Mon-Yough River Valley Rotary Club ‘loose change fund’ supports Alzheimer’s research and local youth

Rotarian Donna Vesely made a donation to the Waypoint Youth Center in West Newton.

For the MVI

Members of the Mon-Yough River Valley Rotary Club have found a way to put that loose change in their pockets to good use in their communities.

At every meeting, club members toss their loose change into buckets placed at each table.

Once the collection total reaches $200, it’s split evenly — $100 goes to the CART Fund (Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust) and $100 is given to a member to donate to a project or organization of their choice.

The CART Fund began with the Sumter Rotary Club in South Carolina to demonstrate that Rotarians voluntarily emptying their pockets of change for a good cause could make a big impact. Today, CART is dedicated to funding cutting-edge, high-impact research to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. All of the money collected goes directly to Alzheimer’s research.

The remaining $100 from the collection allows an individual member to directly support a cause they care about. Each recipient reports back to the club about the impact of the donation.

Recently, member Donna Vesely donated her $100 to the Waypoint Youth Center after learning about its innovative Outpost River’s Edge Eatery, located at 110 Collinsburg Road in West Newton, along the Great Allegheny Passage trail, a scenic, 150-mile biking and hiking trail stretching from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Md.

Operated by local youth with professional mentorship, the Outpost offers hands-on culinary and entrepreneurial training. The restaurant has earned Restaurant Guru’s “Best of the Hamburger” award.

During her visit, Vesely was served by Malissa Runkle, a graduate of the program, who enthusiastically shared how the after-hours program in high school shaped her life. She credited the experience with giving her valuable life skills, business knowledge and opportunities to mentor others.

“The lessons learned by these young people go far beyond just serving great food. They are developing crucial skills that they’ll carry with them throughout their personal and professional lives,” Vesely said.

The day Vesely visited, Chef Dom Liscotti and Malissa shared exciting news: the launch of their youth-run food truck serving mini-donuts and ice cream. All decisions about the menu and operation were made by the young participants themselves — a recipe for both empowerment and success.

When asked about the “secret sauce” behind their award-winning burgers, the pair smiled and revealed it was aioli … but quickly agreed that the real secret ingredient was “lots of love.”