Beginning in Rotary year 2005-06, the Community Service Committee developed a goal to partnership with the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library to assist the Library in attaining BLUE RIBBON status in the State of Alabama.  With a remarkable new facility, and numerous improvements, the Library is well on the way to blue ribbon status.

 Working with Director, Nancy Sanford, the Community Service Committee developed five sub-goals:

1.  Every Florence Rotarian will have a library card, thus increasing the number of patrons.

2.  Every Rotarian will become a Friend of the Library, thus increasing funding.

3.  All Florence Rotarians will be encouraged to contribute to Library Foundation.

4.  The club will have a social event that will subscribe a minimum of $1,700 to purchase an on-line version of Peterson's Career Guide to enhance the Library's career database.

5.  Florence Rotarians will develop and pilot a career information program entitled ROTARY ON CALL to provide interested students with an interactive seminar led by a Rotarian working in the career field of interest.

                                                       WHAT HAPPENED

     We had a Rotary Program and had a signup that eventuated in additional library cards that got us very near to 100% card holders.  In addition, a number of Rotarians who were not already Friends of the Library joined, moving us in an estimated 90 percetile category.  A social event at the Library netted $1,900 and resulted in the purchase of an on-line career guide very similar to Peterson's.

    We have yet to secure the speaker we desire to present the challenge of the Library Foundation, but one of our Community Service Committee members is working with Library Director Sanford to secure that individual, and will be successful in doing so.

    ROTARY ON CALL did not materialized in Rotary year 2005-06, but we are proceeding in our new Rotary year to bring that to fruition.  We are working with Rotarian Dr. Kendy Behrends, Superintendent of the Florence City School System to help us develop a system, working through school guidance counselors, to identify 8th and 9th graders who would like to meet with a Rotarian to learn about his or her career field.  We envision a minimum of five (5) pilot seminars in 2006-07.  We will have a partnership between the School System, the Library, and Florence Rotarians, to provide face-to-face information on selected career fields.  We are confident this community service will prove to be an innovative addition for the Library, a service to the school system, and a utilization of our club's remarkable career resources.

    The Community Service Committee is grateful to 2005-06 President Jim Loew and 2006-07 President Bill Strong for their encouragement and support in our venture!  We appreciate the support and participation of our club members in our joint efforts toward meaningful, helpful community service!

                                            2006-07 COMMITTEE MEMBERS

    Jean Bock, Dana Coleman, Bud Ellison, Bill Flanagan, Sarah Gaede, Brad Holmes, Bunky Jones, Dot King, Charles Moore, David Musselman, Jon Nevins, George Petty, and John Rusevlyan.

Any other Florence Rotarians not presently serving on a committee, who are interested in joining with us on this committee, are cordially invited to contact the Committee Chair.

                               - Jim Thompson, Community Service Committee Chair