The Rotary Club of Skokie Valley wants to thank the Palatine Rotary , their members and President, Liz Noe for supporting the Skokie Valley Rotary Presidents’ Project to build a learning center in Monterrey, Mexico.

 Sam Eckerling, President of the Rotary Club of Skokie Valley, which includes the communities of Skokie, Lincolnwood, Niles and Morton Grove has spearheaded this project.

The learning center is being built in conjunction with the Monterrey Rotary Club and the local Tecnologico University.  Eckerling hoped to raise $50,000 for the learning center that sits only 150 miles from the U.S. border.

Joaquin Mejia, Rotary International Service Chairman, says the learning center will provide computer equipment, desks, reading materials, pens, pencils and paper for men, women and children who attend the learning center.  The learning center offers Monterrey’s poorest people classes in basic reading and mathematics to vocational training for job placement.

“Monterrey, Mexico and its citizens need these services. Our goal is to raise $50,000 by asking all 70 Clubs in District 6440 to donate,” Eckerling says. This fundraising effort involving all 70 Clubs is unprecedented within Rotary and could become part of Rotary’s future, if successful.  “If we’re successful we’ll establish a new a more effective method to help others,” Eckerling said.