Meeting at the Summit Food and Spirits in downtown Chester

After an enjoyable time with our son, Michael, and his family in Gatlinburg, Tennessee over the weekend, we departed early en route to the Rotary Club of Chester meeting at the Summit Food and Spirits in downtown Chester. Kathy and I enjoyed the warm reception by the club's board and members as well as the excellent food prepared by this historic and well respected restaurant. The Summit Food & Spirits Restaurant opened in 1990 in the historic Wylie-Augurs building which was constructed in 1905. 

 President James Mayhugh and his board plan to grow the membership of the Rotary Club of Chester from 54 to 62 members this year. The club is involved in a number of local service projects and has a reputation as the service club of choice in the Chester area. Like many rural areas in South Carolina, they struggle with recruiting new members in a depressed economy with a high unemployment rate. The textile industry was the major industry in many Upstate South Carolina cities not too many years ago, but now employs very few people. 

The Notable Rotarian for the Chester Rotary Club is Bill Bundy. Bill has been a member since 1996 and is now a Multiple Paul Harris Fellow and Sustaining Member. He serves as the president of the Chester Health Care Foundation and frequently volunteers his time at the Good Samaritan Medical Clinic after the Rotary Club meeting each Tuesday. Bill served on a Rotary team to Honduras last year with me in which we conducted a medical missions clinic, enjoyed fellowship with local Rotarians, and assisted with a water project. Bill is active in many local organizations including the  United way and the American Red Cross. I was thrilled to see Bill again and know that he understands the value of The Rotary Foundation in making our world a better place to live!