Temecula Rotary - Rotary Club of Temecula

HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE KICKS OFF TO COLLECT DONATIONS FOR THE ROTARY CLUB OF TEMECULA ANNUAL HOLIDAY BASKET PROGRAM

Starting about the first of October Rotary Club of Temecula member Bob Brown and a committee headed by Rachel Mason begin the food drive by asking club members to donate about 1000 pounds of potatoes, sugar and flour in 5 pound bags; plus 200 cans each of turkey gravy, cranberries, yams, green beans and corn. Their mutual enthusiasm for the project and respect for each other is apparent in this statement by Ms. Mason “Bob’s passion and easy going manner make him the perfect guy to work with, he is an amazingly generous man with very big heart” Mr. Brown readily returns the compliment by adding “Rachel is the perfect person to organize, it’s very intense and stressful”. Read more...

Christmas Baskets for our neighbors

In our town - Christmas Baskets for our neighbors

Words can not describe the joy and fulfillment that the Rotary club members and their dedicated volunteers experienced from being able to provide Christmas Baskets of food and gifts for 136 local families. This project is unique to the Rotary Club of Temecula and allows our club members to act as Santa Claus to families who in their own words, “would not have had a Christmas” without Rotary's help. The project organizer Bob “Santa” Brown and his elf, Rachel Mason along with several club members including Karen Schneider and Kim Kelliher contact families from our local schools and community groups who are in need. Our goal is to help those families who are a part of community and who fall between the cracks each year.  The Rotarian’s spend two days organizing and delivering food baskets and gifts, and each member comes back with stories of gratitude, joys, and a few tears.  Through the holiday basket program we truly experience the joy of Christmas and the meaning or our motto, Service Above Self.

Thanksgiving Baskets 2009

The Rotary Club of Temecula delivered the complete fixings for a sumptuous Thanksgiving meal to 150 local families that would otherwise not have had a traditional holiday meal this year. After club members Bob Brown and Rachel Mason organized donations of all the canned goods, flour, sugar, rolls, pies, and turkeys, about 50 Rotarians participated in boxing and delivering these meals to their assigned families. Heartfelt stories of gratitude are being heard from those who delivered boxes of food. This is Rotary. This is the gift that Rotarians both give and receive as they offer service above self. Many thanks to Bob and Rachel for organizing this project, and to all Rotarians that helped give the gift of Thanksgiving to all those families! Click for photos.

Now, on to the Christmas baskets!

Christmas Baskets 2009

The Rotary Club of Temecula delivered the complete fixings for a sumptuous Christmas meal and toys for the children to 10 local families that would otherwise not have had a traditional holiday meal or gifts this year. After club members Bob Brown and Rachel Mason organized donations of all the canned goods, flour, sugar, rolls, pies, and turkeys, about 10 Rotarians and friends or Rotary participated in boxing and delivering these gifts to their assigned families. Heartfelt stories of gratitude are being heard from those who delivered boxes of food and gifts. This is Rotary. This is the gift that Rotarians both give and receive as they offer service above self. Many thanks to Bob and Rachel for organizing this project, and to all Rotarians that helped give the gift of Thanksgiving to all those families! Click for photos.