The Wakefield Rotary Club recently hosted its second hybrid meeting since COVID-19 restrictions began. Meeting both in-person, with socially distanced protocol, and offering a simultaneous meeting online, the group gathered to greet one another and complete a double service project. Wakefield Rotary President John Tramontozzi explained, “During these difficult times, Wakefield Rotarians recognize the need and desire to connect with our members regularly. About once a month, when we perform a service project, those who are able to participate in person are welcome to do so with proposer CDC guidelines including face coverings and social distancing.”He continued, “I attend the in-person meeting with my laptop and Zoom connect our members who can only attend remotely. To be certain not to alienate any member and to be inclusive I move the laptop around the room to allow for a speaker to see both their in-person and online audience. And where any online member speaks, the laptop is positioned to allow all in-person members to see and hear the online speaker. This has worked extremely well and I think all the members would agree.”
In late October, Project Coordinator Judy Gordon led a project to make cards for veterans. The team completed 48 hand-made cards to be distributed by Wakefield Veteran Service Officer Dave Mangan to local area veterans.
At the same time, Barbara Worley led the team in preparing and packaging 250 dictionaries for third graders. Worley commented, “These dictionaries will be delivered to all third graders in Wakefield; a project our club has done for decades.” Rotarians labelled the dictionaries with book plates for the students to write in their names. The team will be delivering the dictionaries to all Wakefield schools by mid-November.
Rotarian Glen Duffy added, “It's great to get back out into the community and do something meaningful. Everyone has been taking all the necessary precautions seriously to ensure a safe environment for all those who choose to attend the in-person hybrid meetings. It's instills pride that Rotary is being innovative in finding ways to press forward on our mission of service.”