Jan. 19, 2009 — Heeding President-elect Barack Obama's call for the country to celebrate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday with a national day of community service, members of the Rotary Club of St. Thomas Sunrise got to work bright and early Monday morning, cleaning up the basketball courts and playground at the Jane E. Tuitt Elementary School in Savan.
Armed with sun-block, hats, water and heavy-duty work gloves, the group's members were out in force around 8 a.m., powering through every nook and cranny of the recreational areas with an arsenal of garden tools, including rakes and shovels. Less than an hour later, they had stacked in the back of attorney Tom Bolt's pickup truck more than 10 large trash bags filled with everything from light pieces of paper to heavy-duty plastic bottles and tangles of weeds pulled from the courts' fence.
"We really wanted to honor the wishes of the president-elect, Barack Obama, and give back to our community in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.," said Tom Boatwright, Rotary Sunrise president. "We're taking this opportunity and sharing in a dream — a dream that our schools are clean, safe and productive environments for our students."
Rotary Sunrise adopted the elementary school about four or five years ago and, since then, has pitched in and helped with repairs and reading to the students, among other things.
"I have a group of third graders that I adore, and who I get to read to every Tuesday," Boatwright said. "This is a small school that needs a lot of attention — not only in the physical aspects of the grounds and maintenance, but also in the education of the students."
Funding is also a problem for the school, according to Tuitt principal Sidney George. The playground and basketball court areas are supposed to be maintained by Housing, Parks and Recreation, but visits from the department are sporadic, he said.
"The school isn't getting the proper attention," George said. "We need that kind of support, assistance and cooperation from the department, to help us pick up the trash and maintain the grounds on a regular basis."
Funds from the school's account are used for maintenance, which depletes Tuitt's budget, he said.
"Without funding, it is not possible to efficiently and effectively run a school," George said. "And with the recreational areas, we have a severe problem, where residents in the community have it in this condition."
The trash piles up on the courts on weekends or holidays when school is not in session, George explained.
But Rotary Sunrise is there to help, Boatwright and others said Monday. And in addition to heeding Obama's community-service call, the group will recognize the president-elect later this year as a Paul Harris Fellow — a recognition given to Rotary donors contributing $1,000 in their name or to specific Rotary programs, according to the Rotary International website.
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