Meet the new Rotary Club President, Molly Paxton

By Rotarian Al Kalter
[email protected]

Each July, Rotary clubs around the world appoint new leaders to serve their clubs and communities for a one-year term. Locally, the presidency of the Rotary Club of Bartram Trail – Julington Creek passes from David Goldman to Molly Paxton, so let us introduce you to our new club president.

Molly Paxton is a native Floridian, born and raised in Palm Beach, where she spent her formative years attending a small private school until 1993. Inspired by the 1989 film Dead Poets Society, she studied English at Stetson University in Deland and graduated with a bachelor’s degree. However, after several years as a high school English teacher, she realized she didn’t have the patience to spend all day with teenagers. She gave up the profession in 1998 when she married her husband Zeke, an active helicopter pilot and West Point graduate.

Their military life took them to various stations, including Fort Rucker in Alabama and Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia. Zeke also served a year in South Korea while Molly cared for their young son in the U.S. Because frequent moves made long-term employment a challenge, Molly adapted by taking on a variety of roles, from volunteering at libraries to writing product labels for a toy manufacturer to working part-time at Barnes & Noble.

After Zeke left the military, the family settled in Jacksonville, where Molly found her niche as a product development manager at Advantus, a local consumer goods manufacturer. Her career took her around the globe, sourcing and introducing new products to the U.S. market before retiring in 2022. Molly and Zeke have been married for 26 years in August and have raised two sons: Jonah, a University of Florida graduate, and Luke, who is currently attending Stetson University, continuing a family legacy. Their household also includes two rescue cats, Jazzy and Squeaks.

Molly’s involvement with Rotary began in 2015 when her oldest son participated in the Rotary Youth Exchange program in Croatia. Although COVID disrupted plans for their younger son’s exchange in Argentina, the Paxtons have hosted five exchange students from other countries. Molly officially joined Rotary with her husband in 2018, although they enjoy being members of different clubs because of the different opportunities and perspectives. Even though she has been a Rotarian for six years now, Molly’s commitment to community service through Rotary remains unwavering.

Q: What do you think is the purpose of Rotary, both locally and globally?

Molly: For me, Rotary’s purpose is to reconnect us with our humanity. Rotary reminds us that every action counts. It’s about making a positive difference, no matter how big or small, because at the end of the day, we’re all in this together. Life is short, so let’s spend it supporting each other and making the world a better place for everyone.

Q: What goals do you have for your year as club president?

Molly: My main goal as club president is to ensure that every member feels fulfilled and valued in their Rotary experience. We are a diverse group, and everyone has their own reasons for joining, whether it be community service, networking, or just camaraderie. Another of my goals is to increase our visibility in the community.

Q: What should people know about our Rotary Club?

Molly: The Rotary Club of Bartram Trail – Julington Creek is not just a breakfast group. Our club is a vibrant group of friends who are passionate about making a difference both locally and globally. Whether it’s organizing social events, running community projects, or leading global grantmaking initiatives, we are united by our commitment to Rotary’s core value of Selfless Service.

The Rotary Club of Bartram Trail – Julington Creek meets every Thursday morning from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. in Westminster Woods on Julington Creek. Guests and prospective members are always welcome. For more information, visit www.bartramtrailrotary.org.

Photo courtesy of Molly Paxton
Zeke and Molly Paxton