Local Community / Vocational & Youth / World Community / Fund Raising Events & Projects

Local Community Service

The Rotary Club of Blacksburg sought out a community project that would personify and celebrate Rotary’s 100 years of service to its members, their professions, their communities, and the world through a Rotary International Centennial Project. The Town of Blacksburg, acquired a 9.9-acre parcel of land from former Blacksburg resident and Rotarian, Captain T. P. Wong.  The Rotary Club of Blacksburg along with the Virginia Tech Community Design Assistance Center, Blue Ridge Timberwrights, and the Town of Blacksburg developed and implement the parking and landscaping for the entryway design from Wilson Street. The club implemented the master plan of the park, spent many hours clearing the land, built a pavilion, put in a brick pathway and benches. The Rotary Club of Blacksburg is proud to have created a special place for personal reflection or community gatherings for generations to enjoy. Wong Park will serve as a strong community and International focal point for the Town of Blacksburg and its immediate neighbors. 

Montgomery County Christmas Store assists low-income families in Montgomery County during the Christmas season.Each year our club also volunteers as a group to work the Christmas Store. In 2006, Rotary raised funds to purchase 50 youth car seats.

New River Valley Food Pantry is coordinated by the Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Program (MCEAP) which assists families and individuals in immediate, temporary, and emergency situations: The Blacksburg Rotary Club and the Lyric Theatre hosted an event in 2006 to help the MCEAP food pantry which was in desperate need of food supplies. By donating just one food item the admission to a family movie was granted complete with popcorn. A crowd of 200 to 250 enjoyed the movie "Hoot" and donated a generous amount of food. 

Free Clinic of the New River Valley provides high quality health care and dental services to people who lack insurance and cannot afford healthcare: our club raised money with matching funds from a District Grant which allowed us to provide shelving in two closets in the clinic, new shelving for their offsite storage unit  and purchase of new medical equipment. The club and local Rotary district have also contributed $6,000 to improve the record keeping system at the Free Clinic.

Women’s Resource Center offers shelter and services for victims of domestic and sexual violence.  In 2006, our club assembled eight sets of bunk beds and two dressers that were purchased through a Rotary donation. These new bunks increased capacity, making more efficient use of floor space and were much sturdier and welcoming for the residents. 

Talbot Park on the Huckleberry Trail: In 2003, our club participated in the creation and maintenance of the Talbot Park and kiosk on the Blacksburg Huckleberry Trail, an asphalt-paved bike/pedestrian path that is continuing to build beyond its six miles. This park named after a former president of our club Richard Talbot,  was the first of many “pocket parks” designed by the Friends of the Huckleberry as trailside rest stops.

YMCA at VT provides learning, leadership and community service programs. Our club provided has provided funds towards a trip to help with Hurricane Katrina clean up, among other efforts.

We also recognize non-Rotarians who are good community citizens through our annual Pat Cupp /Ward Teel Citizen of the Year Award. This acknowledgement formally known as the “Four-Way Test /Vocation Service Award,” is presented each January to a citizen of the Montgomery County area who through his or her business practices, character, and lifestyle, best exemplifies Rotary International’s Four-Way Test. 

The recipients of the award to date are:  '90- Shelby Roope, '91- Charlie Johnson & Dr. Robert Stockburger, '92- Clinton Graves, '93- Shelley Blumenthal, '94- Alice Wills, '95- David Crist, '96- Linda Olin, '97 - Alfred Smith, '98- Ben Crawford, '99- Andy Morikawa & Dr. Basil Gooden, '00- Lacey William “Bill” Brown, '02- Beth Obenshain, '03- Marylou, '04-Teeter Robinson, Jr., '05-Jeanne Roper , Amy Forsyth-Stevens ’06,  Malvin “Pug” Wells ’07 and the Virginia Tech Rescue Squad ’08.

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Vocational /Youth Programs

Youth Leadership Program: We sponsor two high school students to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Seminar at Virginia Tech annually.

Fine Arts Scholarships: Each Spring, our club presents the Fine Arts Scholarship Awards to outstanding Montgomery County seniors.  The scholarship is $750. This program began in the early 1980's through the efforts of  Dan Schneck and his wife Judy, along with Charter Member David Widder.  Originally the winners were selected by fine arts teachers.  Eventually auditions were held for those nominated from each of the four high schools.  Four to eight winners were selected each year and they displayed their art work and gave dramatic & musical performances at a regular Club meeting so we could have the opportunity to all enjoy the great talent in our community.

Vocational Scholarships: Each Spring the Outstanding Career and Technical Education awards are presented to four Montgomery County high school seniors.  These annual awards include a $500 scholarship towards the student’s college tuition. Apply now for 2010.

Winning Choices Day is part of a week-long celebration of character education in the Montgomery County Public Schools and generally occurs in March. The purpose of the day’s activities is to recognize those students who strive to exemplify good character and leadership skills in their daily life. The opportunity to participate in the program strengthens character, leadership traits, and skills that prepare young adults for greater responsibility in the future. Area Rotary Clubs have contributed in the past to this program in support for the Character Education Essay Contest.

Bane Atkinson Scholarship: Established in 2003, the Rotary Club of Blacksburg recognized its founding president Bane Atkinson by establishing an endowed scholarship at New River Community College in his name. This was the second endowed scholarship established by the Blacksburg Rotary Club as evidence of its commitment to education and young people. The first scholarship was previously established in honor the life of Stuart Beville, a long term educator who was a charter member of the Rotary Club of Blacksburg. 

Exchange Programs:
Rotary is the world’s largest privately-funded source of international scholarships. Each year,
about 1,000 university students receive Rotary scholarships to study abroad. Rotary clubs also coordinate a high schoolage student exchange program that has sent nearly 8,000 students abroad for three months to a year.

Our club has sponsored students and young adults to go to many different nations and we have hosted exchange students from such diverse places, as England, Holland, Sweden, South Africa, Brazil, and Australia.  We have also sent students abroad. Our club continues to grow and benefit in its view of young people and the world.  Hearing its youth report their trips abroad on Rotary Exchanges contribute to our wealth of knowledge and stimulate our desire to provide service.

The New Generations monthly e-newsletter provides news and developments regarding Rotary's youth and young adult programs: Interact, Rotaract, and RYLA. To sign up

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World Community Service

We have also teamed up with the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine to convert a 20-passenger van into a mobile medical clinic for use in San Salvador. 

Recognizing the importance of clean water, many Rotary clubs help to install wells and develop water treatment and distribution systems to increase access to fresh drinking water for communities in need, especially in developing countries. In the program “Reach Out to Haiti” we raised money to create wells in Bangladesh in 1997.

Rotary has led the private sector in the global effort to rid the world of this crippling disease and has helped immunize over two billion children in 122 countries. To date, Rotary has contributed more than $700 million toward eradicating polio, a figure which is estimated to rise to more than $850 million by the time the world is certified polio-free. These funds provide polio vaccine, operational support, medical personnel, laboratory equipment and educational materials for health workers and the public. Our club participates in PolioPlus.

Additionally we have donated Braille computers to the Loyola Heights Rotary Club in Quezon City, Philippines and joined the Help Africa Move Forward campaign, a commitment to knowledge-based empowerment to fight poverty.

We as caring Rotarians have a dream that all children of the world should have an adequate educational experience to enable them to have useful, productive, and happy lives.  Through Project R.E.A.D. SA (Rotary Educational Aid Donation South Africa) we responded by collecting textbooks.

Fund Raising Events and Projects

Mardi Gras Masquerade and Auction to benefit the International Foundation of Rotary. This event occurs in February and includes a Creole meal, music, a live auction, raising money for international projects. Check the News for our latest Press Release.

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