Minden Rotary donates $10,000 to Austin's House

The Minden Rotary Club donated $10,000 to sponsor the kitchen in the Carson Valley Children's Center named Austin's House.

Austin's House will be a 5,382-square-foot residence named as a tribute to Austin Kirby. The center's site is on North Sunridge Drive behind the Douglas County Sheriff's Substation.

Austin's House will provide a safe home environment for up to 10 children from infants to age 17. It will supply the basic living necessities for these children including proper nutrition, hygiene, rest, nurturing, companionship, recreation and education. The facility is designed for short-term placements of Douglas County youth in need of safe housing.

"Currently Douglas County children that are abused and/or removed from their family have to leave the area for care," said Rotary member and Record-Courier Publisher Janet Geary. "This takes them away from their friends, schools and familiar surroundings, which can further traumatize them. Austin's House will give us a facility here in Douglas County to help these children through a very difficult time in their lives."

Minden Rotary President Woodie Ross said the donated money will sponsor the kitchen for the next five years.

"That's the full sponsorship," he said. "We just thought it was such a great project."

Terry Palmitier, on the children's center board of directors, said it will take $600,000 to construct the building. Close to $200,000 was raised at a recent fundraiser "Deal or No Deal" which took place at the Horizon Casino Resort in Stateline.

Groundbreaking for the center took place on June 1 and the center is scheduled for completion sometime next year.

In the past, the Rotary Club has taken on community projects like the gazebo at Minden Park and the flag monument at Heritage Park. The club also has a foreign exchange student program and delivers dictionaries to all the third-graders - about 500 - in Douglas County each year, plus they purchase wheelchairs to be sent to Mexico.

In their search for worthwhile projects, members decided that Austin's House was something they wanted to be part of.

"The Minden Rotary Club is very proud to be able to donate this money to such a worthy cause," said Geary.