Don't forget our evening social today at Razzoo's Cajun Cafe, located on Central Expy at Spring Valley in the shopping center with Micro Center, 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm.
Kendra Scott Jewelry and Richardson East Rotary Club are hosting a Kendra Gives Back Party March 30th to raise funds for Richardson's Inclusive Playground. Shop from 6-9 pm at the Watters Creek location in Allen while enjoying free cupcakes, lemonade and champagne. 20% of all proceeds will go back to the Inclusive Playground project at Cottonwood Park in Richardson.
Kendra Scott also is offering a door prize consisting of her Rayne Ivory Necklace and Sophee Earrings ($135 value) to a lucky attendee who registers at the event.
Invite friends and family for a great time for a great cause.
Can't attend? You can donate through our PayPal portal here.
March Board Meeting Summary: Board meeting called to order at 6;10pm and adjourned at 7:45 pm by President Bill Zeigler. February Board meeting minutes were unanimously approved
Reports;
Treasury Ted Ellis:
The treasury report was submitted with no objections.
President Elect, D. Schieferstein
Provided verbal summary of PETS. Richardson Masonic Lodge dinner on March 28th
Community Builder recognition to be awarded to Karen Ellis
President Nominee/Membership Karen Ellis:
Recognized Richard Linn as new club member.
March 22, 2017, Karen facilitated the Affinity Diagram exercise for all club members. Objective was to provide a platform for voices/opinions in the club to be heard.
Past President, Bruce MacPherson;
Kendra Scott Fundraiser – is being held on Thursday, March 30th at 6PM – 9PM. Board is requesting strong member participation and also encouraging members to bring a friend. 20% of the proceeds raised will go to the Signature Project playground.
The Community Picnic is being held on Saturday, June 17, 2017.
New Business:
Board unanimously approved supporting the Chamber / Rotary Partnership – President invited all club members to attend the City Council forum. Box lunches will be served (NOTE: Fee will be $12 as of March 16, 2017)
In St. Joseph, Michigan, USA, Rotary members have been matching high school students with mentors in their dream careers, providing valuable guidance as they explore their options after graduation. The exposure to community service has led students to start Interact clubs at six local schools, and has cemented the club’s connections with its community. Meet some of the students helped by the program and the members behind it all.
Richardson East Rotary Club welcomes Richard Lin to the membership. seen here with President Bill Zeigler.
Richard is a bilingual Realtor in the Dallas area. He is fluent in three languages including: English, Chinese Mandarin, and Taiwanese. Richard is proud of his affiliation with Ebby Halliday REALTORS®.
Board meeting called to order at 1:15pm by President Bill Zeigler.
January Board meeting minutes were unanimously approved
February Board meeting adjourned at 2;15pm.
Reports;
Treasury: Club spent $500 on Leadership Richardson Breakfast. Next year funds will be specifically designated in the budget for the Leadership Richardson Breakfast.
Membership: Karen Ellis, Bill Zeigler, D. Schieferstein are working on the Affinity Diagram exercise for all club members. Objective is to provide a platform for voices/opinions in the club to be heard March 22, 2017.
Past President; Signature project has been approved and moving forward with working with the City of Richardson on the “inclusive playground”
Kendra Scott Fundraiser – is being held on Thursday, March 30th at 6PM – 9PM. Board is requesting strong member participation and are also encouraging members to bring a friend. 20% of the proceeds raised will go to the playground. Also, the Community Picnic is on Saturday, June 17, 2017.
Next Meeting: The next scheduled meeting of the Board will be Tuesday, March 14th at 6:00 P.M. at the Credit Union of Texas (Main Office), 8131 LBJ Freeway (Third Floor), Dallas, Texas. 75251.
What motivates everyday women to do extraordinary things? Three Rotary members answered that question at a celebration of International Women’s Day hosted by the World Bank at its Washington, D.C., headquarters on 8 March
NEWS RELEASE For Release: Feb. 17, 2017 CONTACT: Greg Sowell, Communications Director, City of Richardson, 972-744-4218, greg.sowell@cor.gov
CITY OF RICHARDSON AND RICHARDSON EAST ROTARY CLUB COLLABORATE to PROMOTE, PLAN AND build INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND
(Richardson, TX) – The City of Richardson and Richardson East Rotary Club (RERC) are teaming up to develop plans, increase public awareness and raise additional funds needed to enhance the building of the City’s first inclusive playground. This exciting venture aims to create a play environment that increases “playability” for people of diverse abilities. The playground will be located on the site of the existing playground in Cottonwood Park and is in the preliminary stages of development.
Cottonwood Park’s existing playground is already scheduled for replacement through the City’s 2015 G.O. Bond program. Inclusive playground elements can be added as an enhancement through grants and corporate/philanthropic support from the community.
This includes RERC’s upcoming fundraising event, “Rotary Cares Games and Gala,” which will be held Saturday, Feb. 25. RERC will also be hosting a “Champagne, Cupcakes & Lemonade” event Thursday, March 30 at the Kendra Scott jewelry store in Allen, with 20 percent of sales going to support the inclusive playground. For more information about these fundraisers or how donations can be made in support of this important initiative through RERC’s Foundation, visit www.richardsonrotary.org.
Inclusive playgrounds make a fundamental statement about how a community values meaningful play experiences for people of all ages and abilities. Although inclusive playgrounds are a bigger undertaking and require more planning and funding, they are a space that everyone can share, which benefits the entire community. Inclusive playgrounds are becoming a core service provided by many cities locally and nationwide, and are in line with the City Council’s 2015-17 Statement of Goals, which includes a vision of Richardson being an inclusive community.
“All of Richardson’s playgrounds meet the minimum standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act for accessibility, but ‘accessible’ is not always equivalent to ‘inclusive,’” said Richardson Director of Parks and Recreation Lori Smeby. “An accessible playground allows individuals with disabilities to use parts of the park, but we are taking it a step further and creating an inclusive playground that will ensure all children, and the adults that may come with them, regardless of ability, can play together.”
The first of its kind in Richardson, this playground will be a free, outdoor, safe and inclusive play environment. It will encompass sensory-rich structures designed to engage children of all ages and create a unique and meaningful community environment.
Over the past year, a joint committee of Parks staff and RERC members toured existing playgrounds and developed a project mission and timeline. Future plans include reviewing concepts from playground manufacturers, determining the preferred design concept and financial goal, and launching fundraising efforts, with a goal of completing the project in 2018.
“The Richardson East Rotary Club is proud to partner with the City on this important initiative,” said Bill Zeigler, president of Richardson East Rotary Club. “Helping to raise money for the community’s first inclusive playground is in line with Rotary’s mission of providing ‘Service Above Self’ and bringing people together to make positive, lasting change in communities.”
The RERC will also be organizing an annual community picnic to promote the playground, and will design, plant and maintain a landscape garden adjacent to the site. Richardson East Rotary Club recently adopted this effort as its “signature” community service project.
About the City of Richardson
Known globally for its high-tech business leadership, the City of Richardson also offers a high quality of life, diverse array of neighborhoods, convenient Metroplex location, multi-modal transportation infrastructure and outstanding City services. Richardson has been repeatedly recognized as one of the top places to live and work by the national media, and the City remains dedicated to continuous improvement, as well as to the principles of open government and two-way communications with residents. To learn more, visit www.cor.net.
About the Richardson East Rotary Club
The Richardson East Rotary Club (RERC) was founded in 1985. It tried several fund raising projects with modest success until launching a Casino Night in 1995. The club ran 20 of those before changing the name this year to Rotary Cares to emphasize its causes and provide activities to supplement casino-style activities. The club has a history of partnering with the City of Richardson, and the Parks and Recreation Department including being a Santa’s Village sponsor and Leadership Grove on the grounds of the Richardson Civic Center.
