The Goleta Valley Historical Society was the beneficiary of this year’s annual Rotarians at Work Day.

Feb. 23, 2008, marked the 103rd birthday of Rotary. In honor of the milestone, the Rotary Club of Goleta Noontime and the Santa Barbara Rotaract Club lent a helping hand in a winter cleanup at Stow House.  Approximately 25 Rotarians and Rotaract members spruced up the inside and outside of the buildings maintained by the Goleta Valley Historical Society.

The volunteers assisted Robin Cederlof, the Historical Society’s director, with a number of tasks.  A storage shed was built. Old stalls that housed antique farm equipment were cleaned out at the Sexton Museum. Two rooms in Stow House were cleaned and organized. The gift shop had inventory sorted and counted. The archives and office were cleaned and filing was brought up to date.

“We are proud of our small club’s community spirit,” said Barbara Klein, president of Rotary Club of Goleta Noontime. “This is just one small way we can help our community celebrate its history.”

The Rotary Club of Goleta Noontime produces the annual Fourth of July Fireworks Festival held each year at Girsh Park.  The group also supports the Goleta Teen of the Year program, sponsors the annual Goleta Fun Run for Youth and provides support to Goleta in many other ways.

Rotary International is a worldwide humanitarian service organization with 32,000 clubs in more than 160 countries.  Its members are business, government and professional leaders — men and women who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build good will and peace in the world.

Barbara Klein is president of Rotary Club of Goleta Noontime.