Community Service
Community Service: Making a Lasting Impact
Welcome to the Hawai'i Rotary District 5000 Community Service Projects Hub!
To share your projects on this page, complete this form (CLICK HERE) or email District Community Service Chair Glen Bailey at: baileyg001@hawaii.rr.com
Ongoing Project Opportunities
Rescue Tube Project – Saving Lives, One Tube at a Time
Rotary clubs looking for a life-saving community service project can now support the Rescue Tube Foundation, a Rotary-originated initiative. The foundation has installed over 700 Rescue Tube Stations across Hawaii, North Carolina, Florida, California, and Canada, saving hundreds of lives with no injuries to rescuers. For clubs interested in learning more about how to start a Rescue Tube Project or to support the foundation, please contact Branch Lotspeich, Executive Director of the Rescue Tube Foundation, at branch@rescuetubefoundation.org or 808-639-7458.
Here are best practice tips for projects or events
- Join together Rotary, Rotaract, or Interact clubs for a larger, impactful project in your country
- Align with one or more of Rotary’s areas of focus.
- Promote it using a media platform (such as Facebook, Twitter, or a local newspaper) to raise interest.
- Attract non- Rotary members
- Don't forget to add your project to ClubRunner Calendar, Rotary Club Central and Rotary Showcase!
1) Find a Need: Identify a genuine need in your community. Then ask yourself:
- Is this project worthy of our commitment of time, treasure, and talent?
- Does it meet the expectations of my fellow Rotarians?
- Will it help build and strengthen our team?
Engage club members in discussions to ensure everyone is on board and passionate about the project.
2) Project Planning: Careful planning is crucial for success. Consider the following:
- Resources: Identify human, physical, and financial resources. This can include club members, district members, those being served, and Rotary Community Corps.
- Planning Tools: Use available resources such as the Rotary Learning Center on project planning for guidance.
3) Quality vs. Quantity: Remember, you will be known by the quality of your work. Focus on delivering high-quality projects that truly make a difference.
4) Document, Document, Document: Thorough documentation helps in many ways:
- Replicate successful projects elsewhere.
- Identify lessons learned.
- Facilitate publicity with detailed records of who, what, when, where, and how much.
- Capture the project’s impact with photos and videos.
5) Share the Victory: Celebrate your successes! After completing a project, share the results with your club. Discuss the challenges and lessons learned to engage all members, even those who couldn't participate directly. This inclusivity encourages greater participation in future projects.
Here's are examples of a great projects:
The Hawaii H.O.M.E. Project is a student-run free clinic from the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), aimed at improving healthcare for Hawaii’s homeless. Staffed by volunteers, this initiative also raises awareness and understanding among students and physicians about the needs of the homeless.
The Dual Benefit of Rotary
As Past RI President Richard King beautifully said, "Rotary always benefits two people. The child who is sick, who is hungry, who is thirsty, who has no clothes, no shelter, no education, no future, no hope…that child is the beneficiary of Rotary’s outreach. But another benefit comes to the Rotarian—the one actually performing the service. That person grows and fulfills the real reason for his or her existence, which is to serve others."
Join us in making a lasting impact in our communities. Your time, treasure, and talent can change lives, including your own.