The Watkins-Montour Rotary Club meets on the first and third Thursday of each month at noon at the Montour Moose Lodge, Route 14, Montour Falls, NY. Guests are always welcome! For more information, email watkinsmontourrotary1@gmail.com
IN OUR COMMUNITY
Rotary Club Offering Community Grants
The Watkins-Montour Rotary Club is now accepting requests for community grants for projects to promote the quality of life in Schuyler County.
Grants will range generally from $100 to $1,000. Written requests must be postmarked by May 15 to Watkins-Montour Rotary Club, Donations Committee, P.O. Box 384, Watkins Glen, N.Y. 14891.
Requests must be submitted on the organization’s letterhead and limited to two pages. A concise statement must describe the specific project or need and the amount requested. A description of efforts that have been made or will be made to obtain funds from other sources for the specific project or need should also be included.
The legal name of the organization, a description of its mission, the names of the organization’s officers and the name, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address of a contact person are also required.
Grants will not be awarded for operating budgets exclusively or for endowments. Grants are to be spent within one year of the date of the award, without further expectation of support.
For more information, contact Judy Phillips, Watkins-Montour Rotary Club Grants Committee chair, by emailing judyphillips449@gmail.com or calling 607-535-6680.
First Watkins Wing Walk great success
What an amazing inaugural Watkins Wing Walk on Saturday, Feb. 28! Perfect weather. Enthusiastic “walkers.” And, of course, tasty chicken wings of many flavors.
We are humbled by the local community that came together to host a fabulous event for a great cause, truly helping our Rotary Club to expand its local missions. We are deeply grateful to the six Watkins Glen establishments that prepared more than 1,000 wings each for nearly 500 ticket-holders from near and far: Bleachers Bar and Grill, Jerlando's Ristorante & Pizza Co., Landon's Pub and Pizza, Lucky Hare Brewing Bar and Grill, Maria’s Tavern and Nickel's Pit BBQ. We thank our sponsor and supporting organization, Visions Federal Credit Union and the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce, and the local government agencies that were there behind the scenes. Shout-out to El Rancho Mexican Restaurant & Grill, FORE Vodka, Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards, J.R. Dill Wine Bar, Upstate Brewing Company FLX and Watkins Glen Promotions for offering special deals to our walkers.
The People's Choice Award for best wings went to Landon's, and the Judges' Choice Award to Maria's. Each business won $500.
"This event not only brought excitement and foot traffic to the village, but it also helped raise funds that will be reinvested back into our community through Watkins-Montour Rotary grants this spring,” Rotarian Michel Ray, chief organizer of the event, said, noting that more than $10,000 was raised.
The Wing Walk will hit the streets of Watkins Glen again on Feb. 27, 2027.
Sharing wings at Nickel's BBQ on Franklin Street, Watkins Glen. For a gallery of photos from the inaugural Watkins Wing Walk, click here.
Holiday service - and cheer!
The holidays are a busy, giving and celebrating time of year for our club. For years, we have supported holiday programs of Catholic Charities of Chemung and Schuyler Counties. Shopping for gifts is a favorite! And, in the last few years, we've added support of the Salvation Army red kettle project. The wind off of Seneca Lake can make it ... interesting. But we persevere with smiles, greetings for friends and thank-yous for all the generous donors. We cap off the holiday season with an annual party at the Seneca Lodge. Lots of laughs and gratitude for our Rotary family. We're also grateful for our own family members and friends who help us with our projects all year. See our holiday photos here.
Annual AMBA Nov. 8
The Club hosted our annual AMBA blood screening event on Nov. 8 at the Clute Park Community Center in Watkins Glen. We have offered this wellness service for many years and know it is still appreciated by the public.
Dog days of September!
For years at the Wine Country Circuit dog show, Watkins-Montour Rotarians have served as pooper-scoopers and crossing guards and have helped with set-up and tear-down. The 39th annual event was Sept. 25-28 at Sampson State Park in Romulus, NY. For more photos, click here.
Welcome, Angel Sanz Puente
Welcome to Angel Sanz Puente of Mexico, our Club's Rotary Exchange Student for the 2025-26 school year! Angel will attend Odessa-Montour Central School. Our Club members are looking forward to getting to know Angel and introducing him to the wonderful aspects of life in Schuyler County. If you see him out and about, say "Hello!" In the left photo: Past President and Student Exchange Officer Nan Woodworth, student Angel Sanz Puente and President David Bond-Trimble. Right photo: Angel and Yume Marino of Japan, hosted by the Victor-Farmington Rotary Club, meet Rotary International President Francesco Arezzo of Italy at the April 17 Eastern Cities Dinner in Pittsford.
Fun in Watkins Glen!
Our Club's annual Camp STAR visit was hosted on Aug. 12 at Clute Park in Watkins Glen. The kids and counselors found ways to 'beat the heat,' including on the very popular splash pad and the new ADA-compliant playground! Camp STAR (Southern Tier Area Rotary) at The Y at Watson Woods offers great summer experiences to children unable to attend more traditional overnight camps. Thank you to Landon's Pub and Pizza and Ben & Jerry's for an amazing lunch, Captain Bills Seneca Lake Cruises for the scenic boat ride and to the Watkins Glen Fire Department, Watkins Glen Police Department, Beaver Dams Fire Department, Burdett Fire Department, Montour Falls Fire Department, Odessa Fire Department and Valois-Logan-Hector Volunteer Fire Department for the exciting fire truck brigade through the Village of Watkins Glen. The Horseheads Rotary Club finished off the day with dinner for the group at the cool and comfortable Clute Park Event Center. In the photo: Rotarian Emily Peckham with a happy camper. For more photos from that fun day, click here.
Little Free Libraries in Schuyler County
The Watkins-Montour Rotary Club has placed six Little Free Libraries around Schuyler County, inviting everyone to "take one, leave one." Encouraging people of all ages and interests to read by offering free books aligns with Watkins-Montour Rotarians’ and Rotary International’s commitment to improving literacy in local communities. Click here for more about this project.
Students of the Month
The Watkins-Montour Rotary Club honors senior students from the Bradford, Odessa-Montour and Watkins Glen school districts each month during the school year, starting in October. Meet the 2025-26 honorees here.
ABOUT US
Club Officers 2025 - 2026
- President David Bond-Trimble
- President-Elect Lou Perazzini
- President-Elect Nominee
- Past President Nan Woodworth
- Secretary Terri Orbin
- Co-Secretary Emily Peckham
- Treasurer Michel Ray
Club Directors 2025 - 2026
- Bruce Boughton
- Dena Carrigan
- Linda Confer
- Nancy Ruda
- Don Stocum
- Stacy Woodworth
Our club meets on the First and Third Thursday of each month at noon at the Montour Moose Lodge, Route 14, south of Montour falls, NY. guests are always welcome. for more information email watkinsmontourrotary1@gmail.com.
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