RCB Members Bring Joy to Boarding Home Residents for 26th Year
On Friday, December 8, 2023, the Rotary Club of Birmingham (RCB) delivered a truckload of essential items and holiday gifts to residents of Birmingham area boarding homes. This year marks the 26th year of the service project.
Each December since 1997, RCB members have volunteered to shop for residents of boarding homes in the Birmingham community. These boarding homes provide meals and a safe living environment for homeless individuals unable to live independently. The items are delivered to the boarding homes in time for the holidays and are often the only gifts the residents receive all year. RCB members will provided essentials and presents to 72 residents of six local boarding homes this year.
For several weeks leading up to the donation day, Rotarians collect new clothing, hygiene, food and gift items to fulfill the needs identified by the boarding home directors. Rotary staff and volunteers pack the gifts into boxes for each resident to make sure they receive items they need and want for the holidays.
Rotary volunteers gathered at the RCB office Friday morning to load boxes provided by Armstrong Relocation onto a moving truck provided by Office Resources, Inc. Rotarian Tom Gester and his wife Diana donated toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss, and Rotarians Bill Josey, Brenda & Morris Hackney donated Water Way bottled water. Member contributions allowed RCB to provide cleaning supplies, paper products, hams, turkeys and additional food for a holiday meal to each boarding home.
We appreciate the Rotarians, family, friends and staff who helped deliver gifts, including Betts Bryars, Warren Callaway, Tom Carruthers, June Clark, Darrell & Elaine Cook, Sean & Jack Culhane, Tom Gester, Mike Graham, Alison Grizzle, Dennis Hinton, Jimmy Holloway, Cissy Jackson, Libby Lassiter, Philippe Lathrop, Cindy Martin, Chuck Redden, Jane Reed Ross, Dan Stephens, Yolanda & Sam Sullivan, Libba Vaughan, Kennon Walthall, Clark Watson, Greg & Sarah Wheeler and Greg Womack.
Members of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra Chorus, including Jim Emison, Natalie Kendrick, Clare Izcaray and Carol Stettheimer, joined the group to enhance traditional caroling with residents under the direction of Rotarian Carlos Izcaray, ASO Artistic Director.
Special thanks to Rotarians Alison Grizzle and Libba Vaughan for leading this project and to RCB Director of Membership and Service Betts Bryars for managing the shopping lists, packing boxes and coordinating all the logistics.