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Shorebird Park is well used by the public and especially by local youth groups for picnics, barbeques, visits to the nearby Nature Center and the Bay. Because of the heavy usage and decreased City maintenance budget, the Park has fallen into disrepair.
With new equipment, replacement of asphalt surfaces and new landscaping, Shorebird Park can be a small gem in our City¹s park system, to be enjoyed for generations. Berkeley Rotary, working closely with the City and our community partners, will provide the money and the hands-on labor to get the job done. Cost: $80,000 contributed by Berkeley Rotarians, fundraisers and local businesses Completion date: November, 2004
The Shorebird Park renovation was dedicated in February, 2005.
New benches, grills and trash disposal units were installed.
New concrete mats were poured to prevent the ground squirrels from undermining the areas around the tables
The Mayor, Tom Bates, was present for the dedication ceremony
. Current Club President, Ed Church
, and Past President, Larry Goldenberg
, were present.
Chacala, Nayarit is a small fishing village on the Pacific Coast of Mexico about 60 miles north of Puerto Vallarta. Isolated by difficult land access until 1999, the villagers depended on fishing as their primary source of income. Children of the community mostly became fishermen and homemakers in their early to mid teens with formal education ceasing at the 8th grade. In 1996, Dale Reinhardt, a Rotarian from North Carolina, with matching funds from Rotary International, built a small library on the grammar school grounds. By 2000, a visiting Berkeley Rotarian saw that the library had already outgrown itself and was bursting with activity led by a group of North American and local women. There was after school tutoring, the beginnings of computer training program and a scholarship program called Cambiando Vidas (Changing Lives), which prepares students and sponsors Chacala youth going off to high school and eventually to college. After consultation with community leaders, the Berkeley Rotary club decided to offer to build a second story on the original building. This structure was begun and partially completed in 2003, and fully completed in 2004. A local contractor was used for basic construction of walls and roof. Stucco application, water-proofing, wiring, painting, and plumbing were left to volunteer Rotarians and friends from Berkeley working side by side with local villagers. Berkeley Rotarians raised funds supporting this effort. When the tiling, windows, doors and wall mural were added a large beautifully functional room became a classroom, computer station, and meeting hall all in one. We have also built a community kitchen so that school children can have a hot lunch and support several Cambiando Vidas students. We also supply the library and learning center with 50 quality books in Spanish each year. Since 2001, Berkeley Rotarians have donated over $35,000, plus lots of hands-on labor to the project. We will continue to contribute labor and funds to Chacala in 2005.
Begun in 1955 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Rotary International, this grove of 50 redwood trees in Tilden Park, accessed by Inspiration Point, has now grown so that the trees are over 20 feet tall. Each year, the Club dedicates a concrete monument with a bronze plaque in it to the world leader who has done the most to promote world peace.
The old school play structure was out of compliance with new State Regulations:
Berkeley Rotarians got involved and a new sturcture was made.
Computer Center at Frances Albrier Park:
This City park has a community center which was dilapidated and under-used.
With a matching grant of $2,500 from District 5160, Berkeley Rotarians have funded the project, designed a new room, found furniture and secured $50,000 in computers from Gateway.
We continue to distribute personal dictionaries to each 3rd grader in the Berkeley Public Schools. For many children, even in this affluent community, it is the first book that is theirs to keep. Cost: $8,000 annually
The Columbus School was "adopted" by Berkeley Rotary. A reading Mentoring plan was initiated. All speakers had a book donated in their name to the Columbus School Library. Through the Berkeley Rotary Endowment, a donation of $10,000 was made to provide additional funds for the Columbus School.
Projects for 96-97 included two "Christmas in April" projects and repairs at Casadero Music Camp. The first Christmas in April project was working with Charles Schwab & Co. to renovate the West Berkeley Medical Clinic. The second project involved renovations on a house in West Berkeley. The Casadero Music Camp needed decks installed. Another 'hands on' project successfully completed.
The project for 1995-96 year, which was the 80th Anniversary Project, was to raise monies for the Alta Bates Building Fund.
Our main project for 1994-95 was to raise money, with the help of Rotary International, for a heart-lung by-pass machine for the Adult Cardiac Hospital #1 in St. Petersburg, Russia. This was a project in conjunction with an international organization known as Heart-to-Heart.
In a matching grant program with Rotary International, funds were collected to purchase an X-ray machine and processor and an operating microscope for the Hospital de Familia in Guatemala.
In 1991, the Berkeley Downtown Y.M.C.A. began its capital improvement program for renovation of the building. The Berkeley Rotary Club donated $400,000 for this worthy cause.
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