R HOUSE
Community Service contributed funds towards their Thanksgiving dinner to make it possible for the youths to enjoy having this with their families. Our annual contributions towards this is $ 350.00
For the Christmas season we purchased 40 $25.00 gift certificates from Target Stores for every youth in the program at that time for a total expenditure of $1,000.00.
Additional funds were provided to update the computers provided for their various programs in the amount of $550.00.
Our total budget for R House for the present year is $3,000.00 and we anticipate that this will be spent on various projects before the end of our fiscal year.
FLOWERY SCHOOL
We have an ongoing volunteer program in place, which is the Magic Backpack program. Our volunteers go to the school on a weekly basis, packing up the reading materials, which the students take home, and are replaced every week.
In addition, we are starting a volunteer reading program, which is also on a weekly schedule. This entails reading aloud to students selected by their teachers in need of special help.
We are providing new books to the school library each of which is dedicated to one of our speakers. This is also an ongoing project and adds approximately 40 new books to the library every year.
We are funding English language instruction materials plus extra teachers to put this proven Language Immersion program into effect. As testing of students that have taken part in this program has shown a remarkable improvement in their language skills, we have expanded this program this year. We have requested matching grants and are again receiving a matching grant from the District this year.
We have budgeted $1,500.00 for the Flowery school for the present year.
ST. JOSEPH’S MOBILE HEALTH
We continue to fund the Immunization program provided for anyone in need with an annual contribution of $1,500.00.
VALLEY OF THE MOON CHILDREN’S HOME
We have budgeted $1,000.00 for the Children’s home for their annual picnic as well as other needs that come up.
OTHER PROGRAMS:
REDWOOD FOOD BANK $1,000.00
GLASS MOUNTAIN (R House younger age group) $500.00
COUNCIL ON AGING $500.00
SALVATION ARMY $500.00
KENWOOD CARES $500.00
CASA $500.00
We have additional contingency budget funds of $2,000.00 to be used to either augment one of our existing charities or for new or emergency needs.
The Director of Club Services has the responsibility to guide and assist members of the
club in carrying out their service duties. In addition, the Director coordinates
the work of all committees related to club service.
The objectives of Club Service are exemplified in many ways, including the
following:
Periodic reminders of Rotary’s attendance rules(now 50% of meetings) are
promulgated by the club Secretary at regular intervals. All members are urged to
make-up at other clubs to enlarge their Rotary experience as well as bring back
innovative activities to their own club.
Speakers on various local and community concerns are scheduled in advance for
each weekly meeting. The topics range from those that interest our demographic
group specifically to issues that involve city, county or business programs.
In addition to guest speakers, we also present programs of the many Rotary projects
locally and worldwide, particularly of the Rotary Foundation. (Click Here for more
information.) Club members are honored individually as they achieve certain
milestone contributions toward their Paul Harris Fellow status in the Rotary
Foundation. In the above photo, Club Service Director, Dr. Les Holve, is shown
awarding longtime Rotarian Dottie Blades, her double-sustainer pin for her generous
contributions to the Rotary Foundation.
Social activities are an important part of club service. They include a December
holiday dinner party, monthly or bimonthly Bunco parties which are a ‘blast’, .and a
Presidential “demotion dinner party” in June. Finally our reception for the visiting
District Governor enables our members to meet, socialize, and share information
with our distinguished guest. And, of course, there are all the other local Rotary
Clubs and District Rotary functions that are scheduled.
We have two major “Fund-raisers” each year. In the late Winter or early Spring,
we have our annual “Crab-feed” which raises some $12,000.00. Then in the Fall,
we have our annual “Jazz Festival” that has resonated well and raised
approximately $16,000.00, for our Valley of the Moon Rotary Club special projects
that are carried out through our Vocational, Community, and International Avenues
of Service.
As an additional means of raising funds for administrative and other club service
projects, we have vigorous weekly “recognition” fines for members who are
celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and other significant events in their lives. We
also have ‘happy and sad” dollar contributions Of course, they are voluntary but
there is a designated minimum annual requirement; all are done in the spirit of
frivolity, generosity, fellowship, and good humor.
This year we plan to introduce the concept of mixers at our breakfast meetings in an
effort to broaden our social relationships. Our introductions of visiting Rotarians and
guests has improved and there is better membership involvement and response.
The addition of a reliable public address system, a digital projection unit, and a
‘roving’ microphone has been a great benefit to running our programs. Indeed, in
2008, we have added another ‘roving’ microphone for better coverage and
convenience.
