Join Us for a Celebration of Diversity in Sharon, MA

Those of us who live in Sharon simply have to walk around town or visit local businesses, shops and restaurants to realize how diverse our community has become. Money Magazine has selected Sharon as among the top “Best Places to Live” in the U.S., citing the town’s growing ethnic and religious diversity and pointing out that “So many newcomers could make for a fractious mix, but the people of Sharon have embraced the work of community building.”

Two leaders in community service, the Lions Club International, through its local Sharon Lions Club, and the International Rotary Foundation, through its local Sharon Rotary Club are reaching their centennial milestone in 2017. In commemoration of this momentous time in our clubs’ history, we’ve decided to join forces to celebrate Sharon’s diversity through a two-year long program of community service projects and activities dedicated to the residents of Sharon.

Both Rotary and the Lions have a mission and history of changing lives in their communities and around the world, emphasizing the theme of “Dignity, Harmony, and Humanity.” In 1917, Rotary International President Arch C. Klumph proposed an endowment "for the purpose of doing good in the world." His vision became The Rotary Foundation. In that very same year, Lions founder Melvin Jones said, "You can't get very far until you start doing something for somebody else." It was upon that principle that the Lions motto "We Serve" emerged, and the rest is history.

So what does all of this mean to Sharon and its residents? You are being invited to share in our 100th anniversary celebration! You will have the chance to participate in some fun, festive activities including outdoor family events and indoor social happenings around town. But the biggest opportunity you have is the chance to participate in creating a Centennial Legacy Project – a permanent gift to the town from the Lions and Rotary Clubs to recognize and showcase the wonderful diversity in our community.

Here’s how you can get involved right now. We need to identify all of the COUNTRIES represented by the residents of our town. This information is vital for the design of our legacy project that will recognize who we are and where we come from – a public visual display to be seen and enjoyed by anyone who lives here or passes through the town of Sharon. Please take a moment to answer three short questions available online at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LegacyProject (if the link does not take you there directly, please copy and paste the address into your browser). Or, if preferred, please answer the three questions below and mail the information to: Centennial Legacy Project, 14 Paul Revere Road, Sharon, MA 02067-2213.

Please respond no later than May 31 so we can accurately represent the countries of origin of the residents of Sharon.

1. Please tell us your family’s COUNTRY (or Countries) of origin.
2. Are you interested in assisting with this project? Yes or No -- If yes, please provide your name and phone or email contact information.
3. Would you be willing to donate funds to this project? Yes or No -- If yes, please provide your name and phone or email contact information.

THANKS for your input and stay tuned for more information from Rotary and the Lions as we continue our centennial celebration of the diversity in Sharon, MA.

For more information about the Sharon Rotary Club, please visit our website at http://www.sharonrotary.org/ or our Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/The-Rotary-Club-of-Sharon-361695060514874/.

For more information about the Sharon Lions Club, please visit our website at http://sharonmalions.lionwap.org/ or our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/sharonmalions/.