York Rotary Club – Meeting Recap
Friday, November 21, 2025
In This Recap:
~ Kindness Dollars shared
~ Month of November, Foundation Month
~ Student of the Month
~ Club Votes
President Darcy opened our meeting with a reflection on the Rotary Four-Way Test… plus our club’s unofficial additions: “Is it fun?” and “Is it kind?” A perfect mindset for a full and heartfelt meeting.
Kindness Dollars & Gratitude’s
Members shared updates and joys:
- Frank celebrated a work milestone—there were 62 weddings at the Cliff House this year, with 75 already booked for next year.
- Brad enjoyed four days in the Catskills, NY.
- Heather shared wonderful family news: her mother recently met Tony Knox and received some positive health news, and her son is now home from college.
- Gail offered a happy/sad tribute to Dick Santoro.
- Marilyn continued last week’s generosity by honoring Marti, who has been providing wonderful care and support to Dick during his long illness.
- She also shared that three barrels are being packed for Jamaica, filled with essentials like tarps and toothbrushes.
- In addition, she mentioned that her grandson Miles had a great night at a Maroon 5 concert last night.
- Darcy expressed deep gratitude for the club’s support during her first six months as president.
Rotary Foundation Month
Darcy highlighted the November issue of the Rotarian and reminded members that this month is dedicated to the Rotary Foundation. With assistance of the overhead screen, she walked the club through how simple it is to donate online—and even made a $100 donation live as a demonstration.
Student of the Month
Our November Student of the Month, Paisley, arrived with her family and her little brother.
- She is a 6th grader on the Leopard Team at York Middle School.
- Her favorite things at school are lunch and science.
- She hopes to become an actress and is known for her kindness—always noticing when someone needs help.
- Paisley selected Boston Children’s Hospital to receive her $100 donation, as she was a patient there earlier this year and wants to help other kids.
A beautiful choice, and a wonderful student to celebrate.
Honoring Dick Santoro
Dick’s services will be held tomorrow. Darcy mentioned that based on a suggestion by Doug Gray, moving forward, our Student of the Month program will be renamed the “Dick Santoro Student of the Month” in his honor.
Club Votes
The club reviewed and voted on the following items:
- Wreaths Across America
- The Board approved the purchase of 25 wreaths. This donation is under the $500 threshold, and did not require a club membership vote.
- White Pines Lean-To Shelter
- Using approximately $5,000 remaining from Jud’s budget last year (originally earmarked for a major project), the club voted to donate up to $3,000 toward a new lean-to-style shelter for the White Pines Program to be used for both youth programs and the Center for Active Living programs. This shelter will be erected on the Zacharias Farm Property.
- Volunteers will be needed to help build the shelter in the coming weeks.
- Motion by Jud, second by Russ — unanimously approved.
- York Community Sleep Out / YCSA Heating Assistance
- Motion by Jud, second by Tim to donate $1,000 to YCSA Community Sleep Out fundraising event where proceeds will be used for local heating assistance - unanimously approved.
Foundation Update
Larry proudly announced he has mastered printing Foundation reports! He provided paper forms for anyone who prefers not to donate online and shared Foundation insights, including:
- $25 qualifies you as Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY)
- $100 makes you a Paul Harris Fellow Member
- Since 1917, the Rotary Foundation has supported over $4 billion in global projects
- Giving to the Annual Fund helps bring money back into our district and clubs
Spread the Joy
Susan shared the menu for the holiday service projects and welcomed two guests:
- Stan Hultin, visiting from the Sanford–Springvale Rotary Club
- Pam Gray, our Assistant District Governor
Gather Food Collection continues until December 1. Drop-off sites include Darcy’s office, Susan’s home, and the Chamber of Commerce.
Membership
A new member, Stan Smith, has applied to become a member of the club and will be inducted on December 5, 2025.
Upcoming Events
- District Holiday Gathering & Service Project
- December 7, 12–3 PM in Freeport, Maine.
- Gail suggested reaching out to area Interact Clubs to see if they’d like to participate in this service project.
Club Operating Costs
Susan presented a clear breakdown of club expenses:
- Current quarterly dues: $100
- If we continue to operate the same way as we are currently operating, our proposed dues starting January 1 will be: $143
- Main increase: Meeting space & food costs
- We pay for 20 breakfasts per meeting at the Center for Active Living
- Annual cost per member: $571
Discussion ensued.
Ideas raised:
- Many members do not eat breakfast; explore alternatives
- Changing to 3 in-person meetings + 1 Zoom each month could reduce costs
Club members will receive a survey over the Holiday break, and after those results are tallied, the club will make decisions on what the new quarterly dues costs will be, and what meetings will look like for 2026.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to such a meaningful meeting. Our club continues to thrive because of your energy, kindness, and commitment to service. If you’re reading this and would like to learn more or join us at a future meeting, we’d be delighted to welcome you—there’s always a seat at our table.