District 5000 - Community Service

Rotary President John Kenny's theme of The Future of Rotary Is In Your Hands is a challenge for each of us as Rotarians to make sure Rotary continues to grow world wide and especially in your community. Rotary International's priorities for this year's strategic planning to set the course for a strong future can be served by your Club's Community Service programs. Not only can your club help your community, but you can also use your community projects to capitalize on promoting Rotary to attract new members by publicizing your projects in the local newspapers and on the air.

Several of our clubs have already completed their first Community Service projects by participating in the Back to School Drive. These clubs raised donations and purchased supplies for needy children in Hawaii whose families could not afford back to school supplies. Some clubs worked with Churches and other charitable organizations in their communities and held the events in multiple locations during July and August.

Lisa Halorson submitted this:

Rotary Club of Kahala Sunrise brightened the start of the school by delivering 55 backpacks full of supplies to 11 East Oahu schools through its School Supplies Drive. Club members collected and sorted the supplies at a drive July 28 at the Walmart Store on Keeaumoku Street in Honolulu.

According to Kathy Higa, the Rotary Club's Literacy Chair, the response was overwhelming. "Shoppers to Walmart, young and old, were so generous in donating supplies as well as cash to support the drive. We collected three SUV carloads full of supplies. Rotary Club of Kahala Sunrise is pleased to join with our community in helping families who otherwise could not afford school supplies. These donations will help our students to get off to a great start for the new school year."

Rotarians packaged and delivered the school supplies before the start of the school year to area elementary schools including Alliolani, Anuenue, Hawaii Center for the Deaf and the Blind, Variety, Wilson, Kahala, Liholiho, Aina Haina, Liliuokalani,Waialae Elementary as well as Kaimuki Middle School.

Rotary Club of Kahala Sunrise is a service organization committed to meeting the needs of our community through programs and actions to help others.

For many clubs, the next project was the Dictionaries for Third Grade Students. Some clubs are using a portion of their District Simplified Grants to pay for the dictionaries. Please provide me with stories of your clubs experiences with this project.

I am here to help you with any questions you might have about how your Club can have a Community Service Project suited for your communities need and you can also find ideas for projects and examples of effective service practices by searching ProjectLINK at: www.rotary.org/ProjectLINK.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES DRIVE 2009

Kahala Sunrise in the Honolulu Advertiser

Sue Ann S.H. Lee, Realtor