local physicians.
Counsel families about ways of reducing the incidence cleft palate anomalies through diet, vitamin supplementation, and lifestyle changes.
Collaborate with local health professionals on follow-up care and on development of comprehensive cleft palate programs where feasible.
Learn about the incidence and causes of cleft lip and palate anomalies, including both genetic and environmental factors.
Educate local physicians and specialists by urging them to work with our teams to broaden their skills in treating cleft anomalies.
Foster international goodwill and fellowship by working with Rotarians as well as with health officials in host countries.
Program: "ArtLink – Winthrop School Students" -
Six students from the Winthrop School will join us along with Principal Sheila McAdams to show a video-clip presentation sharing their experience with the ArtLink project. We expect a full house to be in attendance so don’t miss out!
What is ArtLink? ArtLink is Creative Connections’ international exchange program designed for 3rd – 12th grade classes.
Students create art pieces that reflect their life and culture, and exchange their work with a partner class in another country. Students then examine and enjoy the art from overseas, gaining new insights into both their own and their partner’s cultures. Finally, students share their insights with one another by posting online thoughtful written responses and photos.
After receiving the art, classes that sign up for the videoconference option (highly recommended!) participate in a live one-hour session in which students share their insights with one another face-to-face in real time. The fully facilitated videoconference is available for an additional fee.
The Rotary of Ipswich donates truckloads of supplies to the Open Door Food Panty.
At the club's meeting last week, Rotarians loaded up two vans from their “25 Days of Giving” initiative in December. Using a reverse Advent Calendar method, club members added one item daily according to a 25 day calendar leading up to the Holidays. Donations ranged from food to clothing to small kitchen appliances.
Seen loading the Open Door van are Open Door Executive Director Julie LaFontaine, President Cushing Titcomb, and Open Door Ipswich Manager Luke Kleindienst.
On Monday September 18th, the Ipswich High School Interact Club sponsored the weekly Dinner Bell at the Masonic Temple. Working with a team of weekly Dinner Bell volunteers and some Ipswich Rotarians, seven high school students served dinner to over one hundred community members. The Interact students had a fantastic time serving and meeting the attendees, and in between refilling coffee cups and clearing dirty dishes. Many interesting stories were exchanged and some new connections were made. 
Cushing Titcomb, center rear, is sworn in as the 96th President of the Ipswich Rotary Club. His one year term began on July 1.
Other Ipswich Rotarians sworn in at the District Installation were District Governor Nominee Joan Arsenault and Assistant Governor Bob Wicks.
Ipswich Rotarian Sumner Richter was recognized by District Governor Dave Gardner for his outstanding contributions to the District’s Syrian refugee relief initiative.
And, Ipswich Rotarian Christina Harris wrapped up her year as District Governor Sheryl Meehan's Aide de Camp. Well done Christina!
Scenes are from the 2017 District Installation in Danvers which appear on the District 7930 Facebook Page.
Bob Wicks, far right, is among the Presidents and AG's sworn in for 2016-17. This will be Bob's 6th year as an Assistant Governor. In this photo, Cushing is directly under the letter "T".
Earlier this month, the Ipswich High School Interact club inducted its Board of Directors for 2017-2018. During the ceremony, the outgoing Board also was honored by the club and several members of the Ipswich Rotary Club.
Ipswich Interact is a Rotary sponsored service club at the High School. The club raises money for community service projects and international humanitarian gifts. Members of the club receive credit towards the High School’s service requirements.
Ipswich Rotary President Lisa Shanko inducts the incoming 2017-18 Board of Directors: Grace Quinn, President; Meghan O’Connor, Vice President; Caroline White, Treasurer; Ava Warren, Co-Secretary; and Mackenzie Greenleaf, Co-Secretary.
The 2016-17 Interact Board are joined by Ipswich Rotary Club Interact Co-Chair Carrie Curley, President Lisa Shanko, and Ipswich and District Youth Officer Keith Harris. To the left of Keith, the outgoing Board members are: Jesse Cullen-Popp, Director; Reed Dolan, Treasurer; Andrew Freemont-Smith, President; Grace Quinn, Secretary; Ellis Roesler, Director.
Happy, healthy children in Lusaka, April 2017.
Healthy Kids/Brighter Future (HK/BF) is a mission based initiative founded by an amazing young leader, Lonnie Hackett. The goal of this Maine native and 2014 Bowdoin graduate is to improve the health and learning of at risk children in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Lusaka, Zambia. The program trains a teacher health corps and makes local schools a point of access to primary healthcare and health information.
In 2015, Ipswich Rotary began partnering with the Rotary Club of Brunswick, Maine to raise funds to support this important health and peace initiative. Under the leadership of Past President Bob Gravino, several clubs from our Rotary District joined Brunswick and Ipswich to raise over $37,000 in 2016 though a Global Matching Grant from Rotary International.
the medical arena as a Speech-Language Pathologist since 1981 and has been the CEO/Managing Partner of MassTex Imaging, LLC since 2006. Joan is one of 20 Speech Pathologists in New England Board Certified in Swallowing & Swallowing Disorders. She sits on the American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders and is a member of the Speech Pathology Associations in MA, ME, NH and the CT Medical Speech Pathology State Association Group. Joan is an Adjunct Professor at MGH Institute of Health Professions and Northeastern University supervising graduate students as well as guest lecturing. Joan received a Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Memphis and Bachelors of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Stockton State College. Joan has continued to conduct research, presentations and written numerous articles on her chosen profession and medical expertise.
Last week Ipswich Rotary and the Ipswich East Rotary Club of Ipswich, UK celebrated a long tradition of biannual exchange visits and friendship. The week long visitation of the Ipswich, UK club to Massachusetts marked the 18th such visit spanning almost 40 years, every two years since 1988.
Among the traditions of Twinning is for the visiting club to make a significant donation to improve lives in the host community. This year, Ipswich East, UK donated a new custom crafted counter with a built-in electronic scale to the Ipswich Open Door food pantry. Active support of the new, expanded food pantry is a major commitment of Ipswich Rotary.
Twinning guests stay with host Rotary families during their visit. Over the years, many lasting friendships have been formed.
In addition to the Open Door gift ceremony, some of the activities this year included a trip to a Red Sox game, a tour of the State Capitol led by Representative Brad Hill and Senator Bruce Tarr, a tour of Boston on a Duck Boat, a clambake, and a tour of Ipswich. The Sox won a well-played game 5-4 and Ipswich East team leader, Mark Murphy, and our own District Governor, Sheryl Meehan appeared on the Jumbo Tron while being honored on the field. Since it also was Rotary Night at Fenway, a large group of District 7930 Rotarians joined them to cheer on the home team.
This weekend, a dozen Ipswich Rotarians pitched in to finish painting the new Open Door Food Pantry in Ipswich. Team leader Dave LeBel and Steve Rogé applied the prime coat on May 18, and a team of Rotarians joined forces to complete the job on June 4. Final trim work will be completed shortly. Participating in this community service project were Rotarians Gerry Beauchamp, Chris Doktor, Bob Gravino, George Gray, Dave LeBel, Julie Nelson, Brian Nelson, Nat Pulsifer, Steve Rogé, Lisa Shanko, Doug Shealy, and Bob Wicks.
With Rotary’s help, the shelves were stocked a few weeks ago and the new food pantry is open for business. The Open Door will serve Ipswich residents on Tuesdays, from 11 am – 5 pm and Thursday 11 am – 7 pm.
From left: LeBel, kneeling, Gravino, Beauchamp, Shanko, Gray, Wicks, Shealy.
From Left: Doktor, Beauchamp, Wicks, Pulsifer, J. Nelson, B. Nelson, and LeBel.
FOR MORE PICTURES, SEE THE PHOTO ALBUM ON THIS PAGE.
