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The Rotary Club of Anthem respectfully request a District Grant of $650.00 to purchase materials for the Josh the Otter Water Safety Program. Ryan Halleran is the President of the Rotary Club of Anthem, and Krista Solomon prepared this District Grant application.
Project Established: The Rotary Club of Anthem embraced the Josh the Otter Water Safety Program five years ago when Rotarian Bonnie Markham brought it back from the Rotary International Convention. Aware of the high rate of children drowning in Arizona, she knew it would help reverse that trend. Through a fun and memorable approach, children in daycare, preschools and kindergarten classrooms in the Anthem area have learned the message to stay away from the water unless being watched by an adult and learning to float like Josh the Baby Otter. For the past five years, Anthem Rotarians have selected elementary schools at random for presentation to 640 or more students depending on the budget funded by the Rotary Club of Anthem. In coordination with the Deer Valley elementary school staff, a team of two Rotarians goes to appropriate classes with their interactive approach involving teachers and parents so that the material taught is reinforced regularly to the children. The program materials also enhance child literacy since each child receive a Josh the Otter book, CD, coloring book and Josh the Otter Sticker to wear. The classes vary in size from 20 to 80 children totaling 150 to 175 students per school. The children repeat a pledge that states they will not go near the water without an adult; they are given materials to take home; and many want to teach younger children what they have learned and to have read the story to them again. Teachers are also encouraged to reinforce the important messages and teach the Josh the Otter Song.
NOTE: Josh the Otter Water Safety Program materials will be purchased upon receipt of the District Grant funds. In order to maximize program effectiveness, presentations at the schools are schedule in mid-spring to coincide with the opening of the swimming season. The District Grant Final Report will be submitted by the March 31, 2018 deadline; however, the program presentations may not be completed until late May 2018.
Budget - 532 Josh the Otter books, CDs, and coloring books @ $3.75 each: $1,995
(Purchased from the Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation
P.O. Box 21712 Lincoln, NE 68542)
600 Rotary labels: $ 100
TOTAL: $2,095
The total budget for the project is $2,095.00. The district grant will provide $650.00 to the project budget, matching the $1,445.00 from the Rotary Club of Anthem's 2017-2018 budget.
Benefits - The primary beneficiaries of this child health program are the children in the Anthem community who receive the instruction and Josh the Otter book that make them aware of water safety. NO CHILD THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE ROTARY CLUB OF ANTHEM PROGRAM HAS BEEN A VICTIM OF DROWNING TO DATE. The Rotary Club of Anthem will release and post appropriate print, electronic and social media information on the District Grant award. In addition to explaining the details of the grant support of the Josh the Otter Water Safety Program, the media releases provide facts about the Rotary Club of Anthem, Rotary International and Rotary Foundation's charity rating that is the result of its funding model and financial oversight. The intent is to encourage the public to participate in Rotary events and contribute to Rotary Foundation programs and projects.
Addendum to Project Description (added after the project was signed)
Previously in district 5490
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