As we kick off April, I hope everyone is getting excited about our biggest event this Spring - the newly rebranded Hope for the Hungry. The planning team to include Debi, Marc, Bob, Katie & Victor has been working very hard to make this the best meal packing event ever! Please come out and support our fundraiser at Ken's on Tuesday April 2 in lieu of our evening meeting and bring your friends. And don't forget your personal hygiene items donations! I'm also looking forward to watching the eclipse at Ralph's house next week and for our joint meeting with the Concord Club on April 18 (remember no weekly meeting that week at the Church). Finally, I want to give a special shout out to one of our newest members Arzu who has already jumped right in and started organizing our annual bicycle helmet giveaway that provides a valuable service to the kids in our community. Thanks to her and each of you for making our Club a great one!
On April 27th, after a five-year absence, the Rotary Club of Bedford will reunite with Middlesex Community College for the club’s 9th annual meal-packing effort to feed hungry people around the world. The college last partnered with the club and hosted the meal-packing at its Bedford campus in 2019. This year, the story of the Food Pantry program at Middlesex Community College brings a new dimension to the partnership.
The CBS Evening News (2/19/24) reported that a decade ago, there were just 80 college food pantries, and today, there are upwards of 800 on campuses across the nation. Without them, it was said, the struggle with the costs of basic needs affects students’ academic performance and mental health. - MCC operates a Food Pantry on both its Lowell and Bedford campuses.
It has also been reported that nearly 4 million U.S. college students are raising children while getting a degree and that more than a third of those students attend community colleges. - Middlesex Community College is one such college.
IT’S NOT TOO LATE!… To give hope to the many people in our own communities whose lives are an ongoing struggle to cope with food insecurity. It could be an older person who lives down the street or a married couple with children. You probably won’t know because they often hide the fact that rent, heat, electricity, or medical costs leave them wondering how they’ll get food.
IT'S NOT TOO LATE... To DONATE! to Hope for the Hungry, the April 27th meal-packing event organized by the Rotary Clubs of Bedford and Concord. The money you donate makes this effort possible. Our project partner, Meals of Hope, provides the ingredients for the meals we’ll pack. A $50 donation provides meals for more than 150 people. But any denomination will help too!
IT'S NOT TOO LATE… To VOLUNTEER! In Rotary we say, “Feel Goodby Doing Good” and you can Do Good by participating in the meal packing. In just a couple of hours, on Saturday morning, April 27th, at Middlesex Community College we aim to pack 50,000 meals. We want volunteers who want to “do good” while having fun as packing team members or being part of our packing supply crew. We guarantee you’ll Feel Good afterward.
We are collecting personal care items for the Food Pantries on the Bedford and Lowell Campuses of Middlesex Community College. Students and staff that are in need of deodorant, body and face wash, shampoo and conditioner, shaving cream and razors, toothpaste and brushes, mouthwash, dental floss, hair brushes, q-tips, cotton balls, tissues, feminine hygiene products, laundry soap, fabric softener, dish soap, hand sanitizer, paper towels, diapers and wipes, and toilet paper. Click this Link and share information with friends.https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3RWWYFETVBM0D?ref_=wl_share
For sure Nathanial (Nat) K. Brown was a different man to many people. He started off as a son to John Fremont Brown and Louise Kirkegaard Brown. Husband to the late Judith Rae (Behringer) Brown, father to Pamela J. Brown and her long-time partner Monther Mardini, Nathaniel K. Brown, Jr. and fiancé Jayne Schmitz, and Kenneth E. Brown and wife Shannon, all of Bedford. He was also a significant other to the newest (and also one of the oldest) loves of his life Joan (Joanie) Birmingham a lady from Bedford he first dated when he was a teenager. Nat was also a grandfather to Amanda Brown, Alyssa Brown, Nathaniel Brown III, Mia Brown, Soren Brown, Jimmy McGinn and Kyle McGinn.
Whether you're a part-time student, a stay-at-home parent, or someone aiming to enhance their education, career, entrepreneurial pursuits, or community involvement, Rotary offers unparalleled training and learning avenues. Within Rotary, you'll find abundant opportunities to hone leadership and motivational skills. These opportunities manifest through a variety of local, national, and international projects dedicated to serving communities meaningfully. Engaging with Rotary also means collaborating with esteemed professionals and world leaders across diverse fields, further enriching your growth journey.
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By Bob Cassidy