JACKSON – The Jackson Rotary Club has been an active community organization for decades and if their fall agenda is any indication, they show no sign of slowing down.
Currently the club is preparing for its annual Thanksgiving meal program which provides hot meals and grocery support to dozens of local families through the Alpha School Turkey Drive.
Rotarians also participate in a toy drive for children of deployed soldiers called Project Little Soldier and serve as volunteers at community Santa’s Workshop Holiday events.
Another example of their community work came earlier this fall with the club’s annual Steven Kitay Fishing and Picnic Outing for Special Citizens at the Kitay Farm located in Jackson.
The event had attendees using their fishing gear and enjoying an afternoon filled with food, snacks and community spirit. The event was organized to support and celebrate special citizens and offered an opportunity for participants to engage with nature and each other in a relaxed, family-friendly setting.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to give back and have fun with members of our community,” Jackson Rotary President Samara P. O’Neill said.
O’Neill explained, “Rotary is rooted in ‘Service Above Self,’ and the Jackson chapter takes that to heart. Over the past year, we’ve been actively involved in a number of meaningful initiatives, including the Steven Kitay Fishing and Fun Picnic which is our signature event for individuals with special needs, which continues to grow year after year.”
Luke Stango is a long time Rotarian and serves as the club’s secretary. He told The Jackson Times during the event that the Rotary “introduces programs to high school students (with) the concept of community service.”
“They are called the Interact Club,” O’Neill added, noting that members were present helping out during the fishing derby.
Ava Combs, 16, a senior at Jackson Township High School was among the Interact Club members. She said “we’ve done beach sweeps with Clean Ocean Action. That is when we go onto the beach picking up trash and we’ve done this event. I did this last year and it is really nice to come out and see all these kids. It makes them really happy so we love to do it.”
“There is a Christmas event we did and Susan G. Komen events. We did the ‘More Than Pink Walk’ this year at Six Flags (Great Adventure in Jackson) to raise awareness for breast cancer,” the teen added.
Liam McGoohan was among the many attendees who had their fishing pole in the pond and caught a fish. His was the largest and he couldn’t wait to present his fish to be measured by members of the Jackson Interact Club.
O’Neill said the Rotary works with other organizations within the township as well, including the Handicapped and Disabled Commission.
Rotarians were also involved with a Back-to-School Supply Drive that O’Neill noted ensured “local students start the school year with the tools they need to succeed.”
Other programs include youth scholarships and RYLA Leadership Sponsorships which supports “the next generation of Jackson leaders,” O’Neill said. Rotary also offers technology and ongoing support for the Alpha School and helps students with special needs access devices and resources.
The fishing derby/picnic served as “another opportunity for us to showcase what Rotary is all about: connection, service, and fun,” she added.
With the fishing/picnic event under their belt, O’Neill said the club’s membership rolled “into our fall service projects, including another community needs outreach, and we’re also expanding our membership engagement efforts with new evening meetups and local collaborations.”
