Our Strategic Areas of Focus
Equip Tomorrow’s Leaders
Our Club partners with the Saugatuck High School INTERACT Club, a Rotary-sponsored youth services organization. Since 2012, SHS INTERACT has led the way to increase the quality of life for our local community and for the residents of Batey 106, a migrant camp in the Dominican Republic.
The INTERACT Club has been active in mentoring, environmental, and beautification projects in and around our towns. Their work in the Dominican Republic includes installing clean water filtration and sanitation systems, and raising more than $35,000 for two new schoolhouses in Batey 106 in an effort to provide an educational pathway out of poverty for the children of the camp.
Check out what our young leaders are up to now at SHS INTERACT’s Website.
Empower Youth & Families
In 2019, our Club announced it was entering into a three-year partnership with the Saugatuck Public Schools and the Holland Boys & Girls Clubs to pilot much-needed after-school and summer programming for students here. This is our largest initiative ever, requiring nearly $300,000 in fundraising and careful implementation. All our students can benefit from the care and mentorship these programs provide in the areas of Health & Wellbeing, Responsible Citizenship, and Academic Achievement.
Please see more details at the Holland Boys & Girls Club’s website.
Enlist Community Action
For Earth Day each year, the Rotary Environmental Corps partners with Tri-Community Recycling to provide Hazard Waste Collection. Together with the Saugatuck High School INTERACT Club, the Corps also conducts extensive Tree Planting as well as Trail Building and Invasive Species Removal.
Every first Saturday after Labor Day, we are the organizing sponsor of The Mt. Baldhead Challenge, The Ultimate Multi-Terrain Race(TM) that draws hundreds of trail runners to our area to “tackle the stairs” and enjoy the natural beauty of our dunes, lakeshore, harbor, and river. Of course, the Party in the Park after the race is a blast, too! Visit the website.
Check out the 2019 race video HERE.
