Well, the Rotary Club of Palm Valley started April out in a no-joke fashion. At the April 1 meeting, the club gave out checks for three charities. Money was raised by the Historic Fabulous Raffle in February.
• V for Victory
• S.A.F.E. Pet Rescue
• Warrior Brotherhood
Each recipient of the cash gift gave a short speech on the charity’s activities and how much the money means to the charity. I think the club members all had a lump in their throats. Very moving presentation. We thank all the sponsors of our Historic Fabulous Raffle and all the people who bought tickets for these worthwhile causes.
Oh, we did have a little fun on St. Patty’s Day. The Irish Leprechaun made an appearance and caused a little mischief. Apparently, the Sergeant-at-Arms could not find the payment for dinner that members had given him.
We closed out March with a club social at Alhambra Dinner Theater to have dinner and watch “Damn Yankees.” Great performance.
Rotary Mission — A World Without Polio Is Within Reach
A child in a remote village receives two drops of vaccine — it is simple, quick and life-changing. Just a generation ago, that same child might have faced a lifetime of paralysis. Today, because of the work of Rotary International, that outcome is nearly unthinkable.
Since launching PolioPlus in 1988, Rotary and its global partners, including the World Health Organization and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, have reduced polio cases by 99.9%, protecting more than 3 billion children worldwide.
Today, wild polio remains in just two countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan, bringing us closer than ever to eradication.
But “almost” isn’t enough. As long as polio exists anywhere, it threatens children everywhere. Rotary members continue to lead the charge, funding vaccines, supporting immunization campaigns and advocating for a polio-free world.
With every dollar matched 2-to-1, the impact is tripled — and the finish line comes into clearer focus.
End Polio Now isn’t just a goal. It’s a promise we’re on the verge of keeping.
Anette Saalmann, who is a fairly new member of the Rotary Club of Palm Valley, is a community engagement professional at Conviva Senior Primary Care. Previously, Anette served as a SMERF & Associations sales manager at Southbank Hotel at Jacksonville Riverwalk from 2021 to 2026 and was a sales manager at Hilton Garden Inn Jacksonville/Ponte Vedra from 2011 to 2021. Anette also gained experience in marketing research at Crowne Plaza Jacksonville Riverfront from 2005 to 2011. We feel honor to have Anette as a member of the Rotary Club of Palm Valley.
The Rotary Club of Palm Valley meets on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at Marsh Landing Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach. Members enjoy fellowship, service and community impact over a four-course, sit-down dinner. For more information, please contact admin@palmvalleyrotaryclub.org, call 904-871-5317 or go to palmvalleyrotaryclub.org.
