Lawrence Central Rotary

Category: Service

Lawrence Central Rotary and Shelterbox

One of the great things about Rotary is the ability to help people both locally and globally. One of the global causes that the members of our club very much rally behind is ShelterBox.

ShelterBox provides emergency shelter and vital supplies to support communities around the world overwhelmed by disaster and humanitarian crisis. When families are in need of emergency shelter, they will do everything we can to help them. Click Here earn more about shelterbox’s work.

Since ShelterBox was founded, they have responded to over 240 disasters and humanitarian crises in more than 90 different countries and provided emergency aid for well over one million people. The ShelterBox solution in disaster response is as simple as it is effective, delivering the essentials people need to survive and begin to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of a disaster.

ShelterBox aid is tailored to a disaster and typically includes a disaster relief tent for a family, thermal blankets and groundsheets, water storage and purification equipment, solar lamps, cooking utensils, a basic tool kit, mosquito nets and children’s activity pack.

To date Lawrence Central has been worked to donate 9 ShelterBoxes that have provided disaster relief in Korea, Myanmar, Haiti and Kurdistan.

If being a part of a service organization that helps people both locally and globally is interesting to you contact us or come to one of our weekly meetings on Wednesdays and noon in the Eldridge Hotel’s All American Room.

January 27, 2016
Lawrence Central Rings Bells To Collect for the Salvation Army Red Kettle

While the first weekend in Lawrence may mean the annual Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade in Downtown Lawrence, it also means a day of service for the members of Lawrence area Rotary Clubs. All three local clubs staff Salvation Army Red Kettles around Lawrence that day. As in previous years Lawrence Central was stationed in front of Weaver’s department store.

The weather cooperated on all fronts, it was a beautiful day to greet everyone out for the parade or just to enjoy the beautiful early winter day on Mass Street.

This year marks the 125th year that the Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign that kicked-off Thanksgiving day. The Salvation Army has more than 25,000 red kettles being stationed in storefronts and on street corners nationwide. From its humble beginnings as a program started by a Salvation Army captain in San Francisco in 1891, the Red Kettle Campaign has grown into one of the most recognizable and important charitable campaigns in the United States. It provides toys for kids, coats for the homeless, food for the hungry and countless social service programs year-round. As part of the campaign, more than 25,000 Salvation Army volunteers throughout the country ring bells and solicit donations to the red kettles.

Lawrence Central Members Jim Peters and Shelly McColm Bell Ringing for the Salvation Army

The kettles will be out for a while yet, but there are other ways to participate. You can use the Salvation Army’s Text-to-Give program for the mobile donor, it’s easy to give $10 by texting the word “KETTLE” to 80888 and replying “YES.”

You can also give online at http://redkettlereason.org

December 7, 2015
Lawrence Central Helps Local Schools with Biking Helmets

Lawrence Central members Janice Bunker and Fred Aitchison spent a morning going out to Lawrence’s Woodlawn school to provide and fit 9 helmets for kids riding to school who did not have any way to get helmets and were not able to come to the community bicycle rides.

One of Lawrence Central’s goals as a club is to get more and more people to be able to have an active lifestyle but we also want them to be safe. Medical research shows that a bicycle helmet can prevent most cyclist head injuries. Nearly 700 bicycle riders are killed in the U.S. every year, almost all in collisions with cars, and sadly 75% of them die of head injuries. Many thousands more suffer less severe but still debilitating injuries that are far worse than the physical pain of scraped skin or even broken bones.

If you are a educator at a local school and are aware of children who are in need of a helmet (and possibly a bike) please contact us at LawrenceCentralRotary@gmail.com.

October 27, 2015
Lawrence Public Library Summer Reading Program is a Solid Success

Lawrence Central Rotary (and the other local Rotary Clubs) sponsored a hole for the Lawrence Public Library’s Caddy Stacks Mini Golf fundraiser event.

From Library Executive Director Kathleen Morgan, “Summer Reading is an important annual program for our entire community. Not only does it provide great summertime entertainment, but it also is essential to preventing summer learning loss in Lawrence’s kids. Numerous studies show that students experience learning losses when they do not engage in educational activities over the summer. Low income students who do not have access to these important summer learning activities are particularly at risk. Thanks to your help, 4,176 of Lawrence’s kids, teens, and adults chose to spend their summer at Lawrence Public Library and read nearly 35,000 books and attended 258 library programs.”

September 24, 2015
Fall Lawrence Community Bike Ride – Enjoyment by All

The rain finished the night before, there was a sigh of relief when we could see the final rays of sun through the clearing skies to the west on Friday night.

Our latest ride held Saturday September 19th starting in the Haskell Indian Nations University stadium parking lot delighted more than 100 guests riding along the Burroughs Creek Trail. Members of Lawrence Central Rotary with the help of our sponsors and though applying for grants and fundraisers were able to hand out all of the 80 bright neon safety vests we purchased and fitted 42 brand new helmets (mostly to children) to keep them safe while riding their bike not just that day but for many days, weeks, and months to come.

But, that just speaks to the numbers. Everyone who attended had a great morning and the participants had fun… and that is the key thing. People having fun, being active, using their bikes, possibly seeing new trails, and meeting new friends along the way.

We look forward to seeing even more people again next summer for more Lawrence Community Bike rides!

September 23, 2015