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Rotary Club Quietly Contributes To Both North County and International Charities
By Carol Arnett
The motto of the Rotary Club is “service above self,” and the Florissant Rotary Club has been living this motto for 50 years.
The club is celebrating its 50 year anniversary this year and held an anniversary dinner and awards presentation at Yacovelli’s Restaurant on April 10. The club was formed in 1960 by three members of the Ferguson Rotary Club, Al Nick, Bill Crume, and Abbey Leonard. The first fundraiser, a barbecue and turkey shoot, took place that same year. Fifty years later, the club is going strong, and continues to give back to the community.
Many people may be familiar with the club through the Florissant Motor Vehicle and Driver’s License office. The club runs the office for the state, and uses any money it makes from the office to help fund its various projects.
Rotary member Wayne Williams is the director of the license office at Florissant Meadows. Of the $4 million the Rtoary has donated, $1.5 million came from the profits at the license fee office. “One hundred percent of the profit after wages and expenses, goes to chairty,” said Williams. This is the 16th year for the Florissant Rotary Club has operated the office.
The club has also been a presence at the Fall Festival, Valley of Flowers, and numerous other events in the city.
The club exists in order to raise money for charitable giving. Through the years, it has created my creative fundraisers, from the initial turkey shoot to selling food at various events in the city, and running the license office.
As of this year, the Florissant Rotary Club has donated over $4 million to local and international charities. Some of their donations include a bus equipped with a wheelchair lift for Florissant residents, a disabled lift for the Eagan Center pool, land and support for the Florissant Valley Sheltered Workshop, gifts to the YMCA, Marygrove Girl’s school, CWBA Youth home, and the Major Case Squad of St. Louis.
In addition to money, club members also give their time. They have fingerprinted 8100 children for and identification program, participated in high school career night, and supported too many projects to name.
The club sends of good portion of its help to children. They present at least five scholarships or student achievement awards each year, have a scholar loan program, and have provided 25 critically ill children with a dream come true.
In addition to local help, the club has sent money for charitable projects all over the world.
“The Rotary Club is fabulous,” said Florissant Mayor Robert Lowery, who has been a member since the late 1960s. “They are outstanding in giving to our community.”
Lowery said when the club received the license center from Governor Mel Carnahan,.
“The governor asked for a group that did not have political ties, and would benefit the community. The Rotary Club was the perfect fit,” Lowery said adding that the money is used to help people here and throughout the world.
