PRESS RELEASE

February 25, 2009

From Rotary Club of Lake Union

Contact: Reitha Weeks

rweeks@nwabr.org

206-957-3337x305

Rotary Club of Lake Union supports  Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center during difficult financial times.

Seattle, Washington,  February 25th 2009  -   Members from the Rotary Club of Lake Union Neighborhood will present a check to Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center Principal, Martin O’Callaghan, on Thursday, Feb. 26^th at 5:30pm at  SBOC’s Family Night event.  The Rotary Club of Lake Union will support the purchase of history textbooks, bi-lingual dictionaries, microscopes, digital cameras and a display case for the students of the SBOC, a Seattle Public School, through their $7,560 donation.

Rotary Club of Lake Union Neighborhood raised money for the supplies by holding a raffle last spring and by collecting donations. Those funds were then matched by Rotary District 5030 and the Rotary Club of Seattle through the Rotary District Simplified Grant program for community service projects.

SBOC is the only school in the Seattle School District serving immigrant students, many of whom arrive under challenging circumstances and speaking no English. SBOC, located on Queen Anne hill in the old John Hay School, serves approximately 300 students per year. Over thirty-four languages and dialects are spoken by the diverse student body. Students attend the school for up to three semesters, before transferring to mainstream schools. The school faculty and staff of approximately 40 provide a supportive learning environment for academic, social and life skills. Classes provide a foundation in English, science, mathematics and social studies. Volunteers and counselors introduce families to community resources.

The Rotary Club of Lake Union Neighborhood has been supporting SBOC efforts for over a year. The principal, students and faculty have been speakers at Rotary club meetings and Rotarians have attended school events. Last year, the Rotary Club of Lake Union Neighborhood, in partnership with Argosy Cruises, provided two graduation cruises on Lake Union cruise to the graduating/transferring students in January and June 2008. The Rotary Club of Lake Union is a new club, chartered in June 2007, with 26 members. It meets every Friday morning at 7:00 A.M for breakfast and a program at the Center for Wooden Boats on Lake Union. (www.lakeunionrotary.org)

Rotary is an international organization whose objective is to foster service and help build goodwill and peace. Rotary District 5030 encompasses 55 clubs, including Rotary Club of Lake Union.