Rotary Club of Charleston

10/29/2026

What if a simple act of generosity could help create lasting change right here in Charleston? 💙💛

Every day, organizations throughout the Lowcountry are working to educate, support, and strengthen our community.

Through the Rotary Club of Charleston Foundation (RCCF), we have the privilege of supporting organizations and initiatives making a meaningful difference.

From education and literacy to health and community services, our foundation helps turn generosity into action.

And today, we’re inviting you to be part of that story.

See the Good. Share the Good. Support the Good.

Your contribution to RCCF helps strengthen our foundation’s ability to support meaningful work throughout Charleston.

Want to be part of the good we do together?

Support the Rotary Club of Charleston Foundation:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=P776SPNF9XYFW

Because Service Above Self is more than a motto. It’s a commitment to making our community better.

Help support Rotary Club of Charleston Fund by donating or sharing with your friends.

10/27/2026

The Historic Rotary Club of Charleston proudly continued its longstanding support of The Dictionary Project, a literacy initiative with deep roots in the Lowcountry. Inspired by a simple act of generosity that began in 1992, the program was formally established in Charleston in 1995 by Mary French and her late husband, Arno French. Their vision was straightforward: placing a personal dictionary in the hands of every third-grade student, helping children build vocabulary, reading comprehension, and lifelong learning skills. What began as a local effort has since grown into a nationwide program that has provided over 31 million students nationwide with dictionaries since 1995.

This year, the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston distributed 219 dictionaries to third-grade students at Charleston Development Academy, Stono Elementary School, and James Simons Montessori School. The project was led by Barb Walters and Richard Kelly, with fellow Rotarians Joe Maas and Clara Heinsohn assisting with classroom visits and dictionary presentations.

The experience extends beyond simply handing out dictionaries. Club volunteers spend time teaching students how to use their new resource through interactive and engaging activities. Students explore the longest word in the English language, learn about the sign language section, examine maps of the United States, and discover how dictionaries can connect them to broader knowledge. One favorite exercise demonstrates how looking up “South Carolina” can lead students to find the state’s flower and other interesting facts through related entries.

The excitement and curiosity displayed by the students each year serves as a reminder that a dictionary is much more than a book of definitions. It is a gateway to learning, discovery, and confidence. The Historic Rotary Club of Charleston is honored to support a program that began in our own community and continues to make a meaningful impact on young learners today.

10/24/2026

Today is the BIG DAY!! World Polio Day!

Rotarians across the world are holding special events to raise awareness and fundraising to support our mission to eradicate polio from the planet.

This month we have been doing a great job of chipping away at our annual goal of raising $6,500 for the Polio Plus Fund.

We earmark $5,000 from our Annual RCCF budget for Polio. Which left us to raise another $1,500! After several weeks of Blue Buckets and member Rotarians sending in donations thru Zeffy and Venmo we are currently at $1,079 of the remaining $1,500.

So we have $421 to raise! I am sure that we will do it this weekend!

You can make a donation at our Zeffy Blue Bucket link. Rotary Blue Bucket Announcements! Donating here please put "Polio" in the field for the Announcement Message.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/rotary-blue-bucket-announcements

Thank you everyone for your contributions and efforts to get us to our goal!

The Blue Bucket is one of our favorite Historic Rotary of Charleston traditions. Members make a contribution in exchange for sharing an announcement,…

10/22/2026

When a child needs medical care, their family needs a place to call home. ❤️

For families traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles to receive medical treatment for their children, the Ronald McDonald House Charleston provides something invaluable: a place to stay, a supportive community, and the ability to remain close to their child.

At our October 20 meeting, The Historic Rotary Club of Charleston proudly presented a contribution to Ronald McDonald House Charleston in support of its Baby Blues program.

We were honored to welcome Caroline McShane Roach, Community Engagement Manager, who shared the incredible impact of their work.

Currently, the organization provides accommodations and support for 32 families at a time, completely free of charge. Yet last year, 509 families had to be turned away because there simply wasn’t enough room.

The good news? Ronald McDonald House Charleston is expanding, with plans to increase its capacity to 66 rooms across two houses.

We are grateful for the work this organization does every day and proud that our Rotary members can help support families during some of life’s most difficult moments.

Because no family should have to face a child’s medical crisis alone.

10/22/2026

Great things happen when people come together to serve! 💙💛

Our October 20 meeting of the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston was filled with fellowship, generosity, and reminders of why Tuesdays are for Rotary!

We celebrated several exciting moments:

🏡 Supporting Families in Need: Our club proudly contributed to Ronald McDonald House Charleston, helping provide a home away from home for families whose children are receiving medical care.

🤝 Welcoming New Rotarians: We welcomed Sonia Jones and Ed Long to our Rotary family! Both bring valuable experience, a commitment to service, and a passion for making Charleston better.

🌳 Investing in Charleston’s Green Spaces: We heard from the leadership of Charleston Parks Conservancy about the organization’s work to preserve, enhance, and activate the public parks that make our city special.

🌎 Continuing the Fight Against Polio: With World Polio Day approaching on October 24, our members rallied to support Rotary’s global mission to end polio.

For more than a century, the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston has brought together people who believe that service, friendship, and community can create lasting change.

We hope to see you at the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston, because Tuesdays are for Rotary!

10/20/2026

A disease that once paralyzed hundreds of thousands of children each year is now on the brink of eradication. And Charleston Rotarians have been part of that fight for decades.

In 1987, the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston joined Rotary Internationalal's ambitious PolioPlus campaign, committing to raise approximately $50,000 to help protect children around the world from Polio.

Our members exceeded that goal, raising $51,000 toward the global effort.

What began as a bold vision has become one of the largest public health initiatives in history. Through the dedication of Rotarians, healthcare professionals, volunteers, and global partners, wild polio cases have declined by more than 99% since 1988.

But the mission isn't finished.

This October 24, on World Polio Day, we celebrate the progress made and reaffirm our commitment to a world where no child has to suffer from polio again.

For more than a century, Charleston Rotary has believed that service should reach beyond our city, our state, and even our country.

Because Service Above Self knows no borders.

Together, we can .

10/19/2026

🎓 What if one scholarship could open doors for a student today and create opportunities for generations to come?

That's exactly what we're working to accomplish!

The Historic Rotary Club of Charleston is proud to partner with The Charleston Miracle League to help make higher education more accessible for Lowcountry students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Beginning in Fall 2027, this partnership will provide a $5,700 annual scholarship for four years, totaling $22,800, to a student accepted into the College of Charleston's CharlestonLIFE™ program.

The scholarship will prioritize students from Charleston County School District, followed by students from the Tri-county area and across South Carolina.

But we're not stopping with one scholarship.

Our club is also working toward a $50,000 endowed scholarship fund, creating the potential to support students for generations to come.

Our Club Presiden, Dr. Marion Platt shared:

"We're investing in students today while creating a legacy that will serve Charleston for generations."

A special thank you to fellow Rotarian and Charleston Miracle League founder Channing Proctor, whose vision helped bring this partnership to life, and to our partners at the College of Charleston and Charleston County School District.

For more than a century, the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston has brought people together to make a meaningful difference in our community.

Because Service Above Self isn't just something we say. It's something we do.

Learn more about CharlestonLIFE™: https://charleston.edu/charleston-life/

CharlestonLIFE™ is a fully inclusive, four-year non-degree certificate program for students with mild intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD).

10/15/2026

Some acts of service last a day. Others become part of the city.

On October 15, 1990, the Rotary Club of Charleston dedicated the Rotary Fountain at Wraggs Sqaare.

The project grew from an effort led by Charleston Rotarian Saul Krawcheck to help beautify one of Charleston’s historic public spaces and leave something lasting for the community.

Thirty-six years later, the fountain is still flowing.

For more than a century, Charleston Rotarians have invested their time, resources and leadership into the people and places that make our community special. The fountain is one small, visible reminder of that legacy.

Thousands of people have walked past it over the years, many probably never knowing the story behind it.

So the next time you find yourself near Wraggsborough Square, take a closer look.

A piece of Charleston Rotary history is still there.

Different generations. The same city. The same commitment to leaving Charleston better than we found it.

10/12/2026

Creating opportunities. Changing lives. Building a lasting legacy. 💙💛

This is what Service Above Self looks like!

The Historic Rotary Club of Charleston is proud to partner with the The Charleston Miracle League to help expand access to higher education for Lowcountry students with intellectual and developmental disabilities through the College of Charleston’s Charleston LIFE program.

This initiative is about more than scholarships. It’s about opening doors, creating opportunities, and helping students pursue their dreams.

For more than a century, our club has believed that investing in people is one of the most meaningful ways to strengthen our community.

We’re excited to see this partnership come to life and grateful to everyone who helped make it possible!

Thank you to WCBD News 2 for sharing this story!

The Rotary Club of Charleston and the Charleston Miracle League are partnering to increase access to higher education for Lowcountry students with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, the Charleston County School District announced on Monday.

>> https://www.counton2.com/top-stories/new-partnership-brings-5700-scholarships-to-charlestonlife-students/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WCBD_News_2

10/09/2026