Press Release:
The Rotary Club of Batavia has contributed $7,635 in disaster relief to aid persons impacted by the recent hurricanes in the southeast portion of the country.
The total donation was fueled by a $5,000 contribution from members of the Batavia Rotary Club. The remainder was raised over a five-day period from members of the Batavia and Genesee County Community.
Batavia Rotary Club President Michael Hodgins explained that the original appeal provided for a Rotary Club “match” of community donations up to $5,000.
“Given the tight time frame, Batavia Rotarians decided to contribute the full $5,000 to go along with more than $2,600 from the community at large,” said Hodgins.
The local funds were sent to the Rotary International Zone 33/34 Foundation. This foundation was established to provide disaster relief in hurricane prone areas. These two zones encompass 10 states in the U.S. and 29 countries across the Caribbean.
Hurricane Milton made landfall on 9 October in Florida as a powerful Category 3 storm. Mere weeks before, Hurricane Helene battered areas in and around the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, and parts of the United States’ Eastern Seaboard.
Storm surges and heavy rains produced extreme flooding throughout the region. More than 250 people have died in the U.S. states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
