Club Meeting – April 24th, 2014
Today we hosted the final group of organizations given grants by our Club for the 2013-2014 Rotary year. The first group of grant recipients were acknowledged at our March 13th meeting.
Our Club channels its energies toward two major fundraising events each year… The ODAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament and Olde Salem Days. Those events and others like the Star-B-Q generate the proceeds to enable the Club to distribute $40,000+ to local service, support, and non-profit organizations. As can be discerned by reviewing the list of recipients the Club’s primary focus is to improve the quality of life of children and family’s in our community. Representatives from each organization shared with Club members how the grant monies were specifically put to use by their organization.
The grant recipients at today’s meeting were…
- City of Salem Greenway – Ben Tripp, City Planner
- City of Salem Vegetable Garden Project – Laura Reilly, City Horticultuist
- Jill’s Buddy Camp – Tommy Barber, CEO
- Military Family Support Centers – Gerald Brittain, Center Director
- Presbyterian Community Center – Nicole Jennings, Middle School Director
- Roanoke Area Ministries (RAM) – Jim Haines, President of the Board
- Roanoke Symphony Orchestra – Sarah Jones, Education Director
- Saint Francis Service Dogs – Kiki Voudren, Development Director
- Salem Education Foundation (James W. Elliott, Jr. Scholarship) – Tommy McDonald, President of the Board
- Salem Museum and Historical Society – John Long, Executive Director
- Salem Prevention Planning Team on behalf of Roanoke Area Youth
- Substance Abuse Coalition – Brooks Michael, Health Educator, Carilion
- Virginia Cooperative Extension (W.E. Skelton 4-H Center) – Leslie Robinson Prillaman, 4-H Extension Agent Unit Coordinator
at the March 13th meeting…
- Apple Ridge Farm – Peter Lewis, President
- Bethany Hall – Denis Yopp, Executive Director
- Blue Ridge Literacy – Russ Merritt, Executive Director
- Bradley Free Clinic – Estelle Avner, CEO
- Children’s Trust -Teresa Carpentieri, Fund Raising Coordinator
- CHIP – Child Health Investment Partnership, Robin Haldiman, CEO
- Feeding America – Carissa South, Annual Fund & Corporate Relations Officer; Walker Nelms, Marketing & Communications Officer
- Goodwill Industries – Joy McKee, Employment Placement Specialist
- Rescue Mission – Leslie Littlefield, Volunteer Coordinator/Grant Manager
- Salem Needlework Guild – Dawn Kirby, Treasurer
- Salem Food Pantry – Jenny McCormick, CEO
- West End Center – Joy Parrish, Executive Director
The Rotary Club of Salem thanks the City of Salem and friends throughout the Roanoke Valley for their support and assistance in raising funds to enable these organizations to better serve the community.
