Club News
Saturday, March 12, 2022
By: Deborah Jeanne GillottiOver the past year, members of RCMI have actively supported many "Tiny Village" construction projects in the local area. It has been a truly rewarding experience building houses for the needy at a time when many other Club activities remained on hold.
Bonnie Cundiff, one of our newest members, saw an even bigger opportunity to serve. There were no window coverings included, so residents would have to tape up cardboard or paper for privacy. What if we could make curtains instead?
Thanks to Bonnie's superb organization efforts, a large group of community volunteers including Club members, Fran Call and the Solemates walking group, and many others have stepped up to fill this need. The "Curtain Crew" has now delivered 263 curtains to 6 different Tiny Villages! And as a new Village opens on April 1, the Curtain Crew is already working to make sure each house will be taken care of.
The variety of cheerful curtain colors and patterns available have made a positive impact on incoming residents.
"Barb" of the Hope Factory, where Tiny Houses are being built, commented that choosing curtains is the first decision new residents make when moving into Tiny Villages...the first of many important decisions.
Now that the word is out, the "Curtain Crew" is expanding daily and welcomes your support! If you aren't able to sew, you can donate cash or purchase curtain rods. Contact Bonnie Cundiff at [email protected] for more info.
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Friday, March 4, 2022
By: Deborah Jeanne GillottiFor more than 110 years the members of Rotary have bridged cultures and connected continents by championing peace, fighting illiteracy, poverty and disease and promoting clean water and sanitation.
Recently, growing local economies and protecting the environment has been added to the causes we support.
To this end, Rotary Club of Mercer Island is uniquely positioned to have its own Foundation (the MIRF) which funds grants for projects that have measurable goals, are sustainable, are based on community needs, and are centered on at least one of our areas of focus listed above.
If you feel your request qualifies, please click on the link below to complete a grant request application!
MIRF Grant Application
The Mercer Island Rotary Club is made up of close to 120 active community members from all walks of life working together to make a lasting change on Mercer Island, in Washington, and around the world. We are part of the larger Global Rotary Network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change.
Interested in joining or learning more? Check out the new member resources section below, fill out a membership form, or join us for a free lunch at our weekly noontime meeting at the Mercer Island Community & Event Center.
Read More Monday, May 6, 2019
By: David McKannaA lot of people have heard about Rotary, but not everyone knowns what the club is all about. The Fargo-Moorhead Rotary Clubs created this short (and funny) video to clarify things.
Enjoy!
Saturday, September 15, 2018
By: David McKanna
Music Mends Minds (MMM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that creates musical support group bands or sing-a-long for patients with Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and for Veteran’s with PTSD. These musical support groups foster a community between the musicians and singers, as well as their families, friends, and caregivers, all of whom thrive on the socialization and music making.
MMM also aims to educate our community and public about the latest scientific findings regarding the benefits of music and brain through several platforms including online and in print resources It was founded 3 years ago and is now also a Rotary Action Group that had a booth at this year’s International Convention in Toronto and Claud Campbell helped staff the booth.
Amy Huggins of Vashon Rotary is the District 5030 MMM coordinator and also a Rotary MMM Ambassador and was the program speaker at our club, and we then decided to start a MMM program on Mercer Island. The MI Rotary committee is chaired by John Nelson and other committee members are Petra Walker, Shirley Silke, Bob Olson and Pastor Greg Asmikoupolous, Our Rotary Committee is reaching out to the Adult Family Homes, the Senior Facilities and several other clubs and organizations to find participants who have various stages of dementia who would be receptive to doing sing-a-longs.
The Mercer Island Congregational Church will be our venue and the first program will be on Oct. 23. The music is set for the opening session. For additional perspcive you can view the official Music Mends Mind Theme Song video here.
Monday, January 7, 2019
By: David McKannaRole Models, Cheerleaders, and Friends to Seattle Public School Children
Since 2009 the Mercer Island Rotary Club has been tutoring children in the Seattle Public Schools. At any given time, we have between 6 and 12 tutors in classrooms at Van Asselt School. Our tutors work with Kindergarten through Second Grade students with reading, math, and other subjects.
You become a cheerleader and a friend to these children. You will see them grow and learn and, in the spring, you will send them off to new adventures. You hope that their experience with you will have made a difference in their lives because they have made a difference in yours.
--Carol Friends
The photo below provided, by John Hamer, shows just some of the volunteer tutors in the program visiting the Van Asselt School.
From left: Curt Greenberg, Van Asselt Principal Huyen Lam, John Hamer, Bob Darling, John Faith, John Howe, Blair Evans, Carol Friends, Karolyn Streck, Bob Olson, and Seattle School District Director Betty Patu (missing: Steve Sheppard).
