Service Above Self
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Fenton Rotary gives back more than $1 million to community
Principal Barry Tiemann brought this idea to the schools a few years ago after modeling a similar program in Brighton, which had a therapy dog for the kids. It has been shown that dogs bring a warm, calming environment to people, and to the classrooms where students feel more relaxed and comfortable. Students who have anxiety feel more confident reading out loud to a therapy dog, and that they reduce stress in students helping to improve their attention spans and academic performance.
Partnering with several local leaders including Dr. Nicole Wax, The State Bank and Rotary, Fenton schools were able to raise $8,000 for the purchase and training of Fenton’s most friendly four-legged school employee. We are so fortunate as a local group to take part in projects with this type of long-term community value that we hope to continue this program for many years to come.
Along with collaboration with local leaders and businesses, the Fenton Rotary is also able to provide annual scholarships to Fenton, Lake Fenton, and Linden schools. With the help from The Home Depot Foundation, from which we received another Charitable Giving Grant, we can continue building ramps for local veterans and residents in need.
Through the Fenton Rotary’s Rubber Duck Regatta Race, which will be held on July 4th at the Fenton Freedom Festival following the parade, we annually raise more than $20,000 that is given back to the community through our various service projects. Over the last 30 years the Fenton Rotary has given back more than $1 million to the community through the generous support of our community. We promote service above self and are an organization that is built for networking and growing business and community value.
Over the years some of the members Fenton Rotary Club have participated in international projects to Guatemala and Mexico to help with clean water projects, globally with the eradication of polio efforts and hosted local exchange students from across the world.
We welcome business leaders and up and coming employees from organizations to join us for breakfast on Tuesday mornings at 7:15 a.m. at Spring Meadows Country Club in Linden to learn more about what we do, to get involved and to give back in the community.
We recognize that life is busy, and families, kids, and work can all get in the way of giving back but there is nothing that feels greater than helping someone in need. Our attendance policy is flexible around the needs of your family and work schedule as we are committed to growing our organization and develop future leaders. One of our former members and community members, Nick Popa, says it best when asked about Rotary, “I wish I would have gotten involved a lot earlier in my life.” There is never a better time than now to give back.
Noah Morgan
2018-2019 President
The Fenton Rotary Club’s Veterans Day Breakfast annually recognizes our local veterans. We are proud to honor our servicemen and women of the United States military. We are blessed for the sacrifices these honorable individuals have made and continue to make to protect our country, its people and our freedom. Our country has faced many challenges to uphold the values and principles of the constitution, and our country has rallied bravely whenever those rights have been threatened. Today we remember those who put their lives on the line for the future of others. The Fenton Rotary club works throughout the year to improve and give back to our community, and our annual Veterans Day Breakfast is very special to our club. Too often this day of remembrance comes and goes without enough appreciation and recognition to our Veterans. This is our way to say “Thank You” for all you have done to make our country and community free. Our breakfast is held at The Fenton Community Center in November each year. If you are a veteran and would like to attend please email us at scottward28@gmail.com. You are our Heroes. Sincerely, Scott Ward Veterans Breakfast Chairman
It has been a true honor and privilege serving as the president of the Rotary Club of Fenton. I joined the Rotary prior to moving to Fenton in 2011 and over the last 8 years I have met some amazing families and developed personal relationships with leaders here in our community. We have also done a lot in just 8 years, the club has raised and given back over $250,000 to support local and global projects to do good in the world. The Fenton Rotary makes annual scholarships to local high school students, supports our local little league programs, we have built over 13 handicap ramps for those in need, we host seniors and disadvantaged children on Lake Fenton each year, we raise money for clean water projects in Guatemala and other international projects for mission work worldwide to fight and eradicate polio. We have built a community bridge for families to enjoy in Bush Park, each year provide 140 families with Angel Tree, and support Christmas in the park to engage families and local students in the community. All of this happens year after year because of tremendous support from the business community, people like you, and our current membership. We are looking forward to seeing you at the Freedom Festival July 4th for our Annual Rubber Duck Regatta Race and hope you can join us at Fenton Farms for our Big Cup Golf Outing October 4th. We know we can do more with your support and hope that you will consider this invitation to be a member of the Fenton Rotary. You are welcome to attend any of our Tuesday breakfast meetings at 7:15 AM at Spring Meadows to network and learn more about our club. Thank you on behalf of the Fenton Rotary for your support and leadership in the community. Sincerely, Noah Morgan Outgoing President The Fenton Rotary Club 2018-2019
In 1985 as a business owner in Fenton, I believed it would be beneficial to join a Service club! As I looked around, I was extremely happy when a group of business owners ask me to be a part of the Fenton Rotary Club that was forming in our community. That is how the story begins! The Rotary club of Fenton is now 34 years old and so much has happened. The club has been an integral part of Fenton. Did you realize that for the past 33 years we have provided Christmas gifts to needy children in our community? Did you know that the Rotary Club was the founder of the Rubber Ducky Race and the parade on the Fourth of July each year? Did you know that the Rotary Club now builds ramps for the handicapped, provides a day at the lake for Senior citizens and another day on Lake Fenton for inner city kids? The above mentioned are just a few of the programs that Rotarians provide for our Fenton and Linden communities. We are a very active group. This coming year I will be blessed to be the President of the club for the second time. The first time was way back in 1988-89. So, I have plenty of experience and a great group of Rotarians to plan and work with. As you can imagine there is plenty to do to in our community and many hands make light work. Naturally we are always looking for new members, people who want to get involved in making Fenton a great place to live and raise families. Current Rotarians are busy people but find time for community service. Hopefully we all realize that we want the place we live in to be a better place. I feel good about our community, our schools, and our workplace. I believe in Service Above Self, the Rotary motto. Please join us any Tuesday morning at Spring Meadows golf club. We meet at 7:15 AM and I would be happy to have you as my guest for breakfast, I’ll even pick up your tab. We have great speakers each week, featuring business owners, politicians, and you name it, they may be the program of the day. Hey, if you are interested in joining the club, attend a few meetings and decide to get involved with 1.2 million Rotarians worldwide. Check us out at Rotary.org Oh, by the way, Rotary was the first service club founded in Chicago by five business leader’s way back in 1905. Rotary has a great history around the world…I’m proud to be the President in 2019-2020. Sincerely, Robert Reynolds
