Cortland Rotary Make A Difference Day Events

Saturday, October 23, is Make A Difference Day, the largest national day for helping and doing good for others, with thousands of volunteer activities being planned in communities throughout the country. Make A Difference Day occurs on the third Saturday in October and has become the most encompassing national day of helping others -- a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors.

As part of the national effort, the Rotary Club of Cortland will hold its 21th Annual Poorest of the Poor Clothing Drive to help collect clothing for poverty stricken individuals and families in the Appalachian mountain regions of Kentucky and West Virgina, as well as those in need of clothing in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. This annual effort is part of the Poorest of the Poor Clothing Project of the Rotary Club of Girard-Liberty, which sends clothing to all parts of the world to aid people in need.

In addition to this and to help address the growing problems of hunger within our own community, Cortland Rotary will also hold its 4th Annual Feed the Hungry Food and Donation Drive for Cortland Area Cares, as part of the Make A Difference Day efforts locally and around the country. All of the food and money collected will go directly to Cortland Area Cares to support needy individuals within our own community.

Members of Cortland Rotary will be on hand from 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM at the Lakeview High School Bus Garage to collect clothing, food and donations from anyone wishing to join in and support these combined Make A Difference Day efforts.

Only clean new, old or used clothing (pants, shirts, dresses, coats, jackets, sweaters, etc.) will be accepted and appreciated for men, women and children. All clothing must be contained within plastic bags, paper bags or boxes. No shoes or purses will be accepted, as this is a clothing drive only.

Anyone, 21 years of older, contributing clothes will be given the opportunity to sign up for a raffle with each bag or box of clothing for a chance to "Free Raffle Ticket for Each Bag or Box of Clothing they donate!"

Each ticket holder will be given the chance to "Win a Free $100 or $50 Gas Card." The 1st Prize drawing will be for the $100 Gas Card and the 2nd Prize drawing will be for the $50 Gas Card. For the Feed the Hungry Food and Donation Drive, all types of fresh canned or boxed dry food, as well as monetary donations, will be accepted and greatly appreciated. All donations by checks should be made out to Cortland Area Cares and are tax deductible. The canned foods most needed are soups, fruits, baked beans, meat, tuna and cake icing for the upcoming holidays. Boxed dry foods are also needed, such as soups, macaroni and cheese, stove top stuffing, hamburger helper, etc.

Visit our web site homepage for more details on all these events.

Note: The Gas Card Raffle is only available to those contributing clothing to the Poorest of the Poor Clothing Drive.