Grosse Ile Rotary Club

Grosse Ile , Michigan

District 6400

"Service Above Self"

 

Welcome to Grosse Ile Rotary Club's Vista Maria Project

 

 
  The project was to assemble 110 "Welcome Bags" for the young women arriving at Vista Maria, a home for young women needing a helping hand. We were led by Joanne Medved, who thought up the project, got approval of the Grosse Ile Rotary Club's membership and Board, assembled all the components, all at great prices or gifts for the project. We made up six different sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, Double Extra Large and Triple Extra Large. Each bag contained one of the following:

A set of pajamas; a set of underwear; a pair of socks; a hair brush; a toothbrush; a tube of tooth paste; a bar of soap; a stick of deodorant; a note book; and, a plush toy.

Here's a link to Vista Maria's website at http://www.vistamaria.org/

Vista Maria is Michigan’s largest non-profit residential and community-based treatment agency for abused and neglected girls. Founded in 1883 by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, we serve girls ages 11-17 from across Michigan who are in need of treatment for mental health, substance abuse, trauma recovery, and other psychosocial issues. . It is located on West Warren in Dearborn Heights.

VM's Manager of Volunteer Resources, Wendy Kearney made a club presentation about Vista Marie, which was done six or so months ago. The club was interested in doing something and Wendy and Joanne came up with the "Welcome Bag", as frequently the young women arrive with only "the cloths on their backs" and nothing more. Joanne Medved presented this idea to our board, where PDG Bob Sanchez recognized the project as something worthy of the special a matching District Simplified Grant from DG Jennifer Jones.

These bags are made up in a variety of sizes, for the clothing parts, and the same for the rest of the stuff. One will be given to newly arrived
girls, to help them get going. Each bag has a sticker mentioning our club, as the source.

Joanne coordinated gathering of the items for the bag, some were donated and some were purchased. The local Target, Wal-Mart and Kmart were wonderful.

Once we set out the parts for the bag and following our meeting this past Thursday, all the members and guests "walked the tables" and filled the bags with the listed contents. Bob is delivering the bags to VM soon.

Grosse Ile Rotary Club is the first Rotary Club that has worked with VM, to Wendy's recollection. She's been there for thirteen years.

Maybe other local Rotary Clubs might be interested in learning more about VM. Wendy is very open to visiting clubs with a VM presentation and letting them know about VM. It is a very worthy organization and needs all the help it can get. Promoting our project on the District 6400 web site may help in that introductory effort.

The link to District 6400's website and page for this project is at:

http://www.rotary6400.org/assets/images/gallery0708/Grosse_Ile_Toys/index.htm

  
Joanne Medved's Jeep Getting organized 1 Getting organized 2 Getting organized 3 Getting organized 4
Stuff from everywhere 110 Welcome Bags Things organized by size Shampoo for all 1 Shampoo for all 2
June Van Os organizing soap,
toothbrushes and tooth paste		 PDG Roberto "Bob" Sanchez
and PP Marty Medved		 DG Jennifer Jones, PDG
Bob Sanchez, Joanne Medved,
Brian Medved and Warren Hurst		 Bob setting the project's
bag assembly goals		 Bob and Jennifer
making bags
President Alan Hickman
and Jennifer		 Club members - almost done! June and Bill Taylor supervise Dena Dardzinski and
Jennifer comparing toys		 Sandra Soedarjatno
QC'ing the bags

Photographer, John Strain, took these sunset pictures following the Vista Maria "Welcome Bag" Project. What a beautiful island.

Sunset 05222008 All pictures from Upper Hickory Ansel Adams want to be We're done

To return to our home page, click on the red shoes, below.