The Rotary Club of Beaver will celebrate their 75th Anniversary with an anniversary dinner event at the Willows in Industry. Formed in 1947 as a service club, the Rotary Club of Beaver has continuously served the community through donations and service projects. However, the Club’s outreach extends beyond its home territory to also include projects regionally and internationally.
Locally, in addition to direct donations to other organizations or causes, the Club has financially sponsored scholarships, educational programs, DARE, Back to School events, food banks, cervical cancer research, and hazard relief projects. Internationally, the Club has provided funding for school construction in Nicaragua and educational expenses for refugees in Jordan. However, the Rotary Club of Beaver’s most known outreach is the Beaver County Children’s Bed Program.
Through the Children’s Bed Program, the Club provides a single bed with mattress, pillow and bedding to underserved families throughout Beaver County. Applications are received from individuals often referred by social service programs, charitable organizations or churches. A typical need is a single-parent or a grandparent raising a child or children who have been sleeping on the floor or couch since they cannot afford a bed. As our Club volunteers have repeated over time, words cannot describe the joy and excitement of a child having a bed setup for them for the first time. A bed provides a sense of security and safety, and a good night’s rest is an important part of doing well in school. To date, over 406 beds have been delivered and set-up for children. This program would not possible without the generosity and partnership of AK Nahas — to them we are grateful.
The Rotary Club of Beaver is part of Rotary International (RI), formed in 1905, Rotary is now the world’s largest secular charitable organization with over 35,000 clubs and over 1.2 million members worldwide. Rotary International has seven areas of focus: Peace & Conflict Prevention, Disease Prevention & Treatment, Clean Water & Sanitation, Education & Literacy, Environment, Community & Economic Development, and the Eradication of Polio. RI has spent over $4 billion on life changing and sustainable projects, which includes $1.9 billion on the eradication of polio worldwide.
To fund these impactful programs and donations, Club members participate in fund raising events, such as the Flags for Heroes Program, which is held annually. Each Club member also has a goal of donating a minimum of $100 per year to the Foundation so RI’s areas of focus are carried out. Donations and grants are accepted for specific programs, often the Children’s Bed Program.
The Club meets at 12:00 p.m. weekly at the Wooden Angel restaurant in Beaver. The Club’s home territory includes the Beaver, Central Valley, Rochester, and Midland areas. Not all of the member’s time is spent on fundraising activities and service projects. The membership has social events as well.
The cost of membership is currently $50 per month for dues (District and RI) and lunch expense. It is also a great way of networking with other community leaders and business owners. Membership information can be obtained from the Membership Chair, Victor Raskovsky, at ragogovs@yahoo.com.
