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Rotary Donation Buys 12 Beds For Women's Shelter

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By MEGAN HUSSEY, Tribune correspondent

Published: December 15, 2007

Updated: 12/14/2007 09:55 pm

DADE CITY - When a brigade of Rotarians set out to help battered families, they exceeded their goal.
Sunrise Rotary Club of Dade City teamed with other local clubs and Rotary District 6950 to donate $10,896 to the Sunrise of Pasco County domestic violence and sexual assault center. The money bought 12 trundle beds, 24 mattresses, six dressers, 24 pillows, 12 comforter sets and two extra sheet sets for each bed.

"These are solid wood beds that will be here after all of us are gone," said Penny Morrill, who heads Sunrise. "A total of 250 women and children go through this shelter every year. I can't tell you how much this means."

The contribution included a $2,500 Rotary district grant, donations from Sunrise Rotary members, funds from other east Pasco County Rotarians and individual gifts.

"The Rotarians came up with the extra money" to supplement the grant, said Tim Schuler, a Rotary district governor. "They were able to make it happen."

A team from Sunrise Rotary put the beds together at the shelter last Saturday. Team members were Barbara and Phillip Barber, Tom Hennessy, Lois Schnell, Fay McKean, Charles Faulkner and Karen Patterson.

McKean, who was recognized for her service to Rotary during a meeting Thursday, told Morrill that several shelter residents helped the team assemble the beds.

"They didn't have to help," McKean told Morrill. "These underprivileged women gave their time."

Former Rotarian Bobby Van Allen was recognized for donating $1,500.

"He said he and his grandfather used to take supplies out to the women at Sunrise," Faulkner said. "He said he would love to give to the women there."

Faulkner said that it was an act of goodwill on Morrill's behalf that inspired the bed donation.

"I received a thank you letter from Penny for letting one of my employees take a day off work to volunteer at Sunrise," he said. "I was so impressed that I asked her, 'Is there any kind of project we could direct your way?'

"

Faulkner also acknowledged the efforts of the club's members in making their donation possible.

"We not only met our goal," he said. "We exceeded it."

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