Passing of the Bell from Dorothy Patterson to Chester R. Banks
 

I am honored to introduce our President and the leader of the Bayonne Rotary Club Reverend Dorothy Patterson. Reverend Patterson is the Pastor of Wallace Temple located at 392 Avenue C, here in Bayonne where she has served as pastor for four years.

Reverend Paterson has led the Bayonne Rotary Club from June 2012 to the present and has continually exemplified the Rotary Theme of "Service above Self".

With the support of the Bayonne Rotary Club members, Reverend Patterson – Dorothy -  has supported the following efforts of the Bayonne Rotary Club:

•    Chaired the Executive Board, and Assembly and Committee Meetings,
•    Supported timely annual submissions of the Rotary chapter SAR Reports,
•    Performed the invocations at this year’s Mayoral Debate and many Club ceremonies and weekly breakfast meetings – “Do I hear an ‘AMEN’”,
•    Led the Bayonne Rotary Guyanan Water Well Project in conjunction with Bayonne School District, and Pastor Givens of the AME Zion Church,
•    Dorothy hosted the now annual Bayonne Rotary Water Wells Breakfast to recognize the fund raising efforts of the students of the Bayonne School District.  Through the leadership of Rotarian Patsy McGeehan and Ms. Heather Zalis, moderator of Woodrow Wilson School and also district coordinator of student councils, and the creativity of Bayonne students and guidance of their moderators and Rotary, $36,282.72 for the past seven years has been raised for this life saving initiative.  This year the Club raised $6,901.05 and last year $6,011.46, bringing the total to $36,282.72 since 2007,
•    Provided speakers as a member of our Speaker Program Committee,
•    Supported “Students of the Month” Program at weekly Rotary Club Meetings,
•    Conducted a successful “Student Citizenship and Teacher of the Year Recognition” Breakfast and Club Members participated in Graduation Programs to give the Rotary Award – a tradition that has continued since 1948,
•    Supported RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) Campaigns – the Club sent 5-RYLA youths from Bayonne High School and Marist – representing 10% of the total of all District 7490 participants.
•    Provided Dictionaries to 3rd graders in the Bayonne School districts,
•    Conducted another successful HOLIDAY PARTY for the young children of a Bayonne Grammar School led by Santa Joe Doria, Rotarian and former Mayor,
•    Supported the Academic Challenge and The Chess Club with expenses for trophies and food for the students,
•    Awarded a $1,000 Vocational Scholarship annually to a worthy college entry student.
•    Supported the Rotary INTERACT Club at Bayonne High School and their FAIR which contributed to the District 7490 GIFT OF LIFE Program that has saved over 700-young children’s lives,
•    Contributed the Bayonne Rotary Club’s energy to support Rotary International’s goal to eradicate Polio through the POLIO PLUS program,
•    Assisted Maureen Caswell in her transition to a new career and was dutifully at the Chandelier most cold and dark Tuesday mornings before 7:30am to collect the breakfast and 50/50 money, and take her gavel and bang the Rotary Bell to open and close the meetings.
As she celebrates “The Passing of the Bell” to the President-Elect Chester R. Banks - Please stand and join me in celebrating the achievements of the President of the Bayonne Rotary Club Reverend Dorothy Patterson.