The Rotary Club of Salisbury is pleased and privileged to announce that Stephen L. Capelli, Ph.D., a member of the Salisbury club for over 35 years, has been elected as the Rotary year 2020-2021 District Governor (DG) for Rotary District 7630. Dr. Capelli’s term will also run concurrent with the Rotary Club of Salisbury’s 100th anniversary.
In keeping with social distancing and other COVID-19 precautions, Rotary International President Mark Maloney and Rotary International President-Elect Holger Knaack installed all of the world’s District Governors, including Dr. Capelli, via Zoom on June 8.
Dr. Capelli, who has been a dedicated community servant and active Rotarian for over 45 years, spent 51 years as an educator and administrator, starting as a high school technology teacher and assistant football coach in Trenton, NJ. He served as an instructor at the University of Missouri-Columbia and as a Dean at Missouri Western State College, now Missouri Western State University. Dr. Capelli was the Chief Academic Officer at Wor-Wic Tech Community College, now Wor-Wic Community College starting in 1984. He retired in 2017, after 51 years of service, 33 at Wor-Wic Community College, as Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. He was granted Emeritus status upon his retirement.
In the DG role, he will be charged with the duty of furthering Rotary’s objectives, organizing new clubs and promoting membership growth, planning the district conference, and working with individual club presidents on the leadership and supervision to guarantee the Rotary constitution and all bylaws are followed.
“I am honored to follow in the footsteps of the many dedicated past Governors of Rotary District 7630. It is my intention to share the Rotary message with current and potential Rotarians to expand the good works in our communities and the world,” said Dr. Capelli.
Dr. Capelli has also served as President of the Rotary Club of St. Joseph MO-East in 1978-79 and President of the Rotary Club of Salisbury in 2000-2001. He has been a board
member of the Mid-Delmarva Family YMCA, serving as President in 1993 & 1994, United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore and the Wicomico County Career Technology Education Advisory Committee. He also served as a Little League manager and football coach in youth sports.
He is a native of Pleasantville, New Jersey and a graduate of the College of New Jersey, formerly Trenton State College. He earned both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degree at Trenton State College during the 1960’s. Capelli earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Missouri in 1973.
District 7630 features 39 Rotary clubs in the states of Maryland and Delaware.
Annually, The Rotary Club of Salisbury channels over $90,000 back into our community through the support of agencies and causes including: Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, scholarships for local high school and college students, Fruitland Fire Department, Christian Shelter, Wicomico County third grade dictionaries, RYLA, Easter Seals Camp Fairlee, MAC, Inc., Meals on Wheels, Parsons Home, Polio Eradication (Global), Fruitland Community Center, HALO, Wicomico County Library, The Salvation Army, Mission of Mercy, the construction of wheel chair ramps and much more.
Although club meetings are currently suspended due to COVID-19, The Rotary Club of Salisbury traditionally meets every Thursday at 6:00 p.m. in the Rotary Scout and Community Center at 1715 Riverside Drive in Salisbury.
To learn more about the Rotary Club of Salisbury or to obtain membership information, please contact Membership Chairman John Aukward at 410-713-2833 or jaukward@bankofdelmarva.com or visit the club’s website at www.rotarysalisbury.org.
