Ruse on the Loose: Morristown woman likes giving back through Rotary Club
Barbara Perkalis is asking her community for help.
A member of the Morris Plains Rotary Club, the Cedar Knolls resident joined the group because of the many contributions they make to the community. She also realized that the group had been working hard for a number of years and she was worried about the future.
"I'm concerned because we have so many elderly people and we're not getting any new blood. It's important for these young people in their forties and fifties to say, 'You know what? If we want this to continue in our community, we have to step up to the plate,'" Perkalis, 71, said.
"When they're at a Little League game and they look up at the new scoreboard, Rotary gave them that. When you look at all the trees and the flowers by the library, that's Rotary. They've sponsored two safe cycling events for kids, inviting them to come up and show them how to be safe. They have done so much just in the two years that I've been there and you don't see that going on."
The Rotary Club of Morris Plains was founded in 1973 to serve Morris Plains and Morris Township. Today the club is comprised of more than 50 men and women who want to make a difference in their community.
"I feel so strongly about what they do for kids as I believe it promotes the community caring goal," said Perkalis, who works part-time at Sunrise Senior Living in Parsippany.
The Morris Plains Rotary has a standing invitation to the public to meet them for breakfast any Friday at 7:47 a.m. at Bretton Woods, located at 361 Speedwell Ave. in Morris Plains. Members and guests socialize, enjoy breakfast, learn about upcoming activities and events, and hear an interesting program by a guest presenter. Visitors might even be asked to sing.
"We're fun. One of our Rotarians wrote this song called "Rotary Morning" and it's so funny. Larry Ripley starts the meeting off by saying something like, whoever's wearing blue has to come up and sing and you've got to get up and sing this silly little ditty," Perkalis said, laughing. "It's a really fun group and they're really caring."
Three years ago while working for a local pharmaceutical firm, Perkalis was asked by her company to join a local Rotary. She gladly said yes. Her only problem was deciding which group to join.
"I wasn't sure where I wanted to go. I am a Morristownian, born and raised in Morristown. My mother was born in Morristown, my grandmother was born in Morristown. You don't get any more Morristown than me."
After attending meetings at a few other area clubs, Perkalis felt right at home at her first Morris Plains gathering. She fell in love with the small town atmosphere of the members.
"Morris Plains, it's just like Mayberry, U.S.A. I just totally love it. I really do because they care about the kids. I definitely knew this was the Rotary that I would like to belong to," said Perkalis, who has five sons, 15 grandchildren and one greatgranddaughter.
"They are so community cultured and so focused on Morris Plains. I want to let the communty know that it's the community that cares and a lot is because of Larry (Ripley)."
Ripley, a member of the Morris Plains Rotary Club since 1985, was named the Governor of Rotary District 7470 on July 1. A resident of Morris Plains for more than 40 years, Ripley has been a long-time community volunteer throughout the Morris County area in many charitable organizations.
Every year the Morris Plains Rotary Club sponsors a Memorial Day picnic and a Labor Day Block Party, a fishing contest, a blood drive, a Halloween window painting contest, a golf outing to benefit Camp Merry Heart, school poster art contest and awards scholarships to students. They also sponsor two exchange students each year.
"I guess I get a high when I know that I'm giving back. I'm not a religious fanatic but the Lord has been very, very good to me. I'm a cancer survivor, I'm a heart attack survivor," Perkalis said.
"I've been a supporter and a volunteer in the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, Helping Hands for Sandy and chaired our Social Ministry at church. I do it, not because I want my name anywhere, I do it because I feel like the Lord has been so good to me."
The Morris Plains Rotary is hosting a blood drive from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27 at the Morris Plains Presbyterian Church, located at 400 Speedwell Ave. in Morris Plains.
They will also host a Community Breakfast, open to all, from 8-11 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 28 at the Morris Plains Community Center, located at 51 Jim Fear Drive in Morris Plains. Cost is $8 for adults, $5 for children.
For more information about the Morris Plains Rotary Club, visit www.morrisplainsrotary.org.
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