Seated on the bench Mike Starsta
and Keith Leesman
Behind the bench Bob Chamberlain, Dennis
Campbell, Ellen Burbage, Don Peasley
and Darlene Begolka

Lincoln Rotary donates park benches for Allison and Ray White Parks

[October 28, 2023]    On Wednesday, members of the Lincoln Rotary Club visited Allison Park in the Mayfair edition in Lincoln to check out the placement of two new park benches donated to the city by the Rotary.

This is the 100th anniversary of Rotary, and the club hosted a fundraiser gala earlier this year. According to Rotary President Mike Starasta and member Darlene Begolka, the fundraiser was intended to do something to enhance the community. The park benches answered that quest.

The club lives by the moto of “Service before Self,” and donating to the community is a part of that service.

It was explained that the benches which are very heavy are made from recycled bottle caps. The club had started collecting the caps that could be used as a deposit for the benches. The concepts is that the group would collect so many pounds of recyclable caps that would be turned over to the manufacturers of the benches. The benches would then be made for the club.

However, along the way, the club decided that instead of depositing the caps for their benches, they would donate the caps collected to the Lincoln Community High School LEAF club and purchase their benches outright.

The benches arrived in pieces and were put together by the Rotary members. Then Walt Landers with the city street department was contacted. There were four benches in total, and two were placed in Allison Park and the other two in Ray White Park.

Begolka noted that the Rotary has small plaques on order that will designate that the benches were donated by the Rotary.

It was also shared that the Rotary is gearing up for the annual citrus sale. Fruit orders are being taken now through November 21st with delivery on December 9th and 10th.

[Nila Smith]