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Hats Off To Rotary 2012
Early Edition Rotary spawned 12 years ago Club born with the same mission but with ‘a different approach’ By BRAD MEIER
Why create another Rotary Club in Owatonna? More than a decade ago, leaders of the Rotary Club found the noon meetings difficult to attend and wanted to create another option for people to attend Rotary. The Early Edition was born with the same mission, but a different approach. From the start, the Early Edition has been a “hands-on” club that chose projects that the members could put their time and energy into. Projects like the “Rain Garden” on Hoffman Drive, the Highway Clean up on Interstate 35, the Fourth of July Fireworks display (titled “Patriot Skies”), the corn feed, kindergarten books, student scholarships, and rose sale were created to serve the community and raise funds for local and international projects.
Why fireworks? The Fourth of July fireworks show was being dropped by a service club and the future of a display in Owatonna was uncertain. The young Early Edition club, determined to make a mark in the community, stepped up and took on the challenge of raising funds, planning the event and marketing the celebration to the community. Since that time, the display has grown due to much more aggressive fundraising and a broader community awareness.
What does corn have to do with Rotary? Nothing really, except for a once per year major event that is looked forward to by hundreds of people in the Owatonna area. The corn feed held in August features locally grown Lakeside Foods corn and raises money for the fireworks display, downtown flower basket program and a third cause picked by the club each year. Unique to this event, the Rotary members deliver meals to businesses and because of this have been able to grow sales and fundraising each year.
How does a rose sale put Service Above Self? The annual rose sale has many benefits, the least of those is an opportunity to get a dozen great roses for your loved ones. The side benefit is that the money raised by the club goes to fund an international project. The Early Edition has purchased a “Shelter Box” for victims of the devastating earthquakes in Haiti, contributed to well water projects and much more.
Does Rotary provide books for all Owatonna kindergartners? The short answer is yes. Each year in our effort to focus on supporting kids in their early stages of development, the Early Edition club hand delivers books just before summer break to all kindergartners in Owatonna. This includes private schools as well as public. More than 450 books are distributed on behalf of the Rotary Club to the kids.
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Teenagers and Early Edition The Earlypeople, Edition club is also involved about at the high school level working with ot things. the Alternative Learning Center inviting students our meetings and providing bout tosecurity. annual college scholarships. The two Rotary clubs also partner to provide out confidence. mentoring to students at Owatonna High School through the STRIVE program ut relationships. as well as provide opportunities for students to attend leadership camps and about trust. participate in the Ethics Essay. abouttheyou! Though club no longer works on the rain garden or the highway clean up, the projects on the docket for the club are ambitious and meet the strategic vision set for the club. They meet every Tuesday at 7 a.m. at the third floor of the fire hall and welcome guests. The decision to provide another Rotary option to the Owatonna community 12 years ago has proven a huge success. The programming has expanded and the number of people who can now participate in Rotary has grown. If you’re interested in participating with the Early Edition Rotary Club, contact John Thompson at jhthompson91@charter.net.
Early Edition Rotary Club members prepare for the annual corn feed. Held each year in August, the corn feed raises funds for the fireworks display, the downtown flower basket program and a third cause picked by the club each year. (Press file photo)
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