The Rotary Club of Fairfield has a long standing history of serving the Fairfield community and people throughout the world. We were formed in 1971, holding our Charter Meeting on December 26, 1971, with a membership of 25 individuals. Today, the Fairfield Rotary Club averages between 60 and 65 men and women dedicated to service to Fairfield citizens and the community.
Each year our Club holds an annual charity Auction we call, "Bids for Kids." This is our only fundraiser each year and it provides everything we need to conduct our service projects and donate to multiple worth charities.
Our largest service project is our Annual Christmas Project where we work closely with the Fairfield City School System to identify families and children in need who might benefit from our Program. Once participants are identified, Club members visit family homes and interview parents to make sure we understand their needs. Local merchants Meijer's and Jungle Jim's assist us with toy and food discounts. In addition, The Fairfield Food Pantry typically donates one food "care package" for each of our families. The City of Fairfield Parks and Recreation Department sets up a "Giving Tree" at our Community Center where Citizens are asked to donate specific toys that are used in our effort. Ultimately we are a able to assist over 35 local families and 100 children who might not have had much of a Christmas if it were not for this Project.
"Literacy" is one of the main thrusts of Rotary worldwide. With that in mind, we annually distribute over 800 dictionaries to all third graders in Fairfield City Schools and Sacred Heart School. These dictionaries are personally delivered by Club members to each and every 3rd grader in Fairfield and Fairfield Township.
Our annual scholarship program provides college scholarships for 12-15 graduating seniors each year. These awards are presented at our annual "Education Day" which we hold at Fairfield High School in the spring. In addition to these scholarships, we also present an "Educator of the Year" Award to a deserving local teacher, as well as an Art Award personally selected by our Club Members at the annual "Arts Fair" also held in the spring at Fairfield High School.
Our Club donates to many worthy charitable and non-profit organizations. Just to name a few: Caring Partners, Central Elementary Right to Read Week, Partners in Prime, Boy Scouts, Festival of Trees, Fairfield High School After Prom, The Therapeutic Recreation League, Challenger Baseball League, Joe Nuxhall Miracle League, and the YMCA.
In addition to our "Educator of the Year" Award noted above, we also feel strongly about recognizing other important public servants. Towards that end, we annually present both a "Firefighter of the Year" and "Police Officer of the Year" Award.
Finally, our Club sponsors and works directly with both an Interact and Rotaract Club. Interact is the High School version of Rotary and we're proud to note that we have one of the most active High School Interact Clubs in Southwest Ohio. Rotaract is "Rotary in College," and our local Rotaract Club is part of Miami University at Hamilton. Although this Club was only initiated a few years ago, they have already been very active as well.