To the editor:

There are some evenings that remind you just how special our community really is. “A Night at the Vineyard,” Bristol Rotary’s recent Gala, was one of those evenings.

As President of the Bristol Rotary Club, I want to personally thank everyone who helped make this event such a tremendous success. Together, our sponsors, donors, volunteers, and guests helped us to exceed our fundraising goal; those monies will be given back to the East Bay community to support food insecurity programs, veterans, seniors, scholarships, the Women’s Resource Center, and many other local needs.
That is what makes this night so meaningful to me. The money raised is not simply a number. It represents meals for someone who is struggling, support for a veteran, an opportunity for a student, assistance for a senior, and help for families and individuals who need a helping hand.
I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our generous sponsors and to the East Bay community. Your support, your generosity, and your willingness to come together for others are what make everything we do possible.

As Rotarians, we believe in “Service Above Self.” On this night, our community demonstrated exactly what those words mean, and we look forward to putting these funds to work right here in the East Bay, helping our neighbors who need it most.

Johnathon Birs
President, Bristol Rotary Club