Exemplary Rotarian
Jack,
I would like to take a couple minutes of your time to share with you the recent activities of a fellow Rotarian in Cushing, who took action when her community needed it most and galvanized not only her own Rotary Club, but Rotary Clubs across northeast Oklahoma.
Allie Prater, a three-year member and current secretary of the Cushing Rotary Club, is group editor of the Cushing Citizen, Keystone Gusher and Yale News newspapers.
When the Citizen learned that the City of Cushing's Water supply was going to run dry due to catastrophic equipment failure and water would not be available in the system for at least 48 hours, Allie took immediate action and started a process for her club to purchase pallets of water, to raise funds for more pallets and to contact other clubs and local entities for help.
One would initially assume that the impact would be positive and the Cushing Rotary Club would be a part of a community-wide effort to help supply residents of Cushing with drinkable water during a period when temps exceeded 100 degrees.
Allie arranged for the purchase of pallets of water from Walmart in Chandler (45-minutes away) and dispatched a pair of fellow Rotarians to CHandler to pick them up. Meanwhile, she coordinated where the water would be dropped off and how it should be distributed.
The director of the senior center provided the Rotary club with a list of home-bound people who could not get out to buy water and the Cushing Club did the rest, delivering cases of water where they were needed most.
Allie reached out to nearby clubs and the Sand Springs Rotary Club, Ponca City Club and Stillwater clubs began donating either pallets of water or funds to purchase water.
In the end, it is estimated that more than half of the outside water that came into Cushing over the past two days was a direct result of Allie's efforts
This eventually gained the attention of a couple of state news stations who did stories about how rotary came together. "Links below"
https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/cushing-in-crisis-local-rotary-club-gathers-donations-after-water-plant-issues
https://www.newson6.com/story/66b43a713a9514d8972253d4/cushing-faces-water-shortage-sand-springs-rotary-club-steps-in-to-help
I firmly believe the selfless actions of this Rotarian (which dominoed into the selfless acts of dozens of other Rotarians) helped to provide residents of Cushing with essential water when they otherwise may not have received it.
A collateral and unplanned benefit of all this was the statewide coverage that Rotary received of Rotarians at their best, doing what they do... giving to their communities.
If there is anyone who deserves a distinguished service award and a little recognition, it is Rotarian Allie Prater.
I appreciate your time.
J. D. Meisner
I would like to take a couple minutes of your time to share with you the recent activities of a fellow Rotarian in Cushing, who took action when her community needed it most and galvanized not only her own Rotary Club, but Rotary Clubs across northeast Oklahoma.
Allie Prater, a three-year member and current secretary of the Cushing Rotary Club, is group editor of the Cushing Citizen, Keystone Gusher and Yale News newspapers.
When the Citizen learned that the City of Cushing's Water supply was going to run dry due to catastrophic equipment failure and water would not be available in the system for at least 48 hours, Allie took immediate action and started a process for her club to purchase pallets of water, to raise funds for more pallets and to contact other clubs and local entities for help.
One would initially assume that the impact would be positive and the Cushing Rotary Club would be a part of a community-wide effort to help supply residents of Cushing with drinkable water during a period when temps exceeded 100 degrees.
Allie arranged for the purchase of pallets of water from Walmart in Chandler (45-minutes away) and dispatched a pair of fellow Rotarians to CHandler to pick them up. Meanwhile, she coordinated where the water would be dropped off and how it should be distributed.
The director of the senior center provided the Rotary club with a list of home-bound people who could not get out to buy water and the Cushing Club did the rest, delivering cases of water where they were needed most.
Allie reached out to nearby clubs and the Sand Springs Rotary Club, Ponca City Club and Stillwater clubs began donating either pallets of water or funds to purchase water.
In the end, it is estimated that more than half of the outside water that came into Cushing over the past two days was a direct result of Allie's efforts
This eventually gained the attention of a couple of state news stations who did stories about how rotary came together. "Links below"
https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/cushing-in-crisis-local-rotary-club-gathers-donations-after-water-plant-issues
https://www.newson6.com/story/66b43a713a9514d8972253d4/cushing-faces-water-shortage-sand-springs-rotary-club-steps-in-to-help
I firmly believe the selfless actions of this Rotarian (which dominoed into the selfless acts of dozens of other Rotarians) helped to provide residents of Cushing with essential water when they otherwise may not have received it.
A collateral and unplanned benefit of all this was the statewide coverage that Rotary received of Rotarians at their best, doing what they do... giving to their communities.
If there is anyone who deserves a distinguished service award and a little recognition, it is Rotarian Allie Prater.
I appreciate your time.
J. D. Meisner