ELK GROVE,CA (MPG) - Want to make a positive difference in your community? 

Or even internationally? 

But don’t know how to make that happen? 

Joining Elk Grove Rotary Club can be your springboard to involve yourself in worthwhile projects.

Benefits for You

Not only will you be helping others but these endeavors will bring you many benefits as well.

According to Cathy Guy, a member since 2005, she got a nudge from her sponsor who told her, “Every Principal of Elk Grove High School has been a Rotarian.”

Not breaking tradition, Guy joined.

 “However, I’ve stayed for several reasons, especially the rewarding friendships with like-minded people,” Guy said. “Also, I can show my daughter and granddaughters how a person, along with others, can make a positive difference in their community and throughout the world.”

Her husband, Don Guy, joined last year. He says, “I saw a need where my skills and experience would benefit the club and the community."

Hearing directly from speakers brought in each week, Rotary meetings will help keep you informed about what is going on in the area.

For example, Colm Marmion spoke recently about exciting changes at the airport and included pictures of the proposed new parking garage and expansion of both terminals.

Community Projects

What interests you? Does helping underprivileged children become better educated appeal to you? Mentoring helps struggling eighth-graders through high schoolers stay in school and graduate. Scholarships are available for continuing education.

Dictionaries are personally delivered by Rotary members to each third-grader. Through partnering with The Literary Project, the Rotary members bring a backpack full of age- and gender-appropriate books to the students.

This is one of the projects Mark Thomas has been involved in for 24 years.

“At first, I thought Rotary would be a good place to meet prospective business clients but soon I was hooked on the idea of helping others,” Thomas said.

Providing basic needs, such as feeding the hungry and providing clothing, make a positive impact on the community. Rotarians lend a hand with the Elk Grove Food Bank and Clothes Closet.

International Programs

What about affecting people’s lives globally? Think of how satisfying it would be to assure that villages in Kenya had clean water to drink by using rainwater harvesting. Women in Africa are given sewing machines and sewing lessons. Rotary members’ contributions give these wives and mothers an opportunity to help support their families.

In conjunction with the World Health Organization, Rotary plays a leadership role in the global war to end polio.

An annual fundraiser, Beef and Reef, (vegetarian options available) has outstanding menu selections, fun and dancing that helps support many programs. Go to https//:elkgroverotary.org to purchase your tickets for this year’s event that is on Oct. 12.

Consider Joining

Whatever reason you might have for considering joining the Elk Grove Rotary Club, you can visit a meeting first. There are no age requirements but they do require that new members are established in a career and live and work within the vicinity. You must be able to devote at least 12 hours of volunteer time every six months and have the financial resources to pay the district and international affiliation fees. You should be able to attend at least 50 percent of the club meetings. For more information, go to: https//:elkgroverotary.org.

Meetings are held from noon to 1:30 p.m. Wednesdays at The Park at Laguna Springs, 9670 Laguna Springs, Elk Grove. The local Rotary website is at elkgroverotary.org. H