ROTONDA — The Rotary Club of Rotonda went out with a bang this week, ending its 26-year run on a nostalgic note — and boosting several worthy local nonprofit organizations by disbursing more than $100,000 in donations.
Originally founded in 1998 as the Placida Rotary, the club held its meetings at old The Fishery Restaurant. That same year, the club members took over the organization of the annual Placida Seafood Restaurant and Nautical Flea Market.
Running the popular festival was hard work for the club members, but the funds it raised allowed the club to help local nonprofits with financial donations. Several organizations around town were invited to participate in those festivals helping out by parking cars, setting up information displays or greeting people at the entrance.
But in 2018, the old Fishery property became a demolition site and the festival never found another permanent home.
The club kept going, eventually retooling as the Rotonda Rotary. They continued to support the community with food drives for food banks, and their yearly projects like providing dictionaries to all of the students at Vineland Elementary. The started a popular Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament, and last October kicked off the successful Burger Fest in Paradise.
This year, though, with membership declining, the remaining members decided to dissolve the club. Some of its members have arranged to join some of the other four Englewood-area Rotary Clubs.
Officially, June 30, the end of the Rotary year, was the last day for the Rotonda Rotary.
However, Thursday night, the club members gathered one last time for a banquet at The Hills Country Club in Rotonda West for one last act of community service.
“This is a wonderful community,” said the club’s final president, Charlie Smith. He said he learned what a caring community Englewood is, especially after Hurricane Ian struck in 2022. “We are all her to help each other,” he said.
Members Bobby Miller and Brian Faro shared stories of the club’s accomplishments over the years.
Club member Linda Stevens presented Smith with his official Rotary President’s jacket and keepsake gavel.
The club recognized longtime member Mike Holland with the “Top Banana Award” for disbursing countless bananas to people in the community over the years.
They distributed special contributions in the names of members Lou Long and Ann Dever, who were both instrumental in founding grassroots organizations in the community, the Englewood Area Cancer Foundation and Kids Needs of Greater Englewood, respectively.
The highlight of the night was the distribution of the clubs’ remaining funds, totaling just over $100,000, to local community nonprofits, chosen by the club’s membership.
The list of recipients reads like a who’s who of community service:
Dollars for MammogramsF.I.S.H. of EnglewoodMeals on Wheels of EnglewoodThe Lemon Bay Wrestling ClubThe Lemon Bay Athletic FoundationLemon Bay Community Academic PartnersThe Englewood Alano ClubThe Homeless Coalition of Charlotte CountyEmpower PacksThe Englewood Area Cancer FoundationKids Needs of Greater EnglewoodThe YMCA of Southwest Florida-YMCA Paradise AthleticsEPIC Community Resource CenterThe Virginia B. Andes Community Care ClinicGator Wilderness CenterLeadership Englewood 2024Boy Scout Troop 776Spread Spencer’s SparkleThe Literacy Center for Dyslexia
Also receiving a contribution was the Rotary Club of Englewood Sunset Impact Inc.
Gifting the funds to the other club will ensure the continuation of the Rotonda Rotary’s Burger Fest fundraising event, Smith said.
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