As we begin our seventh year as a club, I’m struck by how much we have accomplished in our short history (short, at least by Rotary standards).  We continue to be recognized every year as a Sustaining Club of the Rotary International Foundation meaning every member of our club has contributed $100 or more per year.  This recognition underscores our club’s commitment to the Rotary ideal of “Service above Self”, but writing checks isn’t all we do!   

Working with the RI Foundation matching district grants program, we have promoted community development by building soccer and basketball courts at schools in Tela, Honduras and purchasing and installing materials for a new classroom. Closer to home, we’ve promoted education and literacy through a Book Fair at the Great Falls Library  and joined students from our local elementary, middle, and high school students to pack over 100,000 meals to be distributed across the world as needs arise - from floods in Houston & the Puerto Rico to drought to political unrest.  

We’ve collaborated with the Rotary Club of Pune, India as International Partners on two projects and are moving forward on a third project to benefit the schools in that rural region. Our projects spanned multiple years providing modern infrastructure and computer based eLearning systems for 18 schools. 

Thanks to the success of our annual Oktoberfest fundraising event, locally we’ve been able work closely with  Tell Me Town, to provide books for children in INOVA hospitals in both English and Spanish to educate children and their families on medical issues from diabetes to ER and many other childhood medical situations and Cornerstone to provide support and advocacy for those in need of food, shelter, affordable housing, and other human services. We support the Thanksgiving Food Basket program, provide quarterly dinners at the Embry Rucker Community Shelter and initiated a much needed drainage management project at the facility. Through a grant from the Foundation, Cornerstone was able to fund a chairlift for a child with spina bifada enabling him to enjoy the mobility we often take for granted. 

Our Annual Bocce Ball Tournament on the Village Green in Great Falls has raised money for Stop Soldier Suicide, education and prevention to fight human trafficking and most recently the Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation whose mission is to give children who will likely lose their Mom or Dad to cancer a timeout to create treasured memories as a family… while they can. 

Rotarians also have passions for program that originated outside of Rotary but have been adopted by our club such Cars for the Cure to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the First-Time Campers program in conjunction with the Wolf Trap Foundation. The club also has sponsored Tell Me Town, to provide books for children in INOVA hospitals in both English and Spanish to educate children and their families on medical issues from diabetes to ER and many other childhood medical situations.

Because of Rotarians’ contagious enthusiasm and tireless devotion to these and other causes, the Club engages through  members’ service at events and monetary support through the Club Foundation. 

I challenge my fellow Rotarians to make our community and the world a better place through our service and by our example. May we give life to the words of our RI President Barry Rassen, “Be the inspiration and do more than you think you can!”  

Yours in Service, 

Kevin