CARMEL, Calif.-- Rotary Members & Students Celebrate Charity Work. Central Coast News believes in order to build a strong community we need to invest in it, that's why we created the Million Dollar Community Investment Program.
We're taking a look at a local rotary club working to get more students involved in making a difference in the community. More than 100 students from different Carmel Valley schools are seeing the pay off what charity can do in a community.
Claire Rammel goes to Tularcitos Elementary School. It was one of the five schools that got to hand pick a charity to work with. "I learned that happiness doesn't always come from getting things, but giving things too," said Rammel.
It's all part of the Carmel Valley Rotary's annual Partners in Community Service Presentation. "We came up with a bunch of non-profit organizations at our student council meetings and we narrowed down to the top eight and voted with our classes and buddy classes," Rammel.
The rotary gave the schools a total of $5,000 to dole out. Brooke Donahue said she was inspired by the project that's in its 12th year. "It felt really good to know that we're helping people and these people have gone through a lot," said Donahue.
The rotary says it's goal is to encourage kids to start helping others in the community at a young age. "We try to get the middle school because we find that, that's an age group that we really can make an impression with and they can carry that on through high school, college and the rest of their life," said PICS Chairman Rick Shea.
Rotary members are hopeful these students will one day become Rotarian members too. "These students are just young people, they're not kids really. They make intelligent decisions," said Shea.
The Carmel Valley Rotary hopes other rotary clubs will take on the same project. If you're interested in working with their group you can contact them on their web site: http://carmelvalley.rotaryclub.pro/
Or you can call, Rick Shea at 831-624-7768.
