Mark Winters was recently roasted as his year as the president of the Rotary Club of Effingham County came to an end. Leland Sanders presented Winters with a Past President’s plaque and a Paul Harris fellowship. Paul Harris founded Rotary in 1905 with two other businessmen and today Rotary is the largest and most successful philanthropic organization in the world with over 33,000 clubs and more than 1.2 million members worldwide.
Stan Sparks also was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship by Tracy Soles, Jeff Kublin, and Leland and Carolyn Sanders as a way to thank Sparks for his many years of service to the Rotary Club and to the community. Sparks will be transferring his membership to a Savannah club, closer to his work at Georgia Power in Savannah.
Tracy Soles was selected as the club’s Rotarian of the Year for 2009-10 and was awarded a Georgia Rotary Student Program Will Watt fellowship.
Since 1946, Rotarians in Georgia have promoted world peace through understanding by offering scholarships to international students for one year of study in Georgia colleges and universities. Georgia Rotary Clubs sponsor students recommended by a Rotary Club in their home country. The students become adopted members of a Georgia “host family,” but live on-campus at the school they attend. This is a scholarship program, not an exchange. Each year, about 80 students from all over the world make friends in the United States and other nations and learn about differing cultures and lifestyles. Georgia Rotarians believe “Peace is Possible” and through GRSP promote international goodwill through the bonds of friendship and understanding.
Leland Sanders was inducted as the club’s 2010-11 President during the ceremonies, along with the club’s new board of directors, Dan Burkhalter, Tracy Soles, Dinah King, Jerry Smith, and Carolyn Sanders. Pam Parker, the newly appointed Rotary District 6920 Assistant Governor and past president of the Savannah West Rotary club, administered the oath of office to the group.
For more information about the Rotary Club of Effingham County, visit www.myrotaryclub.org or contact Leland Sanders if you are interested in becoming a member.
