On Monday, October 21, 2025, there was a strong attendance and lots of excitement and anticipation at the ribbon cutting ceremony of the new Mathews Family YMCA Childcare Preschool located at the Westville Baptist Church on Mathews Main Street.

The Mathews Rotary Club and Mathews Family YMCA appreciates everyone who has donated time and sweat equity to efforts to get the preschool ready for kids this fall.

Over the past few months, our club has played a key role in supporting the development of the Mathews Family YMCA Childcare Preschool, a long-needed resource for working families in our county. From fundraising over $102,000, (includes generous matching funds from the White Family Fund) site planning to assisting with several service projects, Rotary members have stepped up to help bring this vision to life.

Pictured below are some of our members at this week's ribbon cutting ceremony. From left to right: Tim Hill, Bill Stearns, Stan Allen, Susan Murdoch, Craig DeRemer, Dee Russell, David Winch, Mike Pittman, and Ron Lambert.

​This project represents more than just a building—it’s an investment in the future of Mathews. Access to quality childcare and early education is essential for strong families and thriving communities, and we’re honored to be part of making it happen.

If you or someone you know is looking for childcare, we encourage you to learn more through the Mathews Family YMCA. https://www.ymcavp.org

One special project that was included in the preschool renovation was a customized mural in one of the children's activity rooms. The mural was designed and painted by the talented muralist, Maria-Emilia. https://www.maria-emilia.com and the mini storefront spaces and playground benches were custom-built by Rotarian, David Winch. 

The Mathews Rotary Club’s inaugural Spanish Mackerel Mayhem Fishing Tournament was held on Saturday, August 16th, 2025, and brought anglers together for a day of fun, competition, and fishing on the Chesapeake Bay. With beautiful late-summer 80 degree weather, boats cast off at sunrise, all competing to land the heaviest catches of the day.

By noon, participants gathered at Morningstar Marina for the official weigh-in, where the five heaviest fish per boat determined the winners. The afternoon wrapped up with awards at 2:15 pm, plenty of camaraderie, and a dockside cookout featuring brats and hotdogs served fresh off the grill.

The event not only delivered friendly competition and big catches but also raised support for the Rotary’s ongoing community projects in Mathews County. A strong first showing sets the stage for this new Rotary tradition to grow in the years ahead.

Congratulations to all the anglers!

1st place:
Johnathan Dehoux $2,000,
2nd place : Fernando Melendez $1,000
3rd place: Allen Palmer $700.

Junior winner: Logan Marsiglio $100
Female winner: Emily Bell: $100
Senior winner: Allen Palmer: $100

Thanks to our sponsors: Chesapeake bank, Morningstar Marina, Atlantic Coast Fishing Charters & Premier Realty of Virginia .'

​The Mathews Rotary Club warmly welcomes you to its 4th Annual Party with a Purpose!

Join us for live music on the East River in Mathews, Virginia. This event features  GOOD SHOT JUDY band, food trucks, beer and wine truck, and dancing at Williams Wharf Landing.

Music by Good Shot Judy Band
Food Trucks: On the Flip Side, Small Town Burger & Short Lane Ice Cream
Beer & Wine Truck

​Bring your own chairs and cash for beverages. We take Square, Venmo and cash.

My Grandmother Ruth Byslma for her sacrifice in leaving her home in NY state to come to MI to raise me when my mother passed away.  This was in 1970 and she was an influential businesswomen in her community and was still working as head of HR for a major department store at age 70 as she was born in 1900.  She left her family and sold her home to raise me when I was 12. ​

​Mark Posvistak, Commander Fleet Hospital Operations and Training. Mark trained many of the service men and women during the ongoing fight against termism.

1st Place - $2,000
2nd Place - $1,000
3rd Place - $700

This are two steps to register:
Step 1 - Captains should register their boat using the form directly below. Submitting your registration means that you have read and agreed to the  tournament rules. 

Step 2- Pay for your boat registration by following the links below the form. You will be  directed to a secure checkout through Square. Early registration is $200 per boat and ends August 1st. After the registration fee is $250. Use the appropriate form below.

​Pay for your boat registration by following the links below the form. You will be  directed to a secure checkout through Square. Early registration is $200 per boat and ends August 1st. After the registration fee is $250. Use the appropriate link below.

Mathews Rotary’s Spanish Mackerel Mayhem 
August 16th, 2025

Guaranteed $4,000 in cash prizes.

Open Category:

• 1st - $2,000
• 2nd - $1,000
• 3rd - $7,00

Special prizes of $100 for the heaviest fish landed in each of these categories:

1. Junior (15 years and younger)
2. Senior (65 or older)
3. Female (16 years and older)

 

• Each team is eligible to weigh-in their 5 heaviest Spanish Mackerel fish that meet the state regulations for the grand prize. Winner will be determined by the total aggregate weight of 5 Spanish Mackerel weighed. If there is a tie, the team who weighs in first will be the winner. 
• All fish in all categories must be a minimum size of 14 inches and compliant to all rules outlined by Virginia Marine Resources (VMR) for 2025.
• Early Registration opens June 15th-August 1st  $200 per boat. After August 1st $250.00 per boat.
  
  

(Unlimited Anglers).  Entry forms can be found on our website: http://www.mathewsrotaryclub.org or presented at the registration on Friday, August 15th. 
​

• Categories: Other weighed Spanish Mackerel from that boat may be eligible to compete for one or more of the special category cash prizes.  Boats must decide what category to place each fish, for example, open, junior, senior, and woman. The same fish cannot be used for two categories. Each boat will be given tags for the special categories (heaviest 1 fish).

• All entry forms must be signed by the vessel captain, or a designated responsible person.  Entry form signer must be at least 18 years old and be onboard the boat during the tournament.  Every angler that will be fishing in the tournament must be listed on the entry form.
• All participants must adhere to the Virginia Salt Water Fishing Tournament and the Salt Water Fishing Regulations as determined by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. We encourage all anglers to catch and release all fish that are not in the running to win a category.   
• The tournament director is ineligible to compete.
• This is a CAPTAIN’S CHOICE tournament.  It is the captain’s responsibility to decide whether to fish.   A GAIL WARNING is the ONLY weather condition that will cancel fishing.  If a gale warning is posted by NOAA at 6:00am on Saturday, the tournament will be canceled.
  • If there are no fish weighed or the tournament is canceled due to weather, the money will be raffled off at the rate of $100 per boat entered at a payout the same as the tournament (1st Place: 50%, 2nd Place: 30%, 3rd Place: 20%

• No lines in the water prior to sunrise.
• All fish must be caught in a sportsman like manner on hook and line.  Any fish showing fresh marks other than those made by landing nets or hooks may be disqualified.  Failure to maintain a contestant’s fish on ice and in good condition may result in disqualification.   Anglers presenting a fish to be weighed will be required to attest to the above at weigh in.
• WEIGH-IN PROCEDURE: The tournament committee will monitor VHF channels 69.  Please use other channels to communicate between boats.
• If weighing in by boat you must be in Milford Haven before 2:00 p.m., in sight of the Morningstar Marina docks and contact the Weigh Master Stan Allen on VHF channel 69 or by phone, 908-410-9015, with the boat number and that there are fish to be weighed.  Then proceed in an orderly safe manner to Morningstar Marina.  Please use the outside of “L” dock for unloading.  Do not tie up any longer than needed.
• If you are coming to the weigh-in by vehicle, the angler must be in line by 2:00 at the waterside weigh station at Morningstar Marina.  If you are in route at 1:45 a.m. please call 908-410-9015, we will wait.
• The weigh station will be open from 12:00-2:00 p.m.
• The weigh master, Stan Allen, will confirm that the fish being weighed have not been tampered with and were freshly caught the day of the tournament.  Any fish weighed may be dissected.
• ALL PRIZES WILL BE PAID TO THE PERSON WHO SIGNED THE ENTRY FORM, regardless of the person who caught the fish.  To avoid misunderstandings, the Tournament Committee urges all participants to develop their own arrangement for the distribution of prizes among captain and crew.
• The Awards Ceremony will be held at 2:15 p.m. Winners need to be present.
• All boats should be equipped with a functioning VHF radio.  To reach tournament headquarters use VHF channel 69 or call 908-410-9015
• The Tournament Committee reserves the right to inspect any boat that participates in the tournament.
• Any protest concerning a violation of the rules must be presented to the Tournament Committee in writing at weigh-in between 12:00 and 2:00 on the day of the alleged violation.
• Tournament fishing is limited to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries but not beyond the MD/VA state line and 200 yds east of the CBBT.
• FISH CONSERVATION IS ENCOURAGED!  Please limit your catch on tournament days.  All boats should have a functional safe de-hooking device and an accurate hand scale on board. Please support catch and release.
• Violation of any of the above rules will constitute grounds for disqualification. THE TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE’S DECISIONS SHALL BE FINAL.

 
WAIVER/DISCLAIMER: It is expressly understood that participants in this tournament enter at their own risk, and that the Tournament Directors, Officers, Sponsors, Committees and all other persons connected directly or indirectly with the operation of said tournament, shall be exempt from any liability whatsoever for liable, slander, loss, damage, negligence, harm, injury or death suffered by any participant, entrant, vessel and equipment, companions and guests, boat captains, mates, crew members, which may occur during or in conjunction with this tournament. By signing the official tournament registration form, the boat owner, captain and mate(s), anglers and guests, consent that the tournament may use without payment or restriction any photographs, video footage, in which he or she may appear for any purpose whatsoever, including but not limited to resale, advertising, commercial or promotional material.

For more information, please call or text the Tournament Chairman, Karl Braun-908-410-9015 or Co-Chairman, Jessica Dehoux-804-725-6213

After four years of planning and collaboration, the Mathews Rotary Club is thrilled to share that the long-awaited reconstruction of the observation deck has been completed. The 200-foot walkway at the New Point Comfort Natural Area Preserve was reopened this Spring for the public and visitors to use for sightseeing the 3rd oldest lighthouse on the Chesapeake Bay, New Point Comfort Lighthouse.

Originally built in 1997 and severely deteriorated over time, the structure—beloved as the closest land-based view of the New Point Comfort Lighthouse—was deemed beyond simple repair. Rotary members Stan Allen and Karl Braun initiated the effort in 2020, which soon evolved into a large-scale restoration project involving extensive fundraising, community collaboration, and coordination with The Nature Conservancy. With over $35,000 raised locally through donations and Rotary’s Party with a Purpose event, the project gained momentum when those funds were matched by NOAA and Virginia Coastal Zone Management through a grant administered by the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission.
With $160,000 secured, local contractor Docks of the Bay was selected to rebuild the walkway and deck using salt-treated lumber, with construction scheduled for completion by February. The Rotary Club has worked closely with 17 different organizations and agencies to bring the project to life, staying true to the original design out of respect for the community volunteers who first built the structure.

Though the site remains owned by The Nature Conservancy, Rotary has “adopted” the area, committing to ongoing upkeep. The Mathews Historical Society has since added several new signs to the structure that talks about the local history and ecology of the preserve. 

Read the full Gazette Journal Article Here. 

Honor your hero by sponsoring a flag, whether you are an individual or a business. Each 10 foot flagpole has a 3x5 American flag and a 4" recognition tag attached.
The tag includes your hero's name, as well as your name as the sponsor.
Following the event, you will receive the tag as a special keepsake and
you and your Hero will be recognized in The Gazette Journal plus receive a
tribute booklet with all sponsors and Heroes listed. 
 
A HERO is anyone important in your life, whether they be:

• Veterans, Military, First Responders (Fire, EMT, Law Enforcement). *These flags medallions will appear with an added ribbon to distinguish their service to our country. 
• Healthcare Workers
• Teachers
• Friends, Parents, Grandparents, Children, Grandchildren, Spouses 
• Civic Organizations
  
  

If you are unsure of whom to honor, you could choose to recognize all who protect our country.

The following sponsorship levels are outlined below. You will be redirected to a safe and secure website to purchase your sponsorship. 

Your support of the Flags for Heroes Program helps in our local efforts of community service and giving back. All profit from the program supports the Rotary Club of Mathews.

The money raised from our fundraising efforts stays in Mathews County, and gets designated towards service projects and our annual grant program that meet the needs within our own community. Thanks to your support of our club events, on average, our club completes between 5-6 community service projects per year, and distributes around $30,000 in grant funding to local civic organizations annually! Read more about what our club does in the county here. The flags are purchased displayed for the event are purchased, owned and maintained by the Rotary Club of Mathews. 

Can you Believe It, Time Keeps Marching On and Once Again it is Almost Time for the 2026 Chili Cook-Off! We are currently soliciting Participants, if you are interested, please get back to us no later than Monday, September 30, 2025.

As Chairman of Mathews Rotary Club’s Chili Cook-Off Committee, I am soliciting your participation and support for this great event being held on Saturday, February 7, 2026 (Super Bowl Saturday). As you know, this event has become one of the biggest social events of the winter in Mathews! With over 500 people at the Piankatank Ruritan Club the night before the Super Bowl, it is a fun and enjoyable experience. 

Participants will not only compete for the “BEST CHILI” in Mathews, but they will also raise money to improve the lives of Mathews’ citizens! As in the past we will be awarding the “Judges Choice & People’s Choice” individual awards as a donation to the winning participant organization in the amount of $200.00 instead of a trophy. In addition, we have decided to bring back the “Best Decorated Booth” competition for a prize of $100 to the winning participating organization as well as a prize of $100 to the organization who sells the most tickets (Mathews Rotary Club is not eligible for this prize).

Take out orders will be available for purchase at the door and each booth will have quarts available for sale after 6:00 PM.

Wm. E. (Bill) Stearns
Chairman, Mathews Rotary Club Chili Cook-Off Committee
​[email protected]

The Mathews Rotary Club is proud to be part of something big—something built not just with bricks and beams, but with heart, service, and community spirit.
Over the past few months, our club has played a key role in supporting the development of the Mathews Family YMCA Childcare Preschool, a long-needed resource for working families in our county. From fundraising over $52,000, site planning to assisting with several service projects, Rotary members have stepped up to help bring this vision to life.

Pictured are some of our members helping rejuvenate the backyard play area. 

This project represents more than just a building—it’s an investment in the future of Mathews. Access to quality childcare and early education is essential for strong families and thriving communities, and we’re honored to be part of making it happen.

Applications are now open for the new preschool program, which will officially begin in August 2025. If you or someone you know is looking for childcare, we encourage you to learn more through the Mathews Family YMCA.

https://www.ymcavp.org