Local Rotary Club visits YMCA

The Rotary Club of North Shelby-Inverness is working to build a partnership with the Greystone YMCA.

Eight members of the Rotary Club visited the YMCA on Thursday, Aug. 20 to distribute snacks to students in the after school program.

“This time was our first time doing it, and we were looking to make it a continuous thing,” said North Shelby-Inverness Rotary Club President Michelle Boykins.

The visit was a learning experience for club members as well as the students, Boykins said. At this visit, YMCA director Leonard Speed spoke to the club about the services the YMCA offers the community, such as free English as a Second Language classes and tutoring. The Rotary Club was also able to talk to kids about the club and its history.

They explained how to become a Rotarian, including the Rotary Club programs at the high school and young adult levels. The students seemed interested in the connections the Rotary Club makes nationwide, Boykins said.

“They thought that was just the coolest thing, where you can go everywhere and I’ve got a club buddy I can visit,” Boykins said.

The club also discussed polio with the students as well as the Rotary’s goal to eradicate it around the world.

“They had excellent questions for third and fourth graders,” Boykins said. “One kid actually knew that there was a president who had polio.”

The Rotary Club provided snacks, including apples, grapes, a Rice Krispie treat and juice, to around 130 students.

“I was kind of excited that we did it, and we look forward to doing it again in the future,” Boykins said. “It’s just a matter of coordinating our schedules.”