Special to The Source Newspaper
JACKSONVILLE – Volunteers from the Jacksonville Rotary Club, Illinois College Rotaract Club and Jacksonville Interact Club recently completed a service project at the First Presbyterian Church Day Care to transform a weedy lot into a safe playground where daycare students and neighborhood children can play and exercise.
According to project leader Nancy Thorsen, the Jacksonville Rotary Club received a $2,000 grant from Rotary District 6460, which is being combined with $2,000 from the Jacksonville Rotary and Rotaract service clubs and funding from other sources to refurbish the playground.
“We had 21 volunteers come out to move and install several truckloads of rubber nuggets, assemble playground equipment, rake leaves and pull weeds. Our grant and matching funds will help to buy grass seed to establish a lawn where children can safely play,” said Thorsen, President-elect of the Rotary Club. The service work was supervised by Kathy Fellhauer, the executive director of the First Presbyterian Church Day Care.
“This project aligns with the Rotary International focus on maternal and child health. Rotary, Rotaract and Interact (the college- and high-school level group of Rotary International, respectively) are doing our part to encourage physical activity among children and families who use the playground,” Jacksonville Rotary Club president Todd Evans added.
Rotarian Paul Kluge, who is one of the Interact club advisors, said the project was fun for the Interact members. Kluge said the Interact club has expanded to welcome members from all high schools in the community, and club members earn service hours by volunteering for projects like this one. Additionally, he was proud of the Rotaract group for contributing monetarily.
Evans expressed appreciation to Rotary District 6460 for the grant funding that matched the local club’s contributions.
