(Millsboro) (May 4, 2021) — Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club and Grace United Methodist Church, Millsboro were delighted to support Long Neck Elementary with their gently used shoe drive. The fund raiser, organized by the Long Neck Elementary PTO and the 5^th grade student council, will generate funds to benefit the new playground and outdoor classroom the school plans to start this summer.

All donated shoes will then be redistributed throughout the Funds2Orgs network of microenterprise (small business) partners. Funds2Orgs works with micro-entrepreneurs in helping them create, maintain, and grow small businesses in developing countries where economic opportunity and jobs are limited. Proceeds from the sales of the shoes collected in shoe drive fundraisers are used to feed, clothe, and house their families. One budding entrepreneur in Haiti even earned enough to send her son to law school.

Long Neck Elementary will be accepting shoes through May 31. They request that those donating gently used shoes, tie the shoes together by the laces and place them in a bag. Shoes can bed place in the large bin located at the entrance of Long Neck Elementary.

“We are delighted to have the Grace United Methodist Church and Long Neck Elementary partner with us on this fundraising endeavor,” noted Stephen Lovellette, Assistant Principal, Long Neck Elementary.  “Both organizations have been very generous in their support of our playground, and the Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club is a valued partner in many projects we have at the school.”

(Millsboro) (February 8, 2021) — Living in a period of so much angst and altered realities, it is particularly heartwarming to see children celebrating kindness with each other, their parents and teachers, and their community. Principal Clara Conn of Long Neck Elementary worked with her teachers and administrators to set up a week-long celebration of kindness during “Kindness Week” February 8-12, 2021.

Students were reading the book The Jelly Donut Difference, which teaches kindness, caring, generosity, and being a good neighbor and friend. Teachers and student leaders were encouraged to practice kindness throughout the week, and in so doing would earn sprinkles for each act of kindness on the donut drawing in each classroom.

One of their acts of kindness was to present Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club with hand drawn thank you cards for Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club’s donations of two books for every student and dictionaries for third grade students over the years, and substantial funding for the school’s new playground to break ground this summer. The cards were presented by four members of the school’s 15-person student government to representatives of the Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club in a short ceremony at the school on February 8, 2021. When asked by Rotarian Sharon Marshall, which project of the Rotary Club meant the most to them, the students answered “all of them” – kindness and political savvy represented in full force.

Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club learned that the school was encouraging local businesses to engage in Kindness Week and that the next day would be “Crazy for Kindness” day, where the students and others participating were encouraged to wear crazy hair, socks or outfits.  Many Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club embraced the challenge and came properly attired to the weekly meeting on Tuesday held in person at the Ocean Grill II on Long Neck Road and virtually for those preferring that venue.

“Working with children is an important part of our mission,” noted Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club President, Lucille Cavan. “Long Neck Elementary Is doing such a wonderful job during these difficult times and to be recognized by their students for our help is truly special. And what a hoot to join with them on Crazy for Kindness day.”

“Throughout the pandemic the community has come together to support one another,” remarked Clara Conn, Principal, Long Neck Elementary.  “Many of us have been on the front lines, supporting our families and local small businesses, in addition to ensuring services for our community continue to function with fidelity. This was a wonderful project to illuminate the kindness of not only our young Long Neck Leaders, but also the established Long Neck Leaders. The students enjoy seeing their neighbors join in on our spirit days and support our vision of ‘Growing Leaders.’ This common thread of kindness binds our community together and provides a great example of patience and support, while maintaining grace.”

Pictured at top of page: Student Government Representatives of Long Neck Elementary present Long Neck Sunrise Rotarians with thank you cards.  Students pictured are: Liam Archila-Palomino (front), Thomas Hoopes, Jade Coulter. Rotarians are (left to right): President Lucille Cavan, Youth Committee Chair Apryl Parcher, Rotary Reads Chair Sharon Marshall.

Pictured above left: Front: LNE Counselors Erica Adkins-Hull, Amy Goodhue, Anne-Marie Vega Top: Student Council Liam Archila-Palomino, Thomas Hoopes, Jade Coulter; Long Neck Sunrise Rotarians President Lucille Cavan, Youth Committee Chair Apryl Parcher, Rotary Reads Chair Sharon Marshall; LNE Counselor, Annette Hoffman

Pictured above center and right:  In person and virtual Long Neck Sunrise Rotarians celebrating Crazy for Kindness.

(Millsboro) (January 13, 2021) — Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club helped Long Neck Elementary get closer to its $100,000 playground construction goal with its donation of $5,000 today. This brings Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club’s total monetary support of the project to $10,000, and the school’s total funds for the project to $72,214.44.

The Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club, has supported the school with free books and dictionaries for the students over the past several years. The playground project offered yet another avenue of support to the children and the community and the Club partnered with many organizations and individuals to help raise funds. The $10,000 in support from Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club was provided from its Charity Golf Outing proceeds.

“The opportunity to make a major difference in the lives of students and community residents in Long Neck by supporting a playground project that is accessible to children of all ages and capabilities is critical to our mission,” stated Lucille Cavan, Club President.  “We are thrilled to be able to offer meaningful support, particularly during this challenging time.”

The planned playground will include six additional swings, soccer goals, safe climbing equipment, a rock wall and four slides usable by all students attending the school. The playground will also be ADA compliant and have a 12” compacted engineered wood fiber flooring. Principal Clara Conn intends to have construction start in the summer, purchasing equipment based on the amount of money available through fundraising and add any missing items as more funds become available.

“We are so grateful to Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Clubfor playing such a vital role in procuring the playground equipment sorely needed here at Long Neck Elementary,” notes Principal Clara Conn.  “The children will be thrilled to have such a wonderful resource.”

Pictured Above: Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club presented Long Neck Elementary with another $5,000 check for their playground project to be built this summer, money coming from its annual Charity Golf Outing proceeds. This brings the Club’s total donation to $10,000 for this project. Pictured here are (left to right) Mike Hall, LNSRC; Stephen Lovellette, Assistant Principal, LNE; Clara Conn, Principal, LNE; Lucille Cavan, President, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary.

(Millsboro) (January 13, 2021) — When representatives from the Youth Committee at Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club met with Clara Conn this year to discuss how the Club might best support the school in its   20-21 school year, the challenges were obvious.  Book fairs, reading clubs, workshops were all out of the question during a pandemic. So, when Principal Clara Conn mentioned activity bags for the students not able to get outside and play, the Club saw an opportunity to make a difference. On January 13, the Club presented Clara Conn with a check for $1,500 to support the acquisition of supplies to be used in the activity bags.

According to Conn, each teacher was allocated $250 to order items for their students that would be assembled into activity bags. Items included Legos, play dough, small travel games, cards, etc.  Orders are anticipated to arrive the end of January and assembled into bags that will be distributed to the students.

In addition to the cash donation for activity bags, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club is also donating 1,426 books for use during “I Love to Read” Week in early March. Each student will receive two new books, and Kindergartners will received an additional book at the end of the school year entitled: The Night Before First Grade.  Over the past few years, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club has been supporting the school’s annual spring book fair with mostly new books obtained at cost through Browseabout Books in Rehoboth, and some gently used books collected from various sources. COVID had other plans this year, and since the pandemic did not allow for a book fair this school year, “I Love to Read” week was suggested by Principal Conn.

“The Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club works to support the youth in the greater Long Neck Community in every way we can,” notes Club Youth Committee Chair Apryl Parcher. “Working with Long Neck Elementary offers us many challenging ways to meet this mission.”

“We are so fortunate to have Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club support us to offer the student activities and items they might not have access to otherwise,” remarked Principal Clara Conn.

Pictured Above: Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club donates $1,500 to be used for student activity bags as well as two books for every child at the school to be part of March’s “I Love to Read” week. (Left to right): Judy Hall, from LNSRC holding representative books; Stephen Lovellette, Assistant Principal, LNE; Clare Conn, Principal LNE holding a sample activity bag; and Lucille Cavan, President, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club.

(Millsboro) (December, 2020) — As part of its mission to support global initiatives, the Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club donated $1,000 to Alayna Aiken, Kenya Gather President, during its last meeting of 2020 to support the Sanctuary Homes construction project of Kenya Gather at their Turkwel campus.  The money will be used to complete two bathrooms in the dormitory being constructed to house teachers and some students attending the school to learn how to sew. Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club President, Lucille Cavan, donated another $500 from her company Reimagination Design, so that Alayna could complete the third and final bathroom.

Alayna Aiken, a teacher at Cape Henlope High School, launched Kenya Gather in 2018 to establish educational and vocational training to the women in Kenya in order to raise them out of poverty.  She would be traveling to Kenya over the holiday break to oversee the final stages of construction and the completion of the bathrooms.

“Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club is thrilled to partner with Alayna in this necessary and inspiring endeavor,” stated Lucille Cavan, Club President.  “One of Rotary’s core missions is to provide vocational service, and being able to support such a tangible and impactful effort has been tremendously satisfying to members of our Club.”

Pictured above: Long Neck Sunrise Club President, Lucille Cavan (left) presented Alayna Aiken a check from Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club for $1,000 to help her complete two bathrooms at her Kenya Gather project. Lucille also contributed $500 for a third bathroom from her business, Reimagination Design.

Fund raising plans continue despite setbacks from COVID pandemic

(Millsboro) (October 14, 2020) — There were high expectations when Clara Conn, Principal of Long Neck Elementary School (LNE), met with the school’s Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and the leaders of the Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club prior to the start of the 2019-20 school year to discuss the school’s need for a new, bigger playground to accommodate its student population. From these initial conversations, a fundraising program was born, bringing together companies and groups throughout the region with a single purpose in mind: to raise the $100,000 needed to build the new playground.

The Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club, who has been supporting the school with free books and dictionaries for the students over the past several years, pledged $5,000 for the playground which comes from the proceeds of the Club’s annual charity golf tournament. The Club then reached out to community partners to assist in this endeavor and Mountaire Farms immediately pledged $5,000 and Community Bank Delaware $1,000.

“Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club is thrilled to participate in this campaign together with our partners,” stated Lucille Cavan, Club President.  “Our relationship with and the support of the children, families and businesses in the greater Long Neck community is a top priority particularly during this challenging time.”

Long Neck Sunrise Rotarian, Mike Hall, brought the project to Grace United Methodist Church, and discovered that of the twenty young people in the youth group, 4 or 5 went to Long Neck Elementary and recalled having to stand in line to get a swing during recess and sometimes never getting a turn. They were on board and agreed to split the monies they were raising for a church playground in Nicaragua with the LNE playground, adding another $1,500 to the donated funds.

Fast forward to the current school year. The kick-off events planned for the community have been canceled as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic, however, representatives from the donor organizations  gathered at Long Neck Elementary on October 14, 2020 to present their checks to Principal Clara Conn.

Despite the issues faced by local business in this COVID 19 economy, local organizations have made good on their pledges and have given the school significant funds to add to the growing campaign coffers.

• The Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club donating $5,000
• Mountaire Farms donating $5,000
• Community Bank Delaware donating $1,000
• Ocean Grill II Diner donating $1,000
• Grace United Methodist Church donating $1,500

This $13,500 will bring the total funds raised to date to $64,244.99.

The Long Neck Elementary PTO under the leadership of President, Mary Wilkins, has earmarked all their fundraising activities in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years to support the playground. They did a fall fundraiser in 2019 with Joe Corbi’s Pizza Kits and Claire’s Gourmet Cookies which raised $7,000 for the playground, and a winter fundraiser with Yankee Candle, raising  $5,000. $500 was raised from cereal box tops. Local restaurants offered 10% on purchases made on certain dates. These included Captain’s Pizza and Ocean Grill II.  JT Rogers Marine Construction donated $1,500 to the cause and the New Life Bible Fellowship Church donated the traditional “teacher welcome back meal” and goody bags in the fall of 2019 so that the PTO could dedicate their funds to the playground. Although the Corona virus has certainly put a damper on some restaurant activities, the PTO is regrouping and will continue their efforts until the goal is met.  A donation from diners at Chick-Fil-A with free ice cream for the kids was postponed and will be rescheduled.

To Mary Wilkins, who is relatively new to the world of volunteering, this has been an overwhelming but fulfilling effort for her and her fellow PTO members. “We just want to make sure that the kids have the playground equipment that is safe and appropriate for the various age groups in the school. Our work  has just begun, but with the continued support of the community, we know we will reach our goal.”

Currently the student population of 700 students from multiple ethnicities and 43% from lower income families, are served by a playground with two slides, eight swings and a climbing station that is not safe for children in grades K-2. This playground configuration was built when the school needed to physically expand and its prior playground was eliminated. The playground had also suffered from some flooding issues which have been remediated by drainage systems installed by the school district. The Indian River School district had provided the school with $25,000 dollars for this current playground equipment, which became the seed money for this latest fundraising effort

During the 2018-19 school year, the LNE fifth grade student council and the school’s administrators met to discuss what equipment should be included in a new playground. The student council met with other students and it was agreed to include six additional swings, soccer goals, safe climbing equipment, a rock wall and four slides usable by all students attending the school. The playground would also need to be ADA compliant and have a 12” compacted engineered wood fiber flooring. The student council and administrators then met with three companies to obtain proposals and selected Liberty Parks Playground Equipment Company who offered the best price for the playground and who had worked with the school’s previous equipment and local schools.

“We have certainly been dealing with significant setbacks in realizing our plans to provide the playground equipment sorely needed here at Long Neck Elementary,” notes Principal Clara Conn.  “We will move forward with the donations we have by Spring of 2021 to get installed what we can. We are extremely grateful to the greater Long Neck Community for their support in this important endeavor for the health and well-being of our students.”

Those wishing to help with this project can send donations to Clara Conn, Principal, Long Neck Elementary School, 26064 School Lane Millsboro, DE 19966.  Checks should be payable to Long Neck Elementary and “playground donation” should be noted in the memo field.

Pictured above left to right: Shannon McGinn, Vice President. Community Bank Delaware; Jack Riddle, President, Community Bank Delaware; Zach Evans, Community Relations Manager, Mountaire; Lucille Cavan, President, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club; Clara Conn, Principal, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club; Mike Hall, Grace United Methodist Church and Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club, Reverend Karin Tunnell, Grace United Methodist Church; Mary Wilkins, President, Long Neck Elementary PTO; Leolga Wright, Board Vice President, Indian River School District; Karen Blannard; Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Indian River School District.

(Millsboro) (September 25, 2020) — The Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club Birthday Bash came to halt in the face of COVID 19 and restrictions that were placed on day care facilities throughout Delaware.   This program is to celebrate the Lives of youngsters who have a birthday at the Oak Orchard Boys and Girls Club  during the month and they receive a $25. Gift card, cupcakes  and balloons   During the height of the pandemic, the Oak Orchard Boys & Girls Club was only to serve up to 25 children of first responders, a far cry from the normal attendance of approximately 100 children from the greater Long Neck and Oak Orchard communities. As a result, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club put its program on hold.

Fast forward to this fall and The Oak Orchard Boys and Girls Club is now able to accept up to 70 children, and Long Neck Sunrise Rotarian Cathy Cardaneo was able to drop off the cupcakes,juice boxes, balloons  for the celebration as well as the gift cards for the 11 children celebrating birthdays in (what months?). Although Rotary Club members were not able to attend, the staff at the Boys and Girls Club set up the socially distanced party at the facility’s outdoor pavilion and a great time was had by all.

“We can’t thank the Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club enough for the wonderful birthday bash items for the kids!“ noted Club Executive Director Erica Kennedy. “They absolutely loved it!”

As part of its mission to change lives in the greater Long Neck community, the Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club has been celebrating children at the Oak Orchard Boys and Girls Club with regular birthday parties every month from September to May since the fall of 2017. The first celebration was funded by a Rotary District grant, but  the program has continued with proceeds from the Club’s annual golf outing at The Peninsula Golf Club.

“Our partnership with the Oak Orchard Boys and Girls Club is an integral part of our community mission,” remarked Lucille Cavan, President of the Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club.  “It’s wonderful that our club is able to continue supporting the children during these difficult times.”

Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club has been working to support the youth of the Long Neck region for years. They have worked with the Boys & Girls Club on an annual MLB Pitch, Hit and Run Competition as well as the Birthday Bashes, provided dictionaries annually to the third graders attending Long Neck Elementary School and supported the annual book fair at Long Neck Elementary by supplying two free books to each child at the school.

Pictured above: The birthday celebrants left to right: Brooklyn, Keysha, Ellie, Gracie, Logan, Tyson, Jacoby, Jace, Noah, Kimberly, Lilly

(Millsboro) (May 26, 2020) — The Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club has a long history of supporting the work done by the Oak Orchard Boys and Girls Club. When recently notified that the Boys and Girls Club were having difficulties getting certain supplies needed for its arts and crafts activities, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club member, and Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Dover International Speedway, Mark Rossi, leveraged a relationship with Staples to obtain the needed supplies.

By partnering together, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club and Staples were able to donate over $400 worth of supplies to the Oak Orchard Boys and Girls Club. The donation included needed items like glue, construction paper, crayons, washable markers, colored pencils, watercolors, and giant glue sticks. Staples also donated 25 COVID Time Capsules to the Boys and Girls Club at no charge.

“Social limitations aside, we are still able to leverage our relationships within the community to address a need,” remarked Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club President, John Berner.  “We are delighted that Staples joined with us to help the work of the Oak Orchard Boys and Girls Club which ultimately helps the children of our community work through this difficult time.”

Pictured above: Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club partnered with Staples to provide Oak Orchard Boys & Girls Club much needed supplies. Pictured here are Club President, John Berner (left) with Erica Kennedy, Director Boys and Girls Club – Millsboro and Demaris Miller, Director Boys and Girls Club – Rehoboth Beach.

(Millsboro) (May 18, 2020) — As part of its ongoing mission to change lives within the community, The Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club virtually presented a $2,000 donation to Harry Keswani, President/Founder, The Harry K Foundation, to support the Foundation’s work in providing food to hungry children in Delaware. Funds for the donation were part of the proceeds raised at the Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club’s popular golf tournament held last June at The Peninsula on the Indian River Bay and funds contributed by Club member, Steve Grossman.

Harry Keswani updated the Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club at their virtual meeting on April 28 about the increased difficulties of serving the nutritional needs of children due to the result of school shut downs in Delaware and how the Foundation was working to meet that challenge. The Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club Board of Directors voted at its next meeting to double its initial pledge made to the Foundation to $1,500 and Board Member, Steve Grossman donated an additional $500 to bring the Club’s total donation to $2,000.

“Despite social restrictions, our Club is working diligently to support those suffering the most from this crisis,” noted Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club President, John Berner.  “Children are at the heart of our mission and we are delighted that we are able to help an organization like the Harry K Foundation continue on its mission of serving children’s nutritional needs.”

Once restaurants are again open, The Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club maintains a donation box for the Harry K Foundation food pantry at the front door of the Ocean Grill II Diner on Long Neck Road, where the Club normally meets when social distancing is not an issue.