Since 1982, the Belfast Rotary Club’s 100 Fund has helped provide Christmas to thousands of the neediest children of Waldo County. Each year, teams of costumed Rotary Santas and elves physically delivered gifts to children in towns throughout the county. In 2019, each of 147 children received a new winter coat, boots, a hat, mittens, flannel pajamas, a warm outfit for school, a book, and special toys each of them had requested.
Prior to this very different 2020, each of the more than 1,500 gifts needed for the project were selected and purchased by members of the 100 Fund Committee and wrapped by Rotarians and other volunteers at a Community Wrapping Party hosted by Waldo County General Hospital.
This year, the 2020 pandemic has required a significant shift – given the public health measures that would make large gatherings for wrapping gifts impossible. So a Rotary Santa or elf reached out to each family this year by phone or in person to inform the family that they would be receiving much-needed support for each child by mail this year. Each child receives a voucher entitling them to a new pair of winter boots from the Colburn Shoe Store on Main Street in Belfast, along with a $75 gift card from the Reny’s on Belmont Avenue in Belfast to buy children’s warm winter clothing and Christmas toys.
Community generosity was historic in this challenging year, and the Belfast Rotary Club received record financial contributions of more than $16,000 from its members, friends of Rotary, and charitable trusts.
According to Belfast Rotary Club member Marjorie Crowley of CoastWise Realty, who has chaired the 100 Fund giving program for the past nine years, “When COVID 19 cases started surging locally in October, I feared that the Belfast Rotary 100 Fund Christmas Project would have to be put on hold for the 2020 season. Thanks to Reny's, Colburn's Shoe Store and the generosity of Rotarians and others, 170 of the neediest children in Waldo County will find gifts from Santa on Christmas morning.”
Lee Woodward of Camden Law, who spearheads the fundraising and is normally one of the Santas making personal deliveries said, “To say that the 100 Fund has been a success in 2020 would be a drastic understatement, since donations were about $5,000 higher than we had conservatively budgeted for this year due to the economic impact of the pandemic. We are so grateful.”
The names of the children are provided to the Belfast Rotary Club by Waldo Community Action Partners, which coordinates input from town offices, the City of Belfast, Waldo County schools, public health advocates, Head Start, faith-based organizations, and community members. This is part of WCAP’s effort to assure that families throughout Waldo County who need some help during the holidays have support through the Belfast Rotary Club and other area organizations.
For more information about the Belfast Rotary 100 Fund – or to volunteer, please call Marjorie Crowley at 207-338-6005. Folks in the Belfast area community and potential new Belfast Rotary Club members are always welcome to support this local commitment to Rotary International’s “Service Above Self” motto.
The local club was chartered in 1925. Rotary International brings together a global network of volunteer leaders who dedicate their time and talent to tackle the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members from more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work impacts lives at both the local and international levels. For more information about Belfast Rotary, go to
https://belfastrotary.org or to
https://www.facebook.com/Belfast-Maine-Rotary-Club-122089151151189~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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