A Tradition of "Service above Self"

The Lakeport Rotary Club has been actively involved in the City of Lakeport since the date of its inception in 1925.  Like most clubs, it was begun by men who were leaders in their community who were seeking an organized way to give back to the community in a way that would say thank you for the successes they had acheived in their community businesses.

Community Projects

We have recently begun a project to delve into the history books, local newspapers, and interviews with descendants of early members to document the projects and activities of those early years.  This webpage will be growing as further information comes to light.

Certainly the hallmark of Rotary is community involvement.  Throughout our history, the Club has completed hundreds of local projects that have added to the enjoyment and welfare of members of the local community.   Through dues, fines, fundraisers and donations, the club accomplished and assisted many local projects.

The following is a partial summary of the many local, District, and International Projects the Lakeport Rotary Club has been directly involved in.
 

Rotary Easter Egg Hunt. The most notworthy project, in terms of longevity, is the annual Rotary Easter Egg Hunt.  The Rotary sponsored Easter Egg Hunt was begun the first year of our existence, and has been held, uninterrupted, every year since!   That project, one of the longest continuously running projects in the Rotary World, stands at 81 years and counting.

1925-2007

Lake County Fair "Pronto Pups" Booth.
Another long term project has been the beer concession stand at the Lake County Fair.  Together with the Lions Club, the booth was built and manned by members for at least 30 years.  For many of those years the booth was most well known for the "pronto pups", and later corn dogs, that was a staple for many fair-goers for years.  In 2006, the Lions Club has dropped out of the project, and the corn dogs were dropped from the menu due to booth maintenance costs, competition, and other reasons.   

Scholastic Achievement Recognition.
For many years, the primary scholarship fund for Clear Lake High School was the Inez Anton Scholarship, administered by the club in memory of the wife of one of the first Club Presidents, and the mother of two later Club Presidents. 

More recently, the club sponsors the "Top Forty Awards Dinner" every year, providing recognition for the top forty students graduating from Clear Lake High School and Upper Lake High School.

Additionally, the Club sponsors the "Student Rotarian" program at the local High Schools.  The program allows one student each month to attend all Rotary meetings and make a presentation summarizing school activities at each meeting.  One of the first Lakeport Student Rotarians, Jennifer Strong, has become a leader in the local business community and has subsequently served as President of the Lakeport Rotary Club in 2000.

Welfare and Assistance to the Needy.
Several early year members have noted that during the first 30 years, the club was probably the primary social welfare provider to the poor and needy in the Lakeport community.

Christmas Food Basket Drive.
About ten years ago, the Lakeport Rotary Club took over the Christmas Food Basket Drive from the Chamber of Commerce.  Last year, Rotarians prepared and distributed over holiday 600 food baskets to needy families at the Christmas season.

Other Notable Community Projects.
Some other notable past projects were: numerous improvements at Clear Lake High School, sponsoring invitational track meets, speech contests and uniforms and equipment for junior police; assisting 4-H Clubs, Little League, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, the Santa Claus letter fund and holiday parties for children.

Recent Club Projects

In keeping with the traditions of its historic forefathers, today's Lakeport Rotary members continue with a list of volunteer projects dedicated to the vision of making the Lake County community a very special place to live. In the 80's and 90's Lakeport Rotarians assisted in projects at the Lakeport Senior Center, a new fire station in north Lakeport, small clean-up/beautification projects, plantings, trash receptacles, and benches in Lakeport as well as new projects at the fairgrounds.

Projects current members can be found participating in include; the annual Easter Egg Hunt, the Fair booth during the Lake County Fair, the Student Rotarian Program and Lake County Department of Health Child Immunization program.

More recent "special" projects include installing a new playground for the children of young teenage mothers who have maintained their commitment to finish high school. This project was made possible by the award of a $15,000 grant from the Rotary International/Foundation and a lot of "elbow grease". 

 

 

International Rotary Projects

Rotaplast Program.
On the international level, the Rotary Club of Lakeport has been personally involved in and financially supported the highly acclaimed Rotaplast Program . The Rotaplast program recruits teams of medical personnel, supported by Rotarian volunteers, who travel to underprivileged countries, such as Guatemala, Chile, and others, and perform surgeries specializing in facial deformities such as cleft lip and cleft palate.  To date, three members of the Lakeport Rotary Club have traveled to Guatemala and worked as civilian volunteers in support of these medical teams.

Belize Medical Assistance Program.
Beginning this year, the Lakeport Rotary Club is beginning a Club-sponsored project, hopefully culminating in the construction of a medical clinic in rural Belize.   This program, with assistance from the Rotary Foundation and other community resources, has the potential to be the most far-reaching project ever conducted in the history of the Lakeport Rotary Club.
 

The Rotary Club of Lakeport, Ca. has made a commitment to Club Service, Vocational Service, Community Service, International Service and Youth Activities. Each and every project has helped us all meet our commitment to "Service Above Self"!