Rotary Reflects on Its Year
Of Supporting Good Works

Late June is a time of change for Randolph’s Rotarians, as they salute their outgoing president, welcome a new president, shift their weekly lunch meetings to Grant Camp for the summer, and reflect on the year’s accomplishments.

This June, Marybeth Tevis was thanked for the dedication and enthusiasm she brought to her yearlong tenure as president, and Sonny Holt took over as president.

In the past year, the club changed its organizational structure, thereby increasing opportunities for community service, such as volunteering at the Vermont Food Bank, and for making new friends at social gatherings.

Six new members were welcomed to the club in the past year.

Thanks to a new website, www.randolphvtrotary.com, and a new board position for public relations, members are better advised of events, and the general public can learn more about the work of Rotary at home and abroad. Members attended training seminars, and "job descriptions" were developed for board members, to make the work of the board more effective.

Attendance at weekly meetings increased significantly during the past year; there were visitations with area clubs; and, in April, Randolph hosted an exchange Rotary team from France.

Marty Strange was named Rotary Citizen of the Year; Sonny Holt was Rotarian of the Year; and Anne Silloway attained recognition for serving at district level.

Youth Activities

The club sponsored RUHS 2006 graduate Reiko Sakai for a school year in Ecuador, and Felipe Ewertz, here from Chile.

In addition to the $9000 in scholarships awarded to RUHS and RTCC students, the club also sponsored a local student to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards program in Lyndonville and another to attend the World Affairs Seminar in Wisconsin.

Ever mindful of global needs, Randolph Rotary sponsored the Zienzele Foundation in Africa; subsidized a new "micro credit" program in San Cristobal, Ecuador; shipped books to Argentina for a new English library; and contributed to a Rotary water project in Ghana.

Careful financial planning and a strong fundraising team made all this possible. Money was also raised through website sponsorships, and the annual chicken barbecue and fruit sale. A Rotary art auction is in the works for August 11 at VTC, with a goal to raise $10,000 or more.

Community Projects

At the heart of the year’s work is the club’s support in the local community. In Randolph, this has included sponsoring new signs, placing flags in the downtown area, and supporting the Garden Club’s flower baskets along Main Street.

Randolph Rotary provides LIFELINE monitors to residents who might otherwise not be able to stay in their homes. A new literacy project, Rotary Readers, has benefited first and second graders. Rotary also runs Merry Mulch, grinding up old Christmas trees to produce mulch.

Beyond its own activities, the club donated significant funds to more than 20 local service providers, for programs in sports, safety, education, gardens, cultural arts, mental health, and robotics—to name just a few!

The Rotary Club of Randolph has been active since 1924. The past year’s record shows the club continues to change and grow, to reflect the needs of the local community it represents and supports.

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