Rotarians help fund National Child Protection Training Center
by February 6, 2013 9:17 pm 111 views
Four Benton County Rotary Clubs put the organization’s “Service Above Self” motto into practice on Wednesday, Feb. 6, with grants to the Melba Shewmaker Southern Region National Child Protection Training Center totaling $44,500.
Checks were presented during a ceremony in the Walmart Community Room of the Bentonville Public Library. Donations included $25,000 from the Bentonville Noon Rotary Club, $15,000 from the Bentonville/Bella Vista Daybreak Rotary Club, $2,500 from the Bella Vista Sunrise Rotary Club and $2,000 from the Rogers Early Risers Rotary Club.
The gifts go toward the $3 million campaign for renovation, furnishing and transformation of the former Highlands Oncology building into the Melba Shewmaker Southern Region National Child Protection Training Center.
The campaign to fund the renovation has reached 85% of the goal, and leaders hope to begin the project later this year.
NorthWest Arkansas Community College has been the Southern Region location for the national center since 2010 and, even without dedicated lab facilities, has trained thousands of child protection students and professionals from its 16-state service area.
“We are very grateful for the dedicated support area Rotarians have provided for this project,” said Amy Benincosa, development coordinator for the National Child Protection Training Center.
“They truly have demonstrated a commitment to Rotary’s guiding principle of service above self — service in the community, in the workplace and around the globe”
For more information about the Melba Shewmaker Southern Region National Child Protection Training Center or to donate, visit http://www.nwacc.edu/web/ncptc/.