Sunrise Rotary establishes new endowment

By Matthew Nash • November 15, 2017 1:30 am
Officials with Sequim High School and Sequim Sunrise Rotary Club recently celebrated establishing an annual $4,000 scholarship for Sequim students looking for a career in STEM, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. The scholarship, created through the estate of James and Agnes Williams of Sequim, operates under the club’s Sequim Sunrise Rotary Endowment. Participants in the celebration, include, from left, Mitzi Sanders, Sequim High School’s career and scholarship director, Carolyn McGinty, Rotary endowment committee member, Jon Jack, president of the Rotary club, Brian Jackson, Rotary foundation director, Bret Keehn, endowment committee member and public relations director, and Mickey Sheehan, scholarship committee member. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
Officials with Sequim High School and Sequim Sunrise Rotary Club recently celebrated establishing an annual $4,000 scholarship for Sequim students looking for a career in STEM, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. The scholarship, created through the estate of James and Agnes Williams of Sequim, operates under the club’s Sequim Sunrise Rotary Endowment. Participants in the celebration, include, from left, Mitzi Sanders, Sequim High School’s career and scholarship director, Carolyn McGinty, Rotary endowment committee member, Jon Jack, president of the Rotary club, Brian Jackson, Rotary foundation director, Bret Keehn, endowment committee member and public relations director, and Mickey Sheehan, scholarship committee member. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Members of the Sequim Sunrise Rotary Club recently announced a new endowment that can support the local and global community.

Club President Jon Jack said the club’s new Sequim Sunrise Rotary Endowment allows for grants and scholarships to operate under the club’s 501(c)3 nonprofit umbrella through the club’s foundation to support charitable causes in both the Sequim area and internationally.

“The purpose of the new endowment fund is to create a place where contributions can grow and provide support for both current and future generations,” he said.

Donors can focus donations to three areas —local community, local youth, international community — or to the endowment’s general fund.

The estate of James and Agnes Williams of Sequim kicked off the rotary’s endowment establishing a $4,000 annual college/technical school scholarship to a student pursuing a career in STEM, or the science, technology, engineering and math field.

Club members said James Williams was an engineer and appreciated STEM programs.

The scholarship will be given priority to a Sequim student seeking a career in STEM and financial need, club members said.

Mitzi Sanders, Sequim High School’s career and scholarship director, said she is grateful for the opportunity for Sequim students to apply for the scholarship.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to help students,” she said.

Jack said all giving from the endowment is done in a manner consistent with the principles of Rotary International.

Since 1985, the Sequim Sunrise Rotary has helped with charitable projects and monetary giving.

For more information on tax-deductible giving and/or estate planning, contact the rotary at “Sequim Sunrise Rotary Club at P.O. Box 1521, Sequim, WA, 98382.” Also look for the club online at www.sequimsunriserotary.org.

The club meets weekly at 7 a.m. Fridays, at Sunland Country Club, 109 Hilltop Drive.