In the aftermath of the devastating tornado that struck Wellington in early October, the community has shown extraordinary resilience and solidarity, coming together to support neighbors affected by the disaster. Led by the Rotary Club of Wellington, local organizations, residents and dedicated volunteers have joined forces to provide aid, resources and hope to those most impacted.
Rotarians spearheaded the relief efforts, rallying support and raising funds to help families begin the process of rebuilding. Partnering closely with the Village of Wellington, the Wellington Community Foundation and the Crowned Pearls Wellington, the initiative saw a groundswell of donations. These organizations contributed significantly to a community relief fund aimed at addressing the immediate needs of tornado victims, including housing repairs, supplies and essential services.
Wellington International’s Great Charity Challenge stepped forward to match all funds raised by the coalition, which effectively doubled the resources available to the community, maximizing the impact of each donation and enabling a faster and more robust response.
“At Wellington International, we believe in the power of community and the responsibility we share in helping each other during challenging times,” said Michael Stone, president of Wellington International. “When we saw the devastation caused by the tornado, we knew we had to step up to support our clients, neighbors and fellow community members. Matching the funds raised by the Rotary Club of Wellington allows us to amplify the incredible generosity of our community, providing immediate support to those affected and assisting in the recovery efforts.”
Wellington International, through its philanthropic arm, the Great Charity Challenge, contributed $15,420 to support the tornado disaster relief efforts led by Rotary.
“As a part of this community, we feel a strong responsibility to help when it’s needed most,” Stone said. “By matching these donations, we aim to not only provide immediate relief, but also to encourage a spirit of solidarity and hope throughout Wellington as we rebuild together.”
Coordinating the relief effort, the Village of Wellington has played a vital role in ensuring that funds reach residents most in need. The village has worked closely with local organizations to identify affected individuals and families.
“Almost immediately, our residents and neighbors looked for opportunities to assist those impacted by the tornado spawned by Hurricane Milton,” Village Manager Jim Barnes said. “From houses of worship and community organizations to individuals and families, Wellingtonians rallied to help their own, donating their time, talent and treasure to help tornado victims.”
With the village coordinating recovery efforts, Barnes said it was important to have a separate local nonprofit partner to coordinate donations.
“The Rotary Club of Wellington has the infrastructure in place to assist with these types of endeavors,” he said. “We continue to work with Rotary representatives as well as our internal housing assistance guidelines to develop criteria to assist in determining eligibility and distribution of donation proceeds.”
Rotary Club of Wellington President Walter Imperatore was proud to see the support from both within and beyond the Wellington community. “Seeing so many organizations, residents and local businesses step up to help shows what our community is made of,” he said. “Together, we can rebuild stronger than ever.”
Imperatore noted that the club was one of the first community organizations to join in the cleanup and support efforts led by the village.
“The village approached us, proposing that we establish a relief fund to assist those impacted,” he said. “Through our Rotary Club of Wellington Foundation, we opened a dedicated account for these efforts and began raising funds. To ensure transparency, we assembled a dedicated team to oversee the fund.”
Within days of starting the fund, Imperatore said the club was contacted by Wellington International’s Great Charity Challenge offering assistance. Recognizing the urgency created by the emergency, they agreed to match any donations up to a total of $20,000 to the Tornado Relief Fund raised by Oct. 31.
“We hope this contribution not only brings immediate relief but also fosters a spirit of unity and resilience in Wellington. Our community has shown time and again how much can be achieved when we come together, and we’re honored to play a role in these rebuilding efforts,” Stone said. “To the residents of Wellington and everyone who has donated, your generosity is making a profound difference. By matching your contributions, we aim to double the impact, providing vital support to those affected by the tornado.”
While the Tornado Relief Fund is administered by the Rotary, it can be more accurately described as a partnership of organizations, community groups, schools and the village established to help neighbors deal with the consequences of the tornado.
“Since establishing the fund, we have participated in village-led calls with school representatives, gathering direct feedback on community needs,” Imperatore said. “The Wellington Community Foundation made a $10,000 donation, adding to donations from the Rotary, the Crowned Pearls of Wellington and other private donors.”
Barry Manning, chair of the Wellington Community Foundation, said that supporting neighbors in need aligns perfectly with the foundation’s mission to assist seniors, veterans and children in Wellington.
“The efforts of the Rotary Club of Wellington are truly commendable,” Manning said. “They wasted no time stepping in and immediately taking action as soon as the all-clear was given. In response, our board of directors came together to find a way to collaborate with them. We were excited to learn that any donation we made toward the tornado relief efforts would be matched by Wellington International, making it a win-win situation for everyone involved.”
While the scope of the disaster took many by surprise, Manning said that the foundation works diligently year-round to raise funds not only for annual projects, but also to be prepared for unexpected circumstances like this.
“We are proud to play a small part in helping our Wellington residents ‘rebuild a stronger home.’ Working together like this is at the heart of Wellington, a community dedicated to restoring the spirit and strength of this great hometown,” Manning said.
The response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive, with residents expressing deep gratitude for the swift, organized support from the coalition of organizations and the Village of Wellington.
“We’ve met with the village to develop a broader outreach and support strategy,” Imperatore said. “Our team is expanding to include partner community groups, aiming to review needs and distribute resources equitably. This week, we’ll be distributing gift cards through schools to families identified as impacted, with further fundraisers planned in collaboration with the village and local businesses, based on community needs.”
As the recovery efforts continue, donations are still welcome. Contributions can be made through the Wellington Rotary Club through a link at www.wellingtonrotary.org.
