Grant recipients thank Rotary for serving the community

Rotarians Barb Proctor and president Marion Hughes with the Picton Rotary Local Community Service 2016/17 grant recipients – Patrick Maloney (Millennium Trail Project); Col. Wayne Pritchett (Salvation Army); Penny Rolinski (Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation); Margaret Werkhoven, (Community Care for Seniors); Debbie Rankin (Veterans’ Day at Glenwood Cemetery); Phil St. Jean (Splash Pad Project); Judy Fraser, Peter Matthewman and Val MacDonald (Hospice Prince Edward); Darlene Thompson (The ROC); Judie McLaughlin (Reaching for Rainbows); Anne Preston (County Kids Read) and Maribeth deSnoo, (Good Back Pack Program). Kellie Brace (Feed the Meter) and Capt. Mike Campbell, 851 Squadron Air Cadets, were also recipients.

Representatives from a dozen local groups and organizations posed for a photograph at the Picton Rotary Club meeting Tuesday in thanks for grants received in excess of $13,500.

“Local needs have always been a prime focus of the Rotary Club of Picton,” said Barb Proctor, Rotary’s Community Service chair. “Community Service assists local organizations to improve literacy opportunities, mentor our youth, support our veterans and our community healthcare, and to enhance our community amenities and assitance to families in crisis.”

Picton’s club, celebrating 73 years in the community, will also send three local children to the Easter Seals Camp Merrywood, in Perth. Rotary also supports international service and disaster relief projects, water projects, and the Southeast Ontario Rotary-run Honouring Indigenous People Project. Supported by funds from the club’s districts, it also supports the Rotary International Polio Plus Vaccination Program that contributed to eradicating polio in most third-world countries.

Funds are raised through the Rotary Cash Calendar and yearly events, including the waterfall tours, Lilac Ride, Canada Wine Tasting and Memorial Charity Golf Tournament.