Carson City Rotary holds ‘Business Is Picking Up’ cleanup day

Members of the Rotary Club of Carson City are cleaning up litter and trash in the vacant lot at the intersection of Interstate 580 South and Highway 50 East in Carson City on Saturday as part of a day of work for Rotarians throughout the world.

Two weeks earlier on April 28, the day called Rotarians at Work Day, was set aside in 26 districts on three continents, including Rotary District 5190, for all Rotary Clubs to be working in service of their home communities. It’s estimated more than 70,000 Rotarians were working on the same day.

Gary Jesch, project leader, said, “The ‘Business Is Picking Up’ event is important to Carson City and the Carson Rotary Club is pleased to be a part of making it happen. That’s what Rotary is all about. ‘Service Above Self’ is a motto that Rotarians have lived by for more than a century and those words still describe the things we live by. The project involves removing bags and bags of unsightly litter and trash from the vacant lot next to the highway, and when finished, it will provide a much nicer litter-free entrance and view of the city’s gateway from our major freeway.”

The Carson City Parks and Recreation Department is supporting the Rotarians by supplying the community cleanup trailer.

Park Ranger John Costello will be on hand with a big supply of trash bags and grabbers for the 30 or more Rotarians volunteering on Saturday.

“Other Rotary Clubs throughout District 5190 have done the same kinds of things for their communities,” Jesch said. “There are Rotarians from Mammoth to Minden and from Susanville down to Sparks, working for the betterment of the communities they serve.”

Rotary District 5190 encompasses the California Mother Lode, Northeastern California and the vast area of Northern Nevada. The district size is roughly 80,000 square miles and includes a wide diversity of terrain and climates.

Rotary membership is available to all adults who are motivated to conduct their lives within high ethical standards and to serve their fellow human beings.

“I hope we can work on projects every year with the Carson Parks and Recreation Department. They appreciate our stepping up and helping. It makes me proud to be a Rotarian,” Jesch said.

The Rotary Club of Carson City meets weekly at the Brewery Arts Center. Founded on Feb. 26, 1938, the Rotary Club of Carson City’s motto is “Where Community Is Family.” Members have helped contribute more than $1 million to support local and regional needs, including student scholarships, teacher excellence awards, and assistance to Friends in Service Helping, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Western Nevada, Food For Thought, Carson City Health and Human Services, Carson Tahoe Cancer Center, Carson Parks and Recreation programs, and many more deserving organizations.

Rotary’s annual fundraiser, the Carson City Brewfest, is planned for June 9 in downtown Carson City. Money raised will support the Rotary Scholarsteps College scholarship program and Rotary-vetted community needs.

Tickets are available from members or online at http://capitalcitybrewfest.com/.