A Surprise Award

In late June of this year, Past District Governor Pat Perry asked if we were having our Lobster Party again this year and if we were, could she come.  Fast forward to August 21st where the party was in full swing and Pat was there.  Part way through the dinner, Pat arose and asked for the Club's attention and for Gayle to come forward.  There she presented the Club with The Significant Achievement Award from Rotary International signed by the President and Pat.  

This was a total surprise to all members of the Club.  The award was earned as a result of our attention to literacy and the music program at Tantramar Regional High School.  Details of the program follow.

 

The Rotary Club of Sackville has decided to champion literacy in all forms through several creative communal projects.  Over the past years, our club members have donated books that are presented to our weekly speakers.  After an acknowledgement in the book, where their name, date and topic are identified on the inside cover, the book is forwarded to one of our three Sackville schools: elementary, middle or high.

 

Discussion held over this last year resulted in a club decision to continue the legacy theme with a twist.  With club money from a breakfast fundraiser and a gift from the passing of Rotarian Jake Fisher, the club worked with school staff and students to transform a storage area into a music and recording studio.  To some students who were at risk, this became a significant project for them.  In the spring of 2013, the students compiled a CD entitled TRHS: Roots.  It features both original and non-copyrighted works by currents students and alumni, including Sarah Jarvis, Katelyn Wheaton, Jessica Grant, Hayden Nurse, Nick Grant, Joey Rouse, Mark Geddes, Margaret Torrance and Virginia Tingley.  Grade 12 student Zack Bruce has produced this project through is Independent Study in Audio Engineering this semester. There was a formal unveiling of the studio with a Rotary plaque and coverage by the local media.

 

This project is easily emulated where there is an abundance of youth with passion and eagerness to communicate and learn through music.  Reading and writing are important however other avenues of literacy speak to the diversity of our projects.