First things first – Happy Thanksgiving to one and all. Especially to our nurses, law enforcement officers, firefighters and others working today who we all depend on in varying ways.
The Rotary Club of Farragut’s holidays began Nov. 19 at the Volunteer Ministry Center (VMC) at 511 N. Broadway. It was bone-chilling cold, but 22 volunteers showed up around 8:30 a.m. to spruce up the center’s grounds with some tough yard-work. Joining 14 Farragut Rotarians were seven “vols” from the college-age Pellissippi State Community College Rotaract Club.
Rotarian Tom Woodbery bags the debris
Watching over the work was Zan Schriver III, VMC’s development and digital media manager, who has spoken to our club several times and will join us again on Wednesday, Dec. 14, for our program.
“We had a really great event and us being there was a tremendous help to VMC,” said Rotarian Scott Bertini, who is co-chair of the club’s Service Projects Committee. “Zan with VMC was incredibly appreciative of everyone’s hard work and what all we got done for them.”
Bertini said the club had some left-over funds and bought the center a new string trimmer and left behind weed killer concentrate and a pump sprayer. “In addition, we had some left-over hand warmers and they are going to give them to some of the homeless population they serve,” Bertini added. “It was definitely cold, but everyone got to work quickly and didn’t let the cold bother them too much.”
The Rotary work party included club president Megan Belcher. “It was really great for us to be able to do something like this before the holidays and it was great that so many people showed up to work,” Belcher said.
This is not the club’s only service project during the holidays. On Sunday, December 18, the club will have a team of volunteers working at the annual “Fostering Hope” Christmas Dinner party for the 200 foster families and children they support. The fun begins at 3 p.m. at First Baptist Church Concord. We’ll be helping with setting up the room, serving meals and cleaning up.
And there’s more … on the two Saturdays before Christmas, December 17 and 24, teams of Rotarians will work two-hour shifts beginning at 10 a.m. at the main entrance to the Kroger store in Farragut. They will be ringing the Salvation Army’s bells and thanking one and all for making donations into the famous Red Kettle to help make Christmas brighter for many others!
Tom King has been the editor of newspapers in Texas and California and also worked in Tennessee and Georgia and is a past president of the Rotary Club of Farragut. If you want more information about Rotary, please email Tom.