SERTOMA CLUB OF DTC

by David S. Oppenheim & Dr. Barb Jenkins

"Lucinda, a four year old little girl with saucy brown eyes and pigtails, turns to her mother. She has just heard her own voice for the first time, and is startled by the sound. Her mother starts to cry."

"Jason, a devoted husband and father of two, is having difficulty making ends meet because work has slowed for the summer. He carries two full bags of groceries from the local food bank, now confident that he'll be able to keep his family fed until things pick up again."

"Drew has recently returned to the United States from a tour of duty in Iraq. He's from Colorado, but is at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC until he learns how to walk again, without the benefit of his left leg. He smiles as a volunteer hands him some rip-away sweats and a candy bar. The nurse tells him they are a gift from the citizens of Colorado, thanking him for his service."

Although each of the above stories appears unrelated, they all share a common foundation. Each person above (and many more like them) has been helped by the same Colorado group. The Sertoma Club of DTC.

Sertoma (which stands for SERvice TO MANkind), was founded in 1912. The local Sertoma Club of DTC has been serving members of this community since 1987. "Every penny that our club earns for its various service projects goes directly to the project", states one of its founding members, David Oppenheim. "At a time when it's hard to tell if your donation will actually end up benefiting the cause to which you donate, it's nice to know that".

The Sertoma Club of DTC raises funds for many projects throughout the year, including those mentioned above. "Our club helped to open the first and only school for the deaf in all of Mexico" proclaims Dr. Barbara Jenkins, a five year member. "We've also donated tens of thousands of pounds of food to area food banks, and have given our wounded soldiers at Walter Reed more than $80,000 worth of clothing, supplies and suitcases to help their transition at the hospital and on the way home. These brave soldiers have given so much for their country. The least we can do is to help them return home with dignity."

Sertoma Club members range in age from their early twenties, to their late eighties. "We have such a rich diversification of members here", states Greg Meehan, "us young guys are enriched by the confidence and experience of the older members, and the older members are invigorated and inspired by the young. Everyone benefits, everyone is welcome!"

Other projects include involving the middle school student in the Sertoma Heritage Week by inviting them to a writing contest on the topic "What Freedom Means To Me", and the Sertoma Club of DTC participates in the Sertoma Mile High Soap Box Derby.

If you've been looking for a way to help those in your community, and want to have fun doing it, the Sertoma Club of DTC is for you. We join together to assist in some worthwhile community projects. The requirements are not so much skill as the willingness to participate. We have found both kinds of effort provide a feeling of pride and satisfaction. We also recognize that our efforts are strictly on a voluntary basis. You can contribute as much time as you want.

The Sertoma Club meets Thursdays at noon for one hour in the DTC area. Contact charter member David S. Oppenheim at captdso@aol.com for further information. For more information on the national organization, please go to www.sertoma.org.

There is no greater joy than that of helping others. If you would like more information on one of the projects mentioned above (or any other of our projects) we encourage you to drop us a note. We, the members of the Sertoma Club of DTC, thank you!