Rotary Club of Grass Valley
WHO WE ARE – HOW WE SERVE
The Rotary Club of Grass Valley has served Western Nevada County for over ninety
years. We raise funds and reach into our own pockets to support service efforts focusing
on youth of all ages in our community. For Grass Valley Rotarians “service” is much more
than just writing the annual scholarship checks to students graduating from high school.
We also bring our values of service and high ethical standards to mentor students at the middle
school and high school level through the chartering and supporting of school-based Interact Clubs,
literacy and service projects, foreign exchange programs, and leadership training.
Leadership: In June of each year, the Grass Valley Rotary Club sponsors incoming high school
seniors at Nevada Union and Bear River high schools for the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards
(RYLA). These scholarships send students to a six-day RYLA camp where they spend the week in a challenging program of discussions, character building, inspirational addresses, hands on leadership
training and social activities designed to enhance personal development, leadership skills, and good
citizenship. One RYLA student this year wrote, “It has been an experience that will make colossal waves in my life instead of tiny ripples.” Discover more about our RYLA core curriculum at www.camp.ryla.org.
In September of each year, Grass Valley Rotarians sponsor incoming eighth graders for a shortened three day version of our RYLA program through the Rotary Eighth Grade Leadership
Experience (REGLE) scholarships.
Cultural Exchange: Grass Valley Rotary participates in the RYE program (Rotary
Youth Exchange) to sponsor high school students to attend school in other
countries, and to bring foreign students to attend school in our community. Students live with local families for the year and enjoy an in-depth cultural exchange.
Supporting our Local Students: This year will mark the 38th year that the Rotary Club of
Grass Valley has partnered with the Nevada County Superintendent of Schools to sponsor the
Nevada County Speech Tournament for students in 4th through 8th grade. Likewise for high school
students, the Grass Valley Rotary Club along with other Rotary clubs conducts speech and music contests that culminate with substantial awards for the winners at each level.
As Rotarians the members of the Rotary Club of Grass Valley are part of Rotary International the
oldest service club in the world. Rotary was founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1905 and now has 1.2 million members in 34,000 clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas around the world. Rotarians promote high ethical standards in business and professions and recognize the worthiness each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society. Rotarians are committed to the advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
In addition to the above, annual projects, this year our club will focus on Union Hill
School. Our goal is to establish an InterAct club and begin to enhance their audio-visual department as we did at Lyman Gilmore Middle School. The purpose is to provide the students with the tools and experience in digital media presentation that will enhance their language arts studies.
In the coming year we will expand our focus to include an education program about vaccinations for both our youth and seniors, ending in clinics that will provided the needed vaccines. And we will work with the Habitat for Humanity to assist our Senior Citizens with needed home repairs.