The Rotary Club of Hamburg kicked off its 2024 Warm the Children Program with a volunteer appreciation breakfast on Sept. 21 at Michael’s Banquet Facility, but more than food was on the menu. Along with the presentation of a $10,000 check from West Herr Automotive Group and honoring the 75-plus volunteer shoppers, Warm the Children Coordinator Liz Angelbeck also acknowledged two former editors of The Sun who were instrumental in the initiation and continuation of the program in Hamburg.
Vice President of Fixed Operations Jay Galligan presented the check to Warm the Children Coordinator and Rotarian, Liz Angelbeck who thanked him along with Rhonda Frederick, Director of Giving & Community Support, both of West Herr Automotive Group for the company’s dedicated support of the Rotary Club of Hamburg and its programs.
Rotary acknowledged former editors of The Sun, Eileen Hotho and Dan Meyer, both of Hamburg for their important roles in the Warm the Children Program. The charitable effort went into operation in Hamburg in 1996 when as editor, Hotho attended a newspaper convention in Albany and met Mack Stewart, an enterprising former journalist who had founded the Warm The Children Program and was encouraging newspapers throughout the country to establish them in their communities. H&K Publications, publisher of The Sun, approved Hotho’s proposal for The Sun to establish and run the annual fall program which was put into operation that year. Despite a change in ownership, The Sun continued to coordinate the program until 2007. Rather than see the Warm the Children cast aside then editor Dan Meyer contacted Hotho, who he knew was both a former editor and Rotarian, to ask whether Rotary would consider taking stewardship of Warm the Children. Meyer and Hotho met with a committee of Rotarians who discussed how Rotary could assume the operation and agreed to make it a Rotary project that same year.
The kickoff event marks the start of Hamburg Rotary’s annual fall-winter campaign to raise funds to support the wide-scale purchase of brand-new warm winter clothing for the children of economically challenged families throughout the Southtowns. Last year, over 460 children were served, Angelbeck said. The program provides new coats, boots and warm winter clothing to eligible families selected through contacts at schools, churches and assisting agencies in the Southtowns who collaborate with Angelbeck. The coordinator schedules families to meet with a selected volunteer at the Hamburg Walmart, the program’s clothing partner. The Rotary Club of Hamburg welcomes donations of any amount. Those who wish to donate to the program may do so by mailing or dropping off a check payable to the WTC Fund at Evans Bank, 5999 South Park Avenue, Hamburg, NY 14075, or online by visiting the club’s website at www.hamburgrotaryclub.org/SitePage/warm-the-children .
Photo 1, Rotary Warm the Children Committee, from left: Barbara Stanley, Patricia Castiglia, Tim Hoelscher, Eileen Hotho, Liz Angelbeck, Earl Knauss and Tom Johnston.
Photo 2, West Herr Automotive Group supports Warm the Children - On hand for the donation from West Herr to the Warm the Children Fund were from left: Rhonda Frederick, West Herr Director of Giving & Support, Liz Angelbeck, Jay Galligan, West Herr Vice President of Fixed Operations, Earl Knauss and Dan Meyer.