With proceeds from last year's Ducky Wucky River Race, the Ayer Rotary Club recently gave dictionaries as a personal gift to every third-grade student at the Page Hilltop School in Ayer.
 
 
Third-grade students at the Page Hilltop Elementary School received personalized dictionaries from the Ayer Rotary Club during a recent class assembly, just one example of public service funded by the club's annual Ducky Wucky River Race.  Inscribed with each child’s name, the dictionaries are a gift meant to help students improve their communications skills and encourage them to excel in school.
 
“We are excited to provide a gift to each third grader to show them the Ayer Rotary Club and the entire community support their education and want them to succeed in school.  We hope this will be the first year of a new annual tradition, and we thank the many individuals and sponsors who donate generously to support the community service work of the Ayer Rotary Club,” said Michael Phelan, the club’s president for 2015-16.
 
 
 
Third-grade students at the Page Hilltop Elementary School received personalized dictionaries from the Ayer Rotary Club during a recent class assembly, just one example of public service funded by the club's annual Ducky Wucky River Race.  Inscribed with each child’s name, the dictionaries are a gift meant to help students improve their communications skills and encourage them to excel in school.
 
“We are excited to provide a gift to each third grader to show them the Ayer Rotary Club and the entire community support their education and want them to succeed in school.  We hope this will be the first year of a new annual tradition, and we thank the many individuals and sponsors who donate generously to support the community service work of the Ayer Rotary Club,” said Michael Phelan, the club’s president for 2015-16.
 
The Ayer Rotary Club raises money for this and other community service projects through community fundraisers, including the famous Ducky Wucky River Race that annually offers a lucky winner the grand prize of dinner for two anywhere in the world.  This year’s Ducky Wucky River Race will be held May 7, at 4 p.m., along with the club’s annual Apple Blossom Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Harvard Common.  Tickets are on sale now from club members or on the day of the race at the Apple Blossom Festival.

In providing the dictionaries, the Ayer Rotary Club is participating in a national service program called The Dictionary Project.  The goal of the program is to assist students in becoming good writers, active readers, creative thinkers, and resourceful learners by providing them with a personal dictionary.  
The dictionaries are a gift to each student to use at school and home for years to come. The program focuses on third-grade students because that is the year dictionary skills are typically taught.
 
The Ayer Rotary Club serves the communities of Ayer, Harvard, Shirley and Devens.  It provides charitable donations to meet local needs and performs service projects, including the Ramps to Freedom project that builds handicapped ramps for the homebound.   
The Club’s charitable efforts are supported by fundraising,
 
For more information on The Dictionary Project, visit www.dictionaryproject.org. For more information on Ayer Rotary, visit www.AyerRotary.com and on the Ducky Wucky River Race, visit www.DuckyWucky.org.