Service Stories

Service Stories

We have gathered stories highlighting recent services activities here:

Two Months of Non-stop Service

We can celebrate two months of almost non-stop service projects in May and June!  We’ve already mentioned the painting of the gazebo on May 6 in an earlier Lamplighter.  But look at everything else that has happened:


 
365Health Fair (May 13)
Several Rotarians helped with setup and other tasks at the 356Health Fair, while some even gave their blood!  The Fair served over 170 clients -- terrific for a first outing.


 
Praying Hands Ranch Work Days (May 20, June 17)
We have worked at Praying Hands Ranch twice in this new gardening season, cleaning up the sensory garden and planting 67 perennials.  This is the crew from June 17.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Parker Task Force Food Drive (June 3)
We had a large crew at the King Soopers in Cottonwood, with Rotarians stationed at both entrances.  We collected 86 boxes of food, as well as 92 dozen eggs, 86 gallons of milk and 100 packages of hot dogs.  We also collected just shy of $1500 in cash and gift cards.  Thank you, Parker and Parker Rotarians!
 

 


Parker Days Beer Tent (June 10)
Two shifts of Rotarians worked at one of the beer tents at Parker Days.  The weather was intermittently terrible, but nothing stops a Rotarian’s smile!  Click here for more photos...
 

 


Shelter Box at Parker Days (June 9-11)
Along with the Cheery Creek Valley Rotary Club, we helped staff a tent with information on Shelter Box.

Wow!  Just Look at the Gazebo!
Posted on May 08, 2023
Before...
Gazebo O'Brien Park Parker Colorado needs repair
 
After...
Gazebo O'Brien Park Park Colorado after painting by Rotary Club of Parker
 
The gazebo in O'Brien Park, which was donated to the town by the Rotary Club of Parker, was getting a little tired looking.  Many thanks to a crew of Rotarians who refurbished the gazebo on May 6.  Check out this photo album that shows this labor of love.
 
Harvie Clean-up
Posted on Feb 28, 2023

As predicted, the frigid temperatures had lifted by Saturday, February 25 so that conditions were perfect for a morning cleaning up garbage from Parker's newest park, Harvie Open Space.  We will have other opportunities to help out at Harvie through the year -- cleaning up garbage and weed mitigation.

Gardening at the Gazebo
Posted on Sep 06, 2022

Our club donated the beloved gazebo in O'Brien Park to the Town of Parker in 2004 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of Rotary International.  While the Town has the primary responsibility for maintaining the gazebo now, we still help out with occasional projects.  On Saturday, September 3 a small crew (including the photographer) helped clean debris out of the gardens surrounding the gazebo.  Thank you for keeping the gazebo a beautiful place to gather!

August 13 -- Double Header!
Posted on Aug 14, 2022

August 13 was a busy day for the Rotary Club of Parker.  We had crews at the Stroh Ranch King Soopers from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. soliciting food donations for the Parker Task Force.  Here's one of the four crews:

 

Then we had a crew at Praying Hands Ranch from 8:00-10:00, weeding in the sensory garden.  Click here for a slide show with additional pictures of the gardening. 

Some Rotarians did double duty, volunteering at BOTH events!  Thank you to all who came out to make these events a success.

There's Beauty in Them Thar Hills!
Posted on Jun 20, 2022
    

Two crews of Rotarians were out working in the beautiful hills east of Parker this month:

  • a crew cleaning up the sensory gardens at Praying Hands Ranch on June 4

  • a crew cleaning up the landscape at the Harvie Open Space on June 18.

We forgot to take photos at Praying Hands Ranch, but the photos above show some of the treasures currently on display at Harvie Park!

Evening at Project C.U.R.E.
Posted on May 28, 2022

Thank you to volunteers from the Rotary Club of Parker and Rocky Vista University for an evening of sorting medical supplies at Project C.U.R.E.

For links to other service stories, click here.  

Community Service -- Parker Task Force

From the left: Club president Jim Muir looking on as incoming Community Services Director Tim Hayes and current Community Services Director Bill Shriver (far right) present a check to Steve Budnack, Volunteer Chair of the Parker Task Force.

One of the main local partners for community service for the Rotary Club of Parker is the Parker Task Force.  We support the Task Force through financial grants, helping with food drives and participating in special projects.  

For links to other service stories, click here.  

Thank You -- Electronics Recycling
Posted on May 10, 2022

Thank you to all who volunteered for the electronics recycling event held Saturday, May 7 at R3 Electronics in Parker, held in conjunction with the Cherry Creek Valley Rotary Club of Parker.  Click here for a slide show of the event.

For links to other service stories, click here.  

Off to Nigeria!
Posted on Mar 01, 2022

Well, WE aren't off to Nigeria, but a team of Rotarians and medical students from Rocky Vista University volunteered at Project C.U.R.E. to help sort/pack items destined for a shipment to Nigeria.

A team of Rotarians typically volunteers at Project C.U.R.E. the fourth Monday evening of the month.

For links to other service stories, click here.  

Back to Work for Project C.U.R.E.
Posted on Jan 25, 2022

A group of Rotarians was able to go back to volunteering at the Project C.U.R.E. warehouse in Centennial in late January, sorting donated medical supplies.  The photo below shows some of the sorting tables.  No medical experience is required -- just the patience to recognize when items from a big mixed box of supplies are identical.  Come join us on the fourth Monday of the month!

For links to other service stories, click here. 

Thank You from the Parker Task Force
Posted on Jan 11, 2022

Thank you to everyone who volunteered at the food drive for the Parker Task Force at the Stroh Ranch King Soopers on Saturday, January 8.  Here is what we collected:

  • 96 boxes of food/household necessities
  • $869 in cash and $920 in gift cards
  • 22+ packages of butter and 7+ packages of cheese.

We are grateful for the generous contributions of the Parker community!

For links to other service stories, click here. 

Harvie Park Cleanup
Posted on Nov 16, 2021

Saturday, November 13 turned out to be a beautiful day for outdoor work cleaning up Parker's newest open space at Harvie Park.  A group of Rotarians and family members cleaned up garbage from the park lands, and found treasures as well -- such as a desiccated snake!  Click here to view a slideshow of the event.

 

Perennial Planting at Praying Hands Ranch
Posted on Nov 16, 2021
 
 

We had a second outdoor project on Saturday, November 13 -- planting perennial flowers donated by Tagawa Gardens in the sensory gardens at Praying Hands Ranch.  This project was a terrific example of the adage "Many hands make light work" as we got 50 plants into the ground and mulched in 90 minutes.  Below are photos of part of the raking crew and two of the newly planted beds under their protective covering of pine needles.

 
 
Keeping Up the Emphasis on Mental Health
Posted on Oct 21, 2021
 
We've had more crews of Rotarians attend local high school football games to hand out messages of hope and information on how to contact Safe2Tell, the Colorado resource for youth mental health.  Above is a crew at the Chaparral football game on October 21; below is a crew of Rotarians and Interact students from Chaparral High School at another Chaparral game on October 15.
 
Rotary Helps Promote Youth Mental Health Awareness in Douglas County
Posted on Oct 12, 2021
Concerned by the mental health challenges facing our youth and wanting to help do something about it, the Rotary Club of Parker is collaborating with Douglas County Schools, Safe2Tell Colorado plus five other area Rotary clubs to provide colorful wristbands promoting the services of Safe2Tell to Douglas County high school students.  Safe2Tell provides “an anonymous way for students, parents, school staff, and community members to report concerns regarding their safety or the safety of others” (https://safe2tell.org/). The wristbands contain a hopeful message and contact information for Safe2Tell. 

Here are Rotarians Ron Sorlien and Tricia Fahey handing out the wristbands at a local high school football game: