Valparaiso Magazine Fall 2021

Hospice, a pavilion at Gabis Arboretum, Rotary
Field at Glenrose South Park and others.
There are Rotary contributions throughout the city’s
parks, including a popular shelter at Forest Park.
Landscaping at the city’s original roundabout, at
Lincolnway, Sturdy Road and LaPorte Avenue, has
landscaping donated by the Rotary Club.
“There are so many projects, it’s all just
overwhelming,” Olympidis said.
Among the ones Good is most excited about is an
international affairs conference held at the district
level. A group of volunteers choose a timely topic
– recent ones have included water conservation,
human trafficking, solar energy and climate change
– and pick a keynote speaker. “We try to be really
timely on the world stage that these kids could
identify with,” she said.
“[ROTARY IS] A
GREAT BUNCH OF
GUYS AND GALS...
THERE’S A LOT OF
GREAT PEOPLE IN
VALPARAISO.”
—Larry Raber,
Rotary member
The students who participate break into groups,
with organizers separating them from classmates to
facilitate conversation, and then return for a plenary
session to report back on their discussions.
“THAT VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
HAD SUCH A PERSONAL
IMPACT, IT HELPED
ME DECIDE
I WOULD BE
A ROTARIAN
FOR LIFE.”
—Mary Joe Jaime,
Rotary member
One student asked, “Why is what we’re doing today so different from what
we’re hearing on TV?” Good said. That’s the value of exposing students to
unbiased presentations and the facts.
Kish shared an eight-page list of projects funded through Rotary grants since
1993. Rotary contributed $282,122 toward projects worth a total of $916,700.
“Rotary is really local,” Kish said.
Among these projects are a shelter at Fairgrounds Park, a kindergarten room
at the Boys and Girls Club, volleyball equipment for the YMCA, an automated
external defibrillator for the Valparaiso University athletic department, the
Orville Redenbacher statue downtown, lockers for families’ belongings at
Family House, keyless locks for Housing Opportunities, a Creekside Park trail
bench, Chromebooks for after-school programs at the Boys and Girls Club
and a bridge at Meadowbrook for the Shirley Heinz Land Trust.
Looking to the future, Good said the club hopes to put Interact clubs in
every high school and middle school as well as Rotaract clubs on college
campuses. Students from area high schools and colleges are regularly
scheduled to attend Rotary meetings.
Wappel is focusing on leadership development for the Rotary Club. “We
are growing diverse leaders for community service and global impact to
keep the legacy of past leaders growing,” she said. She has developed a
lunch-and-learn leadership and personal development series for emerging
and aspiring leaders within businesses and organizations throughout the
community. Speakers on leadership topics are scheduled, and guests are
offered monthly opportunities to participate in roundtable sharing and
mentoring sessions with members. The program is educational and an
inspiration for long-term members, too. >>
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