Through its international reach, the Niles-Buchanan Rotary Club part of the national organization of Rotary, has raised money to make an impact around the world, fighting to end polio and aid impoverished countries.

It made an impact Tuesday in its own community as well.

Meeting for lunch each week, current president of the Niles-Buchanan Rotary Club, John Jarpe, said members collect “Happy Dollars,” donations made when members share personal stories of positive events that have happened over the last week.

Giving “a dollar or two or more,” each week, Jarpe said those funds were collected this year to benefit three area families in need.

The suggestion to do so came from member and Ameriprise financial adviser Kim Wooden.

“I said, ‘I really think we need to think local because right now we have a lot of unhappiness locally because of the economy,'” Wooden said. “And at that time I thought about Christmas and that was a long way away at the time, but if you want to raise money you’ve got to start early.”

The club raised close to $400 between “Happy Dollars” donations and a monetary gift by Martin’s Super Markets.

Because the club is rooted in the  Niles, Brandywine and Buchanan school districts, the decision was made to aid a family in need from each of those districts.

Jarpe coordinated the effort to determine which families would benefit from the holiday help and found three families who then put together a wish list for Wooden.

“It was kind of interesting,” Wooden said, “because they (the lists) were so different but also, one of the families had a handicap issue and another family had a really impoverished issue and the other family really didn’t have any resources for the children, one of which really believes in Santa Claus.”

The club kept that belief alive when Jarpe delivered gifts to each of the families Tuesday.

Wooden said while she primarily focused on the children in each family, one mother’s need for something as simple as a frying pan brought tears to her eyes.

She made sure the mother got her wish as well.

“It’s $400 that made an impact (on) three families,” Wooden said. “And to me, that means more than anything.”

Both Jarpe and Wooden said they hoped the interest in using “Happy Dollars” to make a difference locally would continue.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” Jarpe said. “I really hope it’s a tradition that we can start in Rotary and maybe just continue for years to come. What better way to pass it on or pay it forward than to make that happiness count toward somebody at the holidays?

“The happiness I saw today when I delivered those presents…” he said. “Tremendous. They were just kind of blown away.”