Rotary Starts with 3 Grant Awards

Written By: Robin King Austin - Mountaintop Rotary | Issue: 2021/08 – August | Photograph By: Colleen Kerrigan

Dixie Barton and Cath Connelly Hudson

When Michael Vavrek accepted the gavel of Mountaintop Rotary  on July 1, the beginning of the Rotary Year, he inherited leadership of a club that has been very successful in weathering the challenges of the pandemic with an impressive list of accomplishments from last year. 

The New Rotary Year promises to be excellent as well, as he has been successful in securing three district grants for 2021-2022 projects for Mountaintop Rotary for very important projects. Rotary District grants provide matching funds to make local and international projects possible. 

The first project will assist the Highlands Biological Station to improve trail quality and eliminate erosion by stabilizing trails to improve the ecological health of the creeks that are impacted by sediment run-off. A partnership with HBS’ Friends of the Garden, Rotaract Club, Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust, and WCU Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning and the Highlands Plateau Greenway will take place over three-four weekends in early Spring 2022. 

In the second project, Mountaintop Rotary partners with the Food Pantry & Rotaract Club in an interesting sustainable DIY Vegetables and Nutrition Education effort for Food Pantry Clients.  

It will encourage people to learn about accessible ways to gain food sovereignty, help people grow nutrient-dense greens, vegetables and herbs, help people learn how to incorporate sustainable nutrition in their lives and build community among clients. Building container gardens, and distribution to Food Pantry clients, along with education on growing and nutritional information will enable clients to produce some nutritious food for their families. 

The Highlands Rotaract Club, sponsored by Mountaintop Rotary is a group of young leaders who are developing innovative solutions to the community’s pressing problems. Rotaract is for ages 18-40 and many go on to become Rotarians. 

The third grant award project is international and a collaboration between Mountaintop Rotary, Blowing Rock, and Highlands Rotary to explore the building of a permanent dental clinic facility in Cange, Haiti.  A needs assessment, sustainability study, and feasibility study will be done by a group on a two-week trip. 

The Mountaintop Rotary Club is also supporting the building of 4 water fountains in schools in Tulum, Mexico, where lack of clean water is affecting the health of children in the area. MTR Rotarian Clark Plexico is in Tulum overseeing the project. 

MTR plans to continue the successful Highlands Mountaintop Craft Shows with a second show August 28-29. The club will also continue support for the Community Immunity Campaign to reach unvaccinated individuals and assist them to find their shot, trash pickup on the club’s adopted section of the Dillard Road, and assisting as volunteers in many projects of local non-profits.