Rotarians and family who helped out with the Community Warehouse move recently, pictured above safely masked, include Club President Michelle Venema, Melissa Baxter and daughter Ellie, and Jeannie McGinn.
Family and friends have joined members of the Rotary Club of West Chester in several volunteer projects recently. Rob Malone lit the spark for a project he told the board would be a way for members to give back and be safe during COVID – calling seniors over 85 to check on them. Rob got the idea from a similar project in southern Chester County. The board approved the project, and 20 Rotarians, half of them from the West Chester Passport Club, signed up to help. Each volunteer was given a list of about 20 names, along with a simple script to guide them. The experiences of each volunteer varied, with some finding numbers were no longer in service or getting no answer to their calls. Other seniors are already receiving support, but many were happy to get the friendly call asking about their welfare. Patty Jefferis, Erik Kuhn, Bill Friedman, Glen Sweet, Jack Ellis, Christina McCawley, Mac Neilon, Christine Wildauer, and new member, John Abitabilo, were among the friendly callers from our club.
Another 14 volunteers, which included Rotarians children and friends, spent one or two days helping the Community Warehouse (CWP) relocate to a new site. Volunteers moved items from the Downingtown and West Chester (Market Street) sites to a buildling on the former Schramm site. Melissa Baxter brought her daughter, Ellie, Christine Scott brought son, Craig Metcalf, and Catherine Friedman sent son, Robin, to join Mac Neilon, and friend Scott Whittington, Mark Sammarone, Doug Meis, Erik Kuhn, CWP summer intern, Annie Ammon, our new club president Michelle Venema, as well as Jeannie McGinn, CWP volunteer liaison, and CWP director Glenda Brion.
Ebbie Alfree headed up a third project. He invited other non-profits to email him their agency needs to share with volunteers. His offer did not generate as many participants as anticipated. However, when volunteers called, he referred them to the agencies on his list, noting their requests for supplies. Volunteers then contacted the agencies on their own.
In addition to these local service efforts, our International Service Committee has been working on three projects, as noted in the last e-blast.
COVID might have shut down some in person projects like the annual Chili Cook-Off, but has not deterred Rotarians from finding new ways to provide Service Above Self!