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Rotary Club: Blythe Project Title: Blythe Bounces Back 1. Describe the project. What was done, when and where did project activities take place? A Rotary district matching grant of $3500.00 was applied for and awarded to Rotary Club of Blythe. The club raised an additional $3760.00 from the local community and in partnership with The Blythe Chamber of Commerce began moving agenda forward in the Blythe Image Committee to ameliorate signage entering and leaving Blythe, CA, including 2 service club logo signs. A check for $7260.00 Three Rotarians have been active on this committee: Mike Cusick, John Osborne, and Juliette Singler. The Rotary logo has been re-enameled in preparation for soliciting logos from other service clubs and artists have been working on renderings of the welcome signs as well as signs for a campaign that will read Blythe: Small Town, Big Fun. The construction of the signs has not yet gone out to bid, but several avenues have been explored for construction of the signs. Estimated timeline for completion is June 2022 2. How many people benefited from this project? The entire population of Blythe will benefit from this project: Approximately 12,000 people 3. Who were the beneficiaries, how were they impacted by this project, and what humanitarian need was met? The economic need of Blythe is among the highest in the state second only to the city of Compton, CA. While many travelers on the I-10 corridor may stop for gas or a quick bite to eat, Blythe has had difficulty showing that this is a town where people may want to stay, enjoy nature, and spend some money. It is thought that improving the image of Blythe through enhanced signage, murals, cleaner roadways, and fewer abandoned buildings will draw more visitors and improve commerce in this economically disadvantaged city. 4. How many Rotarians participated in the project? 15 5. What did they do? Please give at least two examples, not including financial support provided to the project. Each Blythe Rotary member was asked to solicit donations for the matching grant from Chamber of Commerce members as well as friends and was provided with a letter from the Chamber of Commerce indicating this partnership with Rotary and outlining the scope of the project. In addition 3 local rotarians participated in monthly meetings for the Blythe Image Committee, with one spearheading efforts to get artist renderings and estimates. 6. If a cooperating organization was involved, what was its role? The Blythe Chamber of Commerce, led by Kati Cusick, has been a partner and will continue to shepherd the signage improvements to its conclusion, projected for June of 2022. Payments for the construction and installation of the signs will come from The Chamber of Commerce. Phase 2 of the project will include garnering support from local farmers to allow signs describing crops being grown to travelers on the I-10 corridor. 7. Income
8. Expenditures
District must retain receipts of all expenditures for at least five years. Please scan and upload to the project's "Documents" tab all invoices (be sure they are marked "paid"), receipts and/or copies of checks for the full amount of the project budget. By signing this report, I confirm that to the best of my knowledge these District Grant funds were spent only for eligible items in accordance with Trustee-approved guidelines, and that all of the information contained herein is true and accurate. I also understand that all photographs submitted in connection with this report will become the property of RI and will not be returned. I warrant that I own all rights in the photographs, including copyright, and herby grant RI and TRF a royalty free irrevocable license to use the photographs now or at any time in the future, throughout the world in any manner it so chooses and in any medium now known or later developed. This includes the right to modify the photograph(s) as necessary in RI's sole discretion. This also includes, without limitation, use on or in the web site, magazines, brochures, pamphlets, exhibitions and any other promotional materials of RI and TRF.
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