Giving Rye: Meet the Rotary Club of Rye

Giving Rye is a new occasional feature highlighting non-profits and community groups in and around the City of Rye. Today meet Lauren Torres of the Rotary Club of Rye.

Your name: Lauren Torres

Organization: Rotary Club of Rye

Your role: President

MyRye.com: Tell us your organization’s mission.

Torres: We provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional and community leaders. Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe in communities, and in ourselves.

How long have you operated in Rye?

Torres: 61 years in Rye, NY, Chartered in 1962. We are part of an International Organization that is over 100 years old. The Rotary Club of Rye is comprised of 18 active and 7 honorary members.

What programming or work in Rye is the organization best known for? 

Torres: Our causes are:

• Promoting Peace
• Fighting Disease
• Providing Clean Water
• Saving Mothers & Children
• Supporting Education
• Growing Local Economies
• Supporting the Environment

Existing club / foundation activities:

• Rye High Scholarship Program
• Good Citizenship Awards
• Rye Girls Basketball Team Support
• Rye/Harrison Sportsmanship Award Lunch
• Purple Pinkie Project to end Polio through vaccinations
• Mission Backpack Volunteer Event with Helping Hands
• Rye’s Above and Collaboration with Rye Art’s Center
• Support of Midland Schools
• Good Citizenship Award
• Support by providing Community Service opportunities for Middle School and High School students
• Food and Diaper Drive to support local NPOs (Carver Center, Bread of Life etc.)
• Support of Nature Center

Looking forward to 2024, what will be your top initiatives?

Torres: 

1. Support mothers and children by partnering with food banks, clothing banks and domestic violence shelters
2. Supporting education through scholarships to local high school students with financial hardships
3. Support of the environment through partnership with the Nature Center

Tell us about the population you serve and how they can get involved with your programming and services.

Torres: We do a lot with the Rye High School in the areas of scholarships and supporting athletic programs. We have given out hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships since the club was founded in 1962. We also do work on the international level. Rotary has worked for decades on completely eradicating Polio in the world and some of our local fundraising goes toward this goal. Our club has also sponsored the digging and maintaining of water wells in rural parts of Africa so locals have clean convenient drinking water in their villages.

Are you a 501(c)(3) non-profit with tax exempt status? 

Torres: The Rye Rotary is a service club and has an associated 501 (c)(3) Foundation associated with it. It is through our Foundation that we raise and distribute monies to other organizations throughout the year.

Looking back across 2023, what were your organization’s top achievements?

Torres: 

1. Supporting local youth through Scholarships for Rye HS students in need of financial assistance and promoting good Sportsmanship and Citizenship
2. Collaborating and Partnering with other Rotary Clubs and NPOs in the community and Internationally through service projects.
3. Promoting integrity, peace and goodwill to create lasting change locally and globally and in ourselves.

How can local residents support your organization? 

Torres: Residents can come to Rotary Meetings (Tuesday mornings), join our club and even help out during one of our many community service projects like stuffing backpacks during back to school or helping with our holiday food drive which has just completed. More than 1,000 pounds of food was collected and distributed to food pantries and feeding programs in our area.

What local Rye residents and area businesses have been the longest, steadiest supporters of your organization? 

Torres: We have been fortunate to have many longtime supporters of our club. For example, many of the banks in town (Chase, M&T, Webster) have supported the club through membership and financial support. Organizations like Wainwright House, Greenwich Hospital and the Osborn have also had long time relationships with the club. However many members come from small, individually owned businesses – local dentists, insurance agents, realtors, attorneys and bankers – all working together for the betterment of the Rye and surrounding communities.

Tell us about you:

How long have you been in your current role?

Torres: Each Rotary year is July 1st through June 30th. I was inducted into the President role for a term beginning July 1st 2023 through June 30th 2024

Is the role full time or part time? Paid or volunteer? 

Torres: This role is voluntary and unpaid. I manage a Preferred Banking office for First Republic Bank now part of JPMorgan Chase in Scarsdale, NY

How would your friends and family describe you in one word? 

Torres: Responsible

Pick one:

Torres: 

MyRye.com Select from:	Your Pick:
Coke or Pepsi?	Neither. I prefer Mr. Pibb if I have soda on rare occasion
Regular or diet?
Action movie or rom com?	Action
Cook, order in or eat out?	Order in
Dog, cat or no pet?	Dog
Balsamic vinaigrette or ranch?	Rach
Ruffles Original, Lay’s Barbeque or Funyuns?	Barbeque
Still, sparkling or tap?	Sparkling

What is the kindest thing someone has ever done for you?

Torres: It’s too difficult to pick one. I am surrounded by so many kind people that show acts of kindness all the time.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why, and who would you take with you? 

Torres: I did a DNA test through Ancestry.com and would love to visit all of the places my ancestors are from which spans over a large part of Western Europe.

What is your favorite streaming / TV series? 

Torres: Right now I am watching Suits. I like the way they figure out how to overcome the legal challenges for their clients.

What is your favorite movie? 

Torres: My favorite movie of all time is Wizard of Oz because I have fond memories watching it at my Grandparent’s home.

Where do you live in Rye and how many years have you lived in the City? 

Torres: I live in Mount Kisco, NY.

Thanks, Lauren!

Organization’s website.

Specific donation link.

Facebook.