Welcome

print this page

Announcements Welcome to the Menlo Park Rotary Club Web site.   We hope you would also visit our club and learn more about Rotary and its members.  We meet every Wednesday at 12:15pm at Allied Arts Guild - 75 Arbor Road, Menlo Park for lunch.

Welcome to

The Rotary Club of Menlo Park

And

The Rotary Club of Menlo Park Foundation

2012 Tour de Menlo is Open for Registration

Event date: Saturday, August 18

Tour riders line up for lunch at Picchetti Winery off Montebello Road in Cupertino.

Now is the time to consider signing up for the Rotary Club of Menlo Park's Tour de Menlo, a cycling event that attracts 500 or more participants to the city every year. All proceeds from the ride support the Rotary's nonprofit work, including need-based scholarships for high school seniors, tutoring English-language-learners at a local elementary school or helping to fund 10 nonprofits who serve the less fortunate in our community.

Last year's jersey got rave reviews. Look for a new design this year.

The success of the tour can be attributed to its well-designed routes that cater to all levels of ability, ranging from a challenging 65-miles with some hills, to 45 miles and a virtually flat 25 miles. Riders also love the cozy atmosphere of the lunch stop at the scenic Picchetti Winery in Cupertino. After lunch, riders enjoy a leisurely ride back to the start at Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton, which is just about an hour away.

All proceeds from the ride are used to support the work of Rotary, including the scholarships, tutoring at Garfield Elementary School in Redwood City and Holiday Fund recipients like Shelter Network, Second Harvest Food Bank and the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Peninsula, to name just a few.

Check out the three challenging routes and look over this year's new jersey design at tourdemenlo.com. Or volunteer to help out. Call Tom at 650 223-6507.

Rotary Club of Menlo Park Makes $5000 Grant to

Non-Profit Group

John Ragosta, Advocate Supervisor for CASA of San Mateo County, receives a grant check for $5000 from Menlo Park Rotary Past President Eric Hartwig.

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of San Mateo County

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of San Mateo County partners caring adults with children who have come under the court's protection because their parents can't or won't take care of them.  The group recruits and trains the adult community volunteers to monitor and speak up for children in foster care or delinquency systems.

 The $5,000 grant to CASA will be used in its Academic Success Project.  This program seeks to improve higher education and vocational outcomes for foster children through individual student and systems-wide advocacy.  Roughly 33 percent of foster children experience five or more mid-year school changes, which cost a child an estimated four to six months of academic progress.

CASA programs cover many of the same communities served by the Rotary Club of Menlo Park -- Menlo Park, East Palo Alto, Atherton and Redwood City. In 2008 alone, 47 children were removed to foster homes in these communities.

Awards Process

The Rotary Club of Menlo Park advertised the availability of $10,000 in grants through newspapers, Rotary contacts, and on its website.  Over 25 organizations submitted applications.  These proposals were evaluated using three criteria: 

*the identification of a compelling need of an underserved population in our local communities

*the plan to carry out an provide a final report on a project to alleviate one of these needs

*the ability to raise awareness of the ongoing service of Menlo Park Rotary in our community

What We Do

The Rotary Club of Menlo Park provides an opportunity for people to work together to enhance the lives of children, the elderly, and other underserved members of our local communities. Our members are men and women living and working in Menlo Park, Atherton, and surrounding communities. Additionally, we work with Rotary International to help people around the world who are struggling for survival.  However, it is not all work, we have a fun time socializing as well. Many of us also support each other's careers, adding to our networking ability.

Watch a short video about our club

               Click here

Four Avenues of Rotary Service Opportunities:

Community Service

College Scholarships

Annual high school Academic Awards Ceremony

Tutoring

Student leadership program

Grants to local non-profit groups

Local work projects, such as Special Olympics and Rebuilding Together

International Service

$300,000 matching grant for health, water, air quality, and microlending in Guatemala

Matching grants for pipe system for potable water in Guatemala

Support of Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars

Support of the International Groups Study Exchange Program

Vocational Service

Club Service

Annual Club BBQ

Holiday Luncheon

Tutor Appreciation Luncheon

Weekly speaker program

TGIF’s

Wine appreciation group

The Rotary Club of Menlo Park Foundation

The Rotary Club of Menlo Park Foundation gives as much as $114,000 each year in scholarships to local high school students. We also provide grants to local non-profit groups.

100% of Donations to The Rotary Club of Menlo Park Foundation are tax deductible, since none of these funds are used for administrative expenses!

Join Us for a Club Meeting

Even though Rotary Membership is by invitation only, you are welcome to visit a club meeting and meet our members.  The Rotary Club of Menlo Park meets every Wednesday at 12:15pm at Allied Arts Guild, 75 Arbor Road, Menlo Park.  RSVP to rsvp@menloparkrotary.org if you would like to attend a meeting.

Please visit us on Facebook.

The Rotary Club of Menlo Park has a Facebook page with more club news.