April, 2006 My Fellow Rotarians - Rotary's Global History Fellowship

District 6440 Histories 2005
between two of the three founders of the club. The club was chartered, November 1, 1994, by then RI
President Bill Huntley. Ten years later, November 2004, President-elect Carl-Wilhelm Stennhammer
(2005-06) recognized the club for its contribution to the local community and its becoming 100 percent
Paul Harris Club for having contributed in excess of $100,000.00 to the Rotary Foundation.
Over a decade of serving the Long Grove are, the club has raised countless dollars for local nonprofit
organizations through the club’s Charitable Fund and participated in numerous Rotary Matching Grants.
The Gift from the Heart Foundation, an organization that provides rehabilitative services to deformedby-birth
Eastern European children has been the recipient of over $60,000 in funds. The Ela Area
YMCA received $25,000 from the club’s first major fundraising project. This was followed by a gift of
$18,000 to the “Healing the Children,” a group that provides medical services to children of povertyridden
countries. Most recently, the club has been the sponsoring organization for the annual Long
Grove Heritage 5k race and Pancake Breakfast. By partnering with other charities, the club has
facilitated raising funds in excess of $25,000 each year for the partner agencies while adding $10,000 to
$15,000 a year to the club’s Charitable Fund.
In the past, the club has been engaged in Youth Exchange, as a host, and has been the sponsor of
Ambassadorial Scholars and Group Study Exchange participants through the Rotary Foundation. The
club has been a part of a bi-annual dental mission to South America in conjunction with the Rotary club
of Cherry Creek, Colorado for many years, and currently the International Service Committee is
pursuing the establishment of a Sister Cities/Project Relationship with a club in Matamoros, Mexico.
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Rotary Club of McHenry Chartered April 12, 1955
Numerous years - Banquet and awards for high school basketball players, wrestlers, cheerleaders and
their families. Annual party for Children’s Home in Woodstock, Career Day at high school.
1955-56 - Established student fund.
1956-57 - Donated $124 for Christmas gifts for Woodstock Children’s Home and American Red Cross.
1957-58 - Club took care of three needy families at Christmas. Created student loan funds available for
college education. Installed ski tow for skiing, tobogganing, and sledding. Donated $1,200 public
address system to high school.
1959-60 - Donated clothes, shoes, and free lunches to needy children of McHenry public school; $250 to
McHenry swimming pool fund, $100 to McHenry Fiesta Day.
1960-61 - Teenage ballroom dancing class for 7th and 8th graders. Basketball game for crippled children
fund. Children’s Christmas theater party. Cash gifts of $5 for people in Hartland Home from McHenry.
Purchased clothing for needy children. Participated in Get-Out-and-Vote campaign. Participated in
Easter Seal tag day. Made student loans of $650 and $100.
1961-62 - Made student loan of $500. Contributed clothing to needy school children. Helped send boy to
Boy’s State, Springfield.
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