The Rotary Club hosted Tessa Francis, a rising junior at Marblehead High School and starting pitcher for the varsity softball team, as a guest speaker at its meeting last week.
Francis spoke about participating in the A Shot for Life pitchers’ challenge. A Shot for Life is a nonprofit organization that raises money for brain-tumor cancer research.
The money raised benefits the Dr. William Curry Research Lab at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Curry has been published in research journals and is up for a Nobel Prize in 2025-26.
Francis was scouted by A Shot for Life due to her success and high strikeout count this past season. The top 16 pitchers in the state are invited to participate in the competition.
“As part of me playing in the event, I need to raise at least $1,000,” Francis said. “It is a charity, but it is also an all-star game.”
When asked how fast she can pitch, Francis said she can throw around 60 mph.
“I throw fastball, changeup, and curveball,” Francis said.
The Rotary Club voted to give $500 toward her fundraising. People can donate to it by sending a check written out to “A Shot for Life” to Francis at 50 Stony Brook Road, Marblehead.
In another charitable effort, the club has charged its members to bring in food items for the Marblehead Food Pantry for the month of August. Rotarians Bruce and Judy Eissner have personally donated $500 to the pantry and for every member that brings in food contributions from the pantry’s list or donates $20, the Eissners will donate another $10, up to $500.
The club also took a few minutes to recognize the life and contributions of fellow Rotarian Joyce Elliott. Elliott died on July 23 after a brief illness. Bruce Eissner spoke about Elliott, saying she was one of the first women allowed to join the club.
“This club, fought very, very hard to have women join Rotary. We took on the district, we took on Rotary International. It was quite a fight. It was an interesting time. I’m so happy we did it,” Bruce Eissner said.
Elliott was still active as a board member during the tenure of Don Dowling, who was president of the club from 2023 to 2024.
