In 2022, Ceci Maher was elected to represent the 26th state Senate district which covers Weston, Westport, Wilton, Redding and parts of Ridgefield, Darien, New Canaan, and Stamford. She was overwhelmingly re-elected in November 2024 to serve a second term.
Ceci enjoyed a successful career in the retail space, running a multi-million-dollar department.  While taking time off to raise her children she volunteered for organizations in the community. Based on lessons learned while volunteering, she pursued a master's degree in social work, graduating from Columbia University.
As a licensed master social worker, Ceci worked with children and youth in a psychiatric hospital, and then moved to leading local nonprofits. Ceci led the growth of educational opportunity programs at the Horizons National Student Enrichment Program for five years, and while executive director of Person-to-Person, she grew the agency from serving 15,000 people to serving 25,000 people per year and ultimately providing food for more than 1 million meals per year to people in need in 7 of the towns of lower Fairfield County.
Ceci led Sandy Hook Promise as interim executive director, supporting gun violence prevention programs, including the important "Know the Signs" program helping to create safer communities for students and families.
Currently Ceci resides in Wilton, where her children attended public schools. She grew up in Stamford, started her family in Norwalk, has worked in New Canaan and Darien, and volunteered throughout the district, including in Westport.
If there is a Westport school cancellation or delay due to the weather, we will not have a meeting in person. Call 203-341-1766 for the school district's snow message if you are not sure.
Come for coffee and breakfast at 7:00am.
The meeting will start at 7:30am.
Meeting Opener: Joe Watson
Greeters: George Masumian, Kendy Jean-Baptiste
VENMO SUSTAINING MEMBER
($100 annual)
@Joseph-Renzulli-1
The Club Calendar is at the end of this newsletter. Please refer to it to see the meeting schedule, social events and more. It will be updated when speakers and events are added.

The updated Greeters and Openers schedule is also near the end of the newsletter, so please check to see if you are on there!
Friday Meeting - February 13
Lawrence A. Caso, Executive Director The Klein
Lawrence A. Caso shared the history of The Klein, it's evolution and contribution to the society by bringing many of current school students, professionals and alumni together at The Klein.
Bruce Fitz was our Opener and shared how family and togetherness nurture our lives.
Bruce Paul was the lucky winner of the attic prize last week.
George and Kendy are the greeters this month
The Rotary Clubs in Area 2 - Westport Sunrise, Westport, Norwalk and Wilton - are combining to host a Meal Packing Event on Saturday, February 21, 9-11am. We are partnering with Saugatuck Congregational Church and the event will take place in their large community room on the ground floor. We are also partnering with The Outreach Program in MA, who is providing the ingredients and the equipment needed. We will pack over 12,000 meals to be donated to the Gillespie Center and the Open Doors food pantries. We have enough volunteers for this service event, so thanks to all who signed up!
      First Book Club meeting
Stephanie Philips, our district governor, stopped by to thank us and cheer us on.
She is here in the photo with Katie, Peter Helt, president of Westport Rotary, and
Katharine Murray from Homes With Hope
The very successful Meal Packing Event held on February 21 was a joint effort of the Rotary Clubs in Area 2 of District 7980 - Westport Sunrise, Westport, Norwalk and Wilton - plus the Saugatuck Congregational Church and The Outreach Program, who supplied the ingredients.
Over 70 volunteers from the Rotary Clubs and the Church packed 12,500 shelf-stable meals of Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal and delivered them in 58 cases to the Homes with Hope Food Pantry at the Gillespie Center in Westport, Open Doors, Person to Person and the YMCA in Norwalk, and Wilton Social Services. They were all very appreciative! Many thanks to all those who helped out!
Sunrise Rotary club will have a social luncheon on Friday February 27th and no morning meeting. Please RSVP and pay using the Evite below or an email to Alma (asarelli@yahoo.com) by Feb 25th
6:30pm: Cocktails and gather with your fellow Rotarians! - Cash Bar 7:00pm: Enjoy catered buffet -optional but reservation required for count! - $25 7:30pm: Jazz show - $21
One of our club’s ongoing and rewarding commitments to community service is our commitment to serving dinner meals on the first Saturday of each month at the Gillespie Center here in Westport.
We are back to serving meals at the newly renovated Gillespie Center. We have the option to drop off prepared meals at 4:30 PM or to bring meals to serve in person at 4:40 PM (allow extra time if the meals need to be reheated). Meal service should include a main dish, side dish, vegetable, and dessert (no nuts or shellfish please). The number of meals to provide, currently 25, will be confirmed to you to in advance when it is your turn to serve.
If you choose to drop off prepared meals at 4:30 PM you have the option to prepare homemade meals, purchase prepared meals at the store/restaurant of your choice, or you can contact Fresh Market on the Post Road in Westport where you can purchase prepared meals (protein, two sides and cookies for $7 - $10 per meal). If you choose the Fresh Market option call Tory at 203 227-2910 on the Monday prior to your meal service to place your order. You can pay for the meals when you pick them up.
If you are unable to work on your assigned Saturday you will be responsible to call other Rotarians on the list to switch dates.
Meal Servers Schedule March 7, 2926 Rachelle Norzelus Bruce Paul April 4, 2026 Joe Renzulli Mark Mathias May 2, 2026 Steven Chin Matt Mandell June 6, 2026 Joe Scordato Paul Keblish July 4, 2926 BBQ
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Join Date
Anil Nair
May 1, 2009
17 years
Ron Holtz
May 1, 1991
35 years
Mark Mathias
May 3, 2003
23 years
Paris Looney
May 3, 2019
7 years
Liz Wong
May 4, 2012
14 years
MEETING OPENERS SCHEDULE
February 6 Press
13 Fritz
20 Watson
March 6 Senturia
13 Bernhard
20 Renzulli
27 Klein
April 10 Mullen
17 Augustyn
GREETERS SCHEDULE
February Masumian; Jean-Baptiste
March Fritz; Galan
April Mandell; Violette
May Monroy-Smith; Zielinski
June Wetmore; Summers
2026
February
6: Sharon Walker Epps, Rowan Center
13: Laurence A. Caso, The Klein Memorial Auditorium, Bridgeport
20: Ceci Maher, State Senator
27: NO MEETING
March
6: Gavin MacMahon, FassForward
13: Ckiff Sirlin, Buy Build Fund
20: Bill Harmer, Westport Library Common Ground
27: TBD
April
3: NO MEETING - GOOD FRIDAY/PASSOVER
10: Horizons Academy
17: Samantha Sarelli, Ms. Globe USA 2005, social activist
