Ferndale Rotary’s Spaghetti Dinner
(Crystal A. Proxmire, 4/14/2011)
As three-year-old Aiden Boyd and his 17-month-old brother Brock stuffed their adorable little faces full of spaghetti, they also looked around the room in amazement. The banquet room at Blumz was full of an eclectic mix of Ferndale business owners and volunteers, as kids and adults of all ages enjoyed the Ferndale Rotary Annual Spaghetti Dinner on April 14, 2011 at Blumz (503 E. 9 Mile).
Their mother Lisa Boyd saw the dinner as an opportunity to get back out into the community. Boyd is the owner of Essential Massage Therapy at 22941 Woodward, which has been in Ferndale nearly eight years. “I used to be active in the Chamber back when we first opened, but after I had these guys [Aiden and Brock] I got busier. This was my second year donating to the dinner, and I didn’t come last year. It was a great idea coming and being around all these new people. …Plus kids and spaghetti are a must.”
Essential Massage Therapy was one of many businesses who donated items for the auction. Howe’s Bayou provided the pasta. Chazzano supplied the coffee. Treat Dreams donated ice cream, and many more chipped in with food or prizes.
Money collected for the $10 tickets and auction item sales will go to help the Rotary with various community service projects including:
~SCHOLARSHIPS. Each year Rotary gives scholarships to students who are involved in the community. Their process for giving scholarships helps ensure that students take to heart their commitment to volunteerism. “We give a $2,000 scholarship, but we only give them $1,000 upfront,” said Rotary President Amy Roll. They come to a dinner in May to accept the award. Then after their first semester of school they come back and talk to the group about what they have done in school.”
~DONATING HELMETS FOR THE ANNUAL BIKE RODEO. Free helmets are given to children to keep them safe while they are riding. The annual event also offers bike licensing, bike inspections and fun for the kids.
~DNA KITS. Rotary purchases youth DNA kits for the Ferndale Police Department to distribute to parents who may want a DNA sample on hand of their children.
~QUILTS OF VALOR. Rotary teams up with Quilts of Valor to provide servicemen and Veterans with handmade quilts in honor of their service. To read more about this, see https://oaklandcounty115.com/2010/11/16/quilts-of-valor-given-to-ferndale-vets/.
~ENDING POLIO. Around the world Rotary is known for eradicating polio with the spread of vaccination. The Ferndale Rotary, like all clubs, contributes dues which help finance this effort.
Rotarian Earl Sparkman said that involvement with Rotary has been a nice part of retirement. “I’ve been working hard,” he said. “I work harder now than I did when I was working and getting paid. But this is so rewarding, being able to interact with other people and help. I really believe that what I am doing makes a difference. Even if it isn’t much, every little thing you do makes the world that much better.”
To find our more about Ferndale Rotary, go to http://www.ferndale-mi.com/community/RotaryClub.htm. To read previous Ferndale 115 stories about Rotary, go to https://oaklandcounty115.com/category/rotary/.