“The global effort against COVID-19 depends on actions taken in every country. As people of action, this is our time to connect with each other to offer immediate help to people in need.” – Mark Daniel Maloney, Rotary International President, 2019-2020.
So many catastrophic events happen every year but most do not affect our local community, or even our continent.
This year we are face a different kind of disaster, one that affects the entire world, including the State of Michigan, our own community and our own family and neighbors. Many activities have been delayed or postponed, including our Rotary barbeques.
Gatherings of groups are not allowed at this time, although we continue to meet together through modern media. Our community has its own needs. Food banks are running short. At this time, face masks are not available to many whose jobs makes it necessary to meet the public.
To assist in addressing the needs of our local community, the Comstock Park Rotary generously contributed $4,000 to our local food bank, "Feeding America". This great organization is able to turn $4,000 into 40,00 meals. We are very happy that we could assist in meeting their needs.
In addition, the Comstock Park Rotary Club was able to acquire 2,700 face masks at a very good price. As of today, 2,000 of these have already been distributed to facilities in our community to help alleviate the current shortage.
All this is resulting in a drain of our resources, especially if future barbeques at Dwight Lydell Park (our main source of revenue) are in jeopardy, but we feel this is the best way we can help our current situation.
Christmas may be gone but members of the Comstock Park Rotary continue to do community service work projects. In January, club members volunteered an afternoon at our local Feeding America warehouse. Feeding America is a United States–based nonprofit organization that is a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks that feed more than 46 million people through food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other community-based agencies.
Two of Rotary International’s global projects are the eradication of polio worldwide and providing clean water and improving sanitary conditions in third world countries. The Comstock Park Rotary Club has supported both these projects, giving annually to the Polio fund, and being involved in several clean water projects throughout the years. In addition to raising funds for water filters, in 2013 our club sent representatives and helped a team of El Salvador Rotarians install a water well for residents in a small community near Aca Jutla, El Salvador. 
Today the Comstock Park Rotary was pleased to present a $3,000 check to Leslie Poot , representing Hand2Hand and Plainfield Christian Church. Hand2Hand is a West Michigan program that is sponsored by many area churches of all denominations in partnership with local schools. The local program sponsored by Plainfield Christian Church partners with Pine Island and Stoney Creek Elementary Schools in Comstock Park by providing to provide a backpack filled with supplemental food that bridges the gap of weekend hunger. Food sent home consists of breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner items, often sent home with a recipe card included. The program nourishes more than physical needs. It provides consistency, love and demonstrates to all within a home that people do care and ultimately that God cares. Some of the food is purchased, and much of it is donate by individuals, organizations and businesses It is estimated that one out of five students goes without a nutritional meal on weekends. Food is distributed at schools and taken home in a back pack.
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On Thursday October 24, Rotary Assistant Governor Jim White recognized the Comstock Park Rotary for its contributions to the Foundation of Rotary International. The club and members contributed $100 per member to the Foundation last year. Local Foundation Chair Diane Van Epp was on hand to explain that these contributions could be directed to help fight Polio world wide, or could also be returned to our district in the form of grants..jpg)
