Family Fun Day Is One More Reminder Of The Impact Rotary Has Made In Its 70 Years

Service Above Self — It’s a motto that the Lake Shore-Severna Park Rotary has exemplified for the last 70 years, whether members were donating dictionaries to schoolchildren or giving out scholarships. As they celebrate that 70-year milestone, they are also gearing up for Family Fun Day, set for Saturday, September 15, from 10:00am to 2:00pm at The Y in Pasadena.

The Rotary uses the annual event to give back to the community in more ways than one.

“Here are two organizations that are service-oriented, mission-oriented, coming together for a cause,” said Matt Lewis, who is both a Rotary member and executive director at The Y in Pasadena. “There’s no ulterior motive, just to have a fun day and share resources with the community. Maybe you need to find a tutor for your child. Boom, you can find one here at Family Fun Day.”

Among those 13 nonprofit vendors are Maryland Therapeutic Riding, Disaster Aid USA, Cisco Center and Huntington Learning Center. The event is also made possible by approximately 20 sponsors.

Admission is free, and activities include pony rides, swimming, a petting zoo, carnival games, face painting and a moon bounce.

Weather permitting, The Y will also open its pool, which accommodates about 225 people, Lewis said.

“It’s great partnering with The Y and Matt; they are the perfect partner for this,” said Gloria Manges, who chairs the event for the Lake Shore-Severna Park Rotary. “[Family Fun Day] used to be a fundraiser, but we open it to the community to see who we are, at no cost.”

The only costs are for some of the food. Offerings include pizza made at The Y, chicken, snacks, soda and water. Kids 8 and under eat for free. Proceeds will allow The Y to offer more programs for disadvantaged children.

Volunteers from Chesapeake, Northeast and Severna Park high schools will be on hand to help with Family Fun Day.

As the Lake Shore-Severna Park Rotary looks to find more members, and more young volunteers to share fresh ideas, members will also continue spreading the message they have been preaching for 70 years: service above self — locally and globally.

“It’s all about keeping that culture of – I don’t’ want to say philanthropy, because we’re not raising money,” Lewis said, “but it’s showing that next generation that for a minimal amount of time, you can make a maximum impact. That could be working with a fellow nonprofit like Bello Machre or going to do some work at the food pantry. This isn’t some group that meets for lunch and networks. It’s much more than that.”

Lake Shore-Severna Park Rotary: A Brief History

Although the Rotary was chartered in 1947, the ceremony and installation of officers was held in January 1948.

“The club was founded by a number of members of the Calvert family and business owners,” said John Clark, who has been a Rotarian since 2004.

Since its inception, the group has focused on helping people through a variety of ways.

“In the 1940s, a local tobacco farmer died and Rotary harvested the crop for the family,” Clark explained as one example.

The Lake Shore-Severna Park Rotary is known for signature events like Family Fun Day and the Crab Soup Cook-Off, but it’s also had a hand in many other projects in recent years, from renovating Camp Whippoorwill to doing a grant project that brought a drill to Mali.

Before the new drill was used, wells were dug by hand, producing only shallow wells with water that was hand-carried to villagers.

“They drilled self-sustaining wells to help them grow vegetables and have healthy diets,” Clark said.

The club has also stepped up when Pasadena residents were in need.

“In 2007, we identified that the Foy family had a crisis,” Clark said. “The daughter died on Christmas Eve and the two boys were left to extended family. We raised $23,000 and gave it to the grandfather.”

In 2014, the Lake Shore Rotary Club merged with the Severna Park club to have a more unifying presence.

The Rotary underwent another big change recently when moving its meetings from Mount Carmel United Methodist Church to Bella Napoli for two reasons. Bella Napoli is more centrally located and gives attendees the chance to order food. But Clark said Mount Carmel was a great host.

He encourages people to stop and say hello during the PBA trade show, which runs from 4:00-8:00pm on October 11 at the Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Company.

Asked why he and other Rotary members spend so much time giving back to the community, Clark said, “Identifying the need in Pasadena was enlightening. I had no idea how many people around here needed help.”