28 volunteers from the Rotary Club of Philadelphia span out to three organizations in week-long service to the community
By Jay Pennie
Celebrating both the 110th anniversary of the Rotary Club of Philadelphia and Rotarians at Work Day, which usually takes place the last Saturday every April, volunteers packed fresh produce for the food pantry at Lutheran Settlement House, prepared meals at the Metropolitan Area Nutritional Neighborhood Alliance (MANNA), and planted flowers and beautified the sidewalks at Wyck Historic House and Garden in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia.
“Rotary empowers you to follow your passions. If you are about a particular cause, there’s no limit to what you can do to mobilize support for that cause,” said member, Ken Myers.
Ken Myers, Jay Pennie, Barry Kirzner, Meghan Miller at MANNA (not pictured: Greg Bradley)
“The work that we did with MANNA is a great service project and the need is there for meals for elderly people who cannot get out or because they are sick or have no family or other support. That fact that we can make meals for them really tugs at some heartstrings,“ said Meghan Miller, Chair of the Happy Hour group.
According to Myers, “But at the same time, it’s not all business, there’s a lot of fun as well. It’s a great mixture of people who socialize and come together for a common cause.” After preparing meals at MANNA on Thursday evening, members got together safely at a nearby restaurant.
Jeff Cabot packing fresh produce at Lutheran Settlement House
Meg Finley, Senior Services and Nutrition Director of the Lutheran Settlement House, was appreciative of the support. “You all made this week run especially smoothly. I think it's safe to say that Lutheran Settlement House clients felt the extra care and love that was put into their pantry bags and during the farm stand,” said Finley.
According to member and organizer of the food pantry event, Kelly Feighan “They are such a great organization providing a vital need to the community. We will definitely be returning to volunteer here again.”
Prepping a new garden bed for planting at Wyck: Greg Bradley (foreground); (l. to r.) Alex Snyman; Jeff Cabot; Ken Myers
Rotary Club of Philadelphia volunteers with Wyck Executive Director Kimberly Staub (far left) and Lauren Kope, Manager of Living Collections (far right)
Culminating the week of service, 16 members and their guests gathered at Wyck House and Historic Gardens on Saturday morning, planting flowers and weeding gardens and nearby sidewalk on Germantown Avenue. Wyck is a National Historic Landmark house, garden, and farm in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia that once served as the ancestral home to one Philadelphia family for nine generations (1690–1973). The rose garden dates to the 1820s and is widely recognized as the oldest rose garden in original plan in America, with 50+ cultivars of historic roses.
Meghan Miller and Luke Dale weeding and cleaning up the tree beds along Germantown Ave.
“This is such a great service project. The staff at Wyck are so helpful and accommodating,” said Greg Bradley, member and organizer of the project. “We can’t wait to come back again soon.”
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Find out how you can become a member of the Rotary Club of Philadelphia or make a donation to the Rotary Foundation of Philadelphia.