The Wayne Rotary club has a 52-year history of making Wayne and surrounding communities better places to live. Having sponsored many food drives to feed the poor, run events to enrich the lives of senior citizens, and presented career days to help our youth enter the workforce...this group of business people and professionals has truly put "Service Above Self," which is one of Rotary's major purposes.

The Wayne Rotary Club was officially chartered by Rotary International on February 26, 1958, at a gala affair that attracted 350 people. The principle address was delivered by Walter E. Head, a past Rotary International President, and the only one ever to come from New Jersey.

One of the new club's first projects was to deliver food baskets to needy families in Wayne. Shortly after that, they provided a wheelchair and six months of free phone service to a local paraplegic,to help him earn a living.

In 1963, then President Len Pine introduced a struggling group known as "Athletes for the Handicapped" to the Club for assistance. Pine pioneered this group's transformation into the Foundation for the Handicapped three years later. Deceased Wayne Rotarian George (Ned) Shriver went on to become Vice President and Executive Director of the Foundation for the Handicapped. Ned's leadership through the years resulted in the development of an enterprise that has helped countless handicapped people to earn a living and improve their lives.

Foundation for the Handicapped

One of the Club's most significant current on-going projects is the Wayne Foundation for the Handicapped, founded by Wayne Rotarians to provide long-term sheltered employment for developmentally disabled adults. The Foundation, using what now is a factory building donated by the town, has some 35 workers, 25 of which have been working at the Center for 15 or more years. The Foundation allows workers to maintain their dignity...working hard on projects contracted by local industry...and earning a welcome paycheck.

Traditionally, more than half the Foundation's Directors have been drawn from the Wayne Rotary, which has made significant donation's to the organization each year. Also, Wayne Rotarians take an active role in other Foundation for the Handicapped fundraising events, such as golf outings, raffles, dinners, and an annual Work for a Living event held at the Center.

Current Director of the Foundation is Wayne Rotarian Frank Brescia, who took over from retiring Director Fred Roeder, who was also a Wayne Rotarian.

Annual Fruit Sale

In 1981, Wayne Rotary started its annual Fruit Sale to raise money for local charities. Long-time Rotarian Zoom Fleischer was the first Fruit Sale Chairman, and the event made a profit of $12,000, with 2,000 cartons sold by members. Right up to current day, the Wayne Rotary Fruit Sale has been an on-going tradition. As the most successful fundraising event in Rotary District 7490, the Wayne Club event has made nearly $500,000 for needy local organizations and area people. In addition, it has provided local residents with the opportunity to purchase freshly-picked Florida oranges and grapefruits at much lower than supermarket prices.

Fundraising Help for Other Non-Profits

Due to the continuing success of Wayne Rotary's holiday Fruit Sale, the club has offered to let other Rotary clubs and non-profit organizations use the Wayne event for their own fundraising. Wayne Rotary does all the administration, ordering, and record-keeping. The non-profit organizations simply sell the fruit to their members, relatives and friends...and receive a check commensurate with the number of cases they've sold. Currently, 17 non-profit groups are participating in the program. It is hoped that even more non-profit groups will participate in future Fruit Sales. For full information, non-profit groups can call Wayne Rotary Fundraising Chairman Mike Kurzer, at 973-779-8100.

Disaster Relief

Perhaps the most severe natural disaster to hit the Wayne area was in 1984, when major areas of the town were hit by terrible floods. People who had owned homes and rented apartments were reduced to sleeping on the floor of a local gym. Working in conjunction with the Salvation Army, District 7490 (of which the Wayne Club is a part) mobilized a Herculean fundraising effort to ease burdens on families that had been destituted by the unexpected flooding. In the forefront of this effort was Wayne Rotary, which donated $10,000, a major portion of the $50,000 overall collected by the fifty clubs in the Rotary District. 

International Health 

In the early nineties, Wayne Rotarians contributed to a major Rotary International effort to rid the world of Polio by the year 2005. Called Polio Plus, this project used volunteer Rotary doctors around the globe to administer immunizations to guard against Polio and other terrible diseases that attack third world countries where people simply don't have the money for immunization. 

Gift of Life  

Wayne Rotary has participated in another international program, the Gift of Life, which brings poor children overseas to this country to receive life saving heart surgery. These children would otherwise die due to a lack of proper medical expertise and equipment in their home country. The child is brought to this country, with a parent, and stays with a local Rotarian. After the surgery and recover period, both child and parent are flown back to their home country. 

Project To Help Education in India 

Just recently, Wayne Rotary Club embarked upon an international project that is meant to improve educational curriculum and standards for millions of students in India. The Club has just donated $2,000. to help bring a team of Indian educators to the United States for a Summer 2000 educational workshop at St. Lawrence University, designed to improve teaching techniques.  

The Indian project is being spearheaded by Steven Rudolph, Educational Director of the Jiva Institute, near New Delhi. Steve is the son of long-time Wayne Rotarian Michael Rudolph. 

Jiva currently operates a model K-12 school and develops curriculum, syllabi, textbooks, teaching software and computer/internet sources to improve the quality of education in India. 

At the Institute for Learning Centered Education workshop, the visitors from Jiva will interact with 300 parents, teachers, administrators, NY state education department officials and students who are on the cutting edge of education in America. The Jiva group will be facilitated by experts in how to use technology and interactive teaching strategies to design higher standards for India and train people to use these standards. 

This is meant to be an ongoing project that will infuse educational improvement in both countries, with a major catalyst that could see benefits for years to come. 

Interact Clubs  

Wayne Rotary sponsors Interact clubs a Wayne Hills; Wayne Valley and DePaul High Schools. These organizations are meant to introduce young people to the concept of community and international service. Just some of the activities participated in by Interact students have included the March of Dimes' Walk America for healthier babies, clothing collections for the Battered Women's Shelter, volunteer service at the Wayne Public Library, Interact money raised for the handicapped, and community service projects. Internationally, the Wayne Hills Rotaract Club collected sports equipment for a school in Kenya. 

Interact Clubs, sponsored by Wayne Rotary, give students a chance to help those around them, and truly make a difference. Some one hundred students are involved at the two schools. 

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards

RYLA is another Rotary program to recognize and develop young leaders. The Wayne Rotary has paid for and sponsored many outstanding youths in the area to attend a yearly RYLA Conference meant to teach leadership and help develop our leaders of tomorrow.

This year, Wayne Rotary sent four students to the RYLA camp in Pennsylvania. The feedback was so favorable that two of the students came over to Wayne Rotary’s booth at Wayne Day activities to thank the Club for sponsoring them.

Christmas in July

Each year, the Wayne Rotary holds a "Christmas in July" program for the Preakness HealthCare Center. Members and spouses buy and wrap presents for the patients, and they are presented by members dressed in Santa Clause garb. Members bring their children, too, because the patients like to visit with them (and watch them grow from year to year). Also, entertainment is provided. One year, it was by a large banjo band, "Justa Bunch of Banjos". Photos are taken of the patients enjoying themselves, and prints are later distributed to people at the Center.

Youth Exchange

In addition to helping senior citizens, Rotary is also attuned to the needs of Youth. Through a variety of Youth Exchange programs, the local Rotary gives students the opportunity to visit other countries and learn other cultures. It's part of promoting better world understanding.

District-Wide Leadership Role

As one of the largest and most active clubs in Rotary District 7490, the Wayne Club has also drawn, from its ranks, three District Governors, responsible for more than fifty clubs in Passaic, Bergen and Hudson Counties. These have included Joe Gibbs, in 1980-81; Dave Mundy, 1981-82; and Bob Dalzell, 1984-85. In addition, scores of Wayne Rotarians have served on the executive staffs of many District Governors over the years.

Humor and Fellowship

Even though Wayne Rotarians help others, who are in serious difficulty, members of the club have always maintained a high sense of camaraderie and good humor. Luncheon meetings are held Wednesdays, 12:15, at the Paris Inn, on Alps Road, and visitors are welcome.

Those interested in learning more about Rotary service are encouraged to call the President of the Wayne Rotary club, Joe Graziano at 973-696-9070
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Rotary International

As an overall service organization, Rotary International includes almost 1.2 million members in 162 countries around the World.