Vallejo Rotary

Vallejo Rotary Community Service

The Vallejo Rotary Club has a proud history of supporting numerous major projects designed to improve the quality of life and esthetics of our community. Among the past projects are the following:

•    Mullen Theatre at Children's Wonderland
•    Art Mural at the J.F.K. Library children's section
•    Flag Pavilion at the California Maritime Academy
•    Bust of General Mariano Vallejo at the fountain by City Hall
•    Playground equipment at Blue Rock Springs Park
•    Antique lights outside the Vallejo Naval and Historic Museum
•    Xiana Fairchild Reading Center at JFK Library
•    and many other projects   

  
   Our Club also assists many community groups which provide services and support to our citizens.
  
   The following article appeared in the Vallejo Times Herald on Thursday, October 12, 2000. It was written by Diane Eddington , a Times-Herald staff member.
   
The Xiana Fairchild Reading Center located in the children's department of John F. Kennedy Library, was dedicated during a short ceremony Wednesday. It was the fulfillment of an idea that started months ago with 8 year old Xiana's disappearance and the result of a $3,500 grant from the Vallejo Rotary Club. The idea of establishing something in Xiana's name was first expressed to the Rotary Club less than two months following her disappearance, but the idea didn't begin to take any solid form until January.   

Floyd Schlosser, Rotary Club past president, and Avery Greene, a Rotary Club member and contributor to the project, jointly stated that, "One of the four avenues of service for the Rotary Club is to the community, and this is a way to reach out to community members and their children."

The Vallejo Rotary Club, which has a 79 year history in the city of Vallejo, is comprised of business people who donate their time, money, and efforts to "service above self," Rotary President Gary Salvadori said, "The Rotary Club feels it is a privilege to be able to do this and hope that it helps," he said.

What they've done is donate about 190 new books located in the back of the  children's department.  Each book has a special label placed on the inside, with an inscription that reads, "Hoping for the safe return of Xiana Fairchild, this book is prayerfully donated by the Rotary Club of Vallejo, June 2000." When the books are checked out, returned or read by children, they can be easily identified as a book donated in Xiana's name.   

Children's Librarian Peggy Yost said the books chosen were age appropriate, and "books that Xiana would be reading now." The books are a selection of classics, easy reading, and picture books.  The shelves contain more than one copy of many of the books and the efforts to build the collection will continue.  Instead of purchasing gifts for their guests, the Rotary Club plans to use the money instead to donate books on a weekly basis with the autograph of guest speakers inside, Salvadori said.

In addition to about 30 eager children and their parents, Xiana's great aunt, Stephanie Kahelekulu was visibly touched during the ceremony when she glanced towards a plaque sitting above the bookshelf that reads, "Xiana Fairchild Reading Center, Books Donated by Rotary Club of Vallejo, Keeping Hope Alive."   Standing before a collage of photos, including snapshots of Xiana volunteer searches and vigils, and a recent photo of Midsi Sanchez, Kahalekulu said, "Midsi gives us hope for Xiana, that Xiana will have the same opportunities as Midsi."   Midsi, a Vallejo 8-year-old, made national news when she escaped her abductor in August.   "Through this all, I have seen how different people in the community support Xiana in the ways that are important to them," Kahalekulu said.