Rotarians support Garden of the Child

Warwick — “Service Above Self” is the motto of Rotary, an organization of area business and professional men and women. Sister Anna Roche, SC, founder of Monroe-based Garden of the Child, is guided by a similar creed. In 1989, Roche approached Leo Kaytes, a Warwick auto dealer and then president of the Warwick Valley Rotary Club, with an idea for starting an early childhood/middle school detection, intervention and prevention program. With seed money from the Warwick Rotarians, Garden of the Child was started. Recently, Sister Anna received her 22nd annual $1,000 contribution from the Warwick Valley Rotary Club. Her educational program services students from kindergarten through the eighth grade. Seminars and the summer programs offer enrichment in the areas of art, music, fashion, cooking, baking, the basic drills and skills of several sports and tutoring. The Garden’s radio program invites students to enhance their reading skills through voice training and a public speaking opportunity on WTBQ/1110 Radio at 11:10 a.m. on Saturday mornings. The Garden of the Child services Chester, Goshen, Warwick, Monroe, Florida, Washingtonville, Harriman, Central Valley, Woodbury and Cornwall.