Pawling Rotary Celebrates the Holidays by Giving!
By Susan Stone
On December 13, The Pawling Rotary Club held its annual holiday luncheon in Lankler Hall at Christ Church on Quaker Hill. During this annual event, the club takes this opportunity to thank the community for its generosity, and to donate to various local organizations that support youngsters in our community. The following organization were among the award recipients at this year’s celebration:
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- Pawling Resource Center offers a helping hand to neighbors, providing a caring place to turn in difficult times. The Center provides a safety net to those within our community who are in need. This gift will be directed toward youth support at the Resource Center. Rev. Jon Ellingworth, Chairman, along with Terry Ariano, Program and Office Coordinator accepted the donation on behalf of the Pawling Resource Center
- Pawling Free Library provides educational programming that benefits the community. The Rotary award is in support of programs that benefit children and teens. Brian Avery, Library Director, accepted this award on behalf of the Library.
- Pawling Youth Development provides funding for children’s and youth services programs here in Pawling. This includes the After School and Drop-In Programs for 7th and 8th graders. Ann Godesky, Board Chairperson, accepted this donation.
- Pawling Scout Cabin, also known as The Smith Johnson Scout Reservation, is the site of local Boy and Girl scout troop meetings. Over 200 local scouts benefit from the use of this eighteen acre, wooded area. Board Chair, Nina Muller, was on hand to accept this donation.
- Rotary Interact Club was formed in 2011 by the Pawling Rotary Club and the Pawling Recreation Department. If has over 50+ members who are high school juniors and seniors. They organize their own fundraisers and support the Pawling community and regions beyond, by their work. John Ammaturo, Rotary’s Interact mentor, accepted this donation on their behalf.
- Pawling Fire Department has provided educational programs in safety that have benefited our community’s children. Their presence in the community provides a safe and secure environment for Pawling’s children and their families. Dennis Brunow accepted the award for the Fire Department.
- Pawling Public Radio is Pawling’s own educational community radio station, mandated by the State Department of Education to provide broadcasting of an educational nature. This award, in support of their High School Apprentice Program, was accepted by Board members Carol-Lee Kantor and Jacque Roche.
- Camp Herrlich is operated by Mount Tremper Outdoor Ministries, Inc., a nonprofit, non-sectarian organization. They provide enriching youth experiences in their after-school classes and summer camps and have been in operation for more than twenty-five years. Camp Herrlich now provides the after school programming within the Pawling school district. Amy Emke, a Camp Herrlich educator, accepted this award on behalf of this organization.
- Camp Sundown began in 1996 as an Xeroderma Pigmentosum family retreat in Poughkeepsie, NY. From the beginning, Founders Dan and Caren Mahar had the dream of creating a year-round “night camp” to offer sun sensitive children and their families a way to meet other people who shared similar problems. They created a “camping” experience that mirrored their daytime peers, with all activities taking place after sundown. Rotary was delighted, once again, to support their fine work.
- Additionally, awards were presented to Rotary International in support of The Rotary Foundation, which assists in such worldwide challenges as poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition; Polio Plus, which has reduced polio cases by 99 percent worldwide since 1979; Rotoplast, which works toward eliminating the incidence of untreated cleft lips and palates in children worldwide by the year 2025; Shelter Box, which, since 2000, has provided emergency shelter to families that have been displaced by natural and man-made disasters. Louis Turpin, Governor of Region 3, District 7210 accepted these awards on behalf of these worthwhile programs.
The members of the Pawling Rotary Club meet at noon every Tuesday in the Lathrop Center in Lake Side Park, where they plan ways in which to “do good” within the community in support of Pawling’s Youth. Pawling Rotary welcomes new members who have a desire to make a difference within the community. Information about the Pawling Rotary Club may be found on their web site at www.pawlingrotary.org.
