Wichita Rotary - Service Projects

The Rotary Club of Wichita has a number of service projects that have a profound impact on our community, our district and around the world. Following are samples of just a few of our continuing projects:

Salvation Army: Our club has an annual collection day and we serve as bell ringers during the holiday season. In 2011 our collection during lunch netted over $27,000.

Reading Is Fundamental: RIF is our flagship literacy program. We provide 3 books per year to students in 18 USD 259 Title 1 schools and 13 Child Start and early childhood development schools. During the 2011-2012 school year, we will provided approximately 30,000 books to almost 10,000 students. On three different days during the year, our Rotarian volunteers visit, read and give books to each child in those schools. RIF is a federally funded (75%+) program. Our total budget is $75,290 of which $16,400 is funded by our club. Our RIF program is one of the largest in the United States.

Habitat for Humanity: During this, our Centennial year, our club collaborated with the Wichita Habitat for Humanity to build and fund our fifth house and their 150th house. Our club builds and funds a Habitat House every other year. This year the project began on October 18 and, thanks to the many volunteers who showed up to hammer nails and hang Sheetrock, it was completed ahead of schedule. The home was dedicated on December 2, 2011.

Red Cross Blood Drive: Our members give blood to the American Red Cross and are recognized in our weekly newsletter, the Round and Round. In addition, our Blood Drive Committee has initiated a "Rotary Rescue Squad", whereby members can volunteer to host a blood drive at their business, respond to critical shortages, or donate blood or platelets on a regular basis.

Children's Initiative Shoe Project: This is a unique project at Hamilton Middle School. Through the assistance of teachers, 30 students are honored at the end of the school year with $75 gift certificates to Famous Footwear for improving their reading skills during the school year.

Scholastic Children's Dictionaries: During the 2011-2012 school year, we will provide a dictionary to every 3rd grade student in Wichita USD 259. At a total cost of approximately $40,000, almost 4,000 books will be provided to 59 elementary schools.

2011 Centennial: As we continue to celebrate our club's 100th anniversary, we look forward to the completion and dedication of the Rotary Centennial Plaza and Time Tower located at the southeast corner of St. Francis and Second Street. Stay tuned as the project will be unveiled and celebrated soon!

Interact Club: Our club continues to support the Interact Club of Wichita East High School. These are highly motivated young people with a sincere desire to serve. The club is involved in numerous fund-raising projects and community service activities. A concerted effort is underway to directly involve the Interact students with many of our club's community service projects, including the distribution of Scholastic Children's Dictionaries to all 3rd grade students in USD 259.

Haiti: Our club has a continuing humanitarian relief relationship with the peoples of Lambert, Haiti. Our latest projects have involved providing a reliable water supply at the Evangelique Baptiste School by funding and assisting in the installation of a solar pump, solar panel assembly, solar controller and a pump house. The result was the capability of up to 2,900 gallons per day for drinking water and watering trees and the garden at the school. In addtion, we have recently concentrated on assisting teachers and students at the school to use the laptop computers we provided. Our relationship with the school and Lambert is special to our club. Future projects identified include a Computer Technology Center, refurbishing the Lambert Medical Clinic, improved housing, dry latrines and child sponsorship.