Rotary satellite at retirement community Edmond Rotary Club has established the state's first Rotary satellite based in retirement community and the new club hosted its first meeting with the participation of active residents.

Oklahoma’s Rotary International District 5750 is breaking new ground — in seasoned territory.

The Edmond Rotary Club is establishing the state’s first Rotary satellite based in retirement community.

“The club, based in Epworth Villa in Oklahoma City, hosted its first meeting in November with 29 new members,” said Laura Garrett, Epworth’s director of resident life.

“When Hal Stevens became district governor, he had this vision that it would be great to get older people involved or re-engaged. I found out about that from a district meeting and was very interested and excited,” Garrett said.

And Epworth Villa is a good fit for Rotary because of its very active and engaged resident community, Garrett said.

Stevens agrees.

“These types of clubs are a benefit from several viewpoints,” Stevens said.

“It’s important for people who have more time to give, in that it offers them an avenue to remain productive. On the other hand, people in our communities really need help. We need more people who are willing to give that help. It really works from both sides.”

The club is open to all, not just Epworth residents, Garrett said.

“We’ll be a regular Rotary satellite of the Edmond Club. They will sponsor us, and we will be part of their makeup club,” Garrett said.

The club isn’t quite official yet, Garrett said.

But once the paperwork is processed in the national office, the club will be open for business.

As for service projects, Garrett said the group volunteered with the Edmond club to ring The Salvation Army bell in the weeks leading up to Christmas, but it will be crafting its own projects for 2018.

The cost is $10 to attend a meeting at the Epworth club. It meets at 7.30 am every other Thursday in the Red Bud Room of Epworth Villa retirement community.

Rotary International is one of the largest not-for-profit service organisations in the world, with more than one million members actively participating in more than 35,000 local clubs spread across 161 countries around the world.

Source: newsok.com