2011.07 07Buena Park Rotary Club Short History with pictures, up-dated July 2011
A brief HISTORY of Buena Park Rotary Club, California 90620 USA
Club number 822 in District 5320 page 2
Events:
One annual event pioneered by Buena Park Rotary was Old Time Days now called Silverado Days, an annual city-wide family event in the park. At Silverado Days, BP Rotary sponsors Buena Park High at the Chili Cook-off each year. Our club was a big supporter of the Buena Park Boys and Girls Club in constructing their facility on Knott Ave. The Club works with other groups in Buena Park, like the Buena Park Woman’s Club, on the annual needy Children’s Christmas Shopping Spree. Each year the club is a sponsor of the city-wide Memorial Day Program, in which Rotary, and other local clubs like the American Legion, Woman’s Club, Lions, and Knights of Columbus rotate being the lead club.
Over the years, Buena Park Rotarians have teamed with Sister Clubs in foreign countries, like India, to provide fresh water for rural villages. In 2010, our club supported relief efforts for Haiti. Buena Park Rotary supports the local schools and the Library reading program. Our members plant trees each year in the community. Our club ran a Design Excellence program where residents and businesses with new construction or remodels can be honored at our awards luncheon. In January 2008, our club hosted a dinner for RI President-Elect DK Lee and his wife Young at the Knott’s Resort Hotel. In 2009, we hosted the District-wide Rotary Business Leadership Awards Luncheon at the Knott’s Hotel. In 2010, our club facilitated the District 5320 Annual Conference being held at Knott’s Berry Farm.
Every year, the club honors both a Distinguished Rotarian and a non-Rotarian Buena Park Citizen-of-the-Year. For each of the local school districts, we honor both a Distinguished Teacher and a Classified Employee. In 2011, we initiated an annual New Generation Award to recognize a young adult in our community who does exemplary community service, and follows the Four Way Test.
For local youth, we have a College Scholarship Award for our Outstanding Interactors. Each year, we send High School Students to (RYLA) Rotary Youth Leadership Awards camp, hold a High School Speech Contest, a Vocational Table-top workshop discussion at the High School, participate in joint Interact/Rotary meetings and Community Service Projects. Some of the service projects are Scouting for Food, Beach Cleanup, Police Open House, and sending care packages to Troops overseas. see next page