Houlton Rotary Club: Committed to our Community

A community, defined in its simplest terms, is a group of people who have something in common.  But in real life, a community is something far more complex than that.  Each member of a community – every individual, group, organization, and business – draws benefits from that community in many different ways.  For a community to thrive, each of its members must honor a commitment to contribute to the well-being of the whole by returning those benefits in kind.     Rotarians recognize the importance of giving to the community.  Service lies at the heart of the Rotary movement.  It defines Rotary’s character: “Service Above Self.” Every Rotary club and every Rotarian assumes a responsibility to find ways to improve the quality of life for those in their communities and to serve the public interest.
Each and every individual is a viable and important part of our community. Your service to our community is needed in order to make it thrive. We are asking you to join Rotarians in putting your time and talents to use through community service projects that will contribute to the greater good of your local friends and neighbors.
What makes a community service effort effective? Relevance. A community service project must address some real, current community concerns or issues. We must first examine our local community’s needs and assets and then develop a response that addresses those needs. An effective service project improves the lives of community members, comes from a realistic assessment of resources available, and aims for specific goals and objectives with measurable results.
The Houlton Rotary Club is proud of its continued service to our community — an 88-year tradition! Community Service projects that have been undertaken by the Houlton Rotary Club over the past year include raising funds for the Salvation Army Christmas Food Baskets, ringing the bell for the Salvation Army over the holiday season, Moosestompers food drive for the local food pantry, distributing Bike Helmets with the local police department, contributions to the Houlton Elementary School playground and the Houlton Parks and Recreation playground, the Houlton Community Arts Center, and the new Little League ball parks.  Our literacy program included providing a children’s ethics lesson book called ‘Andy & Elmer’s Apple Dumpling Adventure’ to area schools, day cares, Cary Library, and the Hospital. In addition, $2,000 will be sent to Rotary International to help underprivileged communities obtain new water supplies, as well as individual donations to RI Polio Plus program to help eradicate Polio throughout the world.
Another successful program is our Short-Term Youth Exchange. Numerous students from Houlton High and Hodgdon High were interviewed for the ‘opportunity of a lifetime.’ Students chosen for this year are Katie Duff of Hodgdon and Emily McGary of Houlton. Katie will be going to Austria in June and returning for the Fourth of July with her exchange student, who will be visiting the United States for the first time with Katie.  Her exchange student will be here for three weeks. Emily is all set to welcome an exchange student from Spain in late June and will be traveling to Spain in July. It should be a fun and exciting summer for both of these high school juniors. Congratulations and have a good time ladies! We look forward to meeting your guests.
A lot is happening in Rotary and we are proud to contribute to our community. We ask all of our citizens to please ‘give of yourself’ in whatever project or interest you may have that will benefit your fellow friends and neighbors. Then and only then, will this community continue to prosper and remain a place you are proud to call home.