By Andy Furman
NKyTribune reporter
He admits it — and he’s not at all ashamed to admit it. Dave Meyer says he needs money – and he’s actually begging for it. No need to panic. Meyer and his family are just fine.
Dave Meyer is the co-President of the Covington Rotary Club, and quite honestly – his hand is out looking for cash.
“We’re in the business of helping people,” said Meyer, a retired teacher at A.M. Yealey Elementary School in Florence. And last year we certainly helped the tornado victims in Western Kentucky.
“Quite honestly,” he admits, “we need to re-invigorate our coffers.”
COVID, according to Meyer, was not good for civic organizations like Covington Rotary.
“We had to move to virtual meetings for nearly two full years and suspend all of our fund-raising efforts while the region recovered from the pandemic,” he said.
“As a result, many members left the club, and many younger businesspeople lost the habit and interest in civic club membership. In addition, our ability to financially support the many worthy causes in Northern Kentucky has been stifled.”
So, Meyer – and Co-President Gil Fauber have the answer – and at the same time it will be the opportunity to say thank-you to three long-time members of the Northern Kentucky community.
October 24th is the date – and the names of the three honorees will be announced in the near future, according to Covington Rotary officials.
The honorees – three longtime members of the Covington Rotary Club – will gather at Northern Kentucky University’s Student Center for good food, great fellowship, and inspiring stories.
“We hope the evening will translate into generosity beyond our imagination so that our mission will continue,” Meyer said.
Covington Rotary Club, the oldest civic organization in Northern Kentucky, has been operating in Covington since 1920. Covington Rotary is part of Rotary International, with clubs throughout the world. The Covington Rotary Foundation, a 501c3 organization, carries out much of the club’s charitable mission.
Rotary International has been in the forefront of providing relief around the world since 1905, with Covington Rotary focusing on the many needs in Northern Kentucky, the state and the world. For many years Covington Rotarians took care of the children at the Easter Seals Center near Holmes High School. Today, the club continues to put children and the vulnerable in the forefront of charitable works.
“Our services,” said Meyer, “have included providing coats, school supplies, and backpacks fort Covington school children, conducting vision and hearing screenings for Head Start preschoolers, conducting food drives, sending Covington students to study abroad, and adopting The Point/Arc as its signature charity, to name a few.”
Rotarians also provide significant volunteer support for the Parish Kitchen, Be Concerned, Hosea House and the Salvation Army, to name a few.
Covington Rotary’s Foundation responded to the tornadoes in Western Kentucky and the historic floods in Eastern Kentucky.
“We have supported clean water p[projects in Eastern Kentucky and supplied building materials to rebuild homes in Western Kentucky. “We recently sponsored an event in collaboration with the Girl Scouts to STEM careers for girls,” he said.
“Beyond our own backyard, Covington Rotary has helped with solar lighting projects in India and continental Africa. We provided Shelter Boxes after the massive earthquake in Haiti, established computer labs in Guatemala and provided books for a Native American library in America’s west.”
Interested in attending the October 24th gala evening at Northern Kentucky University? Contact Covington Rotary Foundation, Inc., c/o Nancy Keathley, 1885 Dixie Highway Suite 330, Ft. Wright, KY., 41011