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Community
Service
The goal of the Meriden Rotary Club is to improve the quality of life with the community through its efforts. Through the community service projects, the club is able to make substantial and lasting
contributions which make a difference in people's lives.
Fundraising: The major fundraiser of the Meriden Rotary Club is the Corporate Classic Golf Tournament. This was the second year that our club sponsored the event, and over $20,000 was raised. In addition, two years ago, the
club reorganized its Foundation so that there would be better long-term growth of the club's money, and therefore more to distribute. This effort was continued during this year. The
club is especially pleased with the tournament because in brings in members of the community who are not Rotary Club members, and we are able to educate them about what Rotary does in Meriden as well as world-wide.
Citizenship Awards: The Meriden Rotary Club presents cash awards through a competitive process to students graduating from local high schools. Criteria for the award is based on scholarship, school service, and especially community service.
Citizen of the Year: Club and community members are asked to nominate a non-Rotarian for this honor. The annual winner is selected through a competitive
process and is honored at a Rotary luncheon. Governor Benson was invited and attended this function, which was the lead story in the paper the following day.
Hero Award: The Club honors any individual who has demonstrated "service above
self" in intervening in critical situations.
Drug Abuse Prevention: The Meriden Rotary Club is the title sponsor of the local D.A.R.E. project that is administered by the police department. Club members serve on their Board of Directors. The Rotary logo as well as the
D.A.R.E. logo is on every shirt, and the Rotary Club is the sponsor of the achievement banquet, as well as the judges for the essay contest that is held on drug abuse prevention. Every
fifth grade student in the City of Meriden participated in this program.
Youth Activities: The Club is also a proud sponsor of youth sport leagues
(little league, soccer, basketball and girls volleyball). The Rotary name/logo appears on their team shirts. Disadvantaged children were also provided with tickets to local minor league games. The Club purchased tickets for the
game and the local chapter of the Epilepsy Foundation received half of the proceeds from the ticket sales. The tickets were then donated to organizations that would bring children to the game that would not have the opportunity to
otherwise see one.
Health Education: The Club has signed on to distribute the District's Lyme
Disease information. We are doing this with Healthy Meriden 2000, a citywide organization that promotes wellness/prevention health activities. In addition, club members actively participate in the
Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society, and in phone-a-thons for the local hospital.
Bike Donation: After a member read that a local girl had had her bicycle stolen from her backyard, the club bought her a new bike and a lock. In addition to one happy youngster, the Club received front-page coverage of the story in the local press.
Economically Disadvantaged: The club sponsors a "Tree of Warmth" at the holiday season so that community members can decorate it with mittens, scarves,
hats, etc. Those are then distributed to needy families. The Club has assisted the Soup Kitchen with food drives as well as with the purchase of major equipment. The Club donates food and cash to the local organization that puts together food baskets for the holiday season; club members also assisted with assembling
these. Club members also enjoy bell ringing for the Salvation
Army during the holiday season.
Make a Difference Day: The Club participated in this event by working at the local Soup Kitchen collecting food and serving the meal for the day.
Animal Shelters: The club collected canned and dry food for the animals at the
Meriden Humane Society, and for the Rose Hope Animal Shelter that assists with stray animals.
Daffodil Festival: The Meriden Rotary Club organizes the road race at this annual Meriden event. The road race is a feature that the festival used to
have but, in recent years, the Committee has had some trouble getting people to organize it. We expect that we will have a great deal of public awareness
from our involvement at this Festival due to the fact that over 100,000 people attend this
event annually.
Literacy: Ongoing efforts at promoting literacy are done in coordination with our local library.
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