Wallkill East Rotary Club Contributes Dictionaries to Students in Pine Bush, NY

Wallkill East Rotary Club Contributes Dictionaries to Students in Pine Bush, NY

For the 16th consecutive year, the Wallkill East Rotary Club has partnered with The Dictionary Project to distribute personal dictionaries to third-grade students in Pine Bush, New York. This year’s event was filled with excitement, gratitude, and a special life lesson.

Rotarian Bill Basset shared a memorable moment from the delivery:

“I explain to the students that in 9 years they’ll be receiving their high school diploma from the school board president. They have to ‘shake with the right and take the dictionary with the left hand,’ just like at graduation. Good practice. Then I give them a homework assignment: Write your name in the book because these are your personal dictionaries. Look up the word service—because that’s what Rotary is all about.”

The students’ smiles and enthusiasm were matched by the Rotary Club’s commitment to promoting literacy and community values. For over a decade and a half, the Wallkill East Rotary Club has ensured that young learners in their district are equipped with this powerful educational tool.

Through acts like this, the club reinforces Rotary’s global mission: “Service Above Self.”