SAVE THE DATE
LobsterFest Saturday Sept. 20, 2025 Compo Beach 3pm – 7pm
Want to Join the FUN of Westport Rotary LobsterFest?
The Goal of LobsterFest
All funds raised at LobsterFest are donated to local and international charities. Giving to the Westport Rotary Club is “one-stop shopping”. Donations support a wide range of both local nonprofit organizations and many international humanitarian projects. The Westport Rotary Club Charitable and International Giving Committees vet each grant application determining suitability and the greatest levels of need.
Interested in becoming a LobsterFest sponsor?
Please contact one of our Co-Chairs of Fundraising:
Kenny Epstein – [email protected]
Leslie Roberts – [email protected]
Westport Rotary Club Gives Back With $285,000 in Local Grants
Westport Rotary Club’s 2025 annual Community Giving Day was held on Tuesday, May 6, at Green’s Farms Church in Westport. This year, the club awarded 46 community grants totaling an impressive $285,000. For 2025, 17 of the grant recipients were Westport-based not-for-profit organizations; the other 29 are located in nearby Fairfield County towns, primarily Bridgeport and Norwalk. These grants represent the sum of funds raised during the previous year’s LobsterFest, a signature community event that is held at Compo Beach the third Saturday of every September.
Please refer to the Community Giving page for the full list of recipients.
Westport Rotary Club Appoints New President for 2025-2026
Westport Rotary Club’s 2025 annual Pass the Gavel appointed Peter Helt as the Rotary president for 2025-2026. Goldie James was the pressident for 2024-2025. The event was held at Compo Beach’s Ned Dimes on Friday June 27, 2025.
Westport Rotary Club Celebrates Local Heroes With Annual Awards Ceremony
On Tuesday, June 3, Westport Rotary Club held its annual Community Service and Public Protection Awards luncheon at Green’s Farms Church in Westport. Rotary Club members presented Community Service awards to 11 local activists and volunteers, as well as Public Protection awards to Westport Police, Westport EMS, and Westport Fire Department personnel. Among the honorees were Harold Bailey, Jr. and Bernicestine McLeod Bailey of TEAM Westport and Compo Playground Committee Co-Chairs Bridget Flynn and Samantha Owades and Site Manager R.B. Benson.
Upcoming Speakers For Tuesday Lunch Meetings
July 15: Bob Mazzone, Sound Waters
SoundWaters is a recognized and trusted organization locally and in the Long Island Sound region. We have sustained relationships built on shared value and trust for over three decades that includes community, school, business, and political leaders. We are financially sound and committed to to accountability and transparency.
We are committed to ensuring that no child or school will be excluded from our programs due to an inability to pay. Knowledge about, and access to, educational enrichment and the benefits of Long Island Sound are far too limited already for so many in our region. The generosity of our supporters enables our work, whether it’s an education sail aboard the Schooner SoundWaters, summer camp scholarships for children, STEM education or workforce development at our Coastal Education Center and the Cohen SoundWaters Harbor Center. Typically, around 50% of the students we teach are from low-income communities and receive full or partial scholarship assistance.
July 22: Ian Tapsall, Staples Field Hockey Coach
Varsity Head Coach: Ian Tapsall
- Lifetime member of USFHA since 1997
- Level 2 certified USFHA Coach
- Played for Hounslow and Southgate Hockey Clubs in the UK; 2 time European Club Champions
- Captained Greenwich CT men’s team to 4 US National Club Championships
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- Member of the United States Men’s Masters National Team that competed in The Hague Netherlands 2014, Barcelona Spain 2018 and Tokyo Japan 2022
- FC United FHC Coach 2008 – 2017
- Head Coach UVA summer Camp 2013, 2014
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- Head Coach Princeton Elite Camp 2015, 2016
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Westport Rotary Is Co-Sponsoring the Compo Beach Playground Renovation
What Is Rotary?
Rotary is a worldwide organization of more than 1.4 million business, professional, and community leaders spread throughout 37,000 Rotary Clubs in more than 200 countries.
Clubs are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and open to all cultures, races, and creeds. As signified by the motto Service Above Self, members of Rotary clubs, known as Rotarians, share the main objective of service — in the community, in the workspace and throughout the world.
Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world. Membership is by application or invitation.
Westport Rotary Club invites you to join a meeting to learn more
Meetings are held every TUESDAY except the last Tuesday of the month in person at 12:00 pm. For more information please contact the club president or member chair.
In person lunch meetings are held at: Greens Farms Congregational Church – 71 Hillandale Rd Westport, CT 06880
Member Chair: Audrey Demetres – [email protected]
Mailing Address:
Westport Rotary Club
P.O. Box 743
Westport, CT 06881-0743
AVENUES OF SERVICE
We channel our commitment to service through five avenues, which are the foundation of club activity.
Club
Service
A thriving club is anchored by strong relationships and an active membership development plan.
Vocational Service
Rotarians work with integrity and contribute their expertise to the problems and needs of society.
Community Service
We find ways to improve the quality of life for people in their communities and to serve the public interest.
International Service
We promote peace & understanding globally by sponsoring or volunteering on projects around the world.
Youth
Service
Rotarians work to empower young people through leadership development programs, encouraging the next generation of leaders.
Rotary Peace Poles
“May Peace Prevail on Earth”
Honoring the global Rotary initiative, Westport and Sunrise Rotary Clubs joined together to create Peace Poles displayed on Westport entrance roads.
