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On the Go | Mountaintop Rotary | Highlands NC
Written By: Deena Bouknight | Issue: Winter 2022
The Mountaintop Rotary Club continuously met the challenges that 2021 brought to the community.
Duncan Greenlee
Rotary Club is all about serving, and Mountaintop Rotary Club finished 2021 with an impressive 10 service projects accomplished.
Long-term Rotarian and past president Duncan Greenlee, who is co-chair of the Service Committee with Jim Spencer, said the service projects included holiday food boxes at Highlands Food Pantry, Halloween book distributions, a toy and shoes’ drive, and roadside garbage cleanups, to name a few.
At the Highlands Food Pantry, Mountaintop Rotarians Barb and Kirk Dornbush, Jeff Owens, Michael Lanzilotta, Susan Cox, Kiki McClure, and Nick Sharpe, as well as other community volunteers, assembled 120 boxes of food.
During Halloween, hundreds of books and hotdogs were given out.
“Members stepped up to the plate and donated toys to almost 50 underprivileged children,” said Greenlee, “and some needy school children received shoes. In January we do a coat drive. Several of the efforts are in conjunction and cooperation with other community groups. We really believe in participating and partnering with other organizations. It extends our reach in what we’re able to do. It builds friendships that benefit the community. The whole idea behind Rotary is to do good in the world. Many members are members of other organizations so it makes our partnering easier and stronger.”
Included among the 10 service projects are handwashing stations and assisting with the Covid Call Clinic and providing shots.
“That’s a lot of community involvement for a small club,” said Greenlee. “But we’re a growing club.”
And 2022 promises to include just as many service projects and year-round support of such initiatives as the Food Pantry, which is essential to meeting food insecurity concerns on the Plateau. Maintaining a stock of nutritious foods is especially a focus for struggling individuals and families throughout winter months when gardens are not viable for obtaining fresh produce. Besides food items, the pantry accepts toiletries and personal hygiene items, egg cartons, and more.
Another major focus of Rotarians is to raise money for
the community.
“We also provide grant money to several local entities such as Highlands’ Biological Station and The Church in the Wildwood,” said Michael Burel, Mountaintop Rotary Club’s secretary.
