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

District 6440 Histories 2005
nation, and countries throughout the world: Contributing $57,000 to Rotary Foundation for PolioPlus
program. Chartering Mt. Prospect AM Rotary Club. Raising over $12,000 by sponsoring and producing
a Ladies Fashion Show in order to present a new GMC van to Mt. Prospect Human Service Dept. for
benefit of Senior Citizen Center. Raised over $9,000 from another Fashion Show, which enabled the
purchase of “Jaws of Life” for Mt. Prospect Fire and Police departments. Provided funds annually to
assist local missionary group (headed by one of our members) to build a church, medical center,
recreation hall, and dig a well to supply fresh water for a small village in Dominican Republic.
Continue to award four or more scholarships each year to high School graduates in community. Provide
financial assistance to deserving young people who want to continue their education at four-year or
community colleges/trade schools. Donated sizable “audio library” and several recorders to local senior
citizen center to help “shut-ins” enjoy large and varied good books.
Continue tradition of making annual donations to legitimate and worthy/needy organizations in
community with the bulk of assistance going to help children and young adults. Continue to take an
active roll in local Special Olympics program with special emphasis on bowling tournament.
1996-2004 – For the past several years, our club’s fundraising events have include the sale of citrus fruit
around the Christmas holiday in addition to our annual Classic 5000 Dinner and Raffle, held in
February. The proceeds from the aforementioned events go toward awarding annual college scholarships
totaling $5,000 annually; contributions are made to the local Mount Prospect food pantry; book supplies
are given to low-income District 57 students; contributions were made toward the annual Book Worm
for District 57; sponsored two students each year at the Rotary RYLA Conference; planted trees each
year the River Trails Park District Golf Course and collected both food and clothing for Katrina victims.
One member flew two separated fathers due to the storm back from Mississippi to their respective
families in the Northern Cook County area. This past year, member of the club have participated with
high School District 214 helping secure internships. Three interns have worked for one semester with
one of our members allowing for a job shadowing which has enhanced each participant’s education.
2004-2005 - We were able to continue our scholarship programs, we give 2,000 to local students, it’s 1
for two years and we have10 recipients annually. That went well. We also give to the literacy program
Book Worm angels, we also gave to food pantries in the area. This club is a very small club, Struggled
with membership so we’ve been trying to get our membership, we became the Mount Prospect of Mount
Prospect, Prospect Heights Rotary to expand our membership, Matt Zimmerman who was city manager
of prospect Heights, but we’re hoping to do more membership drives in the are to include more
members from that area. We have a lot of Local government people in our club, school superintendants,
bankers, village managers, city managers, and the fire chief. I think what’s really unique about our club
is that many of our members are already serving the community they have more resources and
knowledge of what is in need in the community. A really nice group of people. Rotary is a very
worthwhile service organization, it’s a special place to belong to because it binds International, National
and local people together.
2005-06 - The Mount Prospect/Prospect Heights Rotary Club has worked on a major literacy effort with
a group called Bookworm Angels and with the schools of Dist. 57. They’ve picked up 59 boxes of books
from the most recent drive and sent them to inner city schools where they don’t have home libraries or
Page 219 of 283