Every Sunrise Rotarian was encouraged to bring a potential new member.
The membership drive will last the entire month of October, so the Sunrise Rotary group encourages anyone interested in possibly joining to call Mark Rodgers, president, at 310-3118, or Cheryl Dunson, sergeant-at-arms, at 476-9160. One can also stop by SkyRidge Medical Center Thursday morning at 7 a.m. for its weekly meeting. Special programs are planned each week just for this membership drive.
Coleman Foss, CEO of SkyRidge, also was thanked for the hospital’s generosity for allowing the Sunrise Rotary to hold its meetings on its premises every week.
“We’re able to keep the club dues low thanks to the kindness of the hospital,” said Pat Fuller, who is in charge of the membership drive.
In addition, as a result of this year’s bigger-than-ever fundraising Gala this past June by the Sunrise Rotary, the club had planned to give major donations to its usual civic organizations. But because of the April 27 storm and tornado devastation, the group decided to give the money raised this year to disaster relief. Many organizations have been working together to help with disaster relief over the past almost six months. Following are some that received donations from the Sunrise Rotary Thursday to continue their work.
— To the Ocoee Outreach of the Bradley Baptist Association, the Sunrise Rotary gave $5,000 to Randy Bonner, director.
“Sunrise Rotary is like a jolt of coffee,” Bonner said, jokingly. “There is no better place to be at 7 in the morning.”
But on a more serious note, Bonner said that Ocoee Outreach has worked on 129 homes this past year, with six rebuilt projects just this past month, including one of the first houses built from the ground up.
— Men and Women of Action representatives Teddie Bennett, office manager, and Hugh Carver, director, received another check for $5,000. This donation will go toward partially paying off a large vehicle needed in their recovery relief that is needed to move items manpower can’t, Carver said.
— Sgt. Ruth Forgey of the Salvation Army accepted a donation for $5,500. Transporting goods was difficult during the April 27 disaster, so this donation will go toward a trailer to house and haul various desperately needed supplies, such as water, blankets and tarps, during a disaster.
“We still see 35 to 50 families still in transition,” Forgey said. “Now we can get supplies out quicker and carry a lot more of it.”
And, due to its generosity, Sunrise Rotary logos will be placed on the trailer in thanks to the club.
— Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland’s Executive Director Matt Carlson accepted a donation of $10,000. Carlson said this $10,000 is going toward the building of a house that was just dedicated Friday.
These four donations totaled more than $25,000. Over the last 10 years, Sunrise Rotary has donated more than $100,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland alone.
“It’s awesome,” Carlson.
“I couldn’t be prouder of this organization,” Rodgers said.
For more information on Men and Women of Action call Carver, director, at 478-7955 or visit www.cogmwoa.org. For more information on Ocoee Outreach of the Bradley Baptist Association, call Bonner, director, at 476-5493. For more information on the Salvation Army, call Forgey at 304-9281. And for more information on Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland, call Carlson, executive director, at 432-0454.
