Rotary Clubs pitch in, help their communities
CRANBERRY TWP — The U.S. Post Office's motto claims “neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night” keeps it from delivering the mail.
The same could be said for community charitable organizations in southwestern Butler County that have kept working to support community members during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lee Dyer of the Evans City Rotary Club said the club took the common sentiment at the beginning of the crisis — to thank health care and other related workers — and put it into action.
“We took the approach that, the people that are taking care of us, we should take care of them,” he said.
In March, the Rotarians served lunch for all 60 workers at the Butler Memorial Hospital emergency department. They further provided meals for employees of the Evans City and Mars post offices, Dyer said.
Other clubs in the southern tier of the county have taken similar steps to help people during this crisis.
“We've been doing more delivery of meals than we normally do,” said Linda Clautti of the Cranberry Township Noon Rotary Club. “Normally, we would give checks to organizations or contribute manpower to certain events, but as far as what people needed during this time was meals, because it's hard for people to get off their job, wait for takeout.”
Along with the Cranberry Sunrise Rotary Club, Clautti said the organizations sent meals to the township police and fire departments, Cranberry Township EMS and Passavant Memorial Homes, among others.
The Evans City club donated $7,000 to three organizations — the fire department, the library and the food cupboard — in mid-July, as well.
The clubs haven't just started helping people during the pandemic; instead, they've added those charitable activities to their usual giving.“As far as helping people, we haven't really changed what we're doing,” Clautti said. “We're just doing more meal deliveries.”Some of their usual activities have had to be modified during the pandemic. Dyer said the Evans City club had to cancel some events and move meetings online. But otherwise, he added, it's business as usual.“We've essentially done everything we've done in years past, with the exception of the Easter egg hunt, and we've gone to an online format, like everyone else in the world has,” he said.In Cranberry, a member of the Rotary had to find a creative way to help seniors celebrate Easter.“What was special this year, because nobody could really visit — the wife of one of our Rotarians, she made 100 Easter cards and personally signed them and delivered them to the seniors at Passavant (Community),” Clautti said.At Cranberry's golf fundraiser this year, Clautti said, she expected the revenue to dip from last year's $19,000 total. Instead, it rose to $21,000.“We're happy that so many people are coming to our meetings and still supporting our events, and we just love being able to give back to the community,” she said. “We would like the community to know that if there are any organizations out there and people are in need, to just let us know. We would be happy to entertain that.”
Clautti said the Rotary tries to help as many people as possible, so she welcomes any input or attendees at future meetings.“There might be needs that we don't know about, and we're happy to entertain whatever” there may be, she said.Like many other charitable organizations around the county, some Rotaries are looking for volunteers.Clautti said the Cranberry club is always looking for people to volunteer to help advance its charitable activity, adding that membership isn't necessary to volunteer.Dyer said that some people might be deterred from joining a club due to a perceived time commitment — the clubs meet weekly — but noted that these meetings aren't mandatory.“As a volunteer, we'd appreciate your time. Come and help whatever you can do,” he said. “What you can do is appreciated.”But, even facing a lower-than-usual membership, the clubs have stepped up to support community members and organizations, though that's par for the course.“There isn't a single club that isn't doing multiple similar projects. Not one,” Dyer said. “They've all stepped up to the plate, feeding the firefighters, feeding the emergency rooms, working the food cupboards, donating PPE (personal protective equipment). They've all done something.”Those interested in joining the Cranberry Noon Rotary can contact Linda Clautti at clautti17@gmail.com; those interested joining in the Evans City Rotary can contact Kim Armstrong at 724-272-9177.
