Areas of Service:
Fund
Raisers
We raise most of our money that funds our service projects
with these activities:
1) Annual Horse Show Family Day
On the 3rd Saturday of every May, we have our annual Horse Show
Family Day to raise money for our college scholarship fund. It is held at the
Red Bank Recreation Complex. There is something for the entire
family.
Proceeds fund college scholarships for students with financial
need who have demonstrated high academic performance from Lexington and White
Knoll High Schools and Lexington Technology Center.
This event funds
the following scholarships:
| 1) a $4,000 scholarship to a student from
Lexington High School, |
| 2) a $4,000 scholarship to a student from White
Knoll High School, |
| 3) a $4,000 scholarship to a student from
Lexington Technology Center, |
| 4) a $1,500 scholarship to a student from
Lexington Technology Center, |
| 5) a one-time only scholarship of $1,000 to a
student from Lexington High School or White Knoll High School. |
All of our $4,000 scholarships are
payable annually in the amount of $1,000 for 4 years. Our $1,500 scholarship is
payable annually in the amount of $750 for 2 years.
Our $1,000
scholorships alternate between Lexington High School (odd years) and White
Knoll High School (even years).
Rotary Club members' children are not
eligible and academic standards must be met each term and in the aggregate.
Recipients are nominated by school counselors. Interested students should
complete and return an application to their schools counselor's
office.
Our goal this year is to increase either the number of
scholarships we award and/or their amounts. With cutbacks in state funding for
scholarships and increases in college tuition, books, room, and board, it will
be tougher for some students to further their education. We firmly believe that
education is the key to success.
2) Golf Tournament
In
conjunction with the Lexington Fun Fest, Rotary sponsors the Frank Mogan Golf
Tournament. Proceeds fund our community service projects.
3) Oyster
Roast
In October, Rotary will have its 4th annual Oyster Roast. It
is held in downtown Lexington at Virginia Hilton Park. Proceeds went to
KEYS
(Keeping Every Youth Safe) , the Nancy K. Perry Children's
Shelter and LICS (Lexington Interfaith Community
Services).
KEYS is an award winning after-school program for
latchkey and other at-risk youth in Lexington.
The Nancy K. Perry
Children's Shelter is a residential safe haven for abused children. It is
headed by houseparents who live in the facility and make sure the children's
school, medical, and other needs are met.
LICS provides food, clothing,
and other services to people in Lexington, Saluda, and parts of Calhoun
Counties who are struggling to meet their basic needs.
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Community Service
Projects
1) Projects funded by the club's annual Horse
Show and EARTH Fair, Golf Tournament, and Oyster Roast include:
2) Adopt-a-Highway
Each quarter,
our members pick up trash on Old Cherokee Road. We meet at Mt. Horeb United
Methodist Church at 7:30 a.m. Our next pickup dates are: April 4 and August
29.
3) Interact Club
We provide support and guidance to
this service club for young people ages 14-18 at local high schools. Interact
students develop leadership skills and the importance of integrity, respect,
and goodwill.
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Vocational Service
Projects
1) Books for Pre-school
We contribute to
Lexington School District One's pre-school literacy program. Our funds helped
buy books for at-risk children. We firmly believe that literacy and education
are keys to success.
2) Excellence in Education
We
contribute to Lexington School District One's "Excellence in Education"
program. This program recognizes the top 10% of high school students and their
parents at Lexington, White Knoll, Pelion, and Gilbert High Schools. Students
are given dictionaries at the recognition program.
3) College
Scholarships
We award college scholarships totaling $14,500 each
year to students with financial need who have demonstrated high academic
performance. To date, we have awarded over $300,000 in scholarships. Our
scholarship program is funded by proceeds from the Annual Rotary Horse Show and
EARTH Fair.
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International Service
Projects
1) Youth Exchange Program
We sponsored
and hosted high school students that live abroad for up to a year with a few
families and attend school in a different country.
2) Ambassadorial
Scholarships
We sponsored scholarships for undergraduate and
graduate students as well as for qualified professionals pursuing vocational
studies. While abroad, scholars serve as goodwill ambassadors to the host
country and give presentations about their homelands to Rotary clubs and other
groups. Upon returning home, scholars share with Rotarians and others the
experiences that led to a greater understanding of their host country.
3) Group Study Exchange
Made up of businesspeople and
professionals between the ages of 25-40, we sponsored teams abroad for 4-6
weeks. While in a host country, the GSE team experiences its culture and
institutions, observes how their vocations are practiced abroad, develops
personal and professional relationships, and exchanges ideas.
4)
Disaster Relief
Members have gone to New Orleans to help with
Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief efforts. They have built homes and helped
bring life back to the city. The club donated to help the cause too.
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Rotary
Foundation
1) Polio Plus:
Created in 1985, the
goal of this Rotary International program is to eradicate polio in the world by
providing the oral polio vaccine to those in need. Once thought close to
eradication, polio has crept back into the population of developing countries.
Our club contributes to the RI Polio Plus program. RI needs to raise
$200 million to match the $355 million in challenge grants received from the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The resulting $555 million will directly
support immunization campaigns in developing countries.
2) Paul
Harris Fellows:
Since the first donation of $26.50 in 1917, the
Rotary Foundation has received contributions totaling more than $1 billion.
More than one million individuals have been recognized as Paul Harris Fellows -
people who have given $1,000 to the Foundations' Annual Programs Fund or have
had that amount contributed in their name. Our Club has numerous Paul Harris
Fellows.
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