The Rotary Club of Lancaster South has moved its location to Meadia Heights Golf Club, 402 Golf Road, Lancaster. The change in location is one piece of a larger initiative for the club to diversify its membership and exert a bigger positive impact in the community.

"If we have a more diverse club, we have more ideas and can get out into the community more. We would like to see more fundraisers and projects," said Rotary Club secretary PJ Roberts. The club formerly met at Oak Leaf Manor in Millersville, and Roberts noted that Meadia Heights has been very accommodating to the club's vision of expansion.

The Rotary Club serves the Lampeter-Strasburg, Penn Manor and Solanco school districts and provides a $1,500 scholarship annually to a graduating senior from each high school. Last year, the club provided a $5,000 grant to the Hans Herr House for repairs being made to its smokehouse, and this year it granted $5,000 to the Loft Community Partnership for the purchase of a freezer. Previously, the Rotary Club hosted a magic show at Lampeter-Strasburg High School, but it was discontinued due to the amount of work required to operate it and the lack of growth in the event.

The largest yearly fundraiser for the Rotary Club is the sale of funnel cakes at the West Lampeter Community Fair. The club will also hold a "poker run" at the Lancaster Harley-Davidson, 308 Beaver Valley Pike, Willow Street, on Sept. 10. Participants will draw three cards at the first location and acquire more cards at three separate checkpoints throughout the event. At the end of the ride, the rider with the best hand will be awarded the prize. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the event, and the activity will kick off at 9:30 a.m.

Roberts, the owner of an autobody shop on Columbia Avenue, has been a member of the Rotary Club for 18 years. "I was in a networking group to make connections throughout the community, but was looking for a way to give back," Roberts said. "Someone introduced me to the Rotary Club, and I realized it aligned with my goals. I love helping out and seeing the club grow; it's satisfying to see what we give back to the community."

For more information on the Rotary Club, visit http://www.lancsouthrotary.org/.