A giving partnership between Chelsea Rotary Club and Panera Bread

The Chelsea Rotary Club and Panera Bread have a helpful partnership that is benefiting the Saint Louis Center with their time and goods.

It starts every Thursday evening; a Chelsea Rotarian goes to the Panera on Jackson Road at 9 p.m. and picks up any leftover bread, pastries, etc. from that day. On Thursday, Dec.9, the Rotarian was Chelsea School District Superintendent Julie Helber.

The employees pack up the remaining items and the Rotarian takes them to the Saint Louis Center for their use is.

Wendy Zielen, Development & Communications Director at the Saint Louis Center, said they are so grateful for the generosity of time and goods by Rotary and Panera. She said Panera provides St. Louis Center with a variety of their foodstuffs most weeks as a donation to their kitchen.

“Rotary is truly the cog that makes it work, as they transport and deliver the goods very early on Friday mornings,” Zielen said. “We are so fortunate to receive the bread, bagels, and other provisions, which provide nourishment variation to resident meals.”

The rotary club has been providing this service for some time now. Helber said as a service organization, “We are always looking for ways to provide service locally.”

“The Rotary Club and its members live by the motto, Service Above Self,” Helber told The Sun Times News in an email follow-up. “Adhering to this idea, the Chelsea Rotary Club supports the St. Louis Center through a collaborative agreement with Panera Bread”.

She said the Chelsea Rotarians exemplify the Service Above Self Motto through “our 4 Way Test: First: Is it the truth?, Second: Is it fair to all concerned?, Third: Will it build goodwill and better friendships?: Fourth: Will it be beneficial to all concerned?”