Posted by Chester Karchefsky
Even though we've been quite challenged with all of the COVID restrictions, the Rotary Club of Mentor has continued to follow through with community projects.
 
Our Grant Project
Hand Sanitizer Dispenser deployment throughout the Mentor School District facilities / Research, Procurement, Delivery and Installation of Hand Sanitizing Dispensers / Completed September-October 2020 / Mentor School District, Mentor, Ohio 44060.
 
With the current COVID-19 and possible future pandemics, Mentor Schools had a need to dramatically increase sanitation for those using school facilities.  The Mentor Rotary Club proposed a large-scale project to supply sanitizing station dispensers and initial fills of the same for all school district classrooms and needed common areas.  Mentor club rotarians sought out, negotiated the purchase, coordinated the delivery and assisted with the installation of sanitizing stations throughout the Mentor School District.  The Mentor Rotary Club worked directly with the Mentor School District's Superintendent and Director of Business Operations, to ensure the stations met any guidelines and/or standards/specifications that are permitted by the State Dept. of Health or any other regulatory bodies that oversee school facilities.  A total of 750 wall mounted hand sanitizing stations have been strategically placed in every classroom and specified common areas.
 
Approximately 8,600 people directly benefited from this project.  Mentor Public Schools is a suburban school district that serves more than 7,600 students enrolled in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from the City of Mentor and the surrounding communities of Mentor-on-the-Lake, Concord Township, and Kirtland Hills. The school district operates seven elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school and one state-of-the-art specialized school for students with autism, with just under 1,000 employees.
 
"Kids Christmas Party"
Another Seasonal program which is very near and dear to our Mentor Rotarians' hearts is the annual "Kids' Christmas Party''.  This event is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Mentor every December for the past 35 years!  With the cooperation of the Mentor School District, the Mentor Club provides a day with Santa complete with a mobile petting zoo and presentation from "Jungle Terry" a chance to build a wooden toy in Santa's Workshop followed by a pizza party and gifts from Santa!
 
Each year, Mentor School District students in the "Mentor Structured Language Program" have an opportunity to write a letter and share some gift ideas with Santa. Unfortunately, COVID restrictions curtailed this year's event due to remote learning.  However, that didn't stop Santa!  For the 35th year, Mentor Rotarians helped Santa make Christmas dreams come true for these very special children.
 
Thanks to our long-time Mentor Rotarian Ed Peltz for starting this project 35 years ago! Patsy Hixson, coordinated this year's event with plans to continue as the Mentor Rotarian chair for the coming years! We thank Patsy for her leadership, coordination and hard work, the Mentor Roatrians (elves) for providing our special students' gift requests, the Mentor Schools for their help for allowing this event to continue, as well as Mentor Schools bus drivers for volunteering to deliver the presents and Santa for riding along!!!
 
Other projects and events of note:
 
3rd Grade Dictionary Project:
All 3rd Grader students in the Mentor, Perry and Madison school districts as well as the area parochial and private schools received their very own dictionaries. The Mentor Rotaraians coordinate the purchase and deliveries of these dictionaries accompanied by a short in-school presentation. The presentation introduces Rotary to the students and then presents the dictionaries to the students for promoting literacy. This year's chair was Wayne Brodnan, Mentor Rotary Club.
 
Shandle Family "Be The Match" Campaign:
The Mentor Rotary Club adopted this program to build awareness of the National Marrow Donor Program and Registry.  We also raise funds to assist the National Be The Match organization with those qualifying individuals who wish to be tested and added to the National Bone Marrow Registry!
 
When one of Mentor Rotary's long-time member and past President's (Cliff Shandle) daughter was stricken with the life ending battle from leukemia, Cliff and his wife (Shirley) made a vow to help others by building awareness of this National Program.
 
This year, the Mentor Rotary Club, under the banner of the Shandle Family "Be The Match" program, sponsored one mile of a 24 mile in 24 hours event.  This 24 In 24 event, held at Classic Park, Home of the Lake County Captains, allowed the Mentor Rotary Club to reach out to 200 runners, their friends and families as well as all the other community and sponsoring organizations via print and virtual media.
 
 
Best Regards and Merry Christmas!
 
Chester
 
--
Chester Karchefsky, Jr., PMP®
President 2020-21
Rotary Club of Mentor
OUR GRANT PROJECT
The Installation Crew
Sterling Morton Delivery
Repacking in 3 hours
 
KIDS CHRISTMAS
 
DICTIONARY PROGRAM

Dictionary Labeling & Repacking in 3 hours
 
 
Be The Match Campaign - 24 In 24