Maggie deBlock
SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary Club heard SBCO (SaddleBrooke Community Outreach) updates from Steve Groth, President of the Board of Directors. Steve broke the glass ceiling since he is the first male who was elected to this position. SBCO will celebrate 22 years of service to kids in a 100-mile area, that stretches from Catalina to Miami and the San Carlos Indian Reservation.
The main program from SBCO is Kids’ Closet that is located in Mammoth. You cannot miss this colorful red building, consisting of 12,000 square feet, when traveling North on route 77. Sixteen hundred to eighteen hundred eligible Head Start to eight grade kids can choose a new wardrobe twice a year. In addition, Teen Closet provides eligible high school students who are recommended by their school counselors with a shopping trip to purchase clothing and school supplies. These shoppers are accompanied by a SBCO volunteer.
Backpacks with appropriate grade level school supplies are available for eligible students. Scholarships have increased from seventeen applications to forty as well as the monetary amount and years increased from $1500 for two years to $3000 for four years. Currently, there are sixty-four students on scholarships at various colleges and universities.
Another area of importance is enrichment programs for the summer. Various programs are funded such as a two-week science camp, swimming lessons, sponsorship for the Tri Y camp in Oracle and a $7500 eye testing machine for the elementary students.
Last but not least is the financial and annual food drive support to the Tri Community food bank in Mammoth. The food drive also supplies the Thanksgiving and holiday baskets.
Oh, by the way, this organization is 100 percent run by volunteers!