Projects
Running for Rotary - Our 5K, 100 Year Anniversary Fundraiser
LaGrange Rotary 100th Anniversary Inaugural 5K run/walk to benefit local literacy programs.
In celebration of LaGrange Rotary’s 100th Anniversary, the Club provided an opportunity to involve our
community while raising money to support literacy in our area. On Saturday, September 23, 2023, four
LaGrange 100 Year Anniversary- Gala Event
Wednesday, September 27, 2023 was the actual 100 Year Anniversary for the Rotary Club of LaGrange. In celebration of the occasion an Anniversary Gala Event was held downtown LaGrange at Del'Avant the night before. The keynote speaker for the event was Rotary International Past President Mark Daniel Maloney (2019-2020). Mark was accompanied by his wife Gay.
100 Pints to Celebrate 100 Years
To celebrate the 100 th year of the Rotary Club of LaGrange, we are partnering with the Red Cross of
Georgia to collect 100 pints of blood. Donating blood is the perfect example of “Service above self” and
each unit donated can save up to three lives. Through this project, our Rotary Club can save up to 300
Troup Literacy Program - District Pre-K Grant, Jungle Bus
Our Rotary Club is committed to making reading and books priorities for all of our Troup County young students. Through our District Grant our Pre-K Book program, we provide books for all of the county's Pre-K students and through our Rotary Readers we also schedule additional times to go into classrooms to read to the student throughout the school year.. In addition we work with the Troup County School District to provide support and further learning opportunities with the use of the Jungle Bus. The Jungle Bus was created to bring books and literary experiences into neighborhoods that have limited access to such advantages.
Walter Y. Murphy Scholarship Program
The Walter Y. Murphy Scholarship Fund is a continuously run program that began in 1997 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the LaGrange Rotary Club. The program is a joint project of LaGrange College and our club. Having been both the LaGrange College President (1980-1996) and the Rotary 6900 District Governor (1991-1992), Dr. Murphy was the ideal person to be honored.
Future Rotarians: Our Rotaract & Interact Club Members
Our future Rotarians are presently enrolled in the Rotary Club of LaGrange sponsored Rotaract and Interact Clubs.This year our club members focused on including these students in our activities and having the three organizations also work together on various projects.
Our Rotary Youth Challenge Graduating Seniors
This is the fourth year that we have RYC Students who are graduating from high school. Claire New-Matthews and Neftali Velasquez are scheduled to graduate this May. These two students have been in the program for the past 11 years, and hopefully will be leaving to start their post secondary school education.
STAR-Student Teacher Achievement Recognition Program
This event has been rescheduled. The initial recognition was scheduled for 2/21/2024, but due to the unexpected death of LaGrange's Mayor, and our club member, Willie T. Edmondson, the event will be rescheduled in March. Star Teachers and students will be celebrated. The LaGrange Rotary is the only original sponsor of this program, participating in it since its conception in 1959. Five area high schools take part in this event with each school identifying the senior who was in the top 10% of their class and has the highest score in one sitting of the SAT exam through November of their senior year. The selected senior then selects the teacher whom they wish to honor.
Project North Pole
Project North Pole is how our club provides our LaGrange Rotary Youth Challenge (LRYC) students with Christmas gifts. Rotary members donate funds and their time to buy, wrap and deliver needed gifts for the students. In addition to the presents each student also receives a stocking filled with both treats and practical items. The older students receive gift cards to be redeemed at local retail stores after the holiday when their funds will go a bit further.
Annual Banquet/Annual Club Celebration
Our club ends each Rotary year with a Family of Rotary banquet where we highlight what we have accomplished for the past year and welcome in the new Rotary year. This event is always a highlight for our members, their families and community members. This year the event will take place on Thursday, June 13, 2024.
World Polio Awareness Day
Each year LaGrange Rotary Club Members proudly participate in the Rotary International World Polio Day Program. This year World Polio Day is Tuesday, October 24. Again, we asked our members to make a small donation through one of three ways: by using Venmo, on their club statement or given directly at one of our regular club meetings. Donations were accepted until Wednesday, November 1st. The event was held at Coleman Center. Rotaract, Interact students, club members and friends all attended the event. Rotary International President Gordon R. McInally's polio presentation was shown during the event.
Feeding Our Neighbors - Interfaith Food Closet
Helping to feed our neighbors has always been a concern of our club members especially around the holiday season. Usually this project takes place starting in the beginning of December and ends at our last meeting in December.
In the earlier years of this project members would bring donations of cans of nonperishable foods and bags of rice. These donations were given to the LaGrange Personal Aid Association's Interfaith Food Closet for distribution to their clients. Since those earlier years we have since learned that through various food programs the organization is able to obtain much more with their dollars than we are able to obtain with our own.
Red Kettles - Ringing Bells
This is one project that we take part in each year, helping the Salvation Army collect funds to help our community. This event is a fun one because it gives us a change to interact with community members. Whether a donation is given or not, Rotarians greet Walmart shoppers with a smile and an offering of peppermint candies. Rotarians are paired together but often are even joined with others that just wanted to show up to join in on the fun.
Social Gathering
Our first social of the year gathering meet-up was located at the Beacon Brewing Company in the Hillside Neighborhood @5:30pm. Rotarians who gathered were served appetizers and drinks, and there was also a fun trivia competition. It gave everyone a chance to socialize and get to know our fellow club members. It was a great turn out, with 40+ members in attendance. What a wonderful evening!
Annual Cart Program
Each year our Rotary Club takes part in the District 6900's CART (Coins for Alzheimer's Research Trust) program. This year Lisa Nunn, one of our newer members, has taken on running this program.
Our CART program is usually started the first club meeting in January and is held through the month of February. This year we have extended the program through March 13th to accommodate our meeting schedule. Members are encouraged to drop their change, and even their bills, into the purple cups that are placed on their dining tables. This year we have asked for donations using the Venmo app or by having an amount added to the member's monthly statement.
Sweetland Children's 4th July Parade
July 1, 2023, was sunny and warm, a perfect day for LaGrange's 39th annual children's 4th of July parade. The origin of this celebration was the idea of the wife of Rotarian Jim Boyd, Annette Mills Boyd. This parade was established to give the children of LaGrange an opportunity to participate in a festive celebration of the birth of our great nation. Although both Annette and Jim are no longer with us, the parade is still held in their honor.
Help Kiss Polio Good-Bye
Last year, West Georgia Community Interact Club members designed a project that would raise money for the Rotary International's Polio Plus Campaign. This year the members of the Rotaract Club of LaGrange College and the Troup High School Interact Club also ran the project. The students from all three clubs put together small bags of Hersey's Chocolate Kisses, labeled them and then offered them for a one dollar donation to school and community members.