General 1

International Project Alliance

Honduras

What is IPA?

The International Project Alliance (IPA) is a large collaborative group of Rotary clubs in northwest Washington State, who made a long-term commitment to helping the people of the Copán Ruinas region of western Honduras. Founded in 2014, our projects cover most areas of international aid, including education, health, food and agriculture, water and sanitation, construction, and economic development. Our in country partner is the Club Rotario de Copán Ruinas. The programs we have implemented include:

  • Adopt-A-School
  • Adopt-A-Dream, scholarship program
  • Adopt-a-Village
  • Mobile Library 
  • Student Health Fund
  • Water, sanitation, school construction, agriculture
  • Rapid Development program - transforming Villages
  • Equipping health clinics
Children receiving their backpacks before the school year!

Sponsoring University Students
Opening New Doors in 2026

Over the past decade, IPA’s work has helped far more students in rural
Copán finish primary and secondary school. This progress is real and
meaningful. Each year, more students are graduating prepared, motivated, and eager to continue their education. But for many, the path stops there
— not because of ability, but because university is simply unaffordable.
IPA launched its university scholarship program to address this gap. These
scholarships help students move from secondary school into professional
training, turning years of hard work into lasting opportunity. University
access matters beyond the individual student. These young adults want to
become teachers, nurses, agronomists, lawyers, and business leaders —
roles that strengthen schools, improve health, and create economic
opportunity in their own communities. Supporting students through
university ensures that education does not end at graduation but becomes
a foundation for long-term impact.

Home Page Stories
Thank you Stanwood Post Office Workers
The Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Committee visited our local post office to express our sincere gratitude to the postal workers who make our program possible. For 18 years, they've diligently delivered over 155,000 books to children in Stanwood and Camano Island. Their hard work and dedication bring the magic of reading to so many homes.
Please extend our appreciation for our mail carriers as you see them out on their delivery routes. They work hard in all kinds of weather.
Thank you for being terrific partners!
Making a Global Impact: Support for El Florido School

Our Rotary club is proud to support the dedicated students and teachers at a school in El Florido, Honduras. Through our efforts, we're helping to provide essential resources and improve learning environments, opening doors to brighter futures for these young learners. We recently received the most heartwarming collection of hand-drawn thank you cards from the children themselves, a beautiful reminder of the direct impact of our "Service Above Self" and the global connections we forge through Rotary. Their gratitude truly brightens our day!

New Swings for Rotary Adventure Playground!
Rotary was the largest sponsor of Rotary Adventure Playground at Freedom Park when it was built 15 years ago in May!
The playground is aging and FPA is trying to preserve the playground to last for future generations. We have big plans this year!
Thanks to a generous grant from Rotary we have been able to replace all of the original swings that have far outlived their expected use.
Next we hope to finish by replacing the chains and hardware on the Red ADA swings. We think we have found new harnesses.
FYI...new nylon harness is $195 each.
A whole new swing is $1500.
Record Breaking Blood Drive!
We are beyond grateful for your support on Friday! We were able to donate 33 pints of blood which will potentially help save the lives of more than 90 people! To put it into perspective, these people may get more time to spend with their family and friends this holiday season thanks to you. ❤ 
 This was also our highest collecting blood drive ever!
The Caring Place - Recipient of Rotary's Community Grant
Last week at the Rotary Board Retreat, the Community Grants Committee reviewed the latest bunch of applications.  The committee decided to award The Caring Place with $1,000 to restock their shelves with much needed products for teens and women.
 
A new Community Grant Cycle is open, please share the link below with any non-profit organizations you would like us to consider.  
 
If you would like to be part of the Community Grants Committee please reach out to Steve at sgoforth.northcountyfireems.com
Our Club was pleased to offer SEVEN $1,000 Scholarships this year to the graduating class of 2025!
Here are some of the criteria used to select the students:
  • Cumulative GPA 
  • Rigor is based on class difficulty (Honors/Advanced Placement/College Credit etc)
  • Extracurricular Activities in school
  • Athletics
  • Community activities
  • Volunteer hours
  • Academic Honors
  • Work History
  • Goals essay
  • Activities Essay
The following people have been selected for $1000 scholarships in no particular order:
 
1)    Sonia Garvey
2)    Danielle MacPherson
3)    Brander Standish
4)    Quinn Ferguson
5)    Madison Burnham
6)    Megan Stulc
7)    Logan Lee
 
Congratulations to the Class of 2025!
Great News for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Stanwood-Camano Island - OPSI Funding!
We have some truly exciting news to share! The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has agreed to fund 50% of our program for one year! 
This is a huge help as it costs around $22,000 annually to ensure over 880 children in our community, from birth to age five, receive a brand-new, high-quality book delivered to their homes every single month. 
We are incredibly grateful for this support, and we also want to send a massive thank you to our amazing community! Your continued generosity helps us raise the other $12,000 each year needed to cover our costs and keep this vital early literacy program thriving.
 
Together, we're building a community of readers, one book at a time!
Our Rotary Club Awarded a Community Grant to Operation School Bell in the amount of $1,000!
A little about what they do:

Since 1965 we have had the privilege of providing school clothes to over 100,000 children and teens, one child at a time.   All preschool, elementary, and middle school students receive an in-person shopping experience at our in-house “store” or a personalized bag of new clothing.  Currently we have long-standing agreements with 15 school districts throughout Snohomish County.

Each Child Receives:

  • Three pairs of jeans, pants or leggings
  • One  jacket
  • One sweatshirt
  • Three shirts
  • Six pairs of underwear
  • Six pairs of socks
  • One personal hygiene care kit
  • One pair of shoes
  • One book of their choice
Teddy Bear Picnic at the Community Resource Center

A Beary Good Time at the Teddy Bear Picnic!

What a wonderful time we had at our Teddy Bear Picnic on Tuesday, June 24th at the Willow Stage at the CRC! It was a day filled with sunshine, smiles, and so much fun.

Thank you to everyone who joined us with their favorite teddy bears and picnic baskets! We loved seeing all the happy faces enjoying the storybook readings, the delightful puppet show, engaging activities, and especially the visits from our special pony and goat friends. Every child went home with a free book, sparking new adventures!

We're also thrilled to announce that, with the support of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, we were able to sign up 15 new children to receive a free book every month from birth until age five! This is a fantastic step in fostering a love of reading in our community's youngest members.  Committee member and author Carole Lexa Schaefer read three of her own books, "The Squiggle," "Down in the Woods at Sleepy Time," and "ABCers."

Thank you for making magical memories with us!

SC Give - Results are in! 
image
SC Give is the local Giving Tuesday Event for the Stanwood Camano Community!
A Note from the Stanwood Camano Area Foundation - Hosts of SC Give:
 
24 Projects, 24 Hours, over $103,321 in donations. The Stanwood-Camano community truly showed up for these projects today and we are so grateful for each and every one of our donors and sponsors. We will continue to add in prize matching funds and any donations that trickle in through the end of the week. We will close the website for donations this Sunday but we want to remind you that each of these organizations takes donations the rest of the year as well.
If you donated and your employer has a program that matches donations, be sure to submit your SC Give donations.
Thank you, from all of us at the Stanwood-Camano Area Foundation and the 24 nonprofits you supported
 
 
Thank you for your support of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Stanwood- Camano and all your favorite local nonprofits! 
 
We raised $2,590!
 
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Stanwood-Camano Island
Currently Enrolled:  901 Children
Graduated:  4,604 Children
 
People of Action Awards 2024
This week District Governor, Dave Duskin, and Kathleen Olson, assistant District Governor visited our meeting.  Dave presented People of Action Awards to Kathy Moe, Terrence Bedford and Heather Courlas.  The three were nominated by President Steve Goforth who recognized each for their commitment to service in our community!
The District Governor's People of Action Award is a Rotary award that recognizes Rotarians and Rotaractors who demonstrate their commitment to helping others through volunteering.
 
We thank Kathy Moe for her outstanding work on the Stanwood-Camano Rotary Parade and are excited that she will be president of our club next year.
 
We thank Terrence Bedford for his work as former Club President and his commitment to organizing blood drives.
 
We thank Heather Courlas for her work with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and public relations/communication for our club.
Puget Sound Farms Provides Fresh Produce to the Food Bank
Puget Sound Farms Provides Fresh Produce to the Food Bank!
 
 
Rotary member, Andrew Davis, of Puget Sound Public Farms, just wrapped up its first year of running a vegetable garden benefitting the Stanwood-Camano Food Bank on the property. During the last several months, as people drove by Ovenell property on their way into Stanwood, volunteers were on the other side of the red barn tilling soil and planting produce.  His nonprofit was featured in the Stanwood Camano Newspaper!  We appreciate all your hard work for our community!
 
Follow this link to read the full article at Stanwood Camano News:
https://www.goskagit.com/scnews/puget-sound-public-farms-wraps-up-successful-first-year-at-ovenell-property/article_497d03f8-aac9-11ef-9846-a39dbf43726b.html
Pancake Feed for Scholarships - Results are in! 
The Rotary Pancake Feed - Results are in!
 
 
With the proceeds from the Pancake Feed and two anonymous grants we raised over $6,300! Our Rotary members cooked up a storm and had a terrific time. A big thanks to Clarene & Marty for their organization and also to the members of the Key Club for helping at the event.
 
We are excited to offer several scholarships through the Stanwood Camano Area Fund Student Scholarships for local graduating seniors!
 
If you are a graduating senior in the class of 2025 make sure to put the following dates on your calendar:
 
High School Scholarships
2/01/25 - Application Period Opens
3/10/25 - Applications Due
5/27/25 - Scholarship Night, 6:30pm
A Facelift for Rotary Adventure Playground!
Our annual service project at the Rotary Adventure Playground on Camano Island was a success last Saturday as we had nine participants representing the Stanwood-Camano Rotary Club, the Pacific Northwest Passport Rotary Club, board members from the Freedom Park Association, and one community member.
The focus was primarily staining the cedar playground equipment along with staining the perimeter picket fence. The perimeter fence is a major project since most of the fence has never been stained, or the original stain has just worn out. This fencing is over 100 yards long and requires maintenance with every service project.
We did examine the condition of the orca whale sculpture that was a focus of maintenance at last years’ service project. The whale still looks good! The weather was perfect for working while outdoors and our promise of sun (but not too hot) was met. Participants of this service project ware hoping to continue this as an annual event for late September.
In 2007 a group of 1,000 volunteers sponsored by the Stanwood Camano Rotary built the 12,000 square foot playground in five days and called it Rotary Adventure Playground! A great place to take your kids or grandkids to get the wiggles out!
Stanwood-Camano Rotary Parade 2024
Stanwood Camano Rotary Parade on Saturday, August 3rd, was filled with dancing horses, cheerleaders, Spartans, rainbows, big trucks, fire engines, and much, much more!  Rotary would like to thank everyone who volunteered and showed up to help organize and get the parade started.  We’d also like to thank our sponsors and participants for their generous support. But most of all thanks to this community for always showing up and being a part of the excitement!
 
The 2024 Trophy winners for the Rotary parade are:
 
              Best of Show:  Safe Harbor Free Clinic
              Hometown Fun:  Puget Sound Public Farms
              Most Imaginative: Josephines Caring Center
              Best Entertainment:  Spartan Cheer & Band
 
Honorable Mention:
 
             Redemption Hill church band
             Fast Track HVAC
             Stanwood Youth Cheer
             Skagit Latin Horses
             Stanwood Camano District Transportation
 
Congratulations!
 
Thank you, Evan Caldwell, for taking all the wonderful pictures! They are TERRIFIC!!
Camano Plaza IGA Roundup for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library!
The amount raised is enough to put books into the hands of 1,129 children!  What a wonderful accomplishment.
 
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Roundup. Your support helps Rotary foster a love of reading and support early literacy. 
 
"You can never get enough books into the hands of enough children!" - Dolly Parton
Touch-a-Truck 2024
Thank you to Nancy V, Clarene, and Marty, for representing Rotary and Imagination Library at Touch A Truck this year!
20 More Children enrolled to receive a free book a month and we received a $100 Donation to the Imagination Library!
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