Susan Chambers and Bill Maniscalco from the Camas-Washougal Rotary Club stopped by the Washougal School District Office to drop off twenty-six gift bags for secretarial staff, health room assistants, and school nurses. The Camas-Washougal Rotary is sharing some love with frontline school staff and recognizing the incredible work they’ve been doing to keep schools open by supporting students and their families.
The Camas-Washougal Rotary Club delivered twenty-six bags filled with items provided from local businesses like The Soap Chest and Studio 13 to schools this past Monday February 14, 2022. School staff were excited to have a great start to Monday with these meaningful gifts. The enclosed card connected the gifts with one of the primary pillars of service for Rotary, which is global healthcare and the eradication of infectious diseases like polio. With these gifts, the local Camas-Washougal Rotary chapter supports the role of school staff in promoting community health and wellbeing.
Rotarians expressed thanks with the note that came with the gifts, saying “From the depths of our hearts, we thank you for your service and hope this expression of gratitude fortifies your purpose and role in keeping us all safe and healthy.”
Founded in 1995, the Camas-Washougal Rotary Club has been heavily focused on youth programs through the schools for the majority of the time. Camas-Washougal Rotary has always had strong relationships with district administrators and staff including superintendents being members.
Aaron Reiter, CW Rotary Club Member, proposed the spa day appreciation bags to the Rotary club because of a recent interaction he had with a school district employee administering COVID tests where the district employee expressed her gratitude for his politeness. After an email exchange, Reiter determined that frontline staff, nurses, and health assistants could use some appreciation.
“Their traditional role prior to the pandemic of handling acute illnesses or injuries are what were classically expected of them, and they have been asked to take much larger roles in the lives of our students and community,” Reiter said. “All of the recipients we recognized, and surely many who weren’t included but legitimately could have been, are being asked to do more than any of them expected. We proudly declare our support for their efforts and want everyone to know just how valued they are to us in the Camas Washougal Rotary Club, our families, and the Camas and Washougal communities.”
On behalf of our staff, thank you Rotarians!
