The Freeport Rotary Club reaches serves local residents in need with a passion. You may have seen Rotarians recently “Stuffing the Bus” with donated food items in the Shaw’s parking lot in Freeport or selling Christmas trees by the Freeport Fire Station over the holidays. Rotary’s annual Close to the Coast Race is a major fundraiser in June at Winslow Park. Freeport Rotary uses such events to assist residents who need food or heat for their homes through a partnership with Freeport Community Services. Money raised also provides scholarships for local high school students.

Freeport Rotary meets weekly at 7 a.m. Wednesday at Freeport Community Services, 53 Depot Street, to discuss how to assist those in need, both locally and internationally. Rotarians help with multiple local projects, including Habitat for Humanity, Crutches for Africa, and support services for veterans. On an international level, Freeport Rotarians have funded basic supplies and water filters for communities in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. An international project supported by Freeport Rotary trains Kenyan women on how to grow and market agricultural crops.

Karen O’Rourke, president of Freeport Rotary, says, “I became aware of Rotary when my 15-year-old daughter decided she wanted to go abroad for a year. After looking at numerous programs, we selected the Rotary Youth International Exchange Program. Not only did I connect to the message of ‘peace through understanding,’ but I realized there is an international network of people who really want to do good in the world. Whether you work full time, are retired, or anything in between, Rotary is a great way to get involved in the community or to be connected to international projects. I feel that by being part of Rotary I can help make the world a better place.”

Curt Combar, past president, says, “The most important thing to me about being a Rotarian is the privilege of being able to leverage Rotary’s incredibly powerful network of volunteers to accomplish humanitarian service projects that fulfill much larger needs than I could have imagined before joining Rotary.”

Lucy Lloyd, coordinator of Interact student programs, joined Rotary because it is a place for fellowship and service to mankind. She believes that getting youth involved in civic engagement will make the world a better place. Freeport Rotary supports two groups of youth, including 20 members of the Interact Club at Freeport Middle School and 40 students who are Interact members at Freeport High School. The high school Interact Club is the largest club at the high school. Interact students will go to the State House on Citizens Day, April 2, to observe the legislative processes.

Freeport Rotary, formed in 1983, is a diverse group of more than 35 business and professional people from the Freeport, Durham, and Pownal area. Interested residents are always welcome to attend the weekly breakfast meetings.

For more information about the Freeport Rotary Club and its programs, visit freeport-rotary.org.