Forres Rotary Club members are challenging themselves to commemorate their 70th year serving the local community and raising funds for good causes.
The club was founded in 1951 and chartered at a meeting held at The Cluny Hill Hotel (now Cluny Hill College) on 10 September and has gone from strength to strength and into the 21st century with renewed enthusiasm, working tirelessly to support the Forres community and raising money for charitable organisations and supporting good causes at home and abroad.
President, Tanya McLaren (20/21) explained that as well as local fundraisers and assisting national charities such as Children in Need, Forres Rotary has supported global campaigns including End Polio Now, helping to vaccinate thousands of children against the preventable disease – each £1 given equals a vaccine.
Local action, global impact
Rotary also reacts to humanitarian disasters by supporting the Shelterbox charity and has provided temporary homes for at least 60 families hit by disaster since their partnership began. Rotary also assists people living in extreme poverty in Eastern Europe by filling and sending shoeboxes filled with items they desperately need every year.
In Forres, the club is well known for supporting good causes and for organising popular community events such as Santa’s Sleigh in December and annual bonfire display in Grant Park.
Tanya said: “Rotary’s reputation speaks for itself but we wanted to mark our 70th anniversary this year with something special and at the same time supporting charity.
“It’s been a tough year and we wanted to have some fun as well, so members have challenged themselves to carry out their own ’70’ fundraisers.
The ideas just keep coming
“Rotarians have been very resourceful carrying out a variety of events and challenges – from walking 70 miles, to making 70 pots of jam and marmalade, or playing 70 holes of golf in a day, I’ve been absolutely thrilled by their ideas and the way they have thrown themselves into it.
“Other members are filling 70 bags of shopping for Moray Food Plus or filling 70 shoeboxes on top of the usual 100 we send for our annual appeal.”
Meantime the club is holding a socially distanced Rotary Day at Tesco in Forres on Saturday 19 June from 10am to 2pm, where the public can find out more about how to get involved in Rotary and see what goes into our Shoeboxes and Shelterboxes as well as see displays from our Rotakids – where we work in partnership with local schools.
Tanya added: “I will also be putting my money where my mouth is, as I will be doing a 70-minute sponsored silence. I have to say my fellow Rotarians doubt my ability to keep quiet for that long, but if I raise enough money I’ll stay quiet for longer!!
“We are hoping the generous Forres public will support our efforts as always. If you would like to donate you can give to our Justgiving page.”
Picture show Doreen McCaig and Christine Steven with their fundraising bids.
