The Rotary Club of Flagler County is donating 1,032 dictionaries to third grade students of Flagler County Public Schools. Every third grader will receive a dictionary that they may keep and use as their own personal reference book throughout their educational years.
“Most children today do not own a personal dictionary and most do not have access to one in their home,” said Rick Staly, President of the Rotary Club of Flagler County. The Dictionary Project encourages children to use dictionaries so that they will be able to use the English language effectively during their school years and lifetime. Since its inception in Flagler County, Rotary has donated over 6,000 dictionaries to Flagler County’s third graders. In recent years Rotarian Ken Neu has coordinated the dictionary project with help from fellow Rotarians as a Club community service project. “The dictionary program is made possible by the community supporting our various fundraising efforts,” said Staly.
The dictionary donation event took place today (Oct. 30) shortly after the club’s noon meeting at The Grand Club at Pine Lakes Golf Course in Palm Coast. Flagler County Schools Assistant Superintendent Jacob Oliva, School Board member Trevor Tucker, Rotary Club of Flagler County President Rick Staly and Rotarian Ken Neu took part in the presentation.
The Dictionary Project began in 1992 in Savannah, Georgia when Annie Plummer gave 50 dictionaries to a school near her home. The program grew and Ms. Plummer raised enough funds to donate over 17,000 dictionaries in her life time. As the project expanded the Dictionary Project became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Association in 1995. The project is now located in all 50 states, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, 3 Canadian provinces and more than 15 other countries worldwide. Since 1995 over 18 million children have received dictionaries. For more information go to www.dictionaryproject.org.
The largest Rotary Club in Flagler County was chartered by Rotary International in 1981 and currently has over 60 members. Membership consists of local business owners and government leaders, educators and retirees. Each year the Rotary Club of Flagler County donates over $30,000.00 to local organizations and supports Rotary International in its global out-reach programs. Persons interested in becoming a Rotarian and joining our club may visit www.flaglerrotary.org for contact information.
Rotary International is a service club establish in 1905 by Chicago area businessmen. Today there are over 1.2 million members worldwide in over 32,000 Rotary clubs. These clubs have a diverse membership but all focused on supporting their community and Rotary Internationals global outreach programs. These programs include eliminating polio worldwide, building safe water wells throughout the world and providing shelter to areas struck by natural disasters. For more information about Rotary International please visit: www.rotary.org.
DWFerg says
Glad to see the club obtain some Positive ” INK ” .
Michelle says
Someone commented once ‘why do they need dictionaries when they have the internet?’ Not everyone has access, nor owns a computer, that’s why. These books are much more than dictionaries. They hold a wealth of information, such as: Biographies of the Presidents, The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, the Planets and the Solar System, Maps of all Seven Continents, Information about the 50 States and Weights & Measures. More like a Reference Book than ‘just’ a Dictionary. The best part…. the words are for third grade readers, unlike a regular dictionary where ‘all’ words are written – just words in this for a Third Grader’s needs. Great Job Rotary!
Nancy N. says
I can’t help but think reading this that Rotary is trying to solve a 21st century problem – kids not having internet – with a 20th century solution. While I applaud the intent behind this effort, how about trying to do something for these kids that brings them into this century instead of providing them books that are basically antiques by today’s information standards?