You might say that the Rotary Club of Farragut “went to the dogs” yesterday!
Adam Brock and Benji
Well, sorta. The club had to move its May 15 meeting from its normal home at Fox Den Country Club because of the Knoxville Open Web.com Golf Tournament taking over the clubhouse and the course. The club met at The Cove at Concord Park on Northshore Drive, and the theme was “Pets for Polio.” Many of our members brought their pets (all dogs) and had pictures taken with their owners by club secretary Julie Blaylock for a $25 donation to the top priority of Rotary International – the global eradication of polio, or Polio Plus.
President Keith Bryson brought his two Golden Doodles (Gracie and Charlie) and also joining us was District 6780 Governor Jim Roxlo of Chattanooga. He and wife Rita introduced us to their two Airedales – Daphne and Chloe. About 23 members brought dogs, and those with two donated $50.
The club raised $600-plus for the fight against polio.
The largest pooch was Adam Brock’s Bernese Mountain Dog, Benji, a gentle giant at 130 pounds. The smallest dog was Terry and Pam Kerbs’ pocketbook-size little Applehead Chihuahua, Liddie; she weighs all of five pounds.
The Rotary Club of Farragut’s Annual Stream Cleanup Team will be in Little Turkey Creek early Saturday morning, and after the heavy rains we’ve endured in the past few months, there’s no telling what they’ll find in the creek and close to the water. A team of approximately 20 Rotarians will be joined this year – for the first time – by the students in the Hardin Valley Interact Club. Interact is a high school Rotary club, and Farragut Rotary is a proud sponsor of the Hardin Valley club.
Saturday’s high temperature is to hit 87, so the team is planning on being in the creek about 8 a.m. They will assemble in the parking lot of David’s Abbey Carpets across the street and clean up Little Turkey Creek from that point all the way to behind the Costco store. That does not seem like a long way, but that creek has its twists and turns as it flows through the woods. Some members of the team will be in the water and others on the creek’s banks.
Farragut Rotary Service Projects co-chair Teri Jo Fox is running this show. The town of Farragut provides waders, gloves, trash grabbers, trash bags and hand sanitizer.
At last year’s cleanup day, the team pulled out a tire, a complete bed frame, bags of trash and various pieces of metal. With the heavy rains of this past winter and early spring, it may be a much harder job this year.
The cake for Ridgedale School
The Service Projects team also was busy last week at Farragut Rotary’s Partner in Education School – Ridgedale. It was Teacher Appreciation Week across Knox County, and Farragut Rotary was there all five school days to tell the staff how much we appreciate their work, dedication and professionalism. Teri Jo Fox and Service Projects co-chair Val Privett led this project for principal Diana Gossett and her staff.
Each day Fox and Privett had surprises for the staff: Monday: doughnuts; Tuesday: popcorn and cookies; Wednesday: fruit for all – apples, oranges, watermelons and plums; Thursday: a full lunch catered by Special Tee Cookies and Catering with the cake pictured here; Friday: $5 gift cards to Chick-fil-A, which also delivered meals to all that day.
Gossett will be a guest at the club’s May 22 meeting.
Farragut Rotary’s golf team of Ed Jones, Tom Marsh, Doug Powell and Scott Weinstein placed third in the District 6780 Governor’s Cup Golf Tournament two weeks ago. The team shot a 65 without making a bogey and played hard in defending its 2018 title won in Crossville. The annual District 6780 Governor’s Cup Tournament helps raise money to fight polio and was held at the scenic Bear Trace at Harrison Bay Club near Chattanooga.
A team from Chattanooga Hamilton Place won the tournament with a score of 61. There were 11 teams competing for the Governor’s Cup.
If you’re interested in exploring membership in Farragut Rotary, drop me an email or call me at (865) 659-3562. We meet at 12:15 p.m. each Wednesday at Fox Den Country Club. Join us as a guest and see how you like Rotary!