The Rotary Club of Shady Brook brought a hefty helping of season’s cheer – 95 pizzas’ worth – to 500-plus students at Philadelphia’s William Dick School on Monday, Nov. 18.
The club, comprising about two dozen, mainly retired seniors, has a long-standing and still-growing relationship with the K-8 school in one of the city’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods. William Dick receives funding to provide breakfast and lunch for all its students.
The club made arrangements with City View Pizza to provide the special lunch.
Rotarian Alan Agree was already friends with Amy Williams when she was appointed principal in 1999. With the club’s founding in 2006, Agree raised the idea of supporting the inner-city school and the relationship began with a $500 matching Rotary district grant. Since then, the club has more than matched $8,000 in district grants to help the 66-year-old school meet a variety of needs, such as library books, copy paper, physical education equipment and other supplies, 600 book bags, 700 winter coats and 1,000 pairs of socks.
Through targeted outreach, the club has enlisted support from Pennington’s Toll Gate Grammar School (gym equipment) and the recently closed Grey Nun Academy of Yardley (tables, chairs and books, among other supplies).
“We are extremely grateful to the Rotary Club of Shady Brook for all the support it has given our school throughout the years,” said Williams. “Its members have long been our students’ champions and have provided both necessities, such as books, school supplies and even tables and chairs, and extras, like this pizza party, to bring smiles to their faces and boost their confidence while showing that the key to their future lies in education.”
“Rotary’s mission is service above self,” added club president Jeff Rivak. “And what better role can we play than to invest in the future of these students?”
Visit RotaryClubofShadyBrook.com for more information.
