Emmett Patterson, Bob Garris,, and Gene Ward were honored for more than 50 years of service to the Wadesboro Rotary Club.
Photos courtesy of Caroline Goins
A group picture of current Rotarians for the Wadesboro Rotary Club.
Photos courtesy of Caroline Goins
On September 1st, more than 50 Rotarians, Interactors, and distinguished guests gathered to celebrate Wadesboro Rotary Club’s 95th anniversary and unveil a permanent Wadesboro Rotary Club display at the Leavitt House.
Tommy Allen, Anson County Historical Society, welcomed all in attendance and gave a brief history of the building.
Chuck Horne shared the history of the Wadesboro Rotary Club. Twenty-two years after the very first Rotary Club formed, 17 men meet at the courthouse and began the plans to charter the Wadesboro Rotary Club. The first official meeting of the Wadesboro Rotary meeting was at the National Hotel with District Governor Dave Clark and members of the Sumter SC and Charlotte NC Rotary Club in attendance.
As the club grew, so did the acts of service such as providing Christmas trees for the underprivileged, aid for children with crippling disabilities, a loan fund for college students, sponsoring a Boy Scout organization, and many other projects for the well-being of the people in Anson County.
Now, the Wadesboro Rotary club distributes approximately $40,000 to support the mission of local nonprofits such as Anson County Schools, Anson County Partnership for Partnership, Anson County Domestic Violence Coalition, Anson County Arts Council, and Anson County NC Cooperative Extension, to name a few.
“Education has always been important to the Wadesboro Rotary Club,” said Club President Stephanie Wilson.
Wadesboro Rotary has sponsored special projects such as 3D printers for Anson High School and blessings in a backpack.
“Our club sponsors the Anson High School and Anson County Early College Interact Clubs continued Wilson. “We also honor the Teacher of the Year awardees and give about $8,000 in scholarships annually.”
However, the Wadesboro Rotary Science Center and Henry H. “Punky” Morton Planetarium is arguably one of the club’s most significant contributions to the community. The Planetarium allows elementary school students the opportunity for scientific discovery through hands-on learning.
Don Scarborough recognized Bob Garris, Richard Johnson, Emmett Patterson and Gene Ward as members with 50 or more years in Wadesboro Rotary Club. Preston Burns holds the most extended membership, with 74 years of service before his passing.
Rotary International 7680 District Governor Kamlesh Chandan thanked current Rotarians for their service to the community and challenged Rotarians to grow as individual service members and as a club.
County Commissioner Jarvis Woodburn read the proclamation announcing September 2nd as Rotary Day in Anson County to honor the history of Rotary in our community.
Stephanie Wilson, Club President, closed with an explanation of the Rotary Club items on display in the Leavitt House, including the minutes from the first Wadesboro Rotary Club meeting in 1927.