Noontime Rotary Inspirational Programs

Submitted

Avoidable Blindness Project in Mexico

The Marco Island Noontime Rotary Club is proud to partner with the Rotary Club of Buxton, Michigan to in turn partner with a Rotary Club and community in Empalme, Mexico to provide eye examinations and prescription eyeglasses to people in need. This is the longest running international project of the Noontime Rotary Club. The gift of sight has been given to thousands of very grateful residents of Mexico, many of whom travel by foot for miles and wait patiently in line for hours for this opportunity to improve their sight.

The Buxton Rotary Club is the lead club in the project with

optometrist and humanitarian, Dr. Brad Habermehl, as the key coordinator and expert who organizes the trip each March with a group of volunteers. This year the Marco Island Noontime Rotary Club donated $3,000 to this wonderful cause.

Please donate your old glasses and sunglasses by dropping them off at 886 Park Avenue #102 or call Linda Sandlin for details at 239-642-4450.

Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders Program

Rotary Districts 6890, 6950 and 6960, of which the Marco Island Noontime Rotary Club is a part, are proud sponsors of a six-day seminar entitled “Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders” held each year in Lakeland, Florida at Florida Southern College.

Approximately 160 student delegates

attend the seminar from more than 100 high schools. The students are incoming high school seniors who are challenged to utilize their skills, knowledge, talent and expertise towards specific goals and objectives. The ultimate goal is for the students to leave with an awareness of themselves and to more finely tune their given abilities to serve others in a leadership capacity.

Each year the Noontime Rotary Club sponsors two students to attend this seminar. This year’s students are: Patrick Michel of the Marco Island Academy and Elizabeth Clark of Lely High School. Both students expressed that participating in the Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders was a life changing experience for them.