On January 17th, 1987 the Tampa West Latin Rotary Club Charter was presented to twenty businessmen and professionals by the then Rotary International Director Roberto Valentín of Puerto Rico. Promoting the Ideal of Rotary, Service Above Self, Tampa West Latin began to impact the Tampa Bay Community. It sponsored another Rotary Club in the Town & Country area. The Tampa West Latin Rotary Club has performed numerous community service projects for the needy and the handicapped. It has provided support to Angels Unaware, The Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, DACCO, Hispanic Services Council, ElderMed and Thanksgiving and Christmas groceries and toys for needy migrant workers’ families in the Tampa Bay area. Tampa West Latin was also a volunteer participant and donor for the Tampa Playground Mania Project at Al Lopez Park. The Rotarians of Tampa West have been very active with Rotary’s Camp Florida, which enables children with serious diseases and emotional and physical abuse and their families to enjoy a camping experience. The club has established a scholarship fund to support a deserving student at U.S.F. in memory of our beloved Billy Viera. Together with Rotary International, Heartbeat International and the Rotary Club of Bogotá Occidente, Tampa West aided in establishing a pacemaker bank for indigent cardiac patients in Bogotá, Colombia. Tampa West Latin was also active in the relief efforts for the victims of Hurricane Georges in the Caribbean and the devastating earthquake in Colombia. Along with Dist. 6890, the Ybor City Rotary Club and several Rotarians from the district, Tampa West Latin helped in the reconstruction of a rural community school destroyed by hurricane Georges in Puerto Rico. Tampa West Latin is also involved in the Gift of Life Program, which provides free heart surgery to indigent children from throughout the World.
Maintaining a small and dynamic membership, Tampa West Latin has been awarded twelve Presidential Citations from Rotary International. Tampa West Latin received the District Governor’s Award for Best Club in the District 1996-97 along with the Sebring Rotary Club.
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