Rotary Club of Hilo awards $26,000 to local nonprofits

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The Rotary Club of Hilo’s annual Brewfest in June was a roaring success, enabling the club to donate $13,200 each to two local nonprofit recipients in addition to adding to the club’s own foundation that helps local organizations.

The Rotary Club of Hilo’s annual Brewfest in June was a roaring success, enabling the club to donate $13,200 each to two local nonprofit recipients in addition to adding to the club’s own foundation that helps local organizations.

At a recent Rotary Club meeting, Robin Benedict of the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of East Hawaii along with Dr. Kay Nodling, Julie Tulang and Lisa Rantz of the Hilo Medical Center Foundation were on hand to accept the awards.

The Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of East Hawaii is a private nonprofit partnered with the state Judiciary. The nonprofit manages donated funds to improve the lives of abused children in East Hawaii.

Friends works with abused children to re-establish their lives and self-esteem by providing back-to-school clothing and supplies, hula lessons, tutoring, athletic uniforms and gas coupons to enable the family and child to attend counseling.

Recognizing the community is experiencing a severe physician shortage, the Hilo Medical Center Foundation began the rural residency program, Hawaii Island Family Medicine Residency, which was founded based on research showing at least 80 percent of doctors stay and work where they complete their residency.

To learn more about the Rotary Club of Hilo, visit hilorotary.org.