The Rotary Club of Wyckoff and Midland Park will be celebrating their 50th anniversary, but plans for festivities do not slow down their charitable efforts. The group recently sponsored a trip for students from Juarez, Mexico. Rotary members have donated money and assisted in the building of a school being built in Juarez by Touch the World . This organization is headed by the Reverend Jeff Boucher who is also the pastor at Powerhouse Christian Church .

Touch the World is headquartered in, NJ, but it attracts supporters and volunteers from around the nation. They are focused on youth development and empowerment, and that includes all demographics. One of the accompanying videos below recounts the work done in Juarez by volunteers from Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania. It’s evident that the young Americans who went to help the children and community also were greatly enriched by their volunteer experience.

The Rotary Club’s recent sponsorship was a reward for 10 students who excelled at school this past year. Hosted by local families, with airfare provided by Continental Airlines, the students were treated to a two week vacation. One of the highlights was an evening out to The Brick House where Aldo Cascio treated the 10 students and 6 adults to a dinner of filet mignon and specially prepared Mexican rice. One of the bartender’s from Aldo’s assisted in helping the entourage feel welcome and at home by chatting with the group about the different dishes and answering their questions. He was especially proud at being able to participate in this communal effort and reported, “There wasn’t even a grain of rice left on any plate.”

The Rotary Club is a non-religious organization and part of an international organization with more than 32,000 clubs and over 1.2 million members world-wide. Members are made up of business and professional leaders who work to provide humanitarian service and build goodwill in their own communities and around the world. The Rotary Club of Wyckoff and Midland Park meets every Thursday morning at The Brick House, and new members are always welcome.

Below are two videos that offer readers some insight into the work being performed in Juarez, Mexico.
The first is a video created by Touch The World and offers an overview of the community and the work the organization is doing. The second video is a musical slide show recounting the trip by the college volunteers who traveled their as part of the Touch The World mission.

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