The Rotary Club of Watertown

The Rotary Club of Watertown provides funding for six (6) $500.00 scholarships to JCC students each year. The Watertown Rotary Club Scholarships are awarded to students in good academic standing who demonstrate financial need. Preference would be given to a dependent of a Rotary member who meets these qualifications, but relationship to a Rotarian is not a criterion for selection.

Rotary is an international service organization founded in 1905. Most noted for their efforts to eradicate polio from the world, Rotarians also support programs and projects that improve health, literacy, and education both internationally and locally.

The Watertown Club was established in 1914, only the 136th Rotary Club to be founded. Today, there are over 1.2 million Rotarians and 33,000 clubs around the globe. The Watertown Club continues to serve the North County through funding a variety of scholarships, including the Purple Heart Scholarship and the JCC scholarships; community-improvement projects such as the Fitness Trail and Pavilion in Thompson Park, annual tree-planting in the City, and a handicapped fishing deck on the Black River; financial support for Dodge Pond, a summer camp serving handicapped youth; and sponsorship of the annual Great Outdoor Expo, to name a few.

Internationally, the Watertown Club has been a leader in the building of fresh-water wells in Africa; provision of materials to improve the quality of life of handicapped individuals in the Turks and Caicos; and support for Rotary’s Shelter Box project, which delivers emergency shelter, cooking materials, warmth and dignity to people affected by disasters worldwide.

Jefferson Community College is grateful for the Watertown Rotary for establishing this scholarship.