United States

After a 2021 tornado and subsequent electrical fire damaged the African American Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, a Rotary club in the city acquired a $10,000 disaster relief grant from District 6710 to help restore the museum.

But “we didn’t just want to be handing out the check,” says Vickie Elrod, a past president of the Rotary Club of Bowling Green. “We wanted to get boots on the ground to get involved with the preservation of those artifacts.”

About a dozen Rotarians attended workshops on archiving, and the club is assisting the museum in digitizing documents. They include records on Shake Rag, a once-vibrant district settled by former slaves and soldiers who fought for the Union in the Civil War.

The financial assistance enabled the museum to work with a conservator on preserving its uniforms and other clothes. The museum reopened in August, and Rotarians continue to assist with cleaning damaged artifacts, pictures, and equipment.

Portugal

The Rotary Club of Almancil International takes an active approach in its mission to serve children, notably those with autism spectrum disorders or Down syndrome. Members sponsor activities including surfing lessons and animal therapy.

In June the club unveiled a sensory room at a school to serve students ages 5 to 16. “The room is now complete, with state-of-the-art equipment including a soothing waterbed, music, and many sensory light and tactile objects,” says club member Peter Hinze, who coordinated the project.

“[It] can provide a sense of calm and help improve [students’] visual and auditory skills and help regulate their behavior.” The project cost more than $16,000. The club provided about $5,000, with businesses and friends donating the remainder.

Jamaica

Advocates in Jamaica highlight a shortage of housing that meets the needs of people with limited mobility. The Rotary Club of Kingston funded a nearly $23,000 refurbishment of Cheshire Village, a transitional housing facility associated with a rehabilitation center. “Rotarians were instrumental and involved in the three town halls we had with residents,” says Karsten Johnson, the club’s immediate past president.

“Our plans were made based on their priorities.” The Kingston club, supported by donations from the Rotary Club of Naples North, Florida, raised the height of toilets and added support bars and railings along restroom walls.

The club installed new kitchen cupboards, sinks, and faucets to improve accessibility for people who use wheelchairs. A first phase, to install six solar streetlights, was completed in February, with the retrofit finished in June.