Rotary Day at the White House
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One of our own, Michelle Candland, current president of the San Diego Rotary Club, was chosen as a "Woman of Action" for Rotary Day at the White House. She was one of 10 women selected from across the United States for her sustained work in the community.
As a brand new Rotarian, in 1999, she went to visit a one room center for homeless and at-risk kids, established by the San Diego County. She thought she was volunteering to be a tutor or a mentor. When she left the meeting, she was tasked with finding a new location for the tiny school, later to be known as Monarch School. She located a building, which had been a cinderblock cabinet shop, that would work.
The head teacher and several volunteers at the school, most of whom were from the San Diego Rotary Club, discussed what it would take to make the modifications to make the building useable. It was determined that would take about $1.2 million to make the necessary modifications for the new school. The first Board of Directors was established, again made up of mostly Rotary members, the fund raising campaign began and by 2000, the newly remodeled state of the art building was ready for 48 middle school students to move into, leaving the run down, cockroach infested, one room drop in center behind. The five year plan was to serve 150 students - that goal was met within the first year and it was determined that an even larger site was needed. Once word got out about the new school, the existing students began bringing their brothers and sisters and other children from the shelters and single room occupancy hotels, and it was clear the new school and new vision was long overdue.
Michelle and the other winners took a trip to Washington, DC, toured the city, had a reception at the National Press Club, attended the actual award event at the White House, toured the White House, and finished the whirlwind event with lunch at the World Bank. Congratulations to Michelle, and thanks for all the fine work she does.