Past District Governors Firoz Peera, Luther Moore and Ineke Wilson loading the Classroom Central bus.

Almost 500 senior leaders from 26 countries participated in the 2016 Rotary Institute held in Charlotte from October 13 to 16, 2016. They represented Rotarians from nine mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states ranging from Delaware through Florida, as well as the Caribbean, Puerto Rico, French Guiana, Guyana, and Suriname. The keynote speech was delivered by Rotary International President-Elect Ian Riseley from Melbourne, Australia who also planted a red maple tree at the Mint Museum.

The visiting Rotarians chose to support Classroom Central as a service to the local community and raised $12,408 to enable Classroom Central to provide students living poverty with essential school supplies to succeed in the classroom. As a result of a match from the Levine Foundation and Classroom Central’s buying power, the gift from Rotary will purchase almost $160,000 of school supplies.

Rotary is one of the world’s oldest and most influential service organizations. Through its global reach, members are making a real difference around the world in leading community efforts to promote peace, fight disease, provide clean water, save mothers & children, support education, and grow local economies. Rotary’s largest global initiative since 1985 has been to lead the way in the effort to eradicate polio from the face of the earth.

Past District Governor Bill Belk, Zone Director Joe Mulkerrin, Zone Treasurer Cookie Billings, Classroom Central Director Karen Calder and Past District Governor Ineke Wilson.