Ave Maria Rotary Club set to empower business owners and youth talent
Charter Night attendees participate in Q&A discussion with Rotary Club of Ave Maria board members.
The Rotary Club of Ave Maria held their Charter Night Celebration on Monday, Aug. 26, inducting several new members into the organization. The night featured various guest speakers, including Rotarian leaders from across the Southwest Florida region.
JD Ribali, president of the Rotary Club of Ave Maria, said the chapter began in 2016 as a networking group for local business owners.
“That’s what it was created for in the first place, to connect the local businesses so we can help them promote each other. Now, we’re wrapping in that Rotary portion of giving back,” Ribali said. Members of Rotary International, a humanitarian service organization, approached the local group, hoping to establish a new chapter in Ave Maria.
Jason Kurek, co-owner of Ave Maria Jiu Jitsu and the chapter’s president-elect, said that the decision to join the organization will serve the community beyond the networking opportunities it offers to local business owners.
“With all of the ways that Rotary can positively impact the community, we thought that we wanted to be a part of it, and knew it would be historic,” Kurek said. “Not only can we meet to network with one another and discuss the best business practices, but we are also able to connect as a community so that we can help individuals in need through the gift of service.”
One way that the Rotary Club of Ave Maria is planning to enact change in the community is through the Josh the Otter Water Safety & Awareness Project.
“Recently, there was a tragic drowning that happened at the water park that so many people in this community are still very heartbroken over. So, our Rotary group the Rotary Club of Ave Maria is looking to address water safety through the ‘Josh the Otter’ book, which we’re currently raising money to fund,” said Kurek.
The goal of the project is to raise awareness about the importance of water safety through “Josh the Baby Otter,” a children’s book that teaches readers how to swim like an otter.
In addition to tackling water safety, the Rotary Club of Ave Maria aims to cultivate entrepreneurial skills in the local youth.
“What we want to do is teach kids about business entrepreneurship, get them involved in the community, and give them an outlet where they can actually sell their products, sell their service, and become the next Rotarians,” Ribali said.
With commercial and residential development expanding rapidly in Ave Maria, local business owners can now look forward to the potential networking opportunities and community engagement that the Rotary Club offers.
“As more individuals move to this area, so will businesses,” Kurek said. “There’s so much opportunity as we look at this growing landscape, and if we can support one another and help each other to connect to a broader audience of customers and constituents, then we all win.”