SOME OF OUR PROJECTS
Buddy Bench Project: If a child feels lonely, they can go to the bench as a signal that they need someone to play with. Another child will see them, go and talk to them and include them in their games. Service to our community.
Young Achievers Award: This program, presented by the Belle Clair Rotary Club and the Belleville News-Democrat, recognizes young achievers in the city of Belleville for the significant contributions they have made in promoting and developing the quality of life on the campus of their school and in their community. The criteria for receiving these awards include a variety of interests that have a positive effect upon the school which the student attends as well as the community in which the student resides. The areas of athletics, the arts, academics, community service, or vocational will be identified by those individuals who nominate students. Below is the 2023 awards presentation held on April 2, 2023.
BELLEVILLE YOUNG ACHIEVERS AWARD RECIPIENTS
Community Service Projects: Helping to make our communities better, Rotarians volunteer to help clean up properties in conjunction with other organizations and other non-profits.
Third graders in schools within our service area are each given a dictionary to help in their learning. The Dictionary Project has become a project that includes a number of local businesses join us as sponsors.
A Rotary District Grant helped the club assist R3 Development this year. R3 is a 503(c) organization that trains students in the trades. The students are required to be on time and responsible for various tasks in remodeling homes in East St Louis. Students are required to learn how to complete employment application, learn proper work skills. In the past 10 years over 300 high school students have complete the training. Students learn to roof a house, take out walls, lay flooring, pour concrete, add insulations, hang drywall, plaster, paint, string electrical wires, assist plumbers, etc. Some graduates of the program work in the construction field. medical field and education. Some graduates stay with the program and serve as instructors, support staff. R3 holds a week day for volunteers on the 2nd Saturday of each month. It is not unusual to have 75-100 volunteers to work the students on various task.
The Dr. Steven C. Suess Student LeadershipAwards are presented to one 8th grade student at Signal Hill, Blessed Sacrament and Harmony-Emge school. The award is named after Rotary Past President Steven Suess, who was a life long educator in Belleville and started the student achievement awards
Community Bench Project: The club began installing benches throughout the community at various locations and transportation stops.
