Our official club visit to nearby Newberry (45 minutes from Greenwood) was packed with action! President Melvin Evans and his board are excited about the 2011-12 year and have my kind of plan for the year -- net membership growth by 10%, 12 service project, stretch Rotary Foundation goals, and plans to improve their community and our world! The club is now meeting at the Helena Community Center, a good meeting place, but not quite the same as their usual meeting place in downtown historic Newberry that is now under renovation. Kathy and I hope to return to Newberry when they return to their stately meeting place in the next few months.
The club meeting was packed with recognitions for four new Paul Harris Fellows, a generous donation to the Newberry Free Clinic in my honor, and my presentation. We struggled to finish the meeting on time with all these activities. I was very appreciative of several club members who thanked me for my presentation and the perspective it gave them about membership and foundation growth.
I recognized their Notable Rotarian, Gordon Henry, who has been a Rotarian for 44 years and a member of the Newberry club since 1969. He Served as the District Chair of the Ambassadorial Scholarship Committee from 1975-1998 (23 yrs) and as Club Treasurer from 1996 to now (15 yrs). He is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow and was named as the Newberry Rotary Club Rotarian of the Year in 2000. Gordon Retired from Newberry College on on June 30, 2011 after 42 years of service (last position as Archivist).
I was so pleased to participate in the donation of $300 to the Newberry Free Clinic. I am a strong advocate of free medical clinics and have helped start three clinics over the last 14 years. The Newberry Free Clinic is providing great care for the less fortunate in Newberry County, and I appreciate local Rotarian's support of these clinics!
President Melvin Evans is going to be a great club president. During my presentation, I mentioned that $20 will allow you to purchase a set of pliers or wrenches from Sears. The club members seemed to think this was funny, and I was perplexed about what was said to bring that reaction. After the meeting I learned that Melvin is the local Sears of Newberry store owner. I do enjoy Sears stores, but didn't know I was advertising for Melvin today during my presentation. I hope the Newberry club members see some wrenches in Melvin's store and remember to donate $20 a month to The Rotary Foundation!
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