Community Service

About Our Club
The Club membership has responded to many national and international interests. Domestically, they have varied from assisting in selling U.S. Bonds during World War II, assisting in gas rationing, and organizing civil defense classes in time of crisis to contributing resources to the American Red Cross.

Youth Programs
A long established Community Service tradition is encouraging and helping youth. Interest in Youth has always been a project of the Club. Support of youth to the Model Legislature program sponsored by the YMCA has drawn financial support for the local participants. Also, support has been provided for inner-city youth to attend the "Young America" Camp Assembly in Colorado.

For many years, the Club has invited local high school juniors and seniors to go to Jefferson City for one day to learn about state government. A Rotarian chaperone provides transportation to and from Jefferson City for the students.

The Jefferson City Rotary Club has hosted the Student Government Day since 1955. The schedule usually includes tour of the Capitol Building, visit to the Senate and House of Representatives chambers and to the Supreme Court.

Scholarships
Established in the 1950s, the Club continues to provide scholarships to our youth. Most recently, the club has been awarding grants of $1,000 to deserving high school students from our territory or attending area high schools, such as Webster Groves High School and Nerinx Hall. Summer camps and school camps have been provided for a number of children throughout the years.

Community Assistance and Volunteerism
Community projects have included Talking Tapes (tapes for the blind and/or vision impaired), participation in planting along I-44, contributions to the Day Career Center, Edgewood Children's Center, Epworth Children Camp; Family Center, and the YMCA.

It has become a custom for the president to choose a project each year to which the Club makes a contribution. Usually this has been a $1,000 allotment, although in many cases it has been more according to the needs.

Some of these projects have been the "Senior Citizen's Corner" at Memorial Park, the Lockwood School Area Park, the lighting at Memorial Park, flag poles at the Webster Groves Recreation Complex, the Blackburn Park Pavilion the Eden Theological Seminary library, contributions to the YMCA capital campaign and to the YMCA disabled access program for the youth.

The Community Service Avenue saw a heightened increase in activity when in October 1999 the club sponsored the first "Make a Difference Day" in Webster Groves. Emmy McClelland brought the project to the attention of the Club when she was a Missouri State Representative. The event was the catalyst that witnessed a level of volunteerism and partnership among civic and service clubs never before seen in the community. The Missouri State Legislature has officially recognized the Club for its vision and leadership with this project. The Club continues to be a major sponsor of the event.

To celebrate Rotary's 100 anniversary, the Club, under the leadership of President Mark Krueger, donated a fire ring to the City of Webster Groves. It was installed at Larson Park and many Rotarians attended its first official use: a barbeque.

TRF Supports Community Projects
The Trustees of The Rotary Foundation adopted The Community Assistance Program (CAP) in April 2000. It provides an opportunity to use District Designated Funds for a community or international project. These designated funds are returned to the district from the Rotary Foundation. Clubs can apply for a Cap grant up to $1,000, and if accepted the district will match it.

Under the leadership of Club President Phil Brooke and Assistand District Governor and club member Guillermo (Guillo) Rodríguez, the club was one of the first clubs in District 6060 to receive a Cap grant. The club has continued to participate over the years. Two BBQ pits were built for Blackburn Park in 2003. Library shelves were built for the Shining Rivers School. Storage for a food pantry was built for Webster-rock Hill Ministries. A 2010 Cap grant was awarded to the club to support a project in Pimienta, Honduras to build two stone retaining walls to help control erosion.

The Rotary Foundation has identified a growing need to streamline its operations for improved efficiency and focus on efforts to achieve greater impact and public recognition. In July 2010, 100 Rotary districts began to test the new program called "Future Vision". District 6060 became one of the 100 districts to participate. All Rotary districts will adopt the new model in July 2013. Under Future Vision, the Foundation offers two types of grants: Global Grants and District Grants. The areas of fucus for the grants are:

  1.  Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution

  2. Disease Prevention and Treatment

     

  3. Water and Sanitation

     

  4. Maternal and Child Health

     

  5. Basic Education and Literacy

     

  6. Economic and Community Development