Dictionaries define ‘service’ for noon Rotary

 In the past five years, Shelbyville’s noon Rotary Club has delivered more than 3,000 dictionaries to students throughout the county.
On Thursday, 12 members of the club blitzed through every third grade classroom in the county — dictionaries in hand. Nearly 600 students received dictionaries this year, said Barry Cooper, club member and noon Rotary’s dictionary project organizer.

‘Rotary International is passionate about literacy for all people worldwide,’ Cooper said. ‘So this project fits right in with the humanitarian efforts of Rotary.’

Cooper said Rotary chose third graders because it is about the grade level where dictionaries are needed on a regular basis for school and home work.

‘Dictionary Day is one of the most fun activities we do each year,’ Cooper said. ‘Rotarians really enjoy visiting the schools. The students are truly excited to receive and write their name in the front of their own personal dictionary.’

Cooper, who also serves as chairman of Bedford County Board of Education, said one of the ‘fun’ things associated with this project is helping the students break in their new books.

After delivering the dictionaries, Rotarians will ask the students to look up a word.

‘The first student to find the word and read its meaning receives a gold dollar coin from the club,’ Cooper said.

Twelve members of noon Rotary participated in Thursday’s fifth annual dictionary project: Derrick Taylor, Maleah Qualls, Tom Clifford, Ron Bell, Danny Law, Robert Daniel, Carolyn Matusek, Michelle Hasty, Doyle Meadows, Andy Lile, Esther McConkey and Cooper.