Debbie, tell us a little bit about your Rotary journey. How long have you been a Rotarian and what was your first position in your club?
I joined in 2020, and my first job was Director of Service Projects.
Interesting first position. What were some of your favorite service projects and what about those projects resonated with you?
My favorite service projects are working with our Interact Clubs. We’ve done several projects at a local senior apartment building. Last October, five Rotarians and ten Interact students painted pumpkins and played Bingo with about twenty-five residents. Our club supplied the Bingo prizes and pumpkins. In April, we created spring baskets for families in need and worked with our elementary school RotaKids to put the baskets together, filling them with small toys and candy (all donated by teachers, students, and Rotarians).
It seems as if the club president position is a very big one in Rotary. Why did you say yes to becoming your club's president?
I said yes to being president because I thought I could bring some useful skills and experience to the job. I’m a retired educator and I knew that I could bring useful skills to the job, such as organizational skills, leadership skills, and the ability to inspire people. I always try to set the bar high, and I also did so with my third graders.
What was the preparation for becoming a president like?
Learning about Rotary can be very difficult because there is so much to it. I attended Rotary conferences and Presidents Elect Training, but I don’t think anyone would ever be fully trained to be president. However, if you have someone to ask or somewhere to look for help, you don’t need to know everything.
What one thing have you done, or do you plan to do to make your year uniquely yours?
I’ve instituted several new fundraising opportunities. The Duck Derby was so much fun! We raised about $3,000 and partnered with our local fire company so they also raised money. We’ve just started promoting our Flags for Heroes, which will be both a fundraiser and a friend-raiser. My motto is Be Present in the Community.
Do you have a Rotary mentor and what is the most important lesson you learned from him or her?
My mentor, Dr. Marian Trapani, worked with me as an educator and recruited me to join Rotary. She taught me to utilize the talents each person brings to Rotary.
What's one thing that people might not know about you?
Most people don’t know that I’ve had three careers: medical technologist, restaurant owner and educator.
Anything else that we should know about you?
I’ve been married for forty-three years, have two sisters (I'm the middle child!), absolutely love my gardens and flowers, and have two cats. In the summer, the beach and soft ice cream are my favorites. In the winter, I enjoy reading and knitting. One thing on my bucket list is to write a book about growing up during the summers at an Italian resort. My dad was a chef there for ten summers. It is sort of my Dirty Dancing story.
Meet Debra Shelly, President, Phillipsburg Rotary Club.jpg)
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