Community Service is one of Rotary’s 5 Avenues of Service – encouraging Rotarians to offer service to their communities, and is the opportunity Rotary clubs have to implement club projects and activities that improve the quality of life and serve the public interest – in the local community. Every Rotary club and every Rotarian assumes a responsibility to find ways to improve the quality of life for those in their communities and to serve the public interest.  When Rotary is viewed as a positive force in the community, its membership strengthens and grows, adding to the organization’s ability to serve worldwide.

While this might seem a ‘normal’ function of any Service Organization, in Rotary “Service Above Self” is our principal motto.  This means that every Rotarian is responsible for finding ways to improve the quality of life in their community, and in those around the world – through personal service.  As any Rotarian why they joined Rotary and they’ll include “Service”, or “I want to be of Service” – in their answer.

Community Service:

• Encourages and fosters the ideal of service to the personal, business and community life of every Rotarian.
• Provides opportunities for every Rotarian to exemplify “Service Above Self”.
• Provides a chance to respond to the needs of a local community.

Before, During and After every Community Service Project, the Rotary Club of St Simons Island uses the guidelines below to ensure a well-organized and executed endeavor: 

Effective Community Service projects:

• Are relevant to the community
• Serve as a learning experience for Rotarians
• Help identify a Rotary club’s role in its community
• Respond to real issues
• Offer more than a “quick fix”
• Improve community members’ lives
• Incorporate the abilities of those who are served
• Recognize the contributions of all participants
• Are supported by members of the Club

Our club participates quarterly as volunteers in this community food give-away.  This event lasts for several hours while people drive through and we load food in their trunks.  We usually serve about 800 families in this much needed project.