20th Annual Tour de Menlo Raises $88,500

The 20th Anniversary Tour de Menlo Scholarship bike ride, organized by the Menlo Park Rotary Club, exceeded all expectations raising over $88,500. This remarkable achievement represents a 71% increase compared to the previous year, showcasing the generosity of the community. 
"The success of the 20th Anniversary Tour de Menlo is a testament to the incredible support we received from the community," said a Yuhui Chen, the Chair of the 2023 Tour de Menlo. "We are thrilled to have raised such a substantial amount, which will enable us to provide financial scholarships to deserving local high school seniors and support important charitable initiatives in our community. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the 36 local business sponsors, 32 individual donors, and all the participants who made this event a resounding success."
 
20th Annual Tour de Menlo Raises $88,500 Lily Hurlimann 2023-11-07 08:00:00Z 0

Celebrating our 38th Annual Student Awards and Scholarships

From left to right, front row, the students are: Elizabeth Contreras; Mayrin Ceja; Sofia Munoz-Pacheco; Manuel Aguilar Alfaro; Jocelyn Urbana-Diaz; Dafna Segura Diaz; Sara Cordova Magadan; and Karla Campos Armas. Back row, from left: Raneem Almahnasneh; Vianca Lopez Molina; Mohammed Amir Khabaza; Rycklon “R.J.” Stephens Jr.; Andrew Latu; Alyssa Hernandez; Giovanna Cruz
 
 
Rotary Club of Menlo Park awards $132,000 in college scholarships at its 38th annual Scholastic Awards Ceremony
 
The Rotary Club of Menlo Park announced the winners of both their annual Scholastic Achievement awards and their College Scholarships, honoring students from Menlo-Atherton High School, Eastside College Preparatory, East Palo Alto Academy, Mid-Peninsula High School, Sacred Heart Preparatory, and Menlo School. 
 
Over 400 community members were in attendance Monday night, May 15, at the Menlo-Atherton Center for Performing Arts as 112 students were recognized for their academic success in a wide variety of subjects, including many levels of math and science, industrial arts, social sciences, languages, fine arts, and community service. Instructors at each school identify the top scholars in their fields to be celebrated at this Rotary-sponsored event.
 
A complete list of students receiving  academic achievement awards or scholarships can be found here.
Celebrating our 38th Annual Student Awards and Scholarships Lily Hurlimann 2023-05-16 07:00:00Z 0

The Belle Haven Community Garden, Celebrating Its Ninth Year!

                                                   
 

March 18th was the annual 'spring cleanup' for this collection of some 35 4'x8' individual plots given out free-of-charge to local residents by the Rotary 
Club of Menlo Park.  As has become a welcome and wonderful tradition, a passel of energetic M-A students joined our Rotary volunteers to lend a hand, weeding and cleaning the pathways and the small fruit orchard in the back corner.  This winter's more-than-abundant rains, it turned out, had favored not only that pesky crabgrass, but also a bumper crop of fruit: these organic oranges, for example, were - we dare to say - the best to be found anywhere!  Those lucky local 'farmers', preparing their plots, are looking forward not only to their harvest of comestibles, but to meeting their friends, and making new ones.  As they know: feasting with friends is perhaps topped, in the Pantheon of human delights, only by actually growing it.
 
 
The Belle Haven Community Garden, Celebrating Its Ninth Year! Michael Herzen 2023-04-15 07:00:00Z 0

2023 Community Grants Awarded


Rotary Club of Menlo Park Announces Recipients of 2023 Community Grants
Left to Right: Rob Holyoake, RCMP Club secretary; Ashley Brankovich& Laura Bajuk, Menlo College Basic Needs; Kira Jones, Menlo Atherton Learning Center; Christian Sbragia, Cooline Kids; Jazmin Sosa, Ravenswood Education Foundation; Elizabeth Wells, Foundation for a College Education; Cecilia Chu, Friends for Youth; Vicky Avila Medrano, Nuestra Casa of East Palo Alto; Ellen Izuka, Ecumenical Hunger Program; Barbara Kalt, Meals on Wheels; Jeff Pierce, RCMP President Elect; Ellen Lehman, Eastside College Prep High School; Saundra Curry, Girls to Women.
2023 Community Grants Awarded LILY HURLIMANN 2023-04-04 07:00:00Z 0

Rotary 2023 Community Grants 

2022 Community Grant Winners
 
Rotary 2023 Community Gift Grants Application Now Available
Annually the Foundation donates about $50,000 to eligible not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations who assist underserved populations in our community. The Community Gifts Committee has published the application for 2023 Gift Grants and it is available here. This year, the Foundation will provide funding to organizations focused on supporting residents of our local community in one or more of the following areas: Seniors or Youths in the areas of food insecurity, Arts and Culture and/or Education. 
 
Deadline for application: Monday February 27, 2023, 5:00PM PST
 
Rotary 2023 Community Grants Lily Hurlimann 2023-01-28 08:00:00Z 0

Tour de Menlo Raises $52,000

The Rotary Club of Menlo Park’s annual fundraiser, the Tour de Menlo Scholarship Ride, was a resounding success. Back in full force after having abbreviated and alternative programs during the height of the pandemic, this year’s event boasted 199 cyclists on the 63-mile ride, 86 cyclists on the 43-mile ride, and 92 cyclists on the 35-mile ride. New this year, the tour introduced a 16-mile family ride, which proved popular and drew in 57 cyclists.  For the first time, the MP Police Department joined the ride.  The event kicked off from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the second year in a row. Lutticken's served a delicious lunch and the Nathan Tokunaga jazz band provided entertainment.  The event brought in a net profit of $52,000, which will be used for providing college scholarships to local students, Community Grants, and a contribution to the Almanac Holiday Fund.
Tour de Menlo Raises $52,000 Amy Boggs 2022-11-13 08:00:00Z 0

2022 Rotary Scholars Announced at 37th Annual Scholastic Achievement Awards Ceremony 
 

The Rotary Club of Menlo Park is delighted to announce the recipients of their annual scholarships and scholastic achievement awards honoring students from Menlo-Atherton High School, Eastside College Preparatory, East Palo Alto Academy, Sacred Heart Preparatory, and Menlo School. Over 120 students were recognized for their academic prowess in a wide variety of subjects, including many levels of math and science, industrial arts, social sciences, languages, fine arts, and community service. Instructors at each school identify the top scholars in their fields to be celebrated at this Rotary-sponsored event.  In addition, 15 local students who demonstrated academic excellence, financial need, and a commitment to community service, were awarded scholarships to assist them in attending four-year colleges.
2022 Rotary Scholars Announced at 37th Annual Scholastic Achievement Awards Ceremony   Lily Hurlimann 2022-05-25 07:00:00Z 0

Menlo Park Rotary Announces 2022 Community Grants

The Rotary Club of Menlo Park is delighted to announce the recipients of their annual Community Grants, which focused this year on non-profits that provide food, shelter, or educational support to youth and families affected by Covid-19 in our community: 
Ecumenical Hunger Program | Ravenswood Education Foundation | Menlo College Food Pantry | Nuestra Casa de East Palo Alto | Onyxx Village Connection via Streetcode Academy | Together We Rise | StarVista | Live in Peace, Inc. | Envision Your Pathway | Menlo-Atherton High School Learning Center | Ravenswood Family Health Network. 
Roughly half of these non-profits are past recipients of Rotary Club of Menlo Park Community Grants, and half are new recipients. The grants range from $2,000 to $5,000. Overall, the club is donating $41,000 to aid the community in weathering the pandemic. Recipients were honored at a ceremony on April 13, 2022, at the Allied Arts Guild.
Menlo Park Rotary Announces 2022 Community Grants 2022-04-08 07:00:00Z 0

Rotary Support for the Ukrainian People

In response to the deepening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, The Rotary Foundation has created an official global channel for donors around the world to contribute funds to provide relief to refugees or other victims of the Ukraine crisis including items such as water, food, shelter, medicine and clothing. Rotary has designated its highly regarded Disaster Response Fund as the main avenue for contributions.
Menlo Park Rotary Club members are contributing to Rotary International's Disaster Response Fund to support relief efforts for victims of the Ukraine crisis. Menlo Park Rotary Club is matching their individual members' donations, up to $3,000 total. Please consider donating to this important cause at the above link. The suggested individual donation is $75, in recognition of the Rotary Club of Menlo Park's 75th anniversary this year.
 
DONATE
Rotary Support for the Ukrainian People LILY HURLIMANN 2022-03-06 08:00:00Z 0
Community Grants - Deadline Feb 25, 2022 2022-02-14 08:00:00Z 0

Club Assembly 2022

The Club Assembly is an excellent opportunity to learn about Menlo Park Rotary Club. This official business meeting includes updates and report-outs from Club directors on projects, activities, and achievements. The most recent Club Assembly was held on February 2, 2022. You can review the presentation slides to gain a quick overview of what Menlo Park Rotary Club does and how it works.

View the presentation

Club Assembly 2022 2022-02-02 08:00:00Z 0

Special update - March 24, 2020

...And we are living in extraordinary times.  The COVID-19 pandemic and related “Shelter-in-Place” requirements have required us to "go virtual" for our weekly Club meetings and other events.  We are focused on our 75 members, local non-profit service organizations and the college students who are in school on our Rotary scholarships - making sure they are all supported during this most unusual time. Once we get the OK, we will resume our in-person meetings and other community events.

 
- President Pete Nelson
 
Special update - March 24, 2020 2020-03-21 07:00:00Z 0

Community Garden "Little Free Library" Celebration

 
Recently, Menlo Park Rotary Club turned over a "new leaf." We celebrated the installation of a new "little free library" in the Belle Haven Community Garden! The new library was built by a local Eagle Scout candidate. This young man did an outstanding job planning, constructing and installing this beautiful new garden feature. Here are some photos from the event:
Community Garden "Little Free Library" Celebration Sean Reinhart 2019-11-01 07:00:00Z 0

Belle Haven Community Garden

The Belle Haven Community Garden is a service project of Menlo Park Rotary Club. Created in 2015, the garden is community-operated on land owned by the City of Menlo Park at Ivy and Market Streets, a short walk from Belle Haven Elementary school. Local residents may sign up (at no cost) to cultivate garden beds for one year at a time.  Volunteers from the Rotary Club help gardeners with periodic maintenance and repairs, equipment, weed cleanups, and paying the water bill. Master Gardeners provide technical assistance during planting and harvest.
 
Belle Haven Community Garden Sean Reinhart 2019-06-30 07:00:00Z 0

Getting the job done

We are Menlo Park's premier service club -- a nonprofit, non-partisan group of community leaders who volunteer our time and resources to help make Menlo Park and the world a better place for all. From fundraising to community beautification to scholarships and more, Menlo Park Rotary Club members pride ourselves on getting the job done. Our motto is "Service Above Self." Learn more
Getting the job done 2019-06-17 07:00:00Z 0