Highlands Rotary installs new officers

June 27, 2019 Star-Courier Community, Front Page 0

HIGHLANDS ROTARIANS gathered at the Boat Club in Highlands, for the installation banquet and awards ceremony last Friday night. Pictured are Front Row: Sheila McDonald, incoming president, and Betty Brewer, Membership and PIE chair; Back Row: Denise Smith, outgoing president, Charlie Ward, Foundation Chair, Patricia Scott, Treasurer, Johnny Gaeke, Sergeant at Arms, Gilbert Hoffman, Program Chair, Weston Cotten, International Services, and Dr. Larry White, Scholarship Chair. Not Pictured: Andy Scott, president-elect, Teresa Martin, Secretary, Diana Weaver, Community Service & Polio Plus chair.
HIGHLANDS ROTARIANS gathered at the Boat Club in Highlands, for the installation banquet and awards ceremony last Friday night. Pictured are Front Row: Sheila McDonald, incoming president, and Betty Brewer, Membership and PIE chair; Back Row: Denise Smith, outgoing president, Charlie Ward, Foundation Chair, Patricia Scott, Treasurer, Johnny Gaeke, Sergeant at Arms, Gilbert Hoffman, Program Chair, Weston Cotten, International Services, and Dr. Larry White, Scholarship Chair. Not Pictured: Andy Scott, president-elect, Teresa Martin, Secretary, Diana Weaver, Community Service & Polio Plus chair.

HIGHLANDS – The Rotary Club of Highlands held their Installation and Awards Banquet last Friday night at the Boat Club on Clear Lake Road.

Present were about 40 persons, including new officers and board members, family and friends, and invited guests. Emcee of the evening was outgoing president Denise Smith.

The theme for 2019- 2020 for Rotary International is “Rotary Connects the World” an acknowledgement of the presence and activities of Rotary in almost all the countries of the world.

Small clubs like Highlands are actually part of the much larger organization, first the District 5890 with 3000 members in greater Houston, then the national Rotary organization in the United States, and finally part of Rotary International, with 35,000 clubs worldwide, and 1.2 million members. Highlands Rotarians are welcome at all these clubs.

Outgoing president Denise Smith reprised some of the accomplishments of the last year, including awarding 18 scholarships to local students for a total of $32,000; winning an R.I. grant for $1500 for bicycles for HES students with perfect attendance; safety street signs; a memorial bench at the VA Hospital; support for a Rotoract club at SHSU; hosting an exchange student from France.

In remarks by the incoming president Sheila McDonald, she said she would concentrate on partnering with other local groups in the spirit of the national theme.