Orange Rotary to Honor Two Community Servants with Paul Harris Awards at Annual Installation Dinner

The Rotary club of Orange has chosen Tom Pisano, Founder and Director of the Orange Soccer Association and James Messina, of St. Martin dePorres Academy as their Paul Harris Award recipients for 2012.  The awards will be presented at their annual Installation and Paul Harris Fellows Night on Friday, June 15^th at Racebrook Country Club.  

The Paul Harris Fellowship is named in honor of Rotary’s founder and the recipients are chosen based on how they exemplify the object of Rotary in their community involvement.  “Both of our recipients this year are outstanding men who work tirelessly to improve their respective communities – Tom through his vision and longstanding commitment to create and grow the soccer program in Orange has influenced hundreds of young people in the past 25 years and Jim devotes his professional and private life to working with inner city youth, as the founder and faculty mentor for the Interact Club at St. Martin de Porres Academy” said club President, Diane Eger. 

Tom Pisano is the face of soccer in Orange, having founded the Orange Soccer Association in 1985 he has lead it’s growth from the early days at Mary L. Tracy School to overseeing the development of the soccer complex at Fred Wolfe Park.  On any Sunday the fields at Mary L. Tracy, High Plains Community Center and Fred Wolfe Park are packed with children and their families.  Three generations of young people have benefitted from Tom’s dedication and determination.  From clearing the fields, coaching the teams, refereeing the games, overseeing the parking lots to designing the pitch – Tom has a hand in all aspects of the program.   Tom is a professional engineer employed by Trane Heating and Air Conditioning Systems He lives in Orange with his wife Peggy. They have two children, TJ and Katie.  

Jim Messina was a founding faculty member of Saint Martin de Porres Academy in 2005. The school is a tuition-free Catholic Middle School that is located in the Hill neighborhood of New Haven. Jim is presently the Director of Spiritual Development, which involves teaching Religion and coordinating all student service projects, retreats, and in-school prayer services. In 2010, Jim was chosen to be the faculty advisor for the first Interact Club in a middle school setting for Rotary District 7980 which is sponsored by the Orange Rotary Club. After two years, Jim is proud that his middle school students have worked to raise awareness about important issues within the school's neighborhood and around the world. The club's "Kyle's Kids" program was recently recognized as the Outstanding Middle School Community Service Project of the Year by Rotary International.

The Club will also install the 2012/13 officers that evening. Michael Richetelli is the incoming president, Carl Russell, President elect, Rich Pittala, Vice President, Ned Martin, Treasurer and Baxter Walsh, secretary. 

 

The event begins at 6:30 p.m. with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, dinner with a choice of salmon with beurre blanc, chicken marsala or grilled hanger steak  is at 7:30 p.m. Cost is $40 per person with a cash bar.  Anyone wishing to attend, should contact: Trish Pearson, trishpearson281@gmail.com or call 203-516-0780 by June 12^th.