Members of the Johnson City Noon Rotary Club were honored at an end-of-school student assembly for their role in the “Rotary Readers” program at Mountain View Elementary School. Thanks to the help of a district grant, several members of the Johnson City Noon Club embraced their role as Rotary Readers and read with the school’s kindergarteners on a weekly basis. 

The grant enabled the club to purchase eight different books for the children who were able to take a book home each quarter. “A lot of kids do not have food at every meal, much less books, which would be considered a luxury,” said 2024-2025 President Raleigh Green. “Our goal was to increase reading and literacy so that all students are reading at the level they are supposed to be.”

“The district grant was for $4,000 and we put up $6,000,” said Green. “We have really developed a partnership with the school and with their teachers and principal. We look forward to continuing that relationship in the next school year.”

Principal Dr. Chelsea Lee said she and the teachers and students were extremely pleased with the Rotary Readers and are already looking forward to next year’s program. She said teachers see improvements in reading abilities when Rotarian volunteers work in the classroom with the students.

Johnson City Noon Rotary has an ongoing relationship with the Title I elementary school including providing Christmas gifts and Thanksgiving meals for families. The club also provides a check to the school to use as they see fit.

Rotary Readers

Left to Right: Johnson City Noon Rotarians Jeff Anderson, Joan Mitchell, Raleigh Green and Mary Ellen Miller display the trophy they received to honor the club’s Rotary Readers program at Mountain View Elementary School in Johnson City.

The Lexington Sunrise Rotary Club has received a grant for $72,000 to deliver special pediatric wheelchairs in Ecuador. The project is the collaboration of The Rotary Foundation, District 7570, District 7610 (Northern Virginia), Rotary District 7670 (western North Carolina), and The Wheelchair Foundation. There is an estimate that there is a need for 100 million wheelchairs in the world. Latin America is one of the most neediest areas. These wheelchairs will go to children who have neurological disorders coming from birth defects, exposure to toxic substances, or a number of causes. Locals believe that pesticides sprayed on the fields years ago are responsible for the high number of birth defects. 

In August, a team of twenty Rotarians will fly to Ecuador to help local Rotarians and qualified medical personnel fit each recipient with his or her wheelchair. The wheelchairs come in three sizes and are equipped with special padding and straps for the safety and comfort of the patient. Local Rotarians and social services personnel will identify the individuals needing a wheelchair and provide training to the individual and/or their caregivers on the operation and maintenance of the wheelchairs. Periodic visits over the next year to the patients by social services staff will ensure that the wheelchairs are still needed. They will evaluate the impact the wheelchairs are having on the individuals and their caregivers. 

If you would like to help the Rotarians with this project, please contact Woody Sadler at [email protected]