The Gloucester Rotary is a group of civic-minded business and community leaders, whose mission is to support the community and the world beyond the North Shore. Celebrating their 101st anniversary in 2024, the Rotary has awarded $6,000 in scholarships to local students, donated $6,000 to international causes, and provided $67,000 to local projects in the past twelve months. Rotary President Tracy Arabian credits the generosity of spirit of the Rotary’s 55 members. “These amazing people donate their time, their money, and their knowledge to making the world a better place. It has been an extraordinary honor to have served the Rotary the past six months as President.” Local non-profit organizations that the Gloucester Rotary contributed to between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, include: 1623 Studios, Action Inc., Addison Gilbert Hospital Cancer Center, American Legion, Art Haven Teen Artist Guild, Backyard Growers, Bandstand Concerts at Stage Fort Park, Cape Ann YMCA, Care Dimensions, CORE Peer Recovery and Resource Center, Day by Day Adult Care, Gloucester Fireworks, First R, , Fishbox Derby, Fishermen's Memorial Service, Fishtown Horribles Parade, Generous Gardeners, Gloucester Adventure Girls on Adventure, Gloucester Education Foundation, Grace Center, Inc., Harborlight Community Partners, HAWC, Gloucester Holiday Parade, Maritime Gloucester, North Shore Health Project, Pathways for Children, Sawyer Free Library Children's Room, Sawyer Free Library Building Fund, SeniorCare Inc., St. Vincent DePaul Society, The Open Door, and Wellspring House Inc.
The Gloucester Rotary’s signature project is supporting the Stage Fort Park Playground and Bandstand. Since 2007, the group has gifted several major pieces of playground equipment to the City of Gloucester and has provided assistance with maintenance. In 2023, the Rotary celebrated its 100th anniversary and began raising funds for an expansion at the Playground. This spring, working with the City of Gloucester old equipment was removed and replaced with new.
Rotary International’s motto of “Service above Self” is the basis of the Gloucester Rotary’s support of and involvement in numerous local causes.
Photo caption: Rotarian Steve Buckley helps several children cut the ribbon to the Stage Fort Park playground expansion while Gloucester Rotary President Tracy Arabian and Gloucester Rotary Centennial President Mike Sarraf watch.