Glen Ellyn Rotary celebrates 75 years of service
This is my second time serving as president of the Rotary Club of Glen Ellyn.
This time, though, it feels different. This year we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of our club.
It occurred to me recently that service organizations don't always take time to tell the story of their impact because they are too busy doing good work for others.
As president this year, and during the 75th anniversary, I want to share our story and tell you more about what Rotary does and why I have been involved in the organization since 2002.
Service is vital to the strength of any community. It does not just happen, it takes good people willing to put in the hard work and serve others.
The Rotary Club of Glen Ellyn is one of 35,700 clubs in more than 200 countries throughout the world. When the club was chartered in Glen Ellyn in 1943, it was only the second club in DuPage County - the first was in Naperville.
What I feel makes an international service organization such as Rotary so critically important is that there is also a local focus.
Rotary is known for being "hands on" when it comes to service. For example, locally in recent years we have installed landscaping at the Glen Ellyn Public Library, painted interior rooms for the Glen Ellyn Children's Resource Center and for the Family Shelter Service facility, built picnic benches to go inside of a pavilion we donated at the B.R. Ryall YMCA to help shelter children during hot summer camps, donated the blue bicycle stands in downtown Glen Ellyn, and much more.
To make projects like this happen, we need people - dedicated, hardworking and service-minded people.
As a police chief, I don't always see people on their best days. When working with Rotarians, though, I get to see a lot of "best days." The energy, enthusiasm and spirit of Rotarians truly inspire me. Rotary of Glen Ellyn exists to help others.
For example, the Glen Ellyn Rotary Club raises money to ensure that scholarships to students and grants to other service organizations are awarded annually. We award about $15,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors of Glenbard West and Glenbard South as they move on to college.
To date, awards have been given to more than 200 students totaling more than $300,000.
More than 20 years ago, the Glen Ellyn Rotary Club started the Community Grant Program to provide financial support to local charitable organizations and the public bodies for programs that cannot be supported by tax dollars. To date, well over $100,000 has been awarded to organizations, including Donka, DuPagePads, Bridge Communities, WSDRA, Teen Parent Connection, Glen Ellyn Food Pantry, Glen Ellyn Counseling Service, Glen Ellyn Children's Resource Center, Scarce, the YMCA, and more.
The main fundraiser for our club is selling citrus around the holiday season in November and December. Our club has been engaged in this fundraising activity for more than 32 years.
Every year I look forward to this time as we work together solely for the betterment of others.
I have worked the "dock" during our annual citrus delivery since joining and while there is literally "heavy lifting" involved, we all enjoy the fellowship and accomplishment, knowing the proceeds will help fund scholarships and grants.
We cannot underestimate how service clubs, such as Rotary and many others, impact a community in a positive way. We must come together to support the good and focus on building strong communities together. It does not just happen.
There cannot be too many people involved in strengthening a community. I encourage you to visit a Rotary Club in your town. You will be welcomed with open arms and I promise that you will gain more personally than you could ever imagine. Join others and support your community through service.
If you are interested in joining the Glen Ellyn Rotary Club or simply want to learn more about us, email Sue Martin at sue@tmc2.com or call (630) 942-8622.
• Phil Norton is Glen Ellyn's police chief and president of the Rotary Club of Glen Ellyn.