Sunset Club seeks broader participation in philanthropy

Santa Clarita residents now have another opportunity to give back to their community. Local Rotarians have created a new chapter of the international service organization to better engage the community in its good works. Santa Clarita Sunset Rotary Club meets in the evening to allow participation by those who cannot take time from their workday to attend the morning or afternoon meetings of the preexisting chapters.

Thompson hopes the new time will allow for a broader range of members.

“There are a lot of people that can’t take time out of the middle of their day for Rotary club, or first thing in the morning,” said Jay Thompson, interim president of the Sunset chapter, “But there’s a need and a desire for people who want to give back to the community.”

While the Sunset club is currently un-chartered, they have already begun to give back to the Santa Clarita Valley. The club supports the local Castaic chapter of the Young Marines, Help the Children, and Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers.

“We just have one requirement, and that one requirement is that you have a big heart and you want to help people,” said Ishani Das, a founding member of the Sunset chapter.

While the Rotary name originally derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members’ offices, the new chapter is more predictable. Meetings are held Thursday evenings from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Courtyard Marriott on Westinghouse Place. Rotary International is comprised of approximately 1.2 million members belonging to 33,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries around the world.

For information about Rotary International or to join the Sunset chapter call 661-510-7440.