Autumnfest is Woonsocket Rotary's major fundraiser
     The major fundraiser for the Woonsocket Rotary Club is Autumnfest. It creates and opportunity to raise charitable dollars returned to the community and for many other nonprofit agencies in the area to benefit from an opportunity to do the same. The Rotary Club of Woonsocket has provided the multicultural food court offerings since the first Autumnfest in 1978. Under the direction of Rotary chairman of concessions vendors from as far away as Virginia have been hired with the emphasis on providing top quality foods in 12-by-12 foot booths or motored vehicles "Food Row" can be found near the Rotary Entertainment Stage and in the carnival rides areas. As many as 25 different food vendors sign on each year and many more seek to join the hugely successful event. Many are turned away each year as no duplications are allowed. Many food vendors are local nonprofit organizations who have an opportunity to raise funds for their organizations as well. The famous Rotary beer tent manned by Rotarians and their friends and families has become a huge success over the years. Top shelf music entertainment is offered throughout the weekend for those over 21 years old in the beer tent.

Rotary Club honoring Bill Belisle
(As seen in the April 24, 2008 issue of the Valley Breeze)
     WOONSOCKET - The Rotary Club has selected Normand "Bill" Belisle, legendary ice hockey coach at Mount St. Charles Academy, as its recipient of the 2008 Vocational Service Award, according to club president Kevin McPeak. Belisle has earned a national reputation as the winningest high school hockey coach in the United States. His Mount St. Charles teams hold the national record for winning 26 consecutive state titles. The streak was ended, but Mount rose to the top of the Rhode Island high school hockey world this season, once again taking the state championship and Belisle was still at the helm, assisted by his son Dave. The elder Belisle was born in the Manville section of Lincoln and still lives there. He attended St. James parish school and was a member of Mount's 1948 hockey team. While at Mount, Belisle was a member of both the baseball and hockey teams and during his junior year, the Mounties captured the state hockey championship.
     A veteran of the Korean War, Belisle returned home after achieving the rank of staff sergeant and married his wife Yvette. They have four sons.
     In 1954, he began his coaching career when he coached the Manville CYO junior high baseball team to the Diocesan, State and New England championships, the first time that a parochial school had attained that fete. Later, he helped organize the Manville Farm League, which is still in existence, and for 20 years, he served as a member of the Manville Volunteer Fire Department.
     In 1974, Belisle was appointed manager of Brother Adelard Arena, and a year later, began coaching the academy hockey team. He is a recipient of the Rhode Island Schoolboy Coach of the Year Award, is a member of both the Rhode Island Heritage and Woonsocket Heritage halls of fame, and is a recipient of the Cumberland-Lincoln Rotary Club's Outstanding Achievement Award. He was also the first Rhode Island high school hockey coach to receive the Mariucci Award from the American Hockey Coaches Association.
     The Vocational Service Award is used by the Rotary Club to recognize the worthiness of all occupations and demonstrates a commitment to high ethical standards in all businesses and professions. The award is presented for outstanding individual achievement. He will be honored at a banquet on Thursday, June 19 at Savini's Restaurant, Rathbun Street. Tickets are available from Rotarians or by calling Bob Picard at 762-1826.