It was 1995 when Sister Margaret Mertens encountered the Rotary via one of its members. That was the beginning of what would eventually become a partnership to benefit the community – a partnership with the Harlingen Sunburst Rotary Club. In 2008, Sister Zita Telkamp became a member of the club. Over the years, the Sisters learned about Rotary; the Rotary learned about La Posada Providencia.
La Posada and the Harlingen Sunburst Rotary Club have made a great team. On many occasions, clients of La Posada attended various Rotary events and volunteered their time to help. At the Rotary’s annual golf tournament, our male clients worked in the morning for a couple of hours, and our female clients volunteered in the afternoon to help serve meals. For years, the Sisters and La Posada clients assisted at other fundraisers the Rotary hosted. These events always provided great learning experiences, not only for the Rotary but also for the clients.
La Posada will remain forever grateful to the Harlingen Sunburst Rotary for their generous donation of our Volunteer Pavilion that they built for us in 2017. This pavilion has allowed La Posada to host many gatherings such as volunteer appreciation luncheons and Christmas events.
Sisters Zita and Margaret attended their last meeting on August 20, 2020. It was a bittersweet moment for all. They will always hold a special place in their hearts for the Harlingen Sunburst Rotary. The Sisters provided a great example of community involvement and La Posada looks forward to another several years of teamwork with the Rotary.
A big thank you to the Harlingen Sunburst Rotary!