🩸 Award-Winning Service: Camden-Wyoming/Nobles Pond Rotary Leads the Way in Blood Donations! 🩸

What an honor! Our Camden-Wyoming/Nobles Pond Rotary Club recently received the prestigious 2024 District 7630 Blood Drive Campaign Award (Large Division)! This recognition is a testament to the hard work of our members, who hosted multiple drives and saw over 11 Rotarians donate blood throughout the year. We're excited to display the plaque proudly in the Noble's Pond clubhouse!

Sherye Nickerson, District 7630 Blood Drive Campaign Chairperson, came from Easton to celebrate with us. She eloquently reminded us of the collective impact: "I am thankful for the 16 Rotary Clubs that participated and the 59 Rotarians who helped collect 133 blood products last year. Four hundred twenty-nine members from our Delmarva Community were potentially helped!"

These numbers aren't just statistics; they represent lives that have been touched and potentially saved. The need for blood is constant and urgent. Hospitals rely on regular donations for emergencies, ongoing treatments for cancer and other diseases, and routine surgeries. There's no substitute for human blood!

Will you help us make a difference? Join us in our next Blood Drive on November 26th. It's a selfless act that truly embodies Rotary's commitment to "Service Above Self" and directly contributes to the health and well-being of our community.

#RotaryInternational #District7630 #BloodDonation #Lifesaving #CommunityService #CamdenWyoming #NoblesPond #BeAHero #GiveBlood

🚨 Consumer Protection Alert from Camden-Wyoming Rotary! 🚨

Our Satellite Club at Noble's Pond hosted a vital meeting featuring Patrick Malone, Special Investigator from the Delaware Department of Justice's Fraud and Consumer Protection Division! Residents of Nobles Pond learned crucial information about current scams.

The discussion covered everything from prevalent gift card scams (remember to report them to local police & the FTC!), to the rise of robocalls, identity theft prevention (shred those documents!), and avoiding fraud with solar power, moving companies, and home improvement contractors. He even shared details on recent massive frauds, such as a $2 million romance scam and a $1 million GM fraud.

Key Takeaways & What YOU Can Do:

Stop Robocalls: Report suspicious robocalls to the Do Not Call Registry.

Monitor Your Credit: Regularly check your credit reports for any signs of identity theft.

Vet Contractors: Be cautious! You can always check the registration of independent contractors and review BBB complaints.

Stay safe and informed! #RotaryService #ConsumerProtection #FraudPrevention #DelawareDOJ #NoblesPond #rid7630 #CommunitySafety

Camden-Wyoming Rotary Club Honored with “Spirit of Caesar Rodney Award”

On behalf of the Camden-Wyoming Rotary Club, President-elect Dan Taylor and President Anne Mathisen proudly accepted the prestigious “Spirit of Caesar Rodney Award” from Jessica Marelli, the President of the Caesar Rodney School District’s Board, during a ceremony held last evening. This special recognition was presented to the club in appreciation of its ongoing commitment to local students.

The Camden-Wyoming Rotary Club was acknowledged explicitly for its longstanding support of the district’s students. Notable projects include providing scholarships to graduating seniors and donating dictionaries to every third-grade student in the district. These efforts have made a meaningful impact, helping to foster educational achievement and literacy within the Caesar Rodney School District community.

The Rotary Club’s dedication to service above self continues to enrich the lives of students and exemplifies the spirit of community partnership. The club expresses its gratitude to the Caesar Rodney School District for this honor and looks forward to continuing its support for the students and families of the district.

#rid7630 #RiderPride

Camden-Wyoming Rotary Invests in a Cleaner Park with $5,000 District Grant

We are excited to announce that the Town of Wyoming warehouse has received a shipment of ten new trash cans, thanks to a $5,000 District Grant from the Camden-Wyoming Rotary Club. This funding enabled the club to purchase trash cans, supporting the town’s ongoing efforts to provide a cleaner and healthier environment for visitors to Wyoming Park.

The Camden-Wyoming Rotary Club's commitment to community service and improvement is evident in its actions, making a tangible difference in the community. Their partnership with the Town of Wyoming is a testament to the positive impact that collaborative efforts can have on local communities.

Yay trash—here’s to a tidier future!

#rid7630 #townofwyoming

Noble's Pond Golf Ball Drop Raises Funds for The Murphey School

The Camden Wyoming Satellite at Noble's Pond held a Golf Ball Drop on September 10.

Our resident construction representative, Jake Kirkpatrick, braved the ladder and dropped 2 batches of golf balls.

The lucky winners were Rich Giddes and John Risko from Noble’s Pond.

The Murphey School in Dover is this year’s beneficiary of the Golf Ball Drop

#rid7630 #noblespond #themurpheyschool

Newark Morning Rotary Dedicates POW/MIA "Chair of Honor"

September 18, 2025

As the sun was setting last evening, the Newark Morning Rotary Club dedicated a Chair of Honor in recognition of American Prisoners of War and those still Missing in Action. President Anne Mathisen was honored to represent our club at this event. Since World War II, more than 80,000 American men and women remain “still missing.” Outside of their immediate families and close friends they have been nearly forgotten. The chair memorial serves as a tribute to all POW and MIA as well as their families.

POW/MIA chairs are found across the United States, in sports arenas and stadiums, town halls, parks and state capitols and now one at the Newark Municipal Building on Main Street in Newark, DE. The chairs are meant to represent those service members who are unable to fill them because of their sacrifices. They also remind us of the men and women who serve our country every day.

Rosely Robinson, founder of A Hero’s Welcome Delaware, told us there are 70 Chairs of Honor in Delaware alone. She said there are 121 missing service members in Delaware. She said that in 1971, during the Vietnam War, Mary Hoff, the wife of MIA Lt. Commander Michael Hoff U.S.N., proposed the creation of a symbol for American POWs and those who are MIA. The POW/MIA flag was created and is officially recognized by the U.S. Congress in conjunction with the Vietnam War POW/MIA issue, "as the symbol of our Nation's concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing, and unaccounted for. The flag was designed with black and white colors representing the colors of the pajamas worn by prisoners in Vietnam. This is the only flag that may be displayed on the same pole as the American flag.

Captain and Flight Officer in the U.S Air Force and Prisoner of War in Vietnam, Ralph Galati spoke. Mr. Galati's speech was compelling and moving. His experiences as a prisoner, highlighting the hope and spirit of faith among the detainees, were deeply touching. The daily tests they faced, including beatings, and their unwavering New Mission as captives was to resist and return home; he was truly inspiring. His message to "Never Forget" is a poignant reminder of their resilience and determination. He said the prisoners recited the third verse of Amazing Grace daily and were punished for it. It reads: "Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; 'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home".

Thank you, Newark Morning Rotary Club, for this ever-memorable evening.

#rid7630 #ChairOfHonor

Cultivating Change: A Look into Dr. Latha Melmaiee's Groundbreaking Agricultural Research

🌿 Faculty Spotlight & Research Talk: Dr. Kalpalatha (Latha) Melmaiee 🌿

September 10, 2025

We had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Kalpalatha (Latha) Melmaiee, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Agriculture & Natural Resources at Delaware State University, for an enlightening and enjoyable presentation on her groundbreaking work in plant breeding and crop resilience at our Wednesday dinner meeting.

The evening began with a warm introduction by our own club member, Dr. Marikis Alvarez, Associate Dean for Land Grant, at DSU, who highlighted Dr. Melmaiee’s extensive contributions to agriculture and student mentorship.

During her talk, Dr. Melmaiee captivated the audience with stories from her 35+ years of research, blending science with real-world impact:

🍓 Strawberries – Overcoming fungal diseases like gray mold and anthracnose through smarter management and breeding strategies.
🫐 Blueberries – Confronting the challenges of heat stress by testing diverse germplasm and applying biotech tools to identify genes for tolerance.
🌍 International Collaborations – Partnering in Senegal, Bangladesh, and India to strengthen drought tolerance in sorghum, improve rice breeding, and support women-led agricultural cooperatives.

✨ She also shared her achievements, including:
Fulbright Specialist Award (2022) and ICAR Visiting Professor Award (2023). Faculty Excellence in Research & Teaching at DSU. Mentoring 200+ undergraduate students across the U.S. in hands-on research

🎯 Action items moving forward:
• Explore blueberry germplasm for heat tolerance
• Apply biotechnological tools for marker-assisted breeding
• Expand global training for resilient crops and farmer empowerment

It was an inspiring evening filled with science, stories, and the promise of a more resilient agricultural future. 🌱👏

#rid7630 #DSU