A donation of more than 100 books has been made to kindergarten students at the Benton Harbor Discovery Enrichment Center by the Rotary Club of St. Joseph-Benton Harbor. Rotary President Lisa Cripps-Downey tells us the Rotary used one of its regular meetings to raise funds for the donation, and then Rotarians got together to make the gifts a little more special.
“The Rotarians, we made some cards, we wrote notes to the kindergarteners and we wrapped ribbons around the books so it was more like a present to the kindergartener,” Cripps-Downey said, “So, it was all hands-on for the Rotarians preparing the books for the kids.”
Downey says enhancing education in the community is one of the Rotary’s goals. She wanted to use her year as Rotary president to have the club do some community service projects. They have included packing pencil packs for the Berrien Community Foundation’s Backpacks for Good program, taking on a putting challenge as a fundraiser for World Polio Day, and wrapping gifts with the Salvation Army.
