The Alabaster-Pelham Pelham Rotary Club celebrated its 49th anniversary this year. The club was begun by notable Shelby County business leaders in 1970 in an effort to provide community service by uniting in one civic organization. As the Rotary Club is known worldwide under the Rotary International auspice, our local club began immediately working to be impactful both locally and abroad.
The Alabaster-Pelham Rotary Club currently has 27 active members, meeting weekly on the campus of the Brookwood Baptist Health Center in Alabaster, Alabama. The membership is made up of a variety of local men and women from businesses around Shelby County.
The funds raised benefit local projects including Christmas gift bags for elderly shut ins in Shelby County, support and gifts for the Senior Centers in Shelby County. In early 2012 the Alabaster-Pelham Rotary Club formed a partnership with the Manna Ministries Pantry in Alabaster. Manna Ministries is a food distribution ministry serving Shelby County's less fortunate community. A Southern Christmas Bazaar will serve as a collection site for canned goods to replenish the shelves of the Manna Ministries Pantry.
Donations have been made to the Developing Alabama Youth Foundation to help fund the Seat Our Students campaign and Rotarians volunteered time and effort to move the DAY Program to its new facility at the Alabaster YMCA. The club has just completed a five year partnership with the Alabaster YMCA. The Club proudly continues to recognize Teachers of the Year in the Pelham and Alabaster City Schools. The Rotarians have sponsored three local students each year to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards weekend retreat at the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Addressing the needs of Shelby County's underfed children has been a focus for the Rotary Club of Alabaster-Pelham. The Club donated a van to the local Back Pack Buddies organization to deliver the food filled back packs to the schools each week.
Providing teacher supplies for the teachers of Alabaster City Schools' Thompson Middle School was an exciting project just this year. The Club also partners with the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce's Keeping It Real Program at Thompson High School and Pelham High School.
Most recently, the Alabaster-Pelham Rotary Club has made a substantial commitment to the All Inclusive Park in Pelham. The Club has made donations to the new City of Pelham Library. Also benefiting from the Alabaster-Pelham Rotary Club is the Rotary District 6860 Boiling n' Bragging Event held each year in August. This event provides funds for the Critical Care Transport Helicopter for Children's of Alabama.
The funds that were raised at the October 27, 2018 A Southern Christmas Bazaar have been given to the King's Stables in Wilsonville, Alabama. King's Stables is an equine therapy program for the youth at the King's Home and others throughout the community.
International Rotary projects include partnering with other Rotary Clubs to finance fresh water wells in African countries where fresh, clean water is not readily available. The eradication of polio is a priority mission of Rotary International and providing clean water is a major step in that direction. Rotary International works hand in hand with Rotary Clubs across the world towards accomplishing this goal and with Polio Plus worldwide. Bill and Melinda Gates have been extremely generous to this mission and have a commitment to polio eradication as well. Not only has one village in Ghana received working fresh water wells, but also a water distribution system, two large bathrooms for the school there and enough books to begin a library for the students.
