Two Local Charities Team up to help RCS students

Two local nonprofits, the Rotary Club of Delmar and the Bethlehem Festival Fund, presented $800 in school supplies to the RCS School District on Friday.

Hakim Jones, Principal of the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School, and School Nurse Karen Randio, accepted the backpacks, snack food, underwear, socks, paper and other supplies that will be shared with all four RCS schools – A.W. Becker Elementary School, P.B. Coeymans Elementary School and the Middle and high schools.

“We appreciate the kind donations that will be utilized by our students as they strive for success in the classroom,” said RCS Superintendent Vicki Wright.

The supplies will be distributed to students on an as-needed basis.

Vicky Plotsky, President of the Rotary Club of Delmar, approached Festival Fund President Greg Jackson early in September about collaborating on a project to benefit local students. 

"It is great to have the opportunity to work with the Festival Fund so that we can pool our resources and not duplicate efforts.  The Rotary Club of Delmar hopes to do its part in helping our young people learn and grow and is very pleased to work with the Bethlehem Festival Fund to provide school supplies,” she explained. 

Jackson gladly accepted her offer because he welcomes suggestions that will maximize the Festival Fund’s impact on the local community.  “It is a pleasure to be able to team up with another service club in the Bethlehem area to help local students,” Jackson said. 

Rotary International is a world-wide network of volunteers dedicated to making the world a better place by improving health, alleviating hunger and promoting literacy around the world.  The Rotary Club of Delmar serves the greater Bethlehem community by providing community service and grants to organizations and individuals.  Providing school supplies is the Rotary Club of Delmar’s way of helping local students learn.

Simple school supplies promote literacy and education, and help our children succeed into the future.  It also lets children know that others care about them, modeling the ideal of service to others.  The Delmar Rotary also sponsors international youth exchange by sending a local student to study abroad and accepting an international student into host families in Bethlehem or RCS school districts. 

The Rotary Club of Delmar provides vocational scholarships to graduates of RCS and Bethlehem high schools.  The Rotary Club of Delmar supports numerous other local organizations such as services for seniors and youth in Bethlehem and Ravena, as well as international projects to provide clean water and foster economic self-sufficiency.  For more information about the Rotary Club of Delmar or to apply for membership, please contact club president Vicky Plotsky at 439-0242 or vplotsky@yahoo.com.

The Festival Fund is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that has served Bethlehem residents since 1942.  All of the monies donated to the Festival Fund are used to help individuals and families with needs that are not met by traditional assistance programs.  Assistance is targeted to students, senior citizens and local residents with health concerns and economic difficulties attributable to job loss or life changes such as divorce or illness.

The Festival Fund collaborates with school personnel and the Bethlehem Senior Services Department who make the majority of referrals for assistance.  Requests are handled confidentially and are considered on a case-by-case basis.  The Fund covers items such as eyeglasses and hearing aids, medications, clothing, utility bills and tutoring services for children. 

Individuals interested in learning more about the Festival Fund can contact Greg Jackson at 462-6731 or e-mail BethFestFund@aol.com.