Opening Opportunity - WE ARE ROTARY: With the pandemic-driven cancellation of the Leonardtown Beach Party, the Rotary Club of Lexington Park will not be able to stage the annual Running of the Balls in 2020. Rather, the Club is considering more pandemic suitable opportunities to raise funds to continue its many community activities in 2020 and 2021. We are grateful for your ongoing support.

Preserving the Tradition

For 54 years, the Rotary Club of Lexington Park has sponsored the popular National Oyster Festival in St. Mary’s County. As a caring organization, the Club has an abundance of concern for the well-being of Festival goers and volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic. For this reason, the Club reluctantly concluded that the Oyster Festival cannot and should not be held as a major community event in 2020.

Rather, than hosting large public gatherings on October 17 and 18 this year, the Club will host small, controlled localized events. These events will serve to preserve the U.S. Oyster Cookoff and the U.S. Oyster Shucking Contest. The intent is to continue to honor these long-held traditions. In the best case, If local restrictions on gatherings are safely relaxed, these events will be planned to scale-up as much as is practical.

Otherwise, current planning calls for live streaming or pre-recording these events. This will perhaps involve a wider scope of national cookers and shuckers to create a national virtual celebration of the Oyster in October 2020.

As these plans mature in the coming months, announcements will be posted to https://usoysterfest.com and the Oyster Festival Facebook page.

As is the case for many an event this year, the Rotary Club of Lexington Park is saddened by the loss of your contributions to the many participating charitable organizations. King Oyster assures us all, however, that the U.S. Oyster Festival will fully be back and better than ever in October 2021! ... See more

Opening Opportunity - WE ARE ROTARY: The Rotary Club of Lexington Park has two Treasurers, both accomplished accountants. Diedra Guy (left) is the Club's Treasurer, while Mary Ann Murray (right) is the Treasurer of the Lexington Park Rotary Foundation. The foundation serves as the banker for the Club's charitable outreach activities.

Opening Opportunities- I AM ROTARY: When not helping to sell beer at the Oyster Festival., Past President of the Lexington Rotary Club, Larry Branthoover, is engaged with technology. When not at work, he has been instrumental in mentoring youth through the robotics-based Growing STEMS program.

Opening Opportunities - I AM ROTARY: Having masterfully led the successful Rotary Running of the Balls event at the Leonardtown Beach Party in 2019, Rose Frederick steps up to Fundraising Director of the Rotary Club of Lexington Park.

Opening Opportunities WE ARE ROTARY!

Opening Opportunity - WE ARE ROTARY: The Rotary Club of Lexington Park was one of two Rotary District 7620 Clubs to sweep three Gold Awards in the recent 2019-2020 Virtual District Conference. The Club was also recognized for excellence in giving to the Rotary International Foundation and being among the 9 clubs to agree to sponsor Youth Conference.

Connecting the World - I AM ROTARY: Early to recognize the possible consequence of the Corona Virus, Ray Bednarcik has been working hard on alternative fundraisers in case group venues will be closed. He has selflessly done this so he can pass a working legacy to incoming Rotary Club of Lexington Park Fundraising Director, Rose Frederick.

Connecting the World - WE ARE ROTARY: Literally connecting the world, the Rotary Club of Lexington Park linked a recent exchange student from Poland into its virtual meeting. Magda Zatonska, a prospective medical doctor, was live as she recounted her exchange student experiences at Leonardtown High School, which was cut short by the COVID-19 crisis.