Community Service Projects
American Heart Association
The AHA is the largest volunteer health organization working to prevent, treat, and defeat heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. These diseases, the Nation's No.1 and No.3 killers, claim more than 865,000 American lives a year.The Orange County Start! Heart Walk, which is held in September, is the largest local AHA event in Orange County which encourages fundraising within the community to raise money to fund research and education, advocate for health, and save lives. The Rotary Club of Irvine contributes monetarily to this cause and participates in the health walk each year.
Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease that causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive tract. It is one of the most common chronic lung diseases in children and young adults, and may result in early death.Great Strides is the CF Foundation’s largest fund-raising event. It provides opportunities for people within a community to form walking teams through work and local organizations, with friends and family. Walk day is a fun, family-oriented celebration that includes a healthy walk, Kids’ Corner activities, food, and festivities that participants look forward to year after year.
The Rotary Club of Irvine encourages club members and their families to attend the walk and participate. In addition, we make a donation to Cystic Fibrosis in conjunction with the Great Strides walk each year.
Irvine Health Day
For many years the Rotary Club of Irvine has conducted the Irvine Dental Smiles clinic for qualifying elementary school age children within the city of Irvine. This project, in conjunction with Dental Care for Children, has been very successful and hundreds of children received free dental care.In 2006, responding to an unfunded mandate of the State of California that all children entering public schools must have a dental screening exam, our Rotary club organized a free dental screening day. Each spring, dental professionals in Irvine volunteer their time to provide a free check for all children entering kindergarten and 1st grade in the Irvine school system.
Our club desires to expand the scope of this project to include a whole host of additional free services for qualifying children in Irvine. It is the vision of the club to provide free dental services, medical screenings, eye exams, inoculations, and other needed services.
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Every year, the Rotary Club of Irvine contributes to the “Shooting Stars” family team to raise money and support the “Walk For A Cure” for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. A portion of the funds raised come from the Club Charitable Funds, with many Club members making additional cash contributions. The Irvine Rotary Club also fields a team of walkers for the annual Orange County Walk for a Cure. Walking teams have included 30 to 60 walkers through the years. During this time period, the “Shooting Stars” have raised and donated over $100,000 to help fund research to find a cure.As a note, Dr. Mariane Plunket, PhD of the Hoag Hospital Radiation Department, is a long-standing member of the Shooting Stars team.
Breast Cancer
The statistics for Breast Cancer place it at the very top of diseases that ravage the entire population of every nation on earth.Each year, the Rotary Club of Irvine designates a portion of its charitable funds to contribute to the Susan G. Komen Walk for a Cure. We help sponsor a walker who has chosen to meet the challenge of the 3-Day Walk. In addition to funding, we provide the walker with a list of Rotary member’s loved ones who have been affected by Breast Cancer to honor their survival or their memory depending on the circumstance.
Armed Forces
In June, 2003, Rick Topping, Past President of the Rotary Club of Irvine contacted the commander’s office at Camp Pendleton to find out how our club could provide support to our troops in the field. The Marine response was “letters from home, CDs and DVDs” as the most welcome, most non-perishable and most non-melting form of relaxation for the men and women on deployment.Accordingly, our Club started a grassroots project in June 2004 entitled, “Politics Aside” to collect letters, discs and cash. On July 22, 2004, we delivered 157 DVDs, 265 music CDs and 44 letters of support and appreciation for distribution to troops in the field to Brig. Gen. James Wilson, acting commander Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton.Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund
Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund
The Rotary Club of Irvine contributes to The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides relief for financial needs that arise during hospitalization and recovery as well as assistance for those with perpetuating needs. The program provides support in a variety of ways including: Service Member and Family Support, Specialized & Adaptive Equipment, Adaptive Housing, Adaptive Transportation, Education and Career Transition Assistance, Therapeutic Arts and Team Semper Fi.Wounded Warrior Center
Our club supports the Wounded Warrior Center at Camp Pendleton. Wounded Marines and Sailors are housed at the center while they recover from their injuries and receive medical and physical therapy. Many of these men suffer from traumatic brain injuries, loss of limbs and gunshot wounds. Many want to stay in the Marine Corps and others are recovering to leave the military.Our club has supported this group with cash donations. Last year we started a tradition of inviting the wounded warriors and their wives or others to Rotary Day at the Angels game.
ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (abbreviated ALS, also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease) is a form of motor neuron disease caused by the degeneration of neurons located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord and the cortical neurons that provide their afferent input. The condition is often called Lou Gehrig's disease in North America, after the famous New York Yankees baseball player who was diagnosed with the disease in 1939. ALS is a progressive fatal, neurodegenerative disease with most affected patients dying of respiratory compromise and pneumonia after 2 to 3 years, although occasional individuals have a more indolent course and survive for many years.As most people know ALS is a life ending disease. We provide a cash donation to the ALS Foundation each year.
South County Outreach
The mission of South County Outreach is to prevent hunger and homelessness among Orange County residents. We have partnered with SCO for the last several years. SCO provides services to those who are on the verge of being homeless or have recently become homeless due to loss of a job, illness, divorce, etc. Our support includes hands on projects and monetary donations annually.Irvine Adult Day Health Center
The mission of the IADHC s to partner with families and the community to promote the health, dignity and well being for seniors, disabled adults and caregiver. The Center provides activities therapy, physical therapy social time and projects for participants. We have provided hands on projects, assisted with fund raising and given monetary donations to IADHC.Irvine Police Department
This is a new relationship for our Rotary Club for this year. Working with Chief David Maggard, we designed an award program entitled the Irvine Public Safety Partnership Awards. On a quarterly basis the Irvine Police Department identifies a citizen in the community who has contributed to reducing crime or improving the safety of the City. We jointly recognize one or more individuals at a quarterly breakfast event. Currently, this recognition comes in the form of a plaque and the breakfast. We would like to extend it to include a monetary award also.The Irvine Chamber of Commerce
This is a new relationship for the Rotary Club of Irvine starting in 2011. Our intent is to partner with ICC to build mutually beneficial relationships across the City of Irvine. We are striving to engage more of Irvine businesses to become members of the Irvine Rotary Club and will support the Chamber in its efforts to build a larger membership base. We are exploring opportunities to leverage existing programs of both organizations to allow each organization more visibility.
Formerly the Irvine Spectrum Rotary Club