Posted by Pamela Arnsberger on May 11, 2017
Announcements and Reminders
Bee Peters received her blue badge today after being the longest red badge member in the history of the club.
Dr. Art said the Rise Against Hunger event last Sunday went well.  180 people participated and the food will go to Cambodia. 30,024 bags were filled.
Doug has the sign-up sheet for the American Music Festival. We still can use volunteers for May 27th and May 28th.
Michelle announced that net proceeds from our fundraiser last week, including the county match, should exceed $100,000.
Sunrise Rotary has a run on July 4th at Harvey west park.  For more information see www.firecracker10k.org. 100% of the race proceeds will go to Teen Kitchen Project and American Red Cross.
 
Today community agencies received grants from Capitola Aptos Rotary.  Claire and Sue made the presentations. These included  Cabrillo Engineering Abroad ($500), CASA ($2000), Digital Nest ($2000), For Kids Foundation ($1000),  Helping Hands ($500),  Homeless Services Center ($1500), Kid Power, ($500), Learn to Discover ($1000), Literacy Program( $500), Music in May ($500), Meals on Wheels ($500), O’Neill sea Odyssey ($500), Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes ($1000), St Francis/JMJ home ($500), Safe School Project ($1000), Second Saturday Network ($500), Seymour Marine Center ($1000), Sienna House Maternity Home ($1000), Symphony League of SC ($1000).
 
 
Each program with a representative present was given a brief moment to talk about the goals and activities of their agency or project. The following is a summary of those remarks.
 
·       Cabrillo Engineering Abroad takes engineering students to use their skills and apply them in the real world in Antigua Guatemala  where they have put in water supply equipment including new wells.
·       CASA court appointed special advocacy program recruits and trains volunteers to advocate for youth in foster care.
·       Digital Nest  prepares youth  in Watsonville area (expanding to Salinas) with technical skills and media. They have contracts with local businesses and services that help prepare youth to enter the work force.
·       For Kids Foundation founded by Sandy Wallace funds critical needs for children and youth for which there are no other funds available. Funds got to gas cards for sick children, or something as simple as clothing for a cold climate.
·       Helping Hands meets the needs of older adults who need home modifications to stay in their homes as well as increase their mobility, including a fall prevention program.
·       Homeless Service Center’s mission is to get people from homelessness to permanent housing. They also have emergency and transitional housing on site as well as the recuperative care center.
·       Kid Power  teaches people that are kids and used to be kids how to be safe. They train kids in self-defense methods.
·       Music in May offers concerts in Samper hall in Cabrillo. Chamber music is their genre. They bring in artists from all over and hold outreach concerts in schools and juvenile hall.
·       Meals on Wheels  delivers meals to seniors in their homes as well as operate four dining sites. Their work allows seniors to stay in their own homes in the community.
·       O’Neill Sea Odyssey grant will be used for Pajaro Valley schools for ocean based classroom experience. This year it will be available on line for students across the country. It is free and serves 5500 students a year.
·       Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes are a food pantry and lunch program that operates in downtown Watsonville. They serve over 2500 hot meals a year.
·       St Francis/jmj home  They serve 40,000 meals and showers and shelter for women and children on the West Side of Santa Cruz. They have room for five families at the site.
·       Safe School Project works in partnership with schools in support of LGBT youth. Because of their work, Santa Cruz is one of the safest and most inclusive counties in the state.
·       Second Saturday Network’s focus is how youth with African American heritage can succeed in life.
·       Seymour Marine Center is community marine and education center and is part of the UC system.  They focus on conservation and have had their millionth visitor this year.
·       Sienna House Maternity Home is a residential program for homeless pregnant women. They can stay up to one year post partum.  This money will go to a treatment group for PTSD.
·       Symphony League of SC supports the work of the Santa Cruz County Symphony . They raise money putting on events for the symphony.  Over the life of the organization they have contributed over $2 million to the symphony and the youth programs.