Rotary Club of Three Creeks gives 79 hours in ‘virtual service project’

Twelve members of Clark County’s newest Rotary provide community service

CLARK COUNTY – The Rotary Club of Three Creeks completed 79 hours of service to the community during its first-ever “virtual service project,” which took place April 4-5 around the county. 

Susanne Holmberg stocks pasta shelves at North County Community Food Bank in Battle Ground. Photo courtesy of The Rotary Club of Three Creeks
Susanne Holmberg stocks pasta shelves at North County Community Food Bank in Battle Ground. Photo courtesy of The Rotary Club of Three Creeks

Twelve club members, plus family members in many cases, worked together – but separate in respect for social distancing protocol and to not create a gathering – across Clark County to volunteer for the good of others. Those nine different Rotarians and their family members turned in a total of 79 hours of service, completing a total of 17 projects over two days.

• Current club president Scot Brantley and his wife Ashley mowed and weeded a neighbor’s yard, purchased and delivered dinners for elderly in the community who are staying in, bought groceries for a friend who was recently laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and reached out to 30 different people for welfare checks asking if there was anything the Brantley family could do for them

• Past club presidents Susanne & Nelson Holmberg spent 90 minutes packing boxes and stocking shelves at North County Community Food Bank

• Nelson Holmberg spent 90 minutes replacing a door on one of the club’s Rotary Book Nook neighborhood libraries

• Nelson Holmberg spent an hour pressure washing neighbors’ sidewalks

• Jolene Nelson and her daughters made cloth masks and delivered them to local grocery store and hospitals

Jolene Nelson cuts fabric for facemasks she and her daughters sewed on Saturday in La Center. Photo courtesy of The Rotary Club of Three Creeks
Jolene Nelson cuts fabric for facemasks she and her daughters sewed on Saturday in La Center. Photo courtesy of The Rotary Club of Three Creeks

• Kelley Campbell and her daughters sewed cloth masks

•  Andi Costello baked Seven Layer Bars for a neighbor who’s staying home

• Rian Davis picked up trash in his neighborhood and at a local park

• Samantha Moullet picked up litter in her neighborhood and at a local park

• Tina Vlachos contributed to Kyria McGillis mask-making cause

• Vlachos also made in-home survival kits for friends and clients

• Lisa Abrahamsson purchased and delivered groceries to an elderly neighbor

• Lisa Kurtz and her husband Dave picked up and delivered sanitizing wipes; picked up and delivered protective facemasks; and picked up and delivered food in Ridgefield

• Jim Selby prepared garden markers for a community garden at the Salmon Creek Church. This garden provides half of its crops to residents of a nearby trailer park

Jim Selby made garden markers for a community garden in Salmon Creek. Photo courtesy of The Rotary Club of Three Creeks
Jim Selby made garden markers for a community garden in Salmon Creek. Photo courtesy of The Rotary Club of Three Creeks

“I’m so proud of how our club stepped up and provided service in this innovative structure during a crazy time in our world,” said club president Scot Brantley. “To see close to half of our membership make a difference in each individual member’s way, and involve some of their family members, too, is simply inspiring.”

Brantley added this was the 46th service project completed by the club, which is only three and a half years old. He also said he’s not surprised to see his club step out and be different.

“Just the fact that we tried something new, again, and made it successful,” Brantley said, “is really very exciting. It truly is what makes our club unique.”

The Rotary Club of Three Creeks is an innovative club that is “Making Rotary Cool Again.” In its fourth year of existence the club has attracted two thirds of its members from the under 50 demographic and is 50-50 gender balanced. It has a firm root in community service, following the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self” and meets just twice a month (first and third Thursdays), normally at Creed Coffee Co. in Felida. 

More information about the club can be found on its website (www.rotaryofthreecreeks.com), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/rotaryofthreecreeks).