CLUB SERVICE
1. Planned fellowship activities and outings.
2. District Conference – the highlight of the year; usually held in May. In past years our Club has placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd for attendance in District 6450.
3. Fellowship activities for members and spouses – including such activities as a dinner theatre, parties at the Midlothian Country Club and other social outings.
4. Since 1988 our Club has held a $20,000 cash raffle as a fundraiser.
5. Educational programs - Each week Club meetings feature speakers on a variety of local and international topics.
VOCATIONAL SERVICE
1. Informative talks by members about their business or profession, families, interests, etc.
2. The Oak Forest Rotary sponsored the formation of the Oak Forest High School Interact Club in 1991 and Bremen High School’s Interact Club in 2004. Interact builds the idea of service and help develop future Rotarians.
3. Scholarship program - More than $125,000 in scholarships have been awarded to graduating seniors who practice “Service Above Self.”
4. Rotary Youth Leadership Assembly (RYLA) - Two to three students’
attendance is sponsored to this event.
5. The “Four-Way Test Awards” are given to one boy and one girl from each of Oak Forest’s elementary and middle schools.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
1. Our most recent project is the donation of $25,000 to the Oak Forest Park District. This donation is being matched by $30,000 from the Park District and $30,000 from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to construct the first skate park in Oak Forest. This facility will be named Rotary Skate Park and is scheduled to open in September 2004.
2. In 2003 we donated $2,000 to Together We Cope. This local agency helps abused and displaced families in time of need.
3. Donated and planted a tree at each school in Oak Forest in 1990 – including six oak trees at Oak Forest High School.
4. Sponsored the Oak Forest community blood draw since 1976 and free pancake breakfasts for the community in conjunction with the blood drive since 1995. More than 9,000 pints of blood have been donated by residents and friends.
5. Funded the refurbishing of the Veterans’ Memorial at the Oak Forest Metra Station in 1994. Permanent outdoor benches have been purchased for Acorn Library and other locations in Oak Forest.
6. A flower sale, including a promotional flower raffle, is held annually.
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE
1. We have sponsored outbound students (juniors and seniors in high school) to South Africa, South America, Finland, France, Australia, Zimbabwe, Mexico, Brazil, Denmark, Germany, etc.
2. We have hosted exchange students from Germany, Finland, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Australia, South America, Japan, etc.
3. The Club participates in the annual Group Study Exchange Program for inbound and outbound adults (ages 25-30) to travel to and from countries such as Germany, Israel, India, the Philippines and England.
3. Raised $10,000 toward PolioPlus, so children worldwide can be vaccinated.
4. Sponsored well water construction in Third World countries.
5. Gave $500 to the Homewood Rotary Club’s medical mission to South America.
6. Donated $1,500 to a wheelchair bank in Brazil.
7. Donated $2,000 to Heifer International to purchase two water buffalos for a family in rural Asia and two heifers to a rural family in the Southeastern U.S.
8. Annually the Club sponsors the attendance of Oak Forest High School students at the Whitewater International World Affairs Conference in Madison,
Wisconsin for cultural purposes and exchange of international ideas.
9. Oak Forest Rotarians have donated $28,237.37 to the Rotary Foundation and Rotary International since 1975. The Foundation supports humanitarian causes all over the world. There have been 32 Paul Harris Fellows, members of the Club who have donated more than $1,000 each to the Foundation. Ten of our current members are Paul Harris Fellows.
