Rotary clubs have provided American small towns, suburban communities, and big cities with community service for more than a century and have a significant history of impactful community-based projects internationally.
Rotary is now offering an opportunity for Yardley residents, professionals, and business owners to join this exceptional volunteer service organization that abides by the Rotarian motto of “Service Above Self” and its mission of “Doing Good in the World.”
“We do community reviews, and we found that Yardley is a highly populated area with a lot of small businesses. That’s who we tend to have as members,” explained Katie Farrell, District Governor for Rotary District 7430 that serves Bucks, Montgomery, Lehigh, Northampton and Berks counties in southeastern Pennsylvania. Katie oversees 42 clubs and 1,700 members in those counties. According to Rotary International, there are more 45,000 clubs and 1.2 million members worldwide.
“Our members are small business owners and people that are really engaged in the community and have a real stake in their community. They not only work there and live there, but they do good things in their community and want to improve their community. That’s what rotary is all about,” said Katie.
Rotary is not new to the Yardley area. Katie noted that the Morrisville-Yardley Rotary Club was chartered in 1928 through 2024. The club dissolved after membership declined mostly from “aging out” but this brought new opportunity to re-energize a Yardley-based club and recruit a new generation of members.
Katie met with several business association groups about forming another club and the Rotary District 7430 recently hosted two socials in mid-February and early March at the Vault Brewing Company in Yardley Borough, for anyone interested in learning more about Rotary. “We advertised in local free press, websites, and meet-up social media sites, encouraging anyone interested in getting involved in an impactful community service organization in your local community to come and join us. We invite people to learn about Rotary, what it is, and how you can participate in your own backyard.”
At the recent events, attendees learned more about Rotary, including the organization’s seven areas of focus: Peace Building and Conflict Resolution; Disease Prevention and Treatment; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene; Maternal and Child Health; Basic Education and Literacy; Community and Economic Development; and Protecting the Environment.
“We do projects that are related to these seven areas. We can fuel your passion with like-minded people,” noted Katie, who is a member of the Rotary Club in Warminster. Her club has sponsored projects such as tree plantings at a senior center, creating a “Safety Town” at a local park for kids to ride their bikes and learn about signs they may see on the streets in their neighborhoods, and making home modifications for several families with children with special needs to enhance their quality of life.
At the March social at the Vault in Yardley, several attendees discussed what brought them to the event to learn more about establishing a Yardley Rotary club.
Andy Raffle of Lower Makefield who works in the mortgage business, said he had never been a Rotary member, but he was looking for a service organization to join. “I’m interested in a little bit of everything that Rotary offers, but my interest will be determined on what our local needs are,” he said.
Renae Kulak of Lower Makefield, who works for a local credit union said, “I’m a firm believer in giving back to the community. I like doing things for service and helping in the community.”
Tracy Perron of Falls Township is a nurse and is new to the area. She moved to Bucks County from New Jersey during the pandemic. “I saw this advertised, and I like what they stand for.” She said her areas of interest are disease prevention and maternal-child health given her professional background.
Ritu Trivedi of Yardley works in banking and was looking for something apart from work and family that’s uplifting in the community. “I help people all the time in banking and finance, and I want to help more in the community. Every individual has the potential to help,” she said.
Lisa Caruso of Ewing, New Jersey is an occupational therapist. “I’m new to this and trying to find out what Rotary is about,” she said, noting that wellness and environmental causes interest her the most.
“The beauty of Rotary is that it’s a volunteer service organization, and we do ask members to contribute to our fundraisers, but we also have a foundation through the international organization. The Rotary Foundation offers grants that support a wide variety of projects, scholarships and training undertaken by Rotary members around the world. These grants enable clubs to address needs in their communities and abroad. The Rotary Foundation is highly ranked by Charity Navigator,” Katie noted.
Anyone age 18 or older is eligible to join Rotary. For more information about joining the Yardley Rotary, email Katie Farrell, Rotary District Governor D7430, at kmfarrell@comcast.net or call Katie at 215-519-4433. To learn more about Rotary clubs in southeastern Pennsylvania, visit rotarydistrict7430.org. To learn more about Rotary clubs nationwide or internationally, visit rotary.org.
