1. NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: W. Michael Galliher
Title: Communication/PR Specialist
wmgalliher@gmail.com/540.815.0220
YOUNG PROFESSIONALS PAYING IT FORWARD
Roanoke, VA—Sometime in our lives we have all benefitted from somebody lending a helpful hand or an act of
kindness, and the young professionals at Rotary Club of the Blue Ridge or also known as Rotary – New Gen
have relized that if it weren’t for the people and the community as a whole they wouldn’t be where there are
today.
These young professionals have come together not only to network, but more importantly to help give back to
the community that has provided so much to them. The club began in March of 2012, and since that time they
have grown membership of like minded individuals, and been involved in numerous service projects and other
organizations throughout the Roanoke Valley. These projects have included volunteering with different events
such as Children’s Reading service, Blue Ridge Marathon, Christmas gifts for kids at the Mission/Department of
Social Services, Valentine's Day service at the Mission, Second Harvest food bank, Baconfest, Greenway
cleanup, Commonwealth games , Unbridled Change, Olde Salem Days, and many others.
New Gen has found that helping children of the community means a lot to them as they are the future of this
world. This has led to sponsoring programs such as iCanShine Bike Camp, which is a five day camp dedicated
to teach individuals mostly kids with disabilities how to ride a two-wheel bicycle, the camp is ran by Roanoke’s
own Lee and Ginny Riddle. They also wanted to help Children’s Trust with more than just donating their time,
so they have dedicated to also help financially with “Elvis” the black lab facility dog that Children’s Trust
brought into their program to help comfort abused children suffering from anxiety and post traumatic syndrome
throughout the valley.
These young professionals have realized the importance of their community, and find it necessary to come
together with their individual skills for the good of Roanoke.
To learn more about the programs, events and what Rotary is all about applicants are encouraged to visit Rotary
Club of the Blue Ridge – New Generation at https://www.facebook.com/roanokerotarynewgeneration.
Interested applicants can also visit New Gen by attending an open meeting on the first or third Wednesdays at
6:00 p.m. each month at the Hyatt Place Roanoke Airport – Valley View located at 5040 Valley View Blvd
NW, Roanoke, VA 24012.
Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian
service and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. Rotary Club of the Blue Ridge, New Generation
located in Roanoke, Virginia is a young professional service club founded in 2012. For more information, visit
http://www.rotaryblueridge.org/.
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