Three Spaulding High School students who attended the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA) in June 2026 presented on their experience at the 08/11/26 Barre Rotary meeting. Lyndsey Laflamme, Alexis Dodge & Hayden Rock (shown left to right in our pictures) shared their best moments & take-aways from RYLA 2026.
On Wednesday, July 15, 2026, new district governor and Waterbury Rotarian Ariel Mondlak visited the Barre Club with many kind words about our Rotary world. Pictured above, she displays our gift to her, which is a granite desk plaque.
The idea of holding an outdoor breakfast dates back to the late ‘60s. The first breakfast was held at Barre City Park with one small grill that belonged to Roy Turner. It rained that day, and the breakfast was moved into the Universal Church basement. From then on, the breakfast was held at different locations, such as in front of The Elks Lodge on Jefferson Street, at an empty lot on Merchant Street where the courthouse now is, and then at the Metro Parking lot by the train station.
The Rotary of Barre continues to make a splash in our community, with its donation of two pool passes to the Aldrich Public Library again this year! Families can “check out” the passes - just like a book - to enjoy a few free days at our community pool. Contact @AldrichPublicLibrary for details or call them at (802) 476-7550!
When Barre Rotary & friends installed the Rotary Mural on Summer Street seven years ago, we committed to maintaining the Mural for ten years. Barre Rotary continues to honor that commitment with help from the Barre Palleteers, Stone & Browning & other community partners. As a result, the mural continues to beautify our City - a shining example of how people of action can make positive change. If you like that idea, contact us at barrevtrotary.org! It feels good to do good.
On June 4, 2026 Past President/Past District Governor, Caroline Earle inducted Stefano Coppola into the Rotary Club of Barre. Coppola pictured in the center owns Morse Block Deli and co-owns Pearle Street Pizza in Barre. Acting President Tony Campos pined the Rotary pin on Coppola.
Above, Tony Campos, Breakfast Chair, and Barre Rotary President Emily Stephens present a $15,000.00 check to Nancy Pope, Chair of the library board, and Garrett Grant, Assistant Library Director, from the 2025 breakfast.
Each summer, in conjunction with the Barre Heritage Festival, the Rotary Club of Barre holds a breakfast fundraiser for the Aldrich Public Library.
All proceeds from the breakfast are donated directly to the library. Club members donate their time and effort without any compensation to the members or the club. This event is the single largest annual fundraiser for the library and has raised over $300,000 for the library in the last 40 years.
This year, the breakfast was held on July 26, 2025.
A huge shout-out to all the volunteers who wrapped 220coats on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at the Granite Museum of Vermont for the Salvation Army to be distributed to local children who are in need.
The Rotary Club of Barre recently contributed funds for this very worthwhile project in Guatemala.
The Rotary Club of Barre stepped outside its comfort zone for a short field trip on October 15, 2025, an experience designed to demonstrate the safety concerns of those who are visually impaired or blind. Led by VABVI ED Dan Norris and volunteers, Rotarians, Lyons Club members, and guests experience first-hand what it feels like to walk our streets without sight. We urge our members to help the Vermont Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired raise awareness in our community on this issue. We had a quick lunch and then took to the streets for this compelling experience.
White Cane Safety Day is a national observance in the United States, observed annually on October 15 since 1964. The date is set aside to celebrate the achievements of people who are blind or visually impaired and the important symbol of blindness and tool of independence, the white cane.
