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A Trip Down Rotary Lane..
This is the first of what will hopefully be an ongoing column about Rotary, it's history, and all the wonderful things Rotarians do; not only around the globe but right here in our own community. We want to share with you, our community, the remarkable people who come to speak to us each week about their ideas, interests, and areas of specialty.
May, 2008
This is the first of what will hopefully be an ongoing column about Rotary, it's history, and all the wonderful things Rotarians do; not only around the globe but right here in our own community. We want to share with you, our community, the remarkable people who come to speak to us each week about their ideas, interests, and areas of specialty. We want you to be informed about the many humanitarian efforts Rotary International supports, as well as the numerous local projects right here in Bennington.
Rotary recently celebrated its one hundred years as an organization. The first Rotary club was founded in Chicago by Paul Harris; a Vermonter. He wanted to bring some of his small town ideals to a professional club. Over the years Rotary has grown to become a global organization with over 1.2 million members belonging to approximately 32,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries.
Did you know that Bennington has two Rotary clubs? The original, Bennington Rotary, was chartered in 1951. Over the years its members worked on projects including: the Deer Park, the two pavilions in Willow Park and this year, the restoration of an antique fountain, which once complete will be on display downtown for all to appreciate. By the 1980's the club had grown large and in 1988, fourteen Rotarians chartered the Catamount Rotary Club. Today, both clubs work to serve the needs of Bennington through projects and fund raising activities that benefit: Spirit of Sharing, local scholarships, the Share-Heat program, and the soon-to-be-built skate park in North Bennington. On a global level, Rotary has pledged to rid the world of polio. Over the years Rotarians have administered the polio vaccine to over one billion children.
Rotary is not just for adults. There are two groups geared towards high school and college students: Interact and Rotaract respectively. MAU High is home to our local Interact chapter. Both Rotary clubs support the efforts of the student members of Interact. Interact students participate in meaningful community projects that teach them leadership, teamwork, and community spirit. After high school, many students search out and join a Rotaract group during college in order to continue helping their communities. A great example of the selflessness within our high school Interact members can be seen in their actions this past winter. During February vacation, students were planning to travel to Bennington's sister city of Somotillo, Nicaragua when they learned of an illness in the town. The students opted to cancel their plans and use the funds allocated for the trip to help the residents of Somotillo purchase and administer much needed medicine. Both Rotary clubs provided matching funds for this endeavor.
Come visit our booth on Saturday at Mayfest to learn more about Rotary and our two local clubs.
By: Stephen Simmons - Bennington Rotary Club Member
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