Warwick Rotary keeps on giving during the pandemic
Warwick. ‘We will continue to donate until the money runs out and serve until there is no need.’
| 24 Jul 2020 | 01:49
Rotarians David Dempster, left, Rose Chair Joyce Perron, center, and Stan Martin assemble roses for first responders and senior citizens in Warwick. Photos provided by Warwick Valley Rotary.
Members of Warwick Valley Rotary erect Flags for Heroes last year. This year’s Flags for Heroes will go up at Chateau Hathorn on Sunday, Aug. 23.
While the pandemic has affected thousands of families, the 55 members of the Warwick Valley Rotary Club have been a source of constant service, giving back to our community.
Its popular Flags for Heroes program is in full swing. Sponsors can be as creative as they like, in honoring any of their heroes: active and veteran military service members, relatives, teachers, supermarket employees, hospital workers, EMTs, nurses, delivery workers, police and fire first responders and babysitters.
To sponsor an American Flag for your Hero, a donation of $50 gets a three-foot by five-foot American flag on a 10-foot pole with an individual tag identifying the hero and the sponsor to be erected on the Chateau Hathorn property, Route 94 and County Route 1.
Deadline for sponsorships is Aug. 15
“Since the start of this event we have had the support of the Zueger Family from Chateau Hathorn for the display area and Brock Majewski from Allied Excavating for lighting the flags at night,” said Flags for Heroes chairs Laura Barca and Leo R. Kaytes. “This event is successful because of them. It’s breathtaking, especially at night.”
Rotary’s Flags for Heroes will be on display from Aug. 23 to Sept. 20 – an extra week this year. All flag sponsorships received by Aug. 13 will be displayed in alphabetical order by hero last name.
To sponsor a flag for your hero, please mail a $50 check (made out Warwick Valley Rotary Club) to PO Box 121, Warwick NY 10990 or to pay by credit card visit www.warwickvalleyrotary.org. Please address any questions via e-mail to: Laura.Barca@hdrinc.com.
A rose is a rose, and then some
In July, Warwick Valley Rotary also presented hundreds of long stem roses to the essential workers and residents at St. Anthony Community Hospital, Schervier Pavilion and Mount Alverno, as well as to senior citizens in Liberty Green, Devon Woods, Creekside Apartments and Mount Alverno.
“Thank you to all Rotarians and friends for their tremendous generosity donating these roses to First Responders and senior neighbors,” said Rose Chair Joyce Perron. “Seeing the smiles on their faces when they got the roses was unforgettable.”
“As people of action, Rotarians support for our community continued with the COVID lockdown. When it was needed most, our members and the Rotary Foundation donated more than $12,000 to our local food pantries, Back-Pack Snack Attack, Meals on Wheels and the Meal Train. Some members served by delivering food,” said Past President Tina M. Buck. “Warwick Valley Rotary also donated an additional $24,000 to 27 non-profit groups in our community. We will continue to donate until the money runs out and serve until there is no need.”
Recently inducted Club President Edward Lynch says, “we’ve had a very busy year serving our community, especially with COVID restrictions. Ours has been a true team effort and our club is always looking for new members to give back.”
Contact www.WarwickValleyRotary.org.