Despite rain, sleet/ice and snow, more than a dozen loyal Rotarian volunteers showed up during the early morning Saturday at the A. Duie Pyle warehouse to load fruit into cars of purchasers of the delicious fruits and vegetables sold during Rotary’s annual fruit sale. Our chair for over 10 years (!), Christine Wildauer (center with the red scarf), reports that among the volunteers was Kate Cipriano and a few other members of the Greystone PTO, who will benefit from over $5,000 raised during the sale toward purchase of playground equipment at the new Greystone Elementary School. As usual, numerous boxes of fruits and vegetables were also donated to the West Chester Food Cupboard. Of interest to longtime members, and our historians, Christine reports that a few years ago, the late Bob Poole presented her with a complete history of the fruit sale from its very beginning.

 

Proceeds from the Annual Fruit Sale by the Rotary Club of West Chester will benefit hundreds of children for many years. At its Community Philanthropic Committee meeting, members unanimously selected the Greystone Elementary PTO from among nearly a dozen applicants as beneficiaries of this year’s fruit sale.

Jeff Spencer, President Steve Brown, and (former club member) Bryan Brockson raised a pint of “Purple Pinkie Pale Ale” at the club’s recent Pulled Pork Throwdown at the new Boy Scout center in Exton. Brockson, one of three owners of Locust Lane Craft Brewery in Malvern, invited attendees at the Rotary event to taste the new brew, an initiative between Rotary District 7450 and the brewery as a fund raiser for Rotary’s  End Polio Now. Each can had an explanation of Rotary’s polio mission, ”help eradicate polio from the planet. Throughout the world each time a Rotary volunteer administers a polio vaccine, a child's pinkie is colored purple with the topical solution Gentian Violet, temporarily marking them to prevent double dosage on National Immunization Days (NID). Lean more by scanning the QR code below.” Bryan said the brew was developed to see if it made sense to do it, and perhaps do it again next year. Having raised $2,000 between pre-sales and at happy hours throughout the district, Bryan believes it will be worth doing again next year. By the way, the beer has already sold out; look for it again next year! Thanks to Ebbie Alfree for capturing this photo. 

Melissa Baxter, (seated left), chairperson of the Community Philanthropic Committee , joins representatives of the non-profit organizations who received grants from the club, (seated second from left) Hallie Romanowski, Christine Zaccarelli, Glenda Brion, Kim Booz, and (standing from left) Dallas Knowlton, Ellen Donohoe, Rita Brouwer-Ancher, Emily McClure, Dr. Dolly Wideman-Scott, Don Neimetz, Meghan Ervine, Natalie Coughlin, Tyler Changaris, Loretta Cohen, and Steve Brown, club president.

Danielle Mortimer and Bill Ronayne point out the designation of our Rotary Club in the Lieutenant Category ($10,000 - $24,999 donations) onFame Fire Company #3 of West Chester’s donor recognition board at the community-wide reception on Saturday. The Willing Hearts Campaign Donor Contributions Recognition Board was part of our Rotary Club’s donation to Fame. Bill, a longtime fireman, and active Rotarian in our club, co-chaired the $2.5 million capital campaign of the 183-year-old company, and emceed the community ceremony, and reception that attracted over 100 supporters and community leaders!