Moriches Rotary news

On Nov. 8, 2025, the Moriches Rotary Club held a Stuff a Bus at the Center Moriches King Kullen to benefit the food pantries at the Eastport Bible Church and the Center Moriches Presbyterian Church. The Interact/Peer Leadership Club of Center Moriches High School and the Interact Club of East Moriches Middle School assisted the Moriches Rotarians in collecting food and filling a bus provided by IGHL. Through the amazing generosity of the Moriches community, we were able to completely fill the bus and provide much-needed food for both pantries before the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. In addition to the abundant nonperishable food items, the Moriches Rotary also donated 35 complete Thanksgiving turkey dinners to the Bible Church and to The Assembly of God Church in Center Moriches. 

Also in November, the Center Moriches Interact/Peer Leadership Club held their own food drive along with their teacher advisors, Anthony Navas and Brett O’Brien, and collected in excess of 4,000 cans and boxes of nonperishable food. That food was donated to the Center Moriches United Methodist Church and filled their pantry to overflowing.

On Dec. 7, 2025, the Rotary Club of the Moriches held its annual Pancake Breakfast at Camp PaQuaTuck. Santa Claus made a special appearance and posed for pictures with the children and families attending. Pancakes and sausage were served by volunteers from the East Moriches Interact Club and other young people who came to help and earn community service hours. The money raised at the event will go toward scholarships at Center Moriches High School, Eastport-South Manor High School, East Moriches Middle School and Our Lady Queen of Apostles School. The money will also go to the Moriches Rotary Clubs other community outreach projects.

On Dec. 12, 2025, the Rotary Club of the Moriches held its annual Holiday Party to recognize and thank the many people and organizations who, throughout the year, donate their time and fundraising efforts to benefit Camp PaQuaTuck. Among the individuals, groups, and fundraisers, were the Rotary Club’s own Oktoberfest, the women of the PaQuaTuck Fundraisers, the Fuoco family and Patchogue Rotary’s Fuoco Memorial Golf FEASTIVAL, and the Bradstock Music festival held each Labor Day Weekend on the grounds of Camp PaQuaTuck. Thanks to the efforts and timeless dedication of all of these caring people and organizations, an unbelievable total of $735.00.00 was donated to the camp. An incredible sum of money, yet hard to believe that this is not even half of the amount of the camp’s yearly operating budget. Still, considering that the camp must operate completely on funds donated and fundraised and the small amount of tuition charged to the families of the children and young adults attending the camps weekly summer sessions, without the efforts of these organizations and volunteers, the camp may not be able to continue its mission to serve the 450-plus special-needs campers attending the camp each summer. A heartfelt and special debt of gratitude goes out to each and every one of these amazing people who we Rotarians call our friends of Camp PaQuaTuck.

The Rotary Club of the Moriches wishes all of you and yours a very happy, healthy, and wonderful holiday season.

As always, I ask especially in the coming new year that you please consider joining us in the Moriches Rotary and take part in serving this great Moriches community and the worldwide community. All of us in Rotary strongly believe in “service above self.”

The Rotary Club of the Moriches meets every first and third Wednesday of each month. The meetings are held at JC’s Restaurant at Pine Hills Country Club in Manorville. The meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. and conclude no later than 8 p.m.

For more information, please visit our website at morichesrotary.org or contact me, Tom Chieffo, at 631-294-5365