Rotary Club dispenses 'Day of Service'

Click to view more photos. Anthony Childress | The Sun Ginny Blaylock (top left), a member of the Rotary Club of Jonesboro, looks on as students at the Nettleton School District's Raider Open Door Academy read a story Tuesday afternoon. Blaylock was one of a host of Rotarians and Interact Club members to participate in Rotary's first-ever "Day of Service."

By Anthony Childress

JONESBORO -- The Rotary Club of Jonesboro celebrated the holidays Tuesday by serving and delivering meals to seniors, setting up benches and picnic tables and reading to school children.

And that was only the beginning.

A host of volunteer Rotarians chose to make this year's Christmas party a "Day of Service," according to coordinator and Fellowship Committee Chairwoman Marilyn Hummelstein.

"This is our first time to do it, and the response has been wonderful. So many people have said 'This is why I joined Rotary.' The day is full of ways to give back," Hummelstein said.

The day started with Raiders Reading, comprised of 30-minute reading sessions by club members at the Raider Open Door Academy on the Nettleton School District campus.

Ginny Blaylock was the final reader and utilized her time with the youngsters to incorporate a song into the story she shared with them.

"I am a former music teacher, so this is something I really enjoy," Blaylock said.

Each volunteer took a book of his or her choice to read to fourth- to sixth-graders in the academy. School officials said they were thrilled to have visitors come in and read to the students.

Several Rotarians and Nettleton High School Interact Club members visited the Jonesboro Senior Life Center for lunch and a chance to visit with seniors.

"If you sit at this table, you have to flirt. We call it the flirting table," said senior Roberta Harrison of Jonesboro.

The whole point, she added, was to keep the laughter flowing.

"I tell everyone that we have the most fun," Harrison said.

Fellow Jonesboro resident Don Pulliam said he visits the center regularly and enjoyed having the visiting Rotarians and teens come by.

"We are so thankful to have everyone here. They jumped right in and took off with delivering meals to seniors, and the ones who stayed here to bring out food and visit with the seniors are wonderful," said Becky McDaniel, director of programs at the center.

Other activities included Rotarians sorting and packaging food at the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas. The agency's director, Christie Jordan, is a fellow Rotary Club member. Thereafter, volunteers delivered boxes of food to clients from the bank.

Troops deployed from the 875th Engineering Batallion to Iraq will receive notes from several Rotarians and Valley View High School Interact Club members. The letter-writing effort was also part of the day's agenda.

In addition volunteers assisting with the daylong event set new benches and picnic tables and planted ground cover around and near the playground area at the Jonesboro Rotary Centennial Park located at Craighead Forest Park.

"It's been a very busy day. People wanted to do something other than have a regular Christmas party. We wanted it to be special," Hummelstein said.

anthony@jonesborosun.com