The Rotary Club is a national organization that is dedicated to community service. Recently, a Gardendale chapter helped out with the growing Cornerstone Ranch, a religious-themed camp aimed at helping troubled youth.

The Rotary Club has donated money to Cornerstone, which allowed members to come out and build the pavilion that stands across the main lodge. The money raised by the club also went into building two swings that stand nearby, as well as laying down turf in bare parts of the ground.

The project to build the pavilion was headed by Rotary Club member Richard Bradley.

In celebration of the help that the Rotary club has given to Cornerstone, a cookout was held on May 23 with club members and board members of the ranch in attendance. Grilled chicken and beans were served at the event.

“We’re just glad to do a small part to help this ministry be a success,” said Will Hardman, who is a Rotary Club member and board member at Cornerstone Ranch.

The Gardendale chapter has helped many others as well. It has donated around $50,000 for American League Park. Members from the club built a ramp and repaired the roof of a local widow’s house. Members also helped remodel the teacher’s lounge at Mt. Olive Elementary School.

The Rotary Club has been heavily involved in water projects outside of the country, helping parts of third world nations build wells.

Mike Holmes, chairman on the board of Cornerstone Ranch, expressed his gratitude for the club’s contributions to the ranch.

“It’s just been a great partnership,” he said. “The Rotary Club is so community minded. When they took this project on they didn’t just dip their toe in the water, they jumped in the deep end of it.”

Holmes was also grateful for the club’s role in building the pavilion. The pavilion provides shade for campers and a place where the Cornerstone board members can cook out and serve the kids food.

“It’s just really transformed the way the entrance to the camp looks,” he said. “Not only is it aesthetically nice but it’s so functional for the kids to come out here. This gives us so much more room to feed them.”

Cornerstone Ranch is slated to open in three weeks for kids interested in camping.

For more information, visit www.cornerstoneranch.org.