Stories

Cooking to Grow Program at the CRC

Cooking is an essential life skill that offers a wide range of benefits for teenagers. By learning to cook, teens can develop independence, improve nutrition and health, enhance creativity and confidence, and develop essential life skills.

The Larchmont Rotary Club’s project committee developed a seven-week pilot culinary arts program for low-income children, ages 10-14, who attend the Community Resource Center (CCR) in Mamaroneck. Rotarians Mitch Weisburgh, Marion Anderson and Alex Vo helped organize and run the Wednesday evening classes from mid-March thru early May. Club members who also volunteered their time were: Lester Nathan, Marian White, Michael Gedigk and Ben Williams.

Rafina Ibragamova Explains Her Parenting Philosophy

Rafina Ibragimova, a Larchmont Rotarian and published author, gave a presentation at our April 24^th meeting based on her book, Roar Like a Mama: Embrace Your Instincts to Raise Thriving Kids. It’s a guide for raising thriving kids which advises parents to trust their inner voices. It shows how to tune out the noise and embrace parents’ natural parenting instincts, just like animal mothers do.

Rafina remarked that “humans are the only animals who don’t trust their own instincts.” Her recommendation, when it comes to parenting kids, is for a parent to do “what feels right.” As a mother of a young daughter, Rafina was faced with advice from outside sources which did not always work. She determined that her natural instincts, based on observations from the animal kingdom, often worked out better and she began to listen more frequently to her inner voice.

After her presentation, Rafina took several questions from the audience and signed copies of her book.

An Intimate Meeting with Our New County Legislator

Our guest speaker on February 27^th was Anant Nambiar, the new county legislator for the seventh district, which encompasses Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Rye, Rye Brook and Downtown Harrison. The meeting was held at Lenny’s Steakhouse, where we’ve previously had a holiday party and a Blum Award luncheon.

Anant was born in India and grew up in Canada. He’s lived in Larchmont for the past 22 years and has three children with his wife Hemlata. His corporate career was in finance, working for a bank and several credit card companies.

Our February 19th Fundraiser

Larchmont Rotary hosts fundraiser featuring Rep. George Latimer

The Larchmont Rotary Club held a fundraiser on February 16^th at Augie’s Restaurant on Chatsworth Ave. The event included a full course dinner and featured Congressman George Latimer, who happens to be a club member.

Representative Latimer’s opening remarks covered several areas: the current government in Washington, international countries in the news, his years as county executive and American history.

Dancing for a Cause: Our Club's Fundraiser for the CRC

The Rotary Club of Larchmont brought energy, music and community spirit together on March 1st with a vibrant Salsa and Swing celebration in support of the Mamaroneck Community Resource Center.

What began as a vision supported by a district grant has grown into a meaningful partnership focused on opportunity and empowerment. Through this initiative, named Cooking to Grow, Larchmont Rotary is collaborating with the Community Resource Center (CRC) to launch a culinary arts program for youth in Mamaroneck, creating pathways for skill-building, creativity and future career exploration.

Consumer Protection Presentation by Jim Maisano

Larchmont Rotary’s February 6’s meeting, held at the Larchmont Yacht Club, featured a new member induction and guest speaker Jim Maisano, director of the Westchester County Consumer Protection Department.

After Club President Lester Nathan opened the meeting with the pledge and 4-way test, Membership Chairman Michael Gedigk conducted the initiation of Benjamin P Williams into Rotary. Lester Nathan then welcomed Ben into Larchmont Rotary and presented him with a membership certificate.

Walk to End Alzheimer's - 2025

The Larchmont & New Rochelle Rotary team participated for the fourth time in the annual Alzheimer’s Association - Westchester County Walk to End Alzheimer’s on October 5th. The Walk’s main purpose is to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer's care, support and research.

Around two thousand people from all over the county came to the Valhalla campus of SUNY Westchester Community College on a warm and sunny afternoon. This year, there was a noticeable increase in participation by Rotary clubs from Westchester and the Bronx. Our team used emails, Facebook and telephone calls to raise money. Despite our team's small size, $8,195 was raised, the second highest Rotary team.

Larchmont Rotary Club Awards the Blum Award to Daniel Wetmore

Mamaroneck High School junior Daniel Wetmore was honored with Larchmont Rotary's Blum Award on November 14^th for managing the revitalization of the school garden at Hommocks Middle School. A celebratory luncheon was held at the Larchmont Yacht Club. The Blum Award recognizes local high school students for their initiative, leadership and creative pursuit to make a difference in their local community and beyond.

Conflict and Collaboration Presentation by Mitch Weisburgh

Peace and conflict prevention/resolution is one of the seven main focus areas of Rotary International. The October 24th meeting of the Larchmont Rotary Club featured member Mitch Weisburgh speaking about Conflict and Collaboration.

The Role of AI in Education

Our club's guest speaker on October 7th Zoom meeting was Tammie Schrader, an educator living in Spokane, Washington and an acquaintance of Mitch Weisburgh. The discussion centered on Tammie's insights into the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, particularly its potential to enhance learning experiences for students. Tammie, drawing from her extensive background in education, emphasized the importance of engaging students with technology, particularly in light of their familiarity with smartphones and AI tools. She highlighted the need for educators to adapt their teaching methods to better align with students' interests and the capabilities of modern technology, advocating for innovative uses of smartphones in educational settings.

Larchmont & New Rochelle Clubs Walk to End Alzheimer's

Larchmont Rotary Inducts Two New Members

Our club had the pleasure of welcoming two new members at the June 13^th luncheon meeting at the Larchmont Yacht Club. President Lester Nathan began the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance and the Four-Way Test, followed by various items on the agenda.

After that, the induction of our new members, Andrew Farber and Mitch Weisburgh began. Membership Chairman Michael Gedigk conducted the ceremony and then presented both gentlemen with Rotary pins. President Nathan presented them with membership certificates.

Larchmont Rotary Partners with The STEM Alliance

The Rotary Club of Larchmont played a key role in supporting The STEM Alliance’s mission by funding a hands-on soldering activity featured at the STEM-tastic Festival, held at the Westchester Children’s Museum on May 9th. This popular annual event brought together children and families for an exciting day of STEM exploration, offering activities that inspire curiosity and creativity. The Rotary Club’s contribution enabled The STEM Alliance to provide all materials needed for kids to safely participate in an introductory soldering experience, helping bridge the gap between curiosity and real-world technical skills.

Larchmont Rotary Honors Hommocks Essay Contest Winners

Six Hommocks Middle School students were honored by the Rotary Club of Larchmont as winners of the 2025 Essay Contest during its May 16th luncheon at the Larchmont Yacht Club. Club member Marian White has led the effort for the last 23 years, coordinating in September with the Hommocks English Department to determine a relevant topic and then selecting Rotarian essay judges to determine the winners. Each May, families, teachers, Rotarians and special guests have gathered to celebrate the most talented of the young writers.

Feeding Westchester Highlights Our April Meeting

Brendan McCormack, manager of corporate and community partnerships of Feeding Westchester, was our guest speaker at the Larchmont Yacht Club on April 25^th. His organization distributes “quality, nutritious food to communities in need across Westchester County.” It provides “access to programs that promote the health, education and nourishment of all who need help.”

Meg Kaufer of the STEM Alliance Visits Our Meeting in March

Meg Kaufer, chief visionary officer, of the STEM Alliance, joined us at our club’s March 28th meeting at the Larchmont Yacht Club. The Alliance is “a nonprofit which bridges systemic gaps in science, technology, engineering and math education with the goal of empowering communities, inspiring innovation and creating opportunity for all.”

She spoke about the need to train students for the local workforce, calling it a crisis in STEM equity. There is a low percentage of Hispanics and women in STEM jobs locally.

We Are Rotary

2024 Alzheimer's Association Awards

For the third year in a row, our newly rebranded team, the “Rotary Clubs of Larchmont and New Rochelle,” raised the most money among all Westchester Rotary clubs for the Alzheimer's Association, Hudson Valley Chapter’s 2024 Walk to End Alzheimer’s. In addition, our team came in third among all Company/Organization teams, raising almost $6,850. Team member Lester Nathan led the way, raising $3,000. Participants included Team Captain Marion Anderson, Marian White, Barbara Crane, Dave Biskup and Francis Okelo.

Steve Tseckares' Visit to Our January Meeting

Steve Tseckares, executive director of Backyard Sports Cares (BSC), joined us for dinner on January 3^rd at Augie’s Restaurant in Larchmont. BSC’s slogan is “Changing Children’s Lives Through Sports” and its office is in White Plains. Steve explained how BSC got started and described some of the programs they’ve run.

MADD Visits Our Club in October

Paige Carbone, regional executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), spoke to our club on October 24^th via Zoom. She began her presentation with background information about MADD. Candace Lightner began the organization in the early 1980s with the intention of ending drunk & drugged driving as well as support for its victims.

MADD’s new slogan is “Impaired driving ends here.” They also have an annual walk, Walk Like MADD, which takes place at the FDR Park up in Yorktown.

Larchmont Rotary Holds Annual Blum Award

Rye Country Day junior Catie Colao was honored with Larchmont Rotary's annual Blum Award for leading the Saturday Reading Club at Mamaroneck's Community Resource Center. A celebratory luncheon was held at the Larchmont Yacht Club on November 8, 2024. The Blum Award recognizes local high school students for their initiative, leadership and creative pursuit to make a difference in their local community and beyond.

Club President Lester Nathan gave his opening remarks and Treasurer Marion Anderson welcomed club members and special guests. Marian White, Club Rotary Foundation Chair, followed with the story behind the Blum Award and then introduced Catie Colao.

DG Sayed Alirahi Visits Our Club

District 7230 Governor Sayed Alirahi and his wife Shazia visited our club on Friday, October 25th at the Larchmont Yacht Club. Sayed took over as the DG on July 1st of this year. He was the charter president of the Rotary Club of Westchester, which recently chartered in 2020. In that role, he directed the club's service events, trained new Rotarians and helped boost membership. He participated in the club's international service projects in the Dominican Republic and Pakistan. Prior to the Rotary Club of Westchester, he was a member of the Rotary Club of Elmsford, beginning in 2012.

The Passing of Former Club President Kurt Sauer

Kurt Sauer, 97, passed away peacefully Thursday, September 26, 2024 at The Legacy of Lexington, Lexington SC.

Born August 8, 1927, in Alsheim, Germany to Hartmann and E,lla Sauer. He was the youngest of 3 sons. Kurt was trained as an ophthalmic optician in Germany. In 1953 he immigrated to Montreal, Canada. Kurt married Mary Sauer, nee Harty in 1955, and they moved to New York in 1957. In 1967 Kurt became a naturalized US citizen after the birth of their daughter Susan.

Larchmont Rotary Honors Essay Contest Winners

Six Hommocks Middle School students were honored by the Rotary Club of Larchmont as winners of the 2024 Essay Contest during its May 17th luncheon at the Larchmont Yacht Club. Club member Marian White has led the effort for the last 22 years, coordinating in September with the Hommocks English Department to determine a relevant topic and then selecting Rotarian essay judges to determine the winners. Each May, families, teachers, Rotarians and special guests have gathered to celebrate the most talented of the young writers.

Larchmont Rotary Sponsors Kane Park Restoration Project

On May 18th, a small group of volunteers gathered at Larchmont’s Kane Park to kick off this year’s ecological restoration. The project, with the aid of the Larchmont Rotary Club’s sponsorship, will transform one section of the park’s sod grass lawn into a thriving ecosystem containing a diversity of native plants, grasses and shrubs which will support an abundance of bird and pollinator species and store carbon from the atmosphere. The restoration has involved several dozen volunteers from the community helping to re-introduce plant species that are known to have grown in the area for millennia.

An Introduction to New York Edge

Rachael Gazdick, New York Edge’s chief executive officer, was our guest speaker for the April 5^th meeting at the Larchmont Yacht Club. New York Edge is the metropolitan region’s largest provider of after-school enrichment programs. It serves more than 30,000 students in 136 schools across all five boroughs and Long Island. Over 85% of its students come from low-income households. It began over 30 years ago under the “Schools Sports & Arts Foundation” from the efforts of tennis legend Arthur Ashe.

Lester Nathan Joins the Bequest Society

Club President Lester Nathan was formally recognized as a member of the Rotary Foundation’s Bequest Society at our March 1^st meeting. The Foundation recognizes couples or individuals who have made commitments in their estate plans totaling $10,000 or more. Area Governor Sandy Wolstein attached a pin to Lester’s jacket and Regional Major Gifts Officer Celeste Herbert presented him with an engraved crystal. He also received a pendant and print from the Foundation.

An Introduction to Toastmasters

The Larchmont Rotary Club welcomed Ameil A. Sloley as our guest speaker on March 1^st. Using an informative slideshow, she gave our audience an introduction to Toastmasters International and how it improves its members' speaking skills.

Hugh Maynard-Reid's Motivational Presentation

Posted by Les Nathan

Our club was pleased to have District 7230 Membership Chairman Hugh Maynard-Reid as guest speaker at our January 26th luncheon meeting at the yacht club. It was a "motivational" presentation, one which was full of inspiration and high energy.

Special guests included District Governor Loren Russell, Governor Nominee Garrett Capobianco and Area Governor Sandy Wolstein.

Detecting & Preventing Melanoma

Stephen Fine, founder and president of the Melanoma Education Foundation, gave club members an informative presentation on melanoma on December 1st. He explained the differences between the three types of skin cancer, basal sell, squamous and melanoma, then went into further depth about the subcategories.

He also described how to detect skin cancers, prevention and treatment. For more information about melanoma, he provided us with several links to websites and online videos.

Raising Awareness About Underage Gambling

Debby Miller, a clinical social worker from the Larchmont/Mamaroneck Counseling Center, was the guest speaker at our November 17th meeting. The Center is involved in our community and schools, providing substance abuse education, identifying and offering help to at-risk kids and running Life Skills and other groups for kids.

Her first topic was Internet betting, which began two years ago in New York and has changed the gambling landscape. There now exist thousands of gambling sites. Their advertising is aimed at children and young adults. One study revealed that 39.5% of kids 12 to 17 have gambled in the past year.

2 Guest Speakers on October 27th

Posted by Les Nathan

Two Guest Speakers Join Us for Our October 27^th Meeting

Our club was delighted to have not one, but two very different speakers at our luncheon meeting at the yacht club on October 27^th. It proved to be very informative.

Our first speaker, Ruslan Alikperov, is the president-elect for the Kharkiv Direct Help International Rotary Club of Ukraine. He was traveling across the United States on an 80 day trip to raise awareness and funds for those in need from his country. He has been organizing projects, along with his team, to help those in need. Their direct help website allows a donor to choose a specific person to support with a monthly donation.

Our Club Walks to Help End Alzheimer's

Posted by Les Nathan

Larchmont Rotary’s team participated for the second time in the annual Alzheimer’s Association - Westchester County Walk to End Alzheimer’s on October 1^st. The Walk’s main purpose is to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer's care, support and research.

In support of the five different Walks to End Alzheimer's happening across the Hudson Valley, the Gov. Mario Cuomo Bridge was lit up in purple on September 21^st.

Larchmont Rotary Honors Hommocks Essay Contest Winners

Pictured: Charlotte Dowell and Marion White

Six Hommocks Middle School students were honored by the Rotary Club of Larchmont as winners of the 2022 Essay Contest during its May 19th luncheon at the Larchmont Yacht Club. Club member Marian White has led the effort for the last 21 years, coordinating in September with the Hommocks English Department to determine a relevant topic and then selecting Rotarian essay judges to determine the winners. Each May, families, teachers, Rotarians and special guests gather to celebrate the most talented of the young writers. Past winners have even gone on to become professional writers!

Larchmont Rotary Participates in the Regional Day of Service

Four members of Larchmont Rotary volunteered their time in the Bronx to pack and sort surplus fruits and vegetables from the Hunts Point Produce Market on May 20th. We joined Rotarians from the Bronx, Port Chester and Mount Vernon clubs along with other volunteers from the Bronx and Westchester.

Laura Eckley Pays Us a Visit

Head Librarian Laura Eckley, representing the Larchmont Library, was our April 28^th guest speaker at the Larchmont Yacht Club. She gave us an update on changes and programs at the library.

After an introduction by Club President Lester Nathan, Laura began by describing the recent building renovations, which had to be closed for two months. One of the objectives was making the building more ecologically sound. As a result, the facility became more geared towards its on-line assets.

January Luncheon Features Alex Vo's Trip to COP27 in Egypt

Larchmont Rotary's January 27th luncheon at the Larchmont Yacht Club spotlighted Alex Vo's presentation on her experiences at the 27th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) in late November.

COP27 took place at a large exhibition hall in the Egyptian coastal city of Sharm el-Sheikh. Alex attended as the UN Liaison for her NGO, FAWCO (Federation of American Women's Clubs Overseas). She spoke about the major topics, outcomes and what happened behind the scenes. Over 44,000 attended from over 200 nations and various organizations.

Trophy Presented to Larchmont Rotary for Alzheimer's Fund Raising

Marion Anderson & Lester Nathan holding the trophy, surrounded by other Westchester Rotarians

The Westchester Walk to End Alzheimer's held its 2022 Walk Recognition Party at Manhattanville College in Purchase on Thursday, January 12^th. Top fundraisers in the following categories were recognized:

Top new teams, most improved teams, top individuals, top friends & family teams, top company teams, top high school teams and top Rotary club.

Larchmont Rotary's Blum Awards

Mamaroneck High School seniors Larissa Bertini, Kate Loga and Marion Karp, members of the Original Civic Research and Action [OCRA] group, were honored with the Larchmont Rotary’s annual Blum Award for their work to reduce plastic waste in Larchmont restaurants. A celebratory luncheon was held at Lenny’s Seafood & Steakhouse on November 4, 2022. The award recognizes MHS students for their initiative, leadership and creative pursuit of making a difference in their local community and beyond.

Club President Lester Nathan welcomed members and guests, followed by Past-President Marion Anderson. Marian White, Club Rotary Foundation Chair, introduced the students’ faculty advisor, Dr. Joseph Liberti. He began the civic advocacy program at MHS in 2016, which students join their freshman year and then identify, structure and execute a project, over their four years. They are paired with Community Mentors and even raise funds from investors.

October 28th Lunch Meeting

October Luncheon Features Attorneys from the Pace Women's Justice Center

Larchmont Rotary's October 28th luncheon at Larchmont Yacht Club featured guest speakers from the Pace Women's Justice Center, Attorneys Nicole Fields and Roberta Goodman who came to discuss "Avoiding Financial Scams." Club President Lester Nathan opened the meeting and introduced the guests to the audience.

Ms Fields described the Justice Center's purpose as a non-profit free civil legal services provider for victims of domestic violence and elder abuse, which assists clients in Westchester and Putnam Counties. It has been active training partners with law enforcement, advocacy groups and various professional groups in Westchester during its 25 year history. The Center has also done training across NY State during the past 18 years.

Our Walk to End Alzheimer's

The Larchmont Rotary Club team participated for the first time in the annual Alzheimer’s Association - Westchester County Walk to End Alzheimer’s on October 2^nd. The Walk’s main purpose is to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer's care, support and research.

In support of the five different Walks to End Alzheimer's happening across the Hudson Valley, the Gov. Mario Cuomo Bridge was lit up in purple on September 21^st. Larchmont Club member Marion Anderson was interviewed by News12’s Lisa Larocca at Horan’s Landing in Sleepy Hollow that evening.

Installation of New Officers for 2022-23

The Rotary Club of Larchmont has inducted its 2022-23 slate of officers. They include: President, Lester Nathan; Treasurer, Alan Sloate; Asst Treasurer, Marion Anderson; Secretary, Ruby Zayas; Membership Chair, Michael Gedigk and Foundation Chair, Marian White. President Nathan takes over from outgoing president, Marion Anderson, who held the post for the last three years.

Breast Cancer Challenge

The Rotary Club of The Hudson Valley and Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center are delighted to launch this public health initiative, an outreach program for early detection of breast cancer lesions based on an innovative new device, iBreastExam. This FDA-approved new device is (a) non-invasive; (b) portable; (c) radiation-free; and (d) gives results in minutes.

In 2021, the HV Rotary Club conducted nine such outreaches in densely populated neighborhoods in Westchester, New York. Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center has joined this initiative, given its pivotal significance in providing access to preventative medical care, especially in this field.

Larchmont Rotary Celebrates Hommocks Essay Contest Winners

Seven Hommocks Middle School students were honored by the Rotary Club of Larchmont as winners of the 2021 Essay Contest during its May 6^th luncheon meeting at the Larchmont Yacht Club. The contest, in its 35^th year, resumed after a two year respite due to the pandemic. Club member Marian White has led the effort for the last 20 years, coordinating in September with the Hommocks English Department to determine a relevant topic and at the beginning of the next year with the Rotarian essay judges to determine the winners. A lunch is then held in May celebrating the most talented of the young writers. Winners of this award have actually gone on to be professional writers.

From left to right: Jonah Herzberg, Jack Noonan, Lyla Sheedy, Ana Chaice, Natalie Perez and Jonah Hecht

Rotary Installs New Signs Around Larchmont

The Rotary Club of Larchmont, a member of Rotary International, replaced its information signs, located near village boundaries, in early February. These signs are located on Post Road, Chatsworth Ave and Palmer Ave.

Club members Lester Nathan and Michael Gedigk worked on the project, which was necessitated by a change to our website address.

Blum Award Luncheon

Mamaroneck High School (MHS) students Sam Smoltz and Jackson Owen were honored with our club's annual Blum Award at a special luncheon held at the Larchmont Yacht Club on November 5th.

For several years, Sam and Jackson have been running the Aces for Alzheimers, a local club founded by their older sisters, which raises funds for Alzheimer's disease research. They did it by holding on-line trivia contests, casino nights and other events. The total amount raised came to $50,000.

Oct 22nd lunch meeting

Larchmont Rotary Welcomes Anil Srivatsa

Our club's October 22nd luncheon at the yacht club featured guest speaker Anil Srivatsa, founder of the the Gift of Life Adventure Foundation (aka GOLA). Based in Bagalore, India, the GOLA Foundation works towards increasing awareness of organ donations, domestically and worldwide. It was started in 2016 after Mr. Srivatsa donated a kidney to his brother.

August 13th Induction meeting

Larchmont Rotary Meeting Features Induction Ceremony

After many months of meetings on Zoom, the club held its second luncheon meeting at the Larchmont Yacht Club on Friday, August 13, 2021.

Attendees included: President Marion Anderson, President-Elect Lester Nathan, Membership Chairman Michael Gedigk, Club Foundation Chair Marian Anderson, Senada Zukic, Ernie Odierno & his wife, Camille and Elaine McCrimmon. Special guests from District 7230 were District Membership Chair Marty Schulman and Asst. Area Governor Sandy Wolstein. Keni Banda, from the Niskayuna Club, attended via Zoom.

Marty Schulman gave a short speech about Rotary's current direction (diversity, equity and inclusion) and the next generation of Rotary members. He spoke of an upcoming orientation on Zoom for the early fall. He put an emphasis on finding out what our members want from Rotary.

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Keni Banda's Visit

Keni Banda - Banda Bola Sports Foundation-Chituka Village Project

On October 5, 2019, the Rotary Club of Larchmont welcomed guest speaker, Keni Banda. He grew up in the farming village of Chituka in the African country of Malawi. During his teenage years, his family of seven moved to Germany, and then to Mamaroneck, NY. The Chituka Village Project focuses on education, health and welfare for the youth to grow in an environment, which among other things is conducive to creating a better understanding of personal well-being.

Through Banda Bola Sports Foundation-Chituka Village Project, Coach Banda is hoping to bring “CHANGE TO THE VILLAGE ONE CHILD AT A TIME”.

The Million Mask Challenge

Rotarian Ted Rossi, of District 7980, donated 100,000 surgical masks consisting of 50,000 children's masks and 50,000 type KN95 masks to our district for distribution in January of 2021.

Larchmont Rotary hosts fundraiser featuring Rep. George Latimer

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