Yearly Archives: 2015

Making a Difference in Malawi

UPDATE FROM THE MALAWI PROJECT– DECEMBER 20, 2015 – AFTER REACHING MORE THAN 1 MILLION PILL CONTAINERS THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED. The Malawi Project Board of Directors has turned its attention to (1) famine relief, (2) getting medical supplies, including 30 kidney dialysis machines, to Malawi as well as another shipment of over 500 wheelchairs and, (3) gaining the funds from contributors to build a new birthing center south of the capital city of Lilongwe. Thank you for your support of the pill container program and please continue with us on future projects.

Like all Rotary clubs, Orange Plaza is a part of Rotary International.  This world-wide network of more than 30,000 clubs helps even small groups like ours create successful partnerships and serve the poorest of the poor in developing nations.

One of those partnerships is with the Malawi Project, working to improve lives in that African nation.  The programs of the Malawi Project align well with the six areas of focus of the Rotary Foundation, especially health care, vocational development and education.

The Malawi Project began a simple, successful program to provide prescription pill bottles to hospitals and doctors in the country.  You can help!  Donate your clean, empty bottles* by bringing them to any Orange Plaza Rotary meeting or event.  We will do the rest, shipping them to the Malawi Project for you.

For more information about the Malawi Project, visit their website: http://malawiproject.org

*Be sure to completely remove all labels!  A dip in boiling hot water should loosen them right up.

 

 

Winter Shoes for Kids!

37 children from low-income families in the area of Fletcher Elementary School in Orange received new winter shoes from Orange Plaza Rotary during a December 15th shopping spree.

Rotarians worked with managers and employees of Payless Shoes on North Tustin to greet the families, measure little feet and guide parents to the great selection of athletic and dress shoes.  Each child also received two pairs of socks to keep them warm and dry!

The shoe shopping spree is part of Orange Plaza Rotary’s ongoing partnership with Fletcher School.  Thank you to the folks at Payless Shoe Source for making it happen!

Fighting Disease and Ending Polio Now

Rotary’s top priority is the eradication of polio, but our members take on far greater responsibilities to fight disease. They set up health camps and training facilities in undeveloped countries and in communities struggling with HIV/AIDS and malaria. They also design and build the infrastructure for doctors, nurses, governments, and partners to reach the one in six people in the world who can’t afford to pay for health care.

Disease prevention and treatment takes on many forms, from supporting studies to helping immunize people to improving drinking water and the sanitation infrastructure. The world relies on Rotary to tackle these global challenges, and to set an example for others to follow.

Learn more about our work to prevent and eradicate disease on the Rotary International website.

Orange Plaza Rotary Recognized for Charitable Giving

Members of Orange Plaza Rotary celebrated the work of The Rotary Foundation at the annual Rotary District 5320 Foundation Gala, held November 14th at Crevier Classic Cars.  The event drew more than 300 supporters of The Rotary Foundation, which funds grants for service projects performed by Rotarians around the world.  The Foundation’s areas of focus include water and sanitation, basic education and literacy, disease prevention and treatment, maternal and child health, economic and community development, and peace and conflict resolution.

Orange Plaza Rotary was recognized for donations to the Foundation of more than $290 per member.  In addition, the club was praised for encouraging every member to contribute during the Rotary year.  And Orange Plaza Rotary was one of a few clubs in the District to donate more that $2,000 to the campaign to end polio.

The Rotary Foundation returns 93 cents of every dollar it receives to Rotary clubs in the form of service project grants.  Orange Plaza has previously received grants to perform cleft palate and eye surgeries for children in Mexico, provide desks and computers to schools in India and fund the Mentor Meals program at El Modena High School.

For more information about The Rotary Foundation, visit the Rotary International website.

 

 

Ending World Hunger

On October 17th, 40 volunteers fed 11,448 people.  In only 2 and a half hours.

How did they do it?  By working together to package meal kits in partnership with Orange Plaza Rotary and Stop Hunger Now, an organization that ships meals around the world.  The meals packaged at the October event will be shipped to the Philippines and Vietnam.

Volunteers set up and disassembled packaging stations and equipment, filled bins with raw ingredients, scooped ingredients into meal bags, weighed and sealed the bags, boxed and stacked them on pallets, and loaded the pallets and equipment onto a truck.

Children as young as 4 participated as “runners”, carrying completed items to the next station.  Teams worked together, chatting and laughing as they enjoyed a day of service to others.

Why did they do it?  Stop Hunger Now meal packets will serve as a lifeline for these communities.  Education paired with the meals equals sustainability for communities, allowing them the freedom to focus on larger issues.

Stop Hunger Now partners with service organizations, businesses, and faith communities around the world.  The Orange Plaza Rotary event was funded, in part, by a district grant of The Rotary Foundation, which paid the cost of each meal: only 29 cents!

To learn more about the Stop Hunger Now program, visit their website, or visit Orange Plaza Rotary at an upcoming meeting.  You will be glad you did!

Check out more photos on our Flickr page!

 

 

Car Show Sponsor and Vendor Opportunities Now Available

2016 Car Show LogoOld Towne Orange will be rockin’ to the classics, customs, hotrods and streetrods on display at the 22nd Annual Orange Plaza Car Show, April 17, 2016.  Orange Plaza Rotary is the proud host of this Southern California tradition, which attracts 15,000 spectators to view 400 vehicles, enter to win fantastic prizes and sample the tastes of the many restaurants in this foodie mecca.

Vendor spaces and sponsorship opportunities are now available online at the event registration website.  Vehicle entry registration opens on February 1, 2016 at 8 a.m.  sharp.  Bookmark the registration page so you don’t miss a thing!

For more information about the Orange Plaza Car Show, please see the links on our website, or contact us at carshow @ orangeplazarotary.org.

 

Orange Plaza Rotary Seeking Student Mentors

Orange Plaza Rotary is pleased to announce that it will continue the Mentor Meals Plus program at El Modena High School during the 2015-2016 academic year.  The program, now in its third year, partners business and community mentors with students in the Collaborative Technology Program (CTP) at El Modena High School (Orange, CA).

Four meetings (from October, 2015 through March, 2016) will be held at the high school where adult mentors will dine and interact with a group of at-risk high school juniors.

Each evening will have a focus topic (for example, career decisions, service to others, overcoming obstacles, and ethical decision-making) and include a brief guest speaker presentation. Table assignments match a Rotarian mentor, a second volunteer mentor, and six CTP students. Table discussions are encouraged through ice-breakers and talking points.

The first meal of the new year will be held in October.  Business and community leaders in the City of Orange are encouraged to attend the orientation and mentor training on September 23rd at 5:30 p.m. at Marie Callender’s, 307 E. Katella Avenue, Orange, CA.

2015 – 2016 SCHEDULE

  • Mentor Training  –   September 23, 2015
  • Mentor Meal # 1  –  October 21, 2015
  • Mentor Meal # 2  –  November 18, 2015
  • Senior Planning Meal  –  January 20, 2016
  • Mentor Meal # 3  –   February 17, 2016
  • Mentor Meal # 4  –   March 16, 2016
  • Project Debriefing  – TBA

Mentor Meals are held in the library at El Modena High School at 3920 Spring Street from 5:30 to 7:00.

For more information, please contact Rotarian Teri Snyder.

July Cruise-In to Fight Polio

Orange Plaza Rotary welcomed local car enthusiasts to our regular meeting spot at Marie Callender’s on July 29th.  The “cruise-in” was a chance to check out some great cars and catch up with old friends.  Many participated in our “Dine-In and Donate” fundraiser, taking advantage of happy hour specials at Marie Callender’s.  The restaurant donated 20% of the proceeds to Orange Plaza Rotary, which will use the funds in the battle to End Polio Now.  Join us for the next cruise-in event on August 26th at Marie Callender’s.

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