City Council honors Hoover Rotary Club for passing $250,000 in donations to help education

The Hoover City Council Monday, May 4, honored the Hoover Rotary Club for surpassing a milestone: More than $250,000 in monetary gifts to help public and private education in Hoover.

The Council Proclamation comes as  the Hoover Rotary Club is giving seniors graduating from Hoover High School and Spain Park High School a combined $12,000 in scholarships ($6,000 to graduates of each school) to help offset the costs of college, said Larry Sparks, a member of the club for 36 years.

Last month, the Hoover Rotary Club donated $2,500 each to both Hoover High and Spain Park High bands to help both schools buy new band uniforms.

Those gifts bring the Hoover Rotary Club past the $250,000 threshold in contributions to education since the club was formed 38 years ago, Sparks said. Since its formation, the club has exceeded $1 million in total donations including education and donations to other donations to other worthy causes including Children's of Alabama, Big Oak Ranch, Ronald McDonald's House, Toys for Tots, the Salvation Army and Polio Plus.

“We are honored to have the Hoover mayor and council recognize us for supporting education and the other things we do for the community,” he said. “Giving back is a big part of what we are all about at the Hoover Rotary.”

Sparks said the Hoover Rotary puts lots of effort into finding deserving graduates of Hoover High and Spain Park to award the scholarships, which range from $500 to $2,000 per student. A club committee accepts nominations from school counselors, then interviews the students nominated.

“We take education very seriously,” Sparks said. “Some of our members tutor students at Rocky Ridge Elementary on Wednesdays. We give dictionaries to all third graders in both private and public schools. Children are our future, and we want to help them succeed in school.”

The Hoover City Council also awarded other proclamations - one highlighting Women’s Lung Health Week; the other recognizing this as Emergency Medical Services Week.