A little over 20 years ago the members of the Arcadia Rotary Club had a dream to complete a community project and build a fort at Camp Trask, a local Boy’s Scout. This dream came to reality and Fort Rotary has stood for the past 20 years. Okay, that was just a bit of the history of Fort Rotary. Today, the fort is in disarray due to the weather elements, wear and tear and just recently as last year a forest fire that came knocking at the gates of the fort. Thanks to the local Fire Fighters, the fire was held at bay and the fort was saved.
In 2019, Rotary Member John Murphy reached out to the Arcadia Chinese Association seeking financial assistance to help refurbish the fort. After meeting with the then President, Jaime Lee, an agreement was made for the organization to contribute a sum of $25,000 to the Arcadia Rotary Foundation. Well before any work could be begin on the fort, the world was hit with Covid-19 and the world pretty much halted to a complete stop. This included all efforts towards any renovations to the forts.
Fast forward. During the two years of a pandemic, President Jaime Lee continued to work within the community of the Arcadia Chinese Association to raise an additional $10,000 to be donated to the Arcadia Rotary Foundation for the fort’s renovation.
At this week’s Arcadia Rotary Club meeting, held at Matt Denny’s, members of the Arcadia Chinese Association Board of Directors were welcomed to present a check for $35,000 to the Arcadia Rotary Foundation in support of the renovation of the fort. The contributions don’t need to stop there. A request to contribute is being asked of all of the Arcadian Rotary members. By making a contribution, an equal matching amount will be made up to $22,800 by the Hakka Foundtion. The total money raised will help meet the necessary amount to complete the needed renovations of the fort and make the future enjoyment of the Boy’s and Girl’s scouts come true.