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They Really Like Us!
Yesterday, the Darien Rotary Club was awarded non-profit of the year by the Darien Chamber of Commerce. As President, here is my acceptance speech as prepared for delivery. I decided not to deliver it due to time constraints, but somebody needs to hear it, so you get it.
First, I would like to thank the Darien Chamber for this award. Second, I need to thank the Darien Rotarians. We’re a club of 25 people, so everybody has a role. Third, I’d like to say a little about why I think we got this award.
Last year, our then President Halil Avci brought to the club our most important program, Food for Kids. We have identified over 100 school-aged children here in Darien that don’t get adequate food over the weekends during the school year. Our club decided to fix that by purchasing and distributing shelf-stable and kid-friendly food.
Thanks to a generous grant from Republic Bank, the program is continuing. Here’s where I need to insert a commercial message – the need is greater than our existing funding. On your tables, you have information about how to support our Food for Kids program directly and about our upcoming fundraiser, A Taste of Route 66, on Tuesday March 24. I hope you all take the opportunity to get involved in this program.
That’s the end of the commercial. Although all of our Rotarians help in some way, I want to thank a few people specifically.
• Joan Wayman, who took the Food program and ran with it.
• JoAnne Ragona, our current Secretary and my relief as President.
• Frank Burns, our long-serving Treasurer and Wal-Mart wrangler (for the Food program).
First, I would like to thank the Darien Chamber for this award. Second, I need to thank the Darien Rotarians. We’re a club of 25 people, so everybody has a role. Third, I’d like to say a little about why I think we got this award.
Last year, our then President Halil Avci brought to the club our most important program, Food for Kids. We have identified over 100 school-aged children here in Darien that don’t get adequate food over the weekends during the school year. Our club decided to fix that by purchasing and distributing shelf-stable and kid-friendly food.
Thanks to a generous grant from Republic Bank, the program is continuing. Here’s where I need to insert a commercial message – the need is greater than our existing funding. On your tables, you have information about how to support our Food for Kids program directly and about our upcoming fundraiser, A Taste of Route 66, on Tuesday March 24. I hope you all take the opportunity to get involved in this program.
That’s the end of the commercial. Although all of our Rotarians help in some way, I want to thank a few people specifically.
• Joan Wayman, who took the Food program and ran with it.
• JoAnne Ragona, our current Secretary and my relief as President.
• Frank Burns, our long-serving Treasurer and Wal-Mart wrangler (for the Food program).