Celebrating a century of civic service, the Tacoma Narrows Rotary Club – in partnership with Pierce Transit, Glacier Northwest and the City of Fircrest – recently completed construction and installation of three new bus shelters in Fircrest.
The new shelters, jointly purchased by Rotary Clubs and Pierce Transit, feature etched glass on the ends with the Rotary Centennial logo. Glacier Northwest donated concrete for the shelter pads.
These shelters will benefit thousands of riders during the years to come, according to Pierce County Rotary Coordinator Helen McGovern.
Pierce Transit and Tacoma Narrows Rotary installed the first bus shelters in Fircrest July 20 as part of a countywide Rotary Centennial project.
A ribbon cutting ceremony commemorating the new bus shelter at Contra Costa and Regents Boulevard occurred on July 27.
Within the next year, the countys 14 such clubs will install a total of about 30 bus shelters at high traffic rider locations that currently offer no shelter for riders from the weather.
The club, which has a strong presence in the Fircrest and University Place communities, emphasizes this project as an example of how volunteerism and community involvement helps others throughout the community, Small said. Each year, we strive to provide aid and invest in those that can benefit from our help.
The Tacoma Narrows Club, which received its charter from Rotary International in 1970, undertook this project to commemorate the milestone anniversary of Rotary International. Rotary International celebrates 100 years as a service organization in 2005.
Other community groups the club helps support include Paint Tacoma Beautiful; Courage Classic, which raises funds in support of Mary Bridge Childrens Center; Literacy Project at Curtis Jr. High School; Students of the Month; scholarship awards for Curtis High School and Tacoma Community College students; Helping Hands at holidays and participation in the international student exchange program.
The club also contributes to various international projects including Polio Plus Not One More Child, a rotary endeavor, which has resulted in eradicating polio from 99.8 percent of the worldwide population with a goal of 100 percent by 2005.
Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards, and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. Paul P. Harris formed the worlds first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago, on February 23, 1905.
The name Rotary is derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members offices.
Today there are approximately 1.3 million Rotary club members of more than 30,000 Rotary clubs in 164 countries.
The 44-member Tacoma Narrows Rotary Club, which serves the University Place and Fircrest communities, meets at the Fircrest Golf Course on Tuesday at 7 a.m.
