Wellington Rotary Has Been Putting ‘Service Above Self’ For More Than 45 Years

By Patrick Sherry

“Service above self” is the motto that members of Rotary clubs around the world diligently follow. The Rotary Club of Wellington is no different. With its community-driven efforts to respond to the needs of the public, its members serve people with compassion and open arms.

The local club was founded in 1980 through sponsorship by the Rotary Club of Belle Glade. For more than four decades, Wellington Rotarians have been creating impactful change through a variety of initiatives. Club members also work closely with the Village of Wellington to support grassroots projects that serve the community.

Current President Maria Fernanda Cruz explained that the Rotary “turns compassion into action.”

“It supports students, helps seniors… and assists families during times that they need it the most. It also matters because we work through strong partnerships,” Cruz added. “That gives us the means to do so.”

The club’s work is extensive, with multiple projects throughout the year that focus on a variety of needs. The club does not center its identity around one major initiative. Instead, club members contribute to multiple projects that align with the shifting needs of the community at any given time.

Cruz said that some of her favorite projects are during the holiday season. Every year, club members prepare Thanksgiving meals for people in need. Each December, the club hosts distribution events for local students through the Back to Basics Angel Program, which gifts children with new sneakers, socks, underwear and a toy.

“The most memorable moments I’ve seen are the immediate impact when we deliver holiday meals and seeing these people being thankful not just for the meal, but for the time that we give them,” she said.

One of the most notable areas that the organization focuses on is education. The Wellington Rotary supports scholarships for high school students. It also sponsors an Interact Club at Wellington High School, which introduces students to Rotary’s community efforts while helping them learn how to serve others.

One of the club’s largest educational initiatives is its Dictionary Project. Since 2005, the Wellington Rotary has been distributing dictionaries to third-grade students across Wellington elementary schools. The project is intended to promote literacy and education by providing students with a valuable reference tool for their studies. Last year, Rotarians reached the milestone of more than 24,000 dictionary donations to students in the village.

Club members are determined to meet any needs and regularly pursue new projects if it means helping the community. For example, during the pandemic, Rotarians volunteered weekly at food distribution sites in Wellington for more than a year. More recently, the organization assisted in clean-up efforts when a large tornado damaged a wide swath of western Wellington.

Nikki Stinson, who will be installed next month as club president for the upcoming year, said that the Rotary’s work is important because there are constant needs in the local area, and the club is here to fill those gaps.

“I’m just very proud that we can be relied upon to meet immediate needs within the community,” Stinson said.

The Rotary Club of Wellington is one of thousands of local Rotary clubs around the world. In 1905, Chicago attorney Paul Harris founded the first Rotary group in Chicago for local community members to form meaningful, lifelong friendships. The group named their club “Rotary” because of the rotational meeting spots where members would gather. Through the years, the club expanded to having clubs across the world, with the collective organization changing its name to Rotary International in 1922.

The organization’s mission was originally based on building local camaraderie among business leaders, but it soon evolved to focus heavily on humanitarian efforts to promote peace and community-focused assistance. Now, Rotary International consists of more than 45,000 clubs and more than 1.2 million members working to create impact locally and internationally.

“Many people don’t realize what Rotary is or what type of organization we are,” said Donald Gross, vice president of the local club. “But then when they see Rotarians at work, they realize that we’re out there in the community, and we’re there as a way to help our neighbors.”

With such a large network, the Wellington club is able to contribute to projects that assist communities abroad. Members have participated in projects in places like Colombia and Kenya to provide assistance to nursing homes, farms for individuals with special needs, orphanages and more. The Wellington club collaborates with other Rotary clubs to match funds that are used to support these initiatives.

All of these efforts are driven by its members, who fully commit themselves to following the organization’s motto of “service above self.” Club members praise the organization for their openness and positive energy that they apply to every project they do.

“It’s the best thing I’ve done,” Gross said. “My wife and I moved to Wellington in 1992, and when you think of what we’ve accomplished since then, so much of it for me has started through joining the Wellington Rotary Club.”

The Rotary Club of Wellington is always happy to welcome new members. Stinson stressed that they are working to change people’s perception of who can join, and is focused on showing that the club is open to anyone who is interested in service and community involvement.

“Giving back can be done now — whatever age you are — not just when you’re retired,” Stinson said. “We just have this infectious energy within our club for giving and for fellowship, and it’s really a fantastic group for all ages.”

Looking ahead, the club will close out its year of activities at its annual installation dinner on June 27. There, they will salute Cruz for her accomplishments and install Stinson as the new president, who will begin the role on July 1, which marks the new fiscal year for Rotary clubs around the world.

As Stinson steps into the role of president, she is looking forward to continuing the club’s dedicated service to the community. “Stepping into the role of president of this esteemed club is an absolute dream,” Stinson said. “I get the honor of leading some of the best and brightest, most dedicated, and selfless individuals within our community. I hope my presidency is inspirational and inviting to those interested in community service and leadership.”

To learn more about the Rotary Club of Wellington, and to find out about upcoming activities, visit www.wellingtonrotary.org. To learn more about membership opportunities, call Don Gross at (561) 723-8461.