Elkhart Rotary Presents Donations
to Local Not-for-Profit Organizations
Thanks to Stu Barb, who opened the meeting for absent president, Ann McCuistion (it’s tax season, we give the CPA’s a break from time to time).
Fran Conner provided words of inspiration from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, but really everyone was humming along to Pete Seeger’s "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" as we recall from the Byrds famous hit. Fran also led The Pledge and Four Way Test.
Greeter Bill Kovach welcomed our guests, including visiting Rotarian John Place from the Concord Club. Other club member guests included Jeff Zamont (Tom Shoff), Jared Huss (ETHOS), and James and Courtney Ruh (Ann McCuistion).
Most noble, honorable, and illustrious leader of the Sergeant’s Committee, Dave Dygert, recognized his fellow team of sergeants for their great work this year, raising funds from our weekly fun-fines in order to provide annual grants to our neighborhood organizations present today.
We have some great programs coming up, bring a friend!
- March 5, Craig Gibson, Executive Artistic Director at Prem1er Arts;
- March 12, Bob Martin, President and Chief Executive Officer, Thor Industries
Today’s Sergeant, Jim Rieckhoff, added to the Donations Committee coffers through wide-reaching, fine-able material and subjects, concluding with a question for Bill Burton. “How do you make an elephant fly?” As Bill did not provide a suitable answer, Jim answered: “First, you get a 48” zipper…”
Today’s program was emcee’d by Scott Puckett, this year’s Donations Committee Chair, and included the announcement, award, and acceptance of community organization grants from 11 local not-for-profits. These funds are raised each year from club members through fines at lunch meetings. This year, a total of $10,000 was bestowed on organizations doing great work in our community to make Elkhart County a better place. Each organizational representative gave a short description of the project or fund the grants were awarded to support. Recipients included:
- CAPS, accepted by Leah Plank, to support their “Parent-Child Resource Kits”, used in CAPS’ Parent Aid Program, in which representatives go into client homes, encouraging and strengthening families through games and activities.
- Church Community Services, accepted by Tom McArthur, to support their children’s prescription medication program, which will serve approximately 30 kids this year.
- Elkhart Education Foundation, accepted by Ashley Boling-Molyneaux, to support the EEF’s Summerscape Day Camp, funding scholarships for underserved students. The funding will support up to 177 students for greatly reduced program fees.
- Elkhart Public Library, accepted by Chuck Pieri and Lisa Guedea-Carreno, to support the Library’s Summer Reading Program, an important factor for reducing ‘summer slide’.
- ETHOS, accepted by Brian Boehler, to support the organization’s robotics program.
- Heart City Health, accepted by Jennifer Hayes, to support their annual HealthFest on Saturday, August 18 from 12-3 p.m., helping to purchase supplies for this popular event, serving over 350 attendees.
- Junior Achievement, accepted by Liz Brow, to support 100 Mongor Elementary School 5th grade students participating in JA’s financial literacy and entrepreneurship programs.
- Loveway, accepted by Shelley Becker, to support their mission, transforming the lives of individuals with special needs through compassionate therapeutic equestrian experiences.
- Mongor Elementary School Library, accepted by Nikole Dinehart, supporting their reorganization of books by genre to aide students, as well as replace/fill-in some of their most sought after titles from popular series that are missing.
- Ryan's Place, accepted by Laurenne Hamlin and Aileac Deegan, to support activities and supplies to serve grieving children.
- United Cancer, accepted by Pete Norton, to support families of children with cancer.