Pandemic and a hurricane slows us down, but not out.
Our last race was held last year in 2023, we could not hold a race in 2020, 2021 due to the Covid 19 pandemic and our race scheduled for Fall 2022 was cancelled due to hurricane Nicole. In 2018 the Montgomery/Rocky Hill Rotary Club finished the multi-year purchase of a $120,000 mobile soup kitchen for the Samaritan Homeless Interim Program (SHIP). The SHIP mobile soup kitchen, based out Somerville NJ, serves meals during emergencies and daily to those less priviledged and needing a meal in the central jersey area. In fact, the newly acquired mobile kitchen replaced an outdated unit which was deployed for weeks and weeks at the world trade center collapse in 2001 feeding the police, fire, EMS and construction workers.
In 2019, Montgomery Rocky Hill Rotary assisted Bentley Community Services, another innovative local charity, and purchased a Sprinter van, allowing this charity to collect and distribute food to those many families in the area, who fall on hard times with life challenges and need support to manage the hurdle of life before getting back on their feet.
Bentley picks up donations from generous grocers, individuals, farms, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, dairies, bakeries and restaurants. They divert truly high quality foods that would otherwise end up in the landfill and re-direct these goods into the households that certainly could use them. They serve as a re-distributor of donated product, redistributing donated surplus food and basic needs through a program in which each clientele family provides a few hours on a rotation basis offering helping hands in volunteer service in support of BCS operations helping keep costs down. The innovative BCS program uses a “self-help” model in which the beneficiaries are also partners in running the organization. By providing this avenue of exchange, community, connection and accountability, Bentley fosters responsibility, caring and community.
All moneys raised via the Sapphire and Diamond sponsorship levels will go directly toward our next cause, as will the 50% of the raffle that isn’t returned to the winning ticket holders. Other local Rotary clubs are also participating, as the relationships amongst the clubs in the district continues to strengthen.
Help us Make A Difference by becoming a sponsor or a vendor, by purchasing 50/50 raffle tickets, or simply by registering for the run.