Dundee Township Rotary supports community needs
The Dundee Township Rotary Club is proud of its community service as it reflects on the long list of its accomplishments in 2011.
“The unique talents of the club’s 38 members are enhanced by the time and treasure each individual member dedicates to giving to others in our community and beyond,” said club President Sandy Morganstein of West Dundee.
In 2011, the club held its annual Christmas party for children from the Boys and Girls Club of Dundee Township, a Halloween party for children with special needs, a fun Casino Night for seniors at the Dundee Township Park District, the annual Veterans Day lunch for veterans in the community, and a special Reach Out and Read event for children, featuring an author and book signing, at the Dundee Highlands Elementary School in West Dundee.
Children from Perry Elementary School and Meadowdale Elementary School in Carpentersville were the recipients of warm coats through the Operation Warm Coat project.
One of the main highlights of the year is the annual scholarship dinner in May. The club awarded $29,500 in scholarships to 17 students attending Dundee-Crown High School-Carpentersville and Harry D. Jacobs High School-Algonquin. Since 1981, the club has now awarded over $634,900 in scholarships to area students living in Dundee Township.
Through monthly donations from its members, the club last year provided over $1,000 to FISH Food Pantry in Carpentersville.
With the help of enthusiastic Rotary Interact Club students from Dundee-Crown High School, club members volunteered for the Salvation Army at the Jewel Food Store in West Dundee during the holiday season. During their limited time, they collected $1,000 in donations and with a dollar-to-dollar match by an anonymous club member, over $2,000 was given to the Salvation Army in December 2011. In addition, clothing donations were given to the Community Crisis Center at Christmas.
The club supports the youth of the community by its involvement with the Youth of the Year of the Boys and Girls Club of Dundee Township, the Dundee-Crown High School choral group, and sending three members of the Rotary Interact Club of Dundee-Crown High School to the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards event.
On an international level, the Dundee Township Rotary Club has supported the Kenya Water Project, End of Polio Campaign and in partnership with the Barrington Rotary Club the Guatemala soy milk project and building of a school.
The club’s fundraising efforts to accomplish all of its goals are met through its popular annual citrus sale, bowling event, scholarship sponsors, and weekly member donations.
Members of the Dundee Township Rotary Club are: Andy Alpeter, Marty Anderson, Tom Anderson, Jim Bolz, Barb Christie, Bradley David, Joe Dowdell, Ray Ehrhardt, Eric Fernandez, Joe Galvin, Cindy Goodenough, Erik Gullickson, Gary Gundersen, Sue Harney, Sid Heatley, Ian Lamp, John Light, Rich Manarchy, Rob Marshall, Curt McReynolds, Carolyn Miller, Sandy Morganstein, Glenn Morgenroth, Tom Mullen, Jr., Mike Rabe, Jack Roeser, Dr. Melisa Rothenberger-Finney, Steve Schmitendorf, Larry Sorce, Mary Stanley, Pat Szpekowski, Colleen Thomas, Al Treml, Tyler Wedell, Cheryl Wendt, and Craig Zieleniewski.
The Dundee Township Rotary Club was founded in 1980. The group meets every Tuesday at noon at Emmett’s in West Dundee.
For information, visit DundeeRotary.com or contact President Sandy Morganstein at president@DundeeRotary.