APRIL 16, 2021, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A15
Wheels of Rotary turn out good works
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
Even though the pandemic slammed
on the brakes for most of our usual
activities and gathering, the wheels
at the Rotary Club of Keizer kept on
rolling.
members are backing an eff ort to plant
peace poles around town. The idea was
brought forward by a longtime Keizer
volunteer, Pat Fisher, and a member of
Rotary eClub One, a global Rotary net-
work that meets exclusively online.
Peace poles are obelisks that display
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Saluting the people that make us proud of our community
“When there are challenges, there
are opportunities to be involved. For
better or worse, we’ve had many oppor-
tunities to be involved,” said Jeff Davis,
the Keizer club’s current president.
The Rotary Club of Keizer is the
local affi liate of Rotary International,
a group that works to ensure access to
fundamental aspects of life like water,
literacy, health and peace.
For the Keizer club, that mission
focused on the rebuilding of communi-
ties in Santiam Canyon for the past sev-
eral months. Club members donated
about $5,000 to a Salem Hospital
Wildfi re Relief Fund.
Rotarian Mark Caillier was instru-
mental in making another donation
to the Santiam Canyon community to
established a diff erent kind of library.
“It’s a program for loaning out
tools to people who need them,” Davis
said. Gas cans, saws, blowers, and nail
guns are a few of the items that can
be “checked out” for use in rebuilding
eff orts. “We were also able to partner
with Ace Hardware for some discounts.”
Rotary will also be providing volun-
teer help to create community sheds to
house the tool lending program.
In more local giving, Keizer’s Rotary
LIFE
presented
by
The kind of people we
look for is anyone who
wants to be involved,
whether they are bring-
ing an idea to the table
or looking to find out
what opportunities
are available.
— JEFF DAVIS
President, ROTARY CLUB OF KEIZER
File / KEIZERTIMES
the phrase “May Peace Prevail on
Earth” in multiple languages per pole.
“Pat has put a lot of time and atten-
tion into that project and has done a lot
of research to make sure that the poles
put in the neighborhood parks are rep-
resentative of the languages spoken in
each neighborhood,” Davis said.
Another project originated with
Davis himself, before he became club
president. A few years ago, Davis
approached the Keizer Parks Advisory
Board with a proposal to install work-
out stations in some Keizer parks. In
addition to a green light, the board
banked the project with grants and
Rotary provided a substantial sum to
make it happen.
“We fell a little behind because of
the pandemic, but we should have the
last ones installed this year and some
rubberized surfaces in place at the orig-
inal locations,” Davis said.
Last month, the parks board
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approved a $14,000 grant to help bring
the project in for a landing. G.R. Morgan
Construction is providing about $4,500
in materials for the rubberized surface.
While the peace pole and fi tness
station projects have a fi nite beginning
and end, Keizer Rotarians contribute to
some ongoing eff orts.
“One of our annual contributions is
to an organization that takes fi refi ght-
ing equipment to Nogales, Mexico,
each year,” Davis said.
In normal times, Rotarians hold a
major food drive to support the Marion
Polk Food Share. Food supply lines for
those in need have undergone several
disruptions as part of the COVID-19
pandemic, but Rotarian Betty Hart
stepped up to make the drive happen
this year.
“The kind of people we look for
is anyone who wants to be involved,
whether they are bringing an idea to
the table or looking to fi nd out what
opportunities are available,” Davis said.
The easiest way to get involved with
Keizer’s Rotary Club is by visiting keiz-
errotary.org and fi lling out an applica-
tion form. In lieu of that, talking with
current Rotarians can also open up
lanes of entry. Volunteers for Rotary
projects can also apply at the site and
membership is not a requirement.
Questions or concerns? Contact the
reporter via email: editor@keizertimes.com
By STEVE BREEN
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