Rotary Club cheques help ensure students get healthy snacks

THUNDER BAY -- The Port Arthur Rotary Club is helping to make sure students get a healthy snack during their day.

The Rotary Club held a meeting to present six organizations with cheques totaling more than $6,000. The six recipients included Matawa Learning Centre, St. John’s Ambulance Youth Summer Camp, Leadership Thunder Bay, St. James Youth Program and Habitat for Humanity.

A portion of the grant will go toward Matawa’s healthy eating program.

Matawa’s education manager Murray Waboose said the $500 will help the more than 30 students enrolled. 

He said they want to make sure that good nutrition is embedded into their curriculum and having those healthy snacks available is one way to do it.

“Not all of our students arrive at our program having eaten a meal,” he said.

“We wanted to try and help supplement. Food is a good motivator to ensure people are learning. We want to create a healthy learning environment. We find that in the mornings and late afternoons they need a little bit of an energy boost. We want to make sure they have proper foods.”

Laurie Tulloch, spokesman for the Port Arthur Rotary Club, said donate to organizations three to four times during the year. Tulloch suspected that there would be broad smiles when the organization’s receive their grants.

The six organizations made an application to the committee where they were picked. The $6,000 was raised through the club’s two main fundraisers; the rotary radio days, held on the Family Day weekend and the lobster festival in the fall.

Tulloch said it’s rare for the organization to give the applicant the full amount that they asked for but they try to help as best they can.

“Helping is really fundamental to what we do in Rotary,” he said. “Our concept is service above self. We really do try to make a difference. We don’t give money to individuals.

"Because our funds are limited, we tend to give it in areas where we feel will have a greater impact.”