Club President Shawn Lewis and Community Service Chair Elizabeth Wilhelm
Dawn Shepherd is the club's Salvation Army Organizer
We’ve been busy!
Englewood Rotarians rang the bell for the Salvation Army. Thank you, Dawn, who has arranged our bell ringing for maybe 20 years? Longer? Could be. The club itself contributed $250.
And thank you ringers President Shawn, members Elizabeth, Gary, Steve, Bob and Patty – and their granddaughter Evelyn, 11, who enticed many givers.
At the Englewood tree lighting ceremony recently, we were there with hot cider and lots of good cheer.
For about 25 years our club has provided winter clothes and sometimes toys to preschoolers at the Village for Early Childhood Education, and its predecessor school. This year we delivered coats, boots, gloves, hats, sweatshirts and sweatpants for 42 children. Our Foundation president, Josh Staller, led this project. Member Bruce Spear helped with transporting this large amount of clothing. We are indebted to Kristine Wallen at Walmart for selecting the clothes in the right sizes, and to the Englewood High School Girls Basketball Team for sorting and bagging the gifts.
We also supported the Hoodies for Heroes program at Englewood High School. This program recognizes
students for kindness, integrity, altruism – being a friend others can depend upon. Our club has provided funding for the hoodies given as awards.
And then we sent $1,500 to Movement 5280, a local nonprofit that helps young people, including those who have aged out of foster care, and who are unhoused or at risk of being unhoused. This amazing program provides a wide range of support, including mental health counseling.
We collected gloves for their clients, and delivered about 30 pairs. We also have contributed five, fully stocked tool boxes for their clients who graduate into their first apartments on their own.
For Thanksgiving we supplied a LOT of nonperishable food for families in need. Englewood Schools, in partnership with some nonprofit organizations, had a goal of providing 100 families in need with Thanksgiving dinner food. We estimate that our club provided nonperishables for at least 25.
We were also in partnership with the Denver Metro South Rotary Club to provide dinner for the Englewood High School football team’s Awards Night. We contributed $500 and some volunteers.
So, as I said, we’ve been busy! Here’s to a Happy New Year and more opportunities for community service. Coming soon: Our scholarship application period. We'll be awarding $15,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors from Englewood High School and Colorado's Finest High School of Choice. – Patty Burnett