- November 23, 2024
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The past 12 months was the year to “Be the Inspiration” for the 81 active members of the Rotary Club of Flagler County. With President Cindy Kiel Evans at the helm, the club donated about $47,000 locally through service projects and $2,200 to the Rotary International Foundation. The figures were announced to a ballroom full of Rotarians at the annual installation dinner on Tuesday, June 18.
Among the club’s merits of the year were $12,000 in scholarships to six Flagler Palm Coast High School students, and the club was in the top 10 out of over 60 clubs in the county in terms of community financial givings.
Hardware was awarded to Rotarians who donated generously, as well as those who gave “110% effort,” Evans said.
On her last night as president of the club, Evans named past club President Bill Lyon as the Rotarian of the Year. Lyon became involved in the Rotary Club of Daytona Beach in 1976 and has demonstrated the club’s motto “service about self” ever since.
“Rotary, to me, means a lot,” Lyon said. “As my wife can tell you, we spend hours and hours and hours, weeks, for pretty much every year, in Rotary. I think community service is a great way to have friends that work together and get a chance to work with people.”
Casey Ryan was named membership champion; she helped eight new members join this year.
First-year member Jearlyn Dennie was named the Rookie Rotarian of the Year, as she never said no to anything Evans needed or to ever helping a fellow Rotarian.
For the first time, a President’s Inspiration Award was presented. Jim Callender, a past president of the club over 19 years ago, was the recipient. Callender, 85, has been a Flagler County Rotarian for 25 years and can still be spotted picking up trash during cleanups or leading a helping hand at countless events each year.
Maralee Walsh-McDaniel was installed as the new president of the club, vowing to grow the club and implement the new International theme for the year: “Rotary Connects the World.”
Visit http://flaglerrotary.org.