Once a quarter, Aiken Rotary Club members actually roll up their sleeves and participate along with Rotoract and Interact members and guests in trash collection on a 2 mile stretch of local highway along the University Parkway adjacent to the Aiken County Government Center. The quarterly litter pick-up supports Palmetto Pride, the South Carolina Department of Transportation’s highway beautification program.
Service Above Self
Palmetto Pride Highway Litter Pick Up
The Rotary Club volunteers spend a Saturday morning traipsing through the underbrush and wet grass retrieving litter ranging from ever-present styrofoam cups to tossed-aside empty potato chip bags; from broken auto parts to evidence of serious partying. At the end of all of their hard work, the volunteers receive a “tail gate” reception of coffee, doughnuts, cold water, and soft drinks furnished by the Club.
Aiken Rotary Club Litter Pick-Up project chairman Rick McLeod says club members have recovered over 3,500 pounds of refuse over the past 5 years. Says McLeod, “that’s almost 2 tons of trash! Our Club is proud of our efforts but we wish people would think twice before they toss”.
The Aiken Rotary Club litter pick-up initiative represents a further commitment to the community through “service beyond self”, the Rotary motto.
Habitat For Humanity
With the support of Aiken Rotary Club, Aiken County Habitat for Humanity builds strength, stability and self-reliance through housing. People in our community come together to build a place they can call home. Habitat Homeowners participate alongside volunteers to construct their home and pay an affordable, interest-free mortgage on their homes. The support from Aiken Rotary Club ensures that the cost of the home is not beyond their means. Without community partners willing to dig and get dirty, others would not be lifted out of poverty.
Christmas Bell Ringing For The Salvation Army
The Rotary Club of Aiken’s Bell Ringing Project for the benefit of those assisted by the local Salvation Army started many years ago. For nearly 40 years, more than 120 Rotary volunteers each year have manned their posts at nine different retail outlets in Aiken to highlight the Christmas spirit and help to brighten the holidays for children and families in need throughout the area.
Community Breakfast For Alzheimer's Research
Because Alzheimer’s disease ranks as one of the nation’s primary causes of mortality among older populations, the Aiken Rotary Club and many others have undertaken a variety of fund-raising initiatives to support and expand Alzheimer’s research. Annually, through two initiatives, the weekly luncheon”CART bucket” and the FATZ restaurant community fund-raising breakfast, the Aiken Rotary Club has contributed more than $60,000.00 for research. Club members sell tickets for the community breakfast at a participating FATZ restaurant to residents throughout the community and are supported by student members from the local Interact and Rotoract clubs who help to serve the meals.
Rotary Readers
Beginning its third year at East Aiken School for the Arts, more than 50 Aiken Rotary Club members and their spouses meet weekly with 4th and 5th year students as well as 4K youngsters to introduce and enhance the students’ reading skill and prepare them for academic success. Results at East Aiken School for the Arts were remarkably encouraging in demonstrating improvements in reading skills.
Dictionary Program
The Rotary Club of Aiken, Aiken Sunrise and North Augusta clubs have joined together to distribute student dictionaries to all third grade students in Aiken County public schools. Nearly 3000 dictionaries were provided to students by 30 Rotary volunteers during the recently completed 2016 program. Whether its finding the “world’s longest word” or exploring the world of words, students look forward each year to receiving a new tool on which to build their information skills.
