Winchester Kicks Off Rotary Year with Two Service projects
Posted by Laurie Russell
WINCHESTER KICKS OFF YEAR WITH 2 SERVICE PROJECTS
Members from the Winchester Rotary Club have enjoyed participating in two different service initiatives this month to focus on the goal of helping youth in need. Partnering with the Winchester Got Lunch (WGL) program, Rotary members helped transport cases of food supplied by Whole Foods Markets to WGL's storage pantry. More members helped unload, restock the pantry, and prepare the items to be organized into distribution bags for delivery to local families. The mission of Winchester Got Lunch is to provide healthy lunches during the summer to Winchester students who rely on subsidized lunches during the school year. Winchester Got Lunch is a collaborative effort of Winchester faith-based organizations, schools, civic organizations, and businesses. Thanks to Winchester Rotarians Caren Connelly, Brian LaPointe, Laurie Russell, Tom Sevigny, and Steve Mix for helping to make this project successful. Another team of Rotarians will be helping WGL later in the month as well.Pictured at right: Winchester Rotary Members working with Winchester Got Lunch
Winchester Rotarians also reached out to help Youth Villages stuff backpacks filled with back to school supplies. Youth Villages Massachusetts headquarters is based in Woburn and has various residential treatment programs that serve boys and girls with serious to severe emotional and behavioral problems combined with other needs. One of their residential facilities is the Germaine Lawrence School in Arlington. Winchester Rotary has had an affiliation with Germaine Lawrence for many years, thanks to the efforts of Past President Sydelle Pittas who established the connection during her presidential year. Rotarian Caren Connelly chairs Winchester's service efforts with Germaine Lawrence and helped organized club members Donna Denio, Paul Gleason, Mary Lou Hardy, Judy Katz, Laurie Russell, and Marnee Walsh to help with this service project. The club also provided Rotary imprinted "Service Above Self" pencils to include with the back to school supplies in every pack. Winchester Rotary will be participating in a variety of different service projects throughout the Rotary year to help support Germaine Lawrence through the Youth Villages organization.Pictured at left: Backpacks ready to distribute to Youth Villages students thanks to the Winchester Rotary Club