What: Informational meeting about forming a new Rotary Community Corps. Speakers include Battle Ground Mayor Mike Ciraulo, Rotary District 5100 Governor Mike Caruso and Lewis River Rotary Club President Claire Lider.
When: 5:30 p.m. July 12.
Where: Battle Ground Community Center, 912 E. Main St., Battle Ground.
Information: Claire Lider, lrrotaryclaire@gmail.com.
Service-minded Clark County residents will soon have another avenue to pursue volunteer projects in the community.
The Lewis River Rotary Club is forming and sponsoring a Rotary Community Corps for the Clark County area.
A Rotary Community Corps is a group of volunteers who might not belong to a Rotary organization but share Rotary’s values and commitment to volunteerism and service, said Claire Lider, president of the Lewis River Rotary. The group is also a way for folks who are interested in Rotary, but can’t commit the time and money required of a club, to get involved in their community, she said.
What: Informational meeting about forming a new Rotary Community Corps. Speakers include Battle Ground Mayor Mike Ciraulo, Rotary District 5100 Governor Mike Caruso and Lewis River Rotary Club President Claire Lider.
When: 5:30 p.m. July 12.
Where: Battle Ground Community Center, 912 E. Main St., Battle Ground.
Information: Claire Lider, lrrotaryclaire@gmail.com.
“One thing that I think all Rotary clubs notice is sometimes people don’t have time to meet weekly but they want to help, so this gives them that avenue,” Lider said.
The local Rotary Community Corps will be the first group of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. Worldwide, there are 6,700 community corps, Lider said.
The community corps is open to people of all ages and does not require club dues. The group will meet monthly to discuss and plan service projects. Group members will decide the time and dates of meetings.
Unlike Rotary club projects, all community corps service projects will be focused on the local community. Many Rotary projects are international, Lider said.
Community corps are not business-oriented like Rotary clubs. Instead, the community groups are 100 percent focused on volunteerism, Lider said.
To get the Rotary Community Corps up and running, the group needs at least 10 members. Lider said many people have already made the commitment to join the group.
During the first year, the group will complete two major service projects. In following years, the group will likely have projects every quarter, Lider said.
The Lewis River Rotary Club has seed money set aside for the new group so its members can get started on their projects right away, she said.
Lewis River Rotary will host an informational meeting about the community corps at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Marissa Harshman: 360-735-4546 or marissa.harshman@columbian.com.
