The island in the middle of the rotary connecting Common and Orchard street is filled with all kinds of greenery for the public to admire. On July 20, the Rotary Club of Watertown spent their day gardening the rotary so the city can add some colorful plants to it in the near future.
The weeding and cleaning of the island through the City of Watertown’s Adopt-an-Island program is one the many events Watertown’s Rotary Club holds each year.
The Rotary Club adopted the island to help keep up with the appearance and cleanliness of the area that hundreds of motorists pass by each day.
“We adopted this island two years ago, so we helped maintain it and right now we’re pulling out a bunch of extra brush … (Adopt an Island) a sponsorship opportunity with the City, so we made a donation,” said president of the Rotary Club, Kim Severino.
The Club is always looking for ways to help the community of Watertown.
“What we do in the community is we try to do anything that makes a difference,” said Severino.
One of their upcoming events for the fall is their Senior Cookout which will be held on Oct. 1, 2023. The Rotary expects to welcome around 200 senior citizens to the Sons of Italy that day
where there will be food and entertainment.
“I found a place called Mass Motion in Brighton and I contacted them. I’m in touch with them and they’re going to come and do a performance,” said Rotary Club member for over 20 years Debbie Boyajian. “We’ll have hot dogs and hamburgers and all kinds of goodies for food and pizza, soda coffee desserts, for the seniors all free … We’re going to try to get goodie bags.”
The Senior Cookout has been held for 28 years. The event was paused from 2020 to 2022 due to the pandemic.
“We didn’t have it, so we lost three years … So it’s being resurrected and most of things were getting donated,” said Boyajian.
The Rotary Club has other plans in the works for the end of the year to the beginning of 2024.
“The other big thing we have coming up is we’ll do a holiday mixer and Toy Drive, which we had our first last year. It was very successful,” said Severino. “We’re looking to grow that this year. We’re partnering with the Watertown Business Coalition and we’re doing it together — date to be announced.”
They also plan to bring back another community favorite in Watertown.
“Looking ahead to 2024, we’ll be bringing back Dancing with the Stars which is a legacy event of the Rotary, and that will be happening,” said Severino.
To participate in the Rotary Club’s events people can go to their weekly Tuesday noon lunches at Donohue’s Bar & Grill, 87 Bigelow Ave., or contact Kim Severino at watertownrotaryclub@gmail.com.
Rotary is an International organization helping their local communities with good deeds. The Watertown Club is a good one.
Thank you Allen we miss you
Rotary Club is the best WORLDWIDE Civic Organization on the planet ! I should become a member !