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Central Ocean Rotary

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Tuesdays at 12:15 p.m.

Olive Garden

1277 Hooper Ave
Toms River, NJ 08753
United States of America

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Toy Drive

Tis the Season of Giving!

Our Central Ocean Rotary Club is proud to spread holiday cheer in our community! Members Jill Rand and Michelle Williams delivered toys collected by our club to St. Luke’s in Toms River. The joy and gratitude from St. Luke’s were heartwarming, and we couldn’t be prouder to support such a wonderful cause.

Thank you to all our members for their generous contributions. Together, we’re making the season a little brighter for children in our community.

#RotaryInAction #SeasonOfGiving

50/50 Raffle Winners

Congratulations to Our 50/50 Raffle Winners!

We are thrilled to announce the winners of our 50/50 raffle:

1st Place: $3,479 - Ticket #2388, sold to Ron Kinion

2nd Place: $994 - Ticket #2312, sold to Dawn Girtain

3rd Place: $497 - Ticket #2098, sold to Jen McPherson

A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who purchased tickets and supported our raffle. Your contributions make a big difference in our community.

We also want to express our sincere gratitude to Insectropolis for graciously providing the location for us to hold the raffle. Your constant support is always appreciated!

A special shout-out to our amazing members for their hard work and dedication in making this raffle a success. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Congratulations again to our winners!

District 7505 Governor Steven Neuner

This past Tuesday, we had the pleasure of welcoming Rotary District 7505 Governor for the 2024-2025 Rotary Year, Steven Neuner, as well as former Assistant District Governor Stacey Cofka! District Governor Neuner shared updates on the exciting new initiatives the district is undertaking this year to make an even greater impact in our communities. He also presented our President, Laurie Singer, with this year’s Rotary theme banner, "The Magic of Rotary"

. We’re inspired and ready to make this year magical together!

He also talked to us about the new podcast series "Behind the Wheel". If you want to learn more about Rotary and what we do check out these interviews: https://district7505.org/.../behind-the-wheel-video...

#TheMagicOfRotary

50/50 Raffle is back

Our annual 50/50 raffle is back!

Tickets are just $20, and the funds raised will support our scholarship program and numerous local non-profit organizations.

This year, we proudly awarded $13,500 in scholarships to college-bound students and contributed over $12,000 to other charitable programs in our community.

If interested please message us, we accept credit cards!!!!

Joanne Ventura - Rotary Foundation

Last week, we had the privilege of hearing from Joanne Ventura, who delivered an inspiring presentation on the Rotary International Foundation. Joanne explained how our financial contributions are carefully invested and how a portion of these funds returns to our district, providing opportunities to apply for district grants that directly support our local initiatives and the broader Rotary Causes. From promoting peace and fighting disease to providing clean water and supporting education, our donations make a real impact.

To learn more visit: https://www.rotary.org/en/about-rotary/rotary-foundation

Blood Drive Success

Yesterday, the three Rotary Clubs of Toms River (Toms River Sunrise Rotary Club, Rotary of Toms River, Central Ocean Rotary Club of Toms River) came together once again for our annual Red Cross blood drive, and it was a tremendous success!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to donate blood and help save lives. Your generosity and support make a real difference in our community, and we couldn't do it without you. Together, we are helping to ensure a strong and steady blood supply for those in need.

See you next time!

Chris Koerner - 3rd Paul Harris Fellow

Last week, we had the privilege of honoring Chris Koerner with his third Paul Harris Fellow award. For 25 years, Chris has been more than just a dedicated member—he’s been the heart and soul of our club. Whether we’ve needed guidance, a helping hand, or a place to gather (Insectropolis), Chris has always been there, ready to support us with his wisdom and generosity. His commitment has touched us all, and we’re so fortunate to have him as part of our Rotary family.

HABcore, Inc

This past Tuesday, we had the honor of hosting Marta Quinn, Director of Events and Engagement at HABcore, Inc., and a fellow Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Asbury Park. Marta delivered a passionate presentation about HABcore’s incredible mission—to provide permanent, supportive, and affordable housing to veterans, families, and individuals with special needs who are experiencing homelessness in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Currently, HABcore offers a safe home to nearly 400 people, transforming lives one home at a time!

To learn more about their amazing work, visit their website: habcore.org.

Contact of Ocean and Monmouth Counties

Kim Santora from Contact of Ocean & Monmouth Counties was our guest speaker recently. She shared the history of Contact, and the positive impact they have on the community. We are proud to support such a great organization. Thank you Contact!

Ocean County College Foundation

On Tuesday, we had the honor of welcoming Ken Malagiere from the Ocean County College Foundation, who shared with us the inspiring work of the Foundation. Originally founded to uplift students at Ocean County College, the Foundation has blossomed into a vital partner with business, industry, education, and government leaders. Together, they passionately dedicate themselves to ensuring quality, affordable education and empowering students for their future roles in our community.

We are truly proud to contribute to this incredible cause with a donation that will fund two scholarships—one for the fall and one for the spring semester. We’re thrilled to be part of this meaningful mission!

To learn more about upcoming Foundation events visit their website: https://www.ocean.edu/.../college.../special-events/

Back-to-School Supply Drive Drop Off

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you

to everyone who contributed to our recent school supplies drive! Thanks to your generous donations, we were able to drop off supplies to East Dover Elementary School and Crawford-Rodriguez Elementary School, and they were incredibly grateful. A special shout-out goes to our wonderful members, Jill and Michele, for personally delivering the supplies. Your support is making a real difference in our community—thank you!

JBJ Soul Kitchen

We’d like to thank Joanne Gwin from JBJ Soul Kitchen Toms River for coming to our meeting and sharing what a wonderful service they provide for the community

over 75% of the meals they serve are for those with food insecurities. The JBJ Soul Kitchen is open for dinner and lunch (check their page for hours) and their “pay it forward” program helps sustain their mission.

Wrangle Brook Community Garden

We’d like to thank the folks at Wrangle Brook Community Garden for their wonderful work in creating and sustaining a beautiful community garden.

They donate hundreds of pounds of fresh produce to the local food pantries.

They have a growing bee hive too!

Look out for a festival they’re hosting in October!

Soap Donations to Each Stitch Counts

The heat won’t stand in our way when it comes to supporting those who uplift our community! Our club gathered an incredible amount of dish soap for Each Stitch Counts. This wonderful 501 (c) 3 non-profit provides dish soap along with handmade dishcloths and laundry detergent to local food pantries in Ocean and Monmouth Counties. To learn more on this organization visit: https://www.eachstitchcounts.org/

A heartfelt thank you to members Jill Rand and Michelle Williams for braving the sweltering heat yesterday to deliver these much-needed supplies!

Home Sharing Inc

At our last meeting, we were thrilled to welcome Joseph Lewis from HomeSharing, Inc.. Hearing him share insights about the impactful work this organization does was fascinating. Home Sharing, Inc. serves as a meaningful affordable housing alternative, expertly matching homeowners with individuals in need of affordable housing within our community. Their comprehensive intake and matching process is designed with care to ensure that both parties achieve the best possible outcome.

If you want to learn more about this organization, visit their website: https://homesharing.org/

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Donations

Your support can make a real difference! Help us continue our mission, every contribution, no matter the size, brings us one step closer to making a lasting impact.