Title
Special Recognition - Proclamation Recognizing the 50th Anniversary of West Olympia Rotary
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Proclaim August 13th, 2024 as West Olympia Rotary Day.
Report
Issue:
Whether to proclaim August 13, 2024, as West Olympia Rotary Day.
Staff Contacts:
Paul Simmons, Parks, Arts, and Recreation Director, 360.753.8462
Presenter(s):
Katya Miltimore, West Olympia Rotary President
Background and Analysis:
The West Olympia Rotary Club is a service club of around 80 members representing a wide range of professions drawn from the business, government, education, and nonprofit sectors in the Olympia area. They get together every Tuesday at noon for a little socializing, lunch, and a brief meeting that highlights individuals and programs from throughout the community.
From July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025 the Club will be celebrating it's 50th anniversary. Like Rotary International, the club motto is "Service Above Self", and their focus is on the five "Avenues of Service"; which include Club Service, Vocational Service, Community Service, International Service, and Youth Service.
The Club maintains a Charities Fund, which raises and distributes more than $25,000 to local nonprofits on an annual basis. The Club also created a separate endowment fund that supports 8-10 scholarships annually for students graduating from Olympia High Schools. The Club also was instrumental in establishing the South Puget Sound Community College's Foundation in 1982, which has gone on to support our community college's students with millions of dollars of scholarships.
The Club has also had an impact globally, supporting more than 100 inbound and outbound exchange students from all over the world. West Olympia Rotary has been a key partner in helping secure funds from Rotary International to support health, water, and sanitation projects in rural Bolivia.
This proclamation and actio...
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