Portage Rotary Club Celebrates Year of Service to the Community

Portage Rotary Club Celebrates Year of Service to the Community

Join members of the Portage Rotary Club at their One Year Anniversary Celebration. The family friendly and FREE event will be held on Saturday, January 27th from 4 pm to 6 pm at Neighbor’s Educational Opportunities, 5201 US 6 in Portage and is open to the community. Included in the celebration are Laser Ball and other family games as well as a taco bar provided by Leroy’s Hot Stuff.

Portage Rotary Club re-established their presence in Portage a year ago and since then has undertaken a wide variety of projects. Two Portage High School students were sent to Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), an intensive leadership experience held downstate. In addition Portage Rotary supported the STEM Club at South Haven Boys and Girls Club, made donations to Gabriel’s Horn and Hannah’s Hope, and participated in United Way Day of Caring.

The club received a grant through Rotary International and committed matching funds to support the Back Pack Program through the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. The BackPack Program is designed to meet the needs of hungry children at times when other resources are not available, such as weekends and school vacations. Backpacks are filled with food that children can take home. The food is child-friendly, nonperishable and easily consumed. The backpacks are discreetly distributed to children on the last day before the weekend or holiday vacation.

Walter Lenckos, Portage Rotary President quote
“We’re proud of what we have been able to accomplish in just one year. Portage Rotary will continue to bring leaders in the community together to exchange ideas and take action on challenges in our community as well as around the world,” says Walter Lenckos, Portage Rotary President.

Plans on tap for the coming year include support for United Way of Porter County’s Kinder Camp, an international water purification project, and shelter boxes used to provide shelter during natural disasters, in addition to continued support for various not for profit organizations serving the community.

Portage Rotary welcomes new members as their programs gain momentum. Interested in being a part of this dynamic group of community leaders? Drop in the One Year Anniversary Celebration, join members for a meeting on any Tuesday at 12noon at NEO, 5201 US 6 in Portage, or send an email to Rotary Membership Chairman Darrell Warren at warrend@1stsource.com.