This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Rotary Club of Ellicottville. The club was chartered in 1999 with two original members, Greg Cappelli and Dave Blanchard, still active members today. The Rotary Club is dedicated to the local community providing help and assistance to benefit all in Ellicottville. With Rotary’s two affiliates “The Foundation for Youth” and “Family Support for Ellicottville” Rotary drives many local projects and programs.
Rotary Club of Ellicottville Local Projects and Support include:
- Donations to the Ellicottville Food Bank
- Summer intern and educational reading program at the Ellicottville Library
- $50K donation to establish youth center at the Ellicottville Library
- Robotic & Drones for technology education
- PC’s, IPADs and Charging stations for the Library
- EYWIC programs
- iPads for the ECS Pre-K classroom
- Microscopes for ESC
- Dinner for families during the COVID-19 Pandemic with the help of ECS
- Summer Tutoring Program at ECS
- Fully funded summer camp participation at Allegheny State Park
- Teen Slapshot Leadership Training Program.
- ECS and BOCES student scholarships for outstanding graduates
- Support many other ECS programs like ESPRA
- Ellicottville Fire Department Explorer Prog
- Alley Katz village beautification projects
- Annual support for student school supplies
- Annual Kids Halloween Party
- Santa’s Workshop
- Rotary Auditorium at the New Town Center
- Picnic tables at the Village Park
In honor of our 20th anniversary, If you would like to contribute to help fund our local goals and
commitments, you can simply CLICK HERE. You can also like us on Facebook. In this year of special needs, donations would be greatly appreciated.
Rotary has two major fundraisers in support of these efforts: Tuscan Moon, held on the Saturday of the
weekend before Labor Day weekend. This is a favorite “social event” held outdoors at the Holiday Valley
Resort with cuisine from local restaurants and lively entertainment, along with silent and live
auctions. The other is Bob McCarthy’s Irish Christmas, held the first Friday in December and named
after a beloved friend of Rotary who parted this world too early. This is an evening spent with donated
pies in wood crafted pie boxes auctioned in a festive Holiday environment. We are very thankful for the
generosity of our local restaurants, businesses and individuals, without whom it would be impossible to
hold these fundraisers.
Rotary is there when families or students have special needs such as eyeglasses, hearing aids, clothing
or a ride for medical care. Additionally, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners are provided to those in
need. We could not do all of this without our Friends of Rotary who are non-member volunteers who
provide help at various fundraising and other events. We are equally blessed and thankful for the
individuals, businesses and restaurants whose support and contributions provide the necessary fuel to
keep our projects alive.
Considering being a member? Join us most Wednesdays, at 5:30 PM, at the American Legion on 6500
Maples Road.
John Weismantel
Rotary Club of Ellicottville, President
You must be logged in to post a comment.