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Welcome to Marblehead Rotary

Left: President 2026-27 Aviv Hod

Rotary is a global network of 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.

What we do
Rotary members believe that we have a shared responsibility to take action on our world’s most persistent issues. Our 35,000+ clubs work together to:

Scan to Register

Posted by Alexander Falk on Sep 17, 2026

Gather Your Crew! Registration is Officially Open for the Rotary 5K!
Whether you plan to run, jog, or enjoy a brisk fall walk, November 1st is all about coming together for our community, and it’s always more fun with a squad!

Why We Run & Walk
Every step you take and every registration directly supports local youth education programs. When you run, our whole community moves forward!

Who will you bring to the starting line?

- Families & Neighborhoods: Bring all generations—from strollers to grandparents! Rally your street for a healthy autumn morning out together.
- Students & Interact Clubs: Round up your classmates, high school friends, and youth groups. Show your school spirit and walk or run together!
- Friends & Coworkers: Step away from the daily routine, catch up in the crisp fall air, and share a fun morning outdoors.

Date: Sunday, November 1, 2026
How to Join: Scan to Register! Click here to learn more about the run: https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/Marblehead/MarbleheadRotary5K

A necessary foundation for resilience

Posted by Alexander Falk on Sep 11, 2026

We were pleased to welcome a wonderful group of educational leaders and advocates to our recent luncheon: Superintendent John Robidoux, Assistant Superintendent Julia Ferreira, School Committee Chair Kate Schmeckpeper, and mindfulness practitioner Jean Skaane. They shared an inspiring look at an elementary school program helping our youngest students build foundational skills in attention, emotional awareness, and self-regulation—a necessary foundation for the resilience we hope every student can develop.

Hearing directly from school leadership helps us figure out where our club’s support can do the most good. We love rolling up our sleeves to help out in the classrooms ourselves, and the funds we’re raising through our upcoming 5K run are meant to help scale this program so it can reach even more kids who could use it.

Pictured from left to right: Rotarian Jack Attridge, President Aviv Hod, Jean Skaane, Kate Schmeckpeper, John Robidoux, Rotarian Nancy Gwin, and Julia Ferreira.

It's a family affair

Posted by Rosie Segil on Sep 10, 2026

Behind every Rotarian is a whole team of cheerleaders at home—buying tickets, volunteering, spreading the word, and showing up for community projects. It’s a family affair! Our recent luncheon was a wonderful reminder of this dynamic:

- Jeannette A. welcomed her granddaughter Lilia, visiting all the way from Atlanta for her third Rotary lunch!

- Emily S. brought her son August. Emily, who is planning to join our club, credits her earlier Rotary Fellowship in Brussels with opening up her world—and now she’s sharing that spirit with the next generation.

- And, of course, the effervescent Millie, granddaughter of Nancy Gwin! Millie doesn’t just attend—she rolls up her sleeves and works hard as a true volunteer at our events, earning her the honorary title of Junior Rotarian.

When we bring our loved ones along, community service becomes second nature!

Obituary Curt Havens III

Posted by Rosie Segil on Sep 07, 2026

We honor the life and service of Marblehead Rotarian Curt Havens III: entrepreneur, author, and co-owner of The Beacon. Curt’s fellowship, spirit, and contributions left a lasting impact on our club and town. With deepest sympathies to his family and friends.
Read the full Obituary on the Marblehead Current…

Save the Date for the 5K!

Posted by Rosie Segil on Sep 02, 2026

Save the Date: Sunday, November 1st!

The Marblehead Rotary 5K is back for its 4th year! Every autumn, our community comes together—bringing local schools, businesses, civic groups, and neighbors side by side for a common goal. This year, we are once again running to support the emotional and mental well-being of our youth, a mission that touches every corner of Marblehead.

Pictured here are our 5K chairs, Nancy Gwin and Peter Speziale, kicking off the season of community togetherness!

Mark your calendars for November 1st, tag your running buddies below, and stay tuned for registration details coming soon!

Rotary Flag Exchange with a Twist of History

Posted by Rosie Segil on Aug 25, 2026

A Rotary Flag Exchange with a Twist of History

A fun tradition gaining momentum with our newer members is collecting and exchanging Rotary club flags during their travels.

More than just a souvenir, exchanging banner flags is a tangible reminder of Rotary’s global network—a shared commitment to service across more than 45,000 clubs worldwide. No matter where you travel, you’re never more than a degree or two away from a friend.

Case in point: our new member Anne Stevenson recently visited the Rotary Club of Boston St. Botolph in Lincolnshire, England! Pictured here is the club President Kathleen Bryant (left) exchanging flags with Anne. The connection runs deep: most of the Puritans who founded Boston, Massachusetts, hailed from Boston, Lincolnshire, and attended St. Botolph’s Church. Among them was Anne’s 10th great-grandfather, Rev. John Cotton, who served as Vicar there before emigrating to New England.

Of course, exchanging flags across the Atlantic came with a little historical irony—handing over our local club flag depicting American revolutionaries to our British counterparts was quite the moment!

Helping With Food Insecurity

Posted by Rosie Segil on Aug 13, 2026

Every August, Marblehead Rotary mobilizes for a great cause—and we’re getting to work!

Food insecurity is a hidden crisis even in our own backyard. Between high living costs and the summer pause on school meal programs, local families are struggling—and our Food Pantry is feeling the strain. Hunger knows no zip code, and it never takes a vacation.

That’s why Marblehead Rotarians are leading the charge with our August Food Pantry Drive, raising funds, shopping, and stocking shelves with the essential food and household supplies our neighbors need most.

How You Can Help

Make a Monetary Donation—the easiest way to support!

The Food Pantry’s list of high-need items is long and very specific. If you’re short on time, please consider making a monetary donation instead. Your contribution allows our volunteers to purchase exactly what the Pantry needs most—and every dollar makes a difference.

Donate or view current needs: https://marbleheadfoodpantry.org/#donations

Together, we can make sure no family in our community goes without. Thank you for standing with our neighbors!

Major August Heat?

Posted by Rosie Segil on Aug 10, 2026

Major August heat? We’re keeping cool with a great Rotary lunch!

We had a fantastic turnout last week, where we:

Inducted John Godfrey, our newest member, who has come full circle back to Rotary. When asked why he decided to rejoin, John shared that he wanted to dedicate his time to Rotary because “it is a force for good.”

Connected with sister club: Swapped inspiring ideas with Harbor Rotary President Marguerite Frank-Peper.

Shared insights into what makes Robert Zazzara's home club thrive, highlighting their creative new programs to attract new members and ways for driving community impact. Roberto's from the 50-member-strong Rotary Club of Korneuburg, Austria (located just along the Danube River, northwest of Vienna!).

Pictured (L to R): President Aviv, Marguerite Frank-Peper, John Godfrey, and Robert Zazzara.

Lobster Raffle Wrap

Posted by Rosie Segil on Aug 03, 2026

And that’s a wrap on another incredible summer fundraiser!

Drawing the winners of our Annual Lobster Raffle—where four lucky winners each take home a 20-lb share of fresh local lobsters—is always a highlight of the season for our club. It’s the ultimate victory lap celebrating weeks of hard work, community support, and local spirit.

We were thrilled to celebrate with our lucky winners, including Mike V. and Cameron B. (pictured here with his wife!), along with our crew over a luncheon at our club.

An event like this doesn’t happen without a powerhouse behind the scenes. Swipe through to see our amazing Lobster Raffle Chair, Iana Plum, receiving her well-deserved “Rotary Oscar” for leading this year’s effort to victory.

Every ticket purchased goes directly back into funding our local community initiatives, scholarships, and camperships. Thank you to everyone who bought a ticket, spread the word, and supported our mission this summer!

See our Facebook post for more photos…

Join us for our weekly lunches

Posted by Rosie Segil on Jul 17, 2026

This picture captures exactly what makes our weekly lunches so special. Between the picturesque harbor view at the Boston Yacht Club and the great local speakers who teach us something new every week, it’s just a wonderful place to connect. We love seeing new faces join us—from the next generation starting out to long-time local business folks who care about what’s happening right here in town.

From right to left, we have:

- Andrea Lacroix (our District Environmental and RLI Chair), who gave us a fantastic, eye-opening talk on how we can all start “living beyond plastics.”

- Aviv, our Rotary Club President.

- Ava Pessadente, a recent engineering grad who is jumping right in to make a difference early in her career.

- Alfred Wilson, the familiar face behind our favorite morning spot, The Muffin Shop!

The Marblehead Rotary meets every Thursday at noon at the BYC. If you’re curious about what we do or just want to connect with some great neighbors, we’d love to have you drop by!