Catalina Island News

Avalon Rotary Club’s International Project in Mexico

2012-01-24
Rotary Club of Avalon

In early January nine Avalon Rotary Club members and spouses including Cinde MacGugan, Mike Cassidy, Bill and Sherrell Paige, Autumn Reifensnyder, Lourdes and Adrian Thoricht, and Rita and Kelly Whitaker traveled to Ensenada to work in partnership with three other Southern California Rotary Clubs and the Club Rotary Centenairo of Ensenada. For the ninth consecutive year, the Avalon Rotary Club helped distribute over 700 food baskets, toys and blankets to eighteen different remote and poverty stricken areas of Ensenada. The needy families live in cardboard houses, with no electricity and very limited bathroom facilities. The food baskets and blankets are given out each January to help celebrate the arrival of the Three Kings. The recipients were overjoyed and thankful for everything they received, particularly the warm blankets.

Avalon Rotary actively contributes to the betterment of our Island community by donating to local community charities. Avalon Rotary raises money through its annual auction and other fundraisers and contributes to local residents for Thanksgiving and Christmas, offers local Avalon High School students’ scholarships, and has supported projects at the Catalina Island Museum, the Avalon Schools, the Avalon Veterinary Clinic and the Catalina Island Medical Center. Avalon Rotary also organizes and fundraises for the popular USC Trojan Marching Band's participation in Avalon’s Fourth of July parade.

Avalon Rotary is just one of over 32,000 Rotary Clubs around the world in over 200 countries. All are dedicated to the creed of "service above self." Rotary International was founded in 1905 as both a business networking and community service organization. Avalon Rotary Club offers its membership a chance to network with local business leaders as well as offer community service opportunities for our Island, as well as projects such as feeding the hungry or contributing to international efforts to eradicate polio. Avalon Rotary meets weekly on Wednesdays at 12:15pm at the Mi Casita. For membership information, please contact Rose Ellen Gardner.