Members of the Rotary Club of Yarmouth attending their Oct. 7 meeting got some unexpected good news when they learned their club was being recognized as 2018-2019 club of the year for Rotary’s District 7820.
“While the executive had been informed of the presentation, it was a complete surprise for general club members,” said Linda Deveau, president of the Rotary Club of Yarmouth.
Rob Christie, district governor for District 7820, was on hand to present the award to the Yarmouth club.
There are 50 Rotary Clubs in District 7820, which includes Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador and the Magdalen Islands, as well as Saint Pierre and Miquelon.
The Rotary Club of Yarmouth has been a part of the local community for 97 years, having been chartered in 1922.
The club meets Mondays at noon at the Rodd Grand Hotel, which has been its meeting place from the start.
“I have also been told we are the oldest continual account at the Royal Bank of Yarmouth,” Deveau said. “We are very proud of our long history of service above self to both our local and global citizens.”
The Yarmouth club presently has 45 members.
Worldwide there are said to be 1.2 million Rotarians.
The organization was founded in 1905 and its headquarters is in Evanston, Illinois.
The Rotary Club of Yarmouth club has been involved in a variety of projects, including:
• the maintenance and development of Rotary Park (new butterfly and bee garden)
• Girls cooking school
• Boys cooking school
• Adventures in citizenship – sponsor one local student
• Adventures in understanding – sponsor two students
• Three school breakfast programs – milk provided
• Maple Grove Interact club sponsor
• YCMHS Interact Club sponsor
• Night of Praise – silver Y Sponsor
• Haiti orphan sponsor
• Global clean water campaign
• Meals on Wheels – delivery 260 days of the year
• Youth mental health – speaker and support sponsorship
• MS studies and research – Memorial University
• Three high school scholarships for students attending NSCC Burridge
