The Rotary Club of Socorro recently celebrated 80 years of Service to the Socorro community and beyond. Charter night for the Club was June 6, 1938 with 38 new members led by our Senator Clinton P. Anderson. The Club truly believes in "Service Above Self." Rotary is 1.2 million men and women belonging to 35,000 Rotary Clubs in nearly every nation in the world.
For the past 80 years, the Rotary Club of Socorro has enriched the lives of members, our community and our country. Congratulations to all current and past Rotary Club of Socorro members!
The Rotary Club of Socorro recently celebrated 80 years of Service to the Socorro community and beyond. Charter night for the Club was June 6, 1938 with 38 new members led by our Senator Clinton P. Anderson. The Club truly believes in "Service Above Self." Rotary is 1.2 million men and women belonging to 35,000 Rotary Clubs in nearly every nation in the world.
For 80 years the RC of Socorro has spear-headed many projects touching the lives of hundreds of individuals. "Service Above Self" involves raising money and volunteering untold hours of time. A major effort this year is the "Dolly Parton's Imagination Library". This project delivers free, age-appropriate high quality books each month to preschool children. Many are bi-lingual English and Spanish. The books are delivered in the name of the child, and by the time they enter kindergarten they could have up to 60 books of their own. The Club now supports 140 children who anticipate their monthly book delivery, read with their family, and gain valuable literacy skills before entering school.
Continuing 'Community Service' projects include donating food baskets during the holidays, giving dictionaries to 8th grade students, and awarding generous scholarships for local students. These scholarships funds are raised by the Rotary Club of Socorro's annual Wine Tasting galas every spring. The group has purchased equipment for Puerto Seguro/Safe Harbor homeless shelter and offers an Anti-Drug program for 5th grade classes around the county. In addition to these and many other specific projects, the Club supports the local high-school Interact Rotary group, and a summer youth Leadership camp Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, RYLA, in the Manzano mountains.
During these past 80 years, the Rotary Club of Socorro helped many individuals and organizations beyond our immediate community. Thirty years ago the Club helped secure electricity for the Senior Citizen's Center in Alamo. Even earlier, former Rotarian Ravi Bhasker donated his replaced medical equipment to the Club, which arranged for it to equip a medical clinic in Mexico. Several years ago, a member drove a donated ambulance to Guatemala, in conjunction with the Santa Fe and Guatemala City Rotary clubs. Forty years ago Rotary International set a goal of eradicating polio from earth. The Rotary Club of Socorro helped provide funding for more than 2.5 million children in 122 countries receiving vaccinations, and now the dreaded disease remains in only three countries.
As soon as Rotary International opened the membership ranks to women in 1989, Rowena Baca of the famous Owl Bar became the first female member, followed soon after by Charlotte Monette while Lynn Brandvold remains a member after 25 years. Rick Penner joined 38 years ago only to be outlasted by our own Judge Ted Kase who has served for 55 straight years.
For the past 80 years,The Rotary Club of has enriched the lives of members, our Community and our country. Congratulations to all current and past Rotary Club members!
Continuing 'Community Service' projects include donating food baskets during the holidays, giving dictionaries to 8th grade students, and awarding generous scholarships for local students. These scholarships funds are raised by the Rotary Club of Socorro's annual Wine Tasting galas every spring. The group has purchased equipment for Puerto Seguro/Safe Harbor homeless shelter and offers an Anti-Drug program for 5th grade classes around the county. In addition to these and many other specific projects, the Club supports the local high-school Interact Rotary group, and a summer youth Leadership camp Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, RYLA, in the Manzano mountains.
During these past 80 years, the Rotary Club of Socorro helped many individuals and organizations beyond our immediate community. Thirty years ago the Club helped secure electricity for the Senior Citizen's Center in Alamo. Even earlier, former Rotarian Ravi Bhasker donated his replaced medical equipment to the Club, which arranged for it to equip a medical clinic in Mexico. Several years ago, a member drove a donated ambulance to Guatemala, in conjunction with the Santa Fe and Guatemala City Rotary clubs. Forty years ago Rotary International set a goal of eradicating polio from earth. The Rotary Club of Socorro helped provide funding for more than 2.5 million children in 122 countries receiving vaccinations, and now the dreaded disease remains in only three countries.
As soon as Rotary International opened the membership ranks to women in 1989, Rowena Baca of the famous Owl Bar became the first female member, followed soon after by Charlotte Monette while Lynn Brandvold remains a member after 25 years. Rick Penner joined 38 years ago only to be outlasted by our own Judge Ted Kase who has served for 55 straight years.
For the past 80 years,The Rotary Club of has enriched the lives of members, our Community and our country. Congratulations to all current and past Rotary Club members!
