Biddeford Saco Rotary Club Members, 8/9/2020
We hope you are doing well!
At the August 6, 2020 club’s COVID-19 Subcommittee meeting it was decided that the Subcommittee should send the Club a letter updating everyone about what the subcommittee has been doing. This will be short and hopefully a sweet letter.
To begin, Thank You for all your time. You are a volunteer and the Club THANKS YOU for doing what you can.
The update: The COVID-19 Subcommittee has been trying to wisely share the funds we have with appropriate organizations in need. Groups that use the additional funding for their clients, to help people truly in need, mainly kids, the elderly and our veterans. We are also doing what we can to support small businesses with unforeseen expenses brought on by this pandemic by buying locally whenever possible.
Our Rotary Club has given us $6,045 since this March to spend.
This is what we have done so far with the funds:
Sent grocery store gift cards to the cities of Saco, Biddeford, and OOB for emergency food aid
Provided hand sanitizer and cloth face masks to a veterans home
Allocated funding to Apex Youth Connection to address food insecurity
Contributed funds to Seeds of Hope, a local resource center for the unemployed
Donated to Vet 2 Vet Maine, an organization dedicated to offering companionship and services to veterans
Contributed funds to the Amman Cosmopolitan Rotary Club in Jordan to provide emergency food aid
Provided supplemental funding to a program in Saco dedicated to feeding seniors
In addition we:
Organized a Club food drive
Submitted a grant proposal (which we did not get) and,
Just recently we received a donation of 36 16 oz hand sanitizer bottles, made locally, each of which will proudly display the Club's logo. We are planning to distribute these to local businesses.
At the last meeting we discussed what should be done with the remaining funds. All in attendance felt that an increased focus should be placed on addressing food insecurity in our communities. An idea that was discussed was writing simple how-to educational guides about small space farming and teaching children how to grow vegetables. We added this to our Rotary grant as well as a way to create long lasting influence.
When this Subcommittee started there were approximately 16 active members. Presently that number is about 7 people (and understandably so). This letter has two purposes:
Updating you on what we've done to date and
I am hoping to re-spark your interest in helping our Club and Subcommittee work through this crazy COVID-19 time.
We will need help in so many ways. Here are a few areas to consider:
Writing training/educational materials about growing food (anyone with gardening skills?)
Going to locations to distribute food
Painting a food pantry kitchen (August 15th & August 22nd) and
Anything in our community where Rotarians can make a positive impact
We know that as Rotarians we all want to help others and as was stated earlier we are also volunteers. The Club and Subcommittee are trying to find ways that you can make every effort you choose to volunteer for, be of value to you and those we are trying to help.
Several of you have expressed your willingness to help but have scheduling conflicts. There are many things that often can be done that help likeminded people, pull off some pretty amazing things that benefit so many.
Whatever it is that motivates you to volunteer during these times, is of interest to us. Whatever time you have to volunteer, please call us. Every little bit of time helps someone, somewhere. Please check in with us to see how you can help!
Thanks,
COVID-19 Subcommittee
Conrad Welzel, Subcommittee Chair
E: cwelzel2017@gmail.com | P: 831-5832
Kaitlin Tito, Subcommittee Co-Chair
E: kaitlin.tito@nemoves.com | P: 590-8474
