Rotary District 5110 in Action eNews – 1-7-20

No click here—just enjoy your Rotary work in the New Year!

Club personnel learn to apply for quarterly grants for their special projects that are supported by the District and matched by the District Foundation. For more details for the 9 a.m. January 11 event at the Medford Campus of Southern Oregon University, click here.

Due to popular demand, TWO more Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) weekend events are scheduled for this Rotary Year. To register or for more information, click here.

Many a 5110 District club held a signature event for the Holidays in their communities. And I’m sure some rivaled that of the Greater Corvallis club who played Holiday host to their sixth annual Children’s Craft Faire that exhilarated and exhausted more than 475 local kids on Saturday, December 7.

The Benton County Fairgrounds and Expo Center auditorium was replete with Holiday spirit as every child received a checklist of activities to participate in to include making up to three crafts, a walking tour of the Pastega light display and posing for a photo with Santa.

Even Past District 5110 Governor Bill Grile and his wife Linda were active participants as PDG Bill was fashionably suited as a “significant elf.”

Some of the craft activities featured included creating stuffed animals, decorating cookies, gingerbread houses, swags, and various ornaments. There was also a story reading corner, a pit stop for parents with free coffee and treats and, new this year, a series of touch-a-truck stations made possible by Corvallis police and fire departments and several other community groups.

The free special family event is conducted just feet away from the annual long-time tradition known as the Pastega Holiday Lights which were open nightly from Thanksgiving weekend through January 1. The admission to the lights display was also free, however donations of food for local food shares were accepted. The winding drive-through path of holiday lights and cartoon figures was located at the former Pastega Pepsi plant for several decades and relocated to the fairgrounds in 2014 as Rotary became a major contributor to sustaining the tradition and adding the Holiday Faire for local children at the same.

For further details, contact Greater Corvallis Club’s Public Image Director and Holiday Light and Craft Fair event coordinator Jenny Bouman at jenny@talk2lee.com.