The Rotary Club of Amelia Island Sunrise was chartered November 6, 2007.
The charter members, many still active & engaged in Rotary were:
Doc BurgessDeb CottleJohn DrewClaudette DrummondPatti Duncan |
Alex EversChristal FishStan FishburnBrian FlickRon Flick |
Nick GilletteAnn HaysJack HeardMyers KurtzDanny Leeper |
Jim MayoAshley McIntyreSuzanne McLeodJason MuddMike Mullin |
John MyersLarry OgilvieJake PoseyShandra RiffeyPat RogenskArt Shuster |
Rachel SuttonChip TownsendMelvin UseryDonna Lynne VanPuymbrouckRob Weeks |
Our Club...
was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Fernandina Beach. As part of Rotary International, we support causes around the world to bring better quality of life and lasting joy to many people. One of the most important efforts we support is the worldwide eradication of polio.
We celebrated our 10th anniversary in 2017
In 2013 our club celebrated it's 5th year.
Rotary International has helped reduce polio in the world by 97% and we are proud to have been a part of that effort with our annual financial contributions, promotional and educational efforts and in addition, we are proud to mention that past president Katey Breen was a part of a Rotary trip to India a few years ago and personally administered the polio vaccine to countless children.
Our Annual Events
Since its founding this Rotary Club has provided members the opportunity to grow personally and professionally with meaningful community activities and lively fellowship. It is a successful blending of hands-on work, strategic plans, large and small projects, and hybrid meetings filled with laughter and good cheer.
The club responds to community needs with work parties and raises funds for worthy local non-profits and international projects:
2020/2021 was a challenging year due to the COVID virus. This did not stop this Rotary Club and projects included.
The Barnabas Empty Bowls project is where the club provides funding and volunteers for the event.
The club started the first annual Lobster Fest-To-Go. The recipient of this inaugural event was the Meal Pack Program of Barnabas which provides nourishment to students enrolled in the Nassau County School system’s Families in Transition Program.
The cancellation of the 2020 signature event of the Club, the Annual Wine & Food Tasting Gala, did not stop the members to present a Virtual Summer-Fun Wine Tasting. This event raised $10,000 which was presented to the FOAR FROM HOME project.
In a team effort this club helped staffing two four-hour shifts Wednesday – Friday at the Emergency Operation Call Center calling individuals of the community informing them about the status of their covid vaccinations and help making appointments for the individuals eligible to be vaccinated.
The Club also supported a water filtration system for families in Nicaragua and the Cannaan Orphanage in Haiti. This project was a shared project with four other rotary clubs.
In addition to this club’s organized projects individual members regularly volunteer with organizations such as Keep Nassau Beautiful, Hope House, Boys & Girls Clubs of Nassau County, Big Brother & Bid Sisters, the Salvation Army, Council on Aging, Ft. Clinch State Park plus numerous neighborhood beautification projects.
Our Signature Annual Event
We started our annual Wine & Food Tasting Event in 2013 and it has become the major fund raising activity for our club. Originally held at the Amelia Island Museum of History the event has benefited a series of great organizations. In total, the club raised and donated over $200,000, receiving grants from the Rotary District to supplement the clubs' contributions. Due to the pandemic this event had to be cancelled in 2020,
Here is a brief look at the successes in our community:
Year | Recipient(s) | Use of Proceeds |
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2019
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Towards repaying the loan of their 14' box truck used to pick-up and deliver donated food items for the food pantry and for mobile food distribution in Nassau County, FL. |
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Funds to be applied towards the purchase of a building lot to provide safe, affordable housing for low income residents. |
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Funds for paid internships and scholarship opportunities for participating youth in Nassau County. | |
FOFA - Friends of Fernandina Aviation
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Funding several flight training scholarships for high school students to attend the National Flight Academy. |
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2018
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Boys & Girls Clubs of Nassau County
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Raised money toward a bus to transport students to the clubs after school. |
FOFA - Friends of Fernandina Aviation |
Raised money for student scholarship to attend the National Flight Academy |
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Raising money to complete the tech room to assist seniors without access to internet or computes |
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2017
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Enhancing Eagan's Creek
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Fernandina Beach
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CPR training equipment
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FOFA - Friends of Fernandina Aviation
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Sent two middle school students to the Pensacola Aviation Simulation Camp for a week.
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2016 | Friends of the Fernandina Library |
Build out of Tech room |
2015 | Arts Alive! | Annual Operating Expense |
2014 | Wolfson's Children Hospital | Purchase of two defibrillators |
2013 | Wolfson's Children Hospital | Purchased a child hospital bed |
Beneficiaries of the Wine & Food Tasting are organizations that were selected because of their involvement in our community, their alignment with the Rotary areas of focus, and their willingness to participate and support this event.
District 6970
The Rotary Club of Amelia Island Sunrise is part of District 6970 – referred to as "Florida's Crown District" where Rotary has served for more than 100 years.
As of 2021 there are 63 clubs, 2 satellite clubs, 15 Rotaract clubs and 44 Interact clubs serving 31 Northeast Florida communities in 12 counties.
Our District's more than 3,100 Rotary members are active, involved and accomplishing service and humanitarian goals on behalf of our neighborhoods, towns, and cities as well as being involved in international service. We are proud of the national and international Rotary leaders who have come from our ranks.
For more than a century Rotary's presence and involvement in our region have been positive forces to improve the well-being of the people in our communities.
The Rotary Club of Amelia Island Sunrise and District 6970 look forward to the next 100 years of service and living up to our commitment to all that Rotary stands for by placing Service Above Self.