GENEVA ROTARY CLUB DONATES $24,050 AND ISSUES STUDENT LOANS TOTALING $49,500
The Geneva Rotary Club recently presented a check for $10,000 to the Geneva City School District for its Backpack Program and also approved grants totaling $14,050 to 15 Geneva agencies and organizations.
The Rotary Club raised the money this year through various projects, including the Service Above Self Dinner and the Rotary Santa Train Express.
Many children receive free and reduced price lunches during the week at school, so the school district started the Weekend Backpack Program in 2008 to help children get the food they need on weekends.
The local service club also awards grants annually. The following recently received grants:
Child & Family Resources, $1,000, safety seat and crib program;
Community Lunch Program, $1,000, utilities;
Jim Dooley Center for Early Learning, $1,000, outdoor play gym;
Geneva Concerts $1,000, concert outreach;
Geneva Historical Society, $150, Rose Hill events;
Geneva Lakefront Childcare, $1,000, infant and waddler program;
Geneva Light Opera, $1,000, opera outreach;
Geneva Music Festival, $1,000, concert outreach;
Geneva Public Library, $900, collaborative movie series;
Geneva Reads, $1,000, books for newborns
Geneva Theatre Guild, $1,000, Youth Theater performances;
Literacy Volunteers, $1,000, adult literacy programs;
St. Peters Arts Academy, $1,000, student financial aid;
SUCCESS for Geneva’s Children, $1,000, survey of parents; and
Thrive to Survive, $1,000, service to cancer patients.
Another Rotary program that helps many Geneva young people is the Rotary No-interest Student Loan Program, which the club has offered since 1920. This year the club issued $49,500 in interest-free student loans to assist 33 Geneva students in college or college bound. Also, two Service Above Self awards of $1,000 each were presented to two graduating Geneva High School seniors.
Rotary International is composed of 1.2 million men and women around the world who donate their expertise, time and funds to support local and international projects that help people in need and promote understanding amongst cultures. If you are interested in serving your community in a new way and are interested in becoming a Geneva Rotarian, please contact secretary@genevarotaryclub.org for more information or visit us on our website at www.genevarotaryclub.org. Geneva Rotary meets every Wednesday at noon at Club 86.