The Rotary Club of Chardon made its largest donation ever Monday, when it presented a check for $40,730 to Next Step during the club’s weekly meeting at Bass Lake Tavern in Chardon.
Next Step provides community-based stable housing and individualized case management services and support, with set goals and objectives for young adults ages 18-24 in Geauga and Portage counties who have been victimized, to successfully transition to independence. Focus is placed on young adults aging out of foster care and/or finding themselves homeless.
The rotary club raised the money at its annual Harvest Auction in November.
“It is a ‘call to the heart,’ where we have attendees donate whatever dollar amount the see fit,” Royle said, adding Pollack attended the event with a young adult who was a beneficiary of Next Step’s services.
“It was really the young man’s speech that caused our guests to be so generous. His story was heartbreaking,” Royle said. “Enter Next Step and he has a new lease on life.”
Pollack told club members Monday she had never experienced anything like “call to the heart” in her life.
“It was an extraordinary event,” she said. “It was overwhelming. The generosity was just unbelievable and you can’t begin to imagine the impact that this is going to have on Next Step.”
The program has never received a donation as large at the rotary club’s, she added.
“It will do great thing,” said Pollack. “We are full; we are always full and we have people waiting to move in, especially this time of year. So, from the bottom of our hearts — it just doesn’t say enough, but thank you.”
In the past, Royle said the club has used its “call to the heart” to support the Chardon Living Memorial Park to the tune of $30,000 and Hospital Albert Schweitzer in Haiti to purchase incubators, raising $25,000.
