PATTERSON ROTARY CLUB DOES GOOD, HAS FUN Hosting Fall Events & Community Giveaways

PATTERSON ROTARY CLUB DOES GOOD, HAS FUN

Hosting Fall Events & Community Giveaways

PATTERSON, NY – (9/21/2018) The Rotary Club of Patterson takes their motto, “Do Good and Have Fun”, very seriously.

Just a few days after donating thousands of dollars to the Brewster Emergency Shelter Partnership (BESP) and the Putnam County SPCA (to help with the purchase of a much-needed police vehicle), they hosted another successful Blues & BBQ Festival on September 15th & 16th.

And now they’re gearing up for the much anticipated Touch A Truck for Heroes on Saturday October 6th from 10:00am – 4:00pm at Thunder Ridge Ski Area in Patterson. This year’s Touch A Truck is expected to be the club’s biggest, with more trucks and big rigs for kids (and kids-at-heart) to climb on – and more horns to honk! Local veteran support organizations will have informational display booths, and there will be a flag decommissioning ceremony for worn flags. The public is invited to take part by bringing worn flags.

Patterson Rotary began Touch A Truck in 2015 to raise money to purchase a shed for the local Putnam County Veterans’ home. It is now an annual event producing big smiles and a day of fun for the whole family. All proceeds support local Veteran projects. Entrance is FREE. Donations are welcome and there will raffles and a 50/50 draw.

At the end of October Patterson Rotary will load up a dump truck full of pumpkins and a carload of pumpkin donuts and apple cider for their Annual Fall Pumpkin Festival for children at The Fairmont School and Samara Community School in The Bronx. The event began as an idea that club member and Putnam residents, Jason Maxwell and his wife Hilda Delgado, brought to the Rotary Club of Patterson. Delgado teaches Pre-K at The Fairmont School. They felt that the children attending those particular schools were missing out on the childhood experience of pumpkin picking.  The majority of children attending these schools live below the poverty line and would otherwise never have this experience. Many had never even seen a pumpkin outside of pictures and media.

Two days later Patterson Rotary Club will be at it again, this time for their Fall Giveaway on October 30th. The semi-annual event (formerly the February Giveaway) is one of the main reasons for all the fundraisers, festivals, and events that the club hosts. Twice a year, in spring and (now) fall, Patterson Rotary gives away thousands of dollars to local Putnam County charities and non-profit organizations. Past recipients include CoveCare Center, Putnam County SPCA, Women’s Resource Center, Help Our Military Heroes, NY Riders, local scholarships for high school students and summer camps, and many more.

To end the fall season, members of Patterson Rotary will come together again in November, to do good and have fun. This time the club will pack up about 35 dinner baskets filled with all the fixings for complete Thanksgiving meals, including home-baked desserts and gift cards for turkeys. Baskets will be distributed through Putnam CAP (Community Action Partnership).

For more information, please visit www.PattersonRotary.org or  https://www.facebook.com/PattersonRotaryNY/.

Sept 18 Donation_SPCA: Patterson Rotarians l-r Dan Horkan, Rich Parente, and President Carrie Hernandez present $5,000 check to Chief Ken Ross, and Deputy Ken Ross Jr. to help with purchase of a police vehicle.

Sept18 Donation_BESP: Patterson Rotarians Dan Horkan and President, Carrie Hernandez, present $5,000 check to Norma Pereria and Charlie Germain on behalf of the Brewster Emergency Shelter Partnership (BESP), which is in need of funds in order to open this year. Charlie has been a volunteer since the beginning of BESP, the only shelter serving Putnam County.

BBQ18 good crowd shot: Community members and families gathered to enjoy music, food and fun on Sept 15 & 16th for the Patterson Rotary Blues & BBQ Festival.

BBQ18 Jim Byron w grandson: Patterson Rotarian Jim Byron of Patterson Auto Body and his grandson enjoyed the beautiful weather at the Patterson Rotary Blues & BBQ Festival.

Patterson Rotary Touch a Truck: Trucks, construction vehicles and big rigs lined up for Patterson Rotary’s Touch a Truck for Heroes.

TAT Car Rescue Demonstration: Patterson and Putnam Lake vehicle rescue demonstration will draw a big crowd for this year’s Touch a Truck on October 6th at Thunder Ridge Ski Area from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Patterson Rotarian Ken Kolski and girl receiving pumpkin: Patterson Rotarians will be heading down to The Bronx with a dump truck full of pumpkins for school children.

About Rotary

Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members of more than 34,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work impacts lives at both the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. For more information, visit Rotary.

Author: Harlem Valley News