Our
club, the Rotary Club of Sarasota, was the first Rotary club in Sarasota
and is now in its 79th year. We sponsored the founding of the second club,
the Rotary Club of Sarasota Bay. There are 8 clubs in Sarasota, 7 clubs in
Manatee and 2 clubs in Venice.
Our
area is in Rotary International District 6960, which stretches along the
coast from Naples/Marco Island to Bradenton and includes Arcadia and
Immokalee.
Rotary Club of Sarasota is unusually active in international projects. In
recent years we have sponsored a couple of large projects and several
smaller ones. Some of these projects don’t even reach our attention but
are accomplished quietly by dedicated members who work hard to get things
done. Former District Governor and Rotary Club of Sarasota member Bob
Perkins called this "creating pockets of peace" in the world.
Our
club has its own foundation, the Sarasota Rotary Foundation. The
Foundation’s purpose is to aid youth and other projects in the community.
You can contribute to Sarasota Rotary Foundation at any time and especially on your birthday - it
is a tradition in the club to contribute the amount of years you have
attained. Some members are Sarasota
Rotary Fellows (have given $1000 or over) and some are Sarasota Rotary
Sustainers (giving $100 per year). You can ask the Treasurer to add your
contribution to your Rotary bill. Sarasota Rotary Foundation is a 501(c)3, whereas RC of Sarasota
is not. Rotary Club of Sarasota supports most of the projects of Rotary
International. We are sponsoring a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, a Rotary
Exchange Student, and a Group Study Exchange team member this year, as we
do most years. We also host in our homes some of the Group Study Exchange
team members, this year from Argentina.
Many members are Paul Harris Fellows, having supported The Rotary
Foundation to the tune of $1000 or more. Rotary Club of Sarasota sponsors an
Interact Club, a high school service club modeled on Rotary, at Cardinal
Mooney High School. Over 100 members do volunteer work and raise money for
local projects under the leadership of Beverly Halstead, honorary member
of the club. Interacters also help with Pioneer Day and other club
projects. Another project we enthusiastically support is a
multi-district project called Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders (S4TL). For
the sum of $425.00 per attendee, we send up to four high school junior
to a week-long workshop in Lakeland to teach them leadership skills. The
students are usually Student Council leaders or Interact officers.
